tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15403854904169460912011-07-07T19:20:41.788-05:00Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comBlogger911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-12213942875719627072009-08-31T09:00:00.002-05:002009-08-31T09:10:51.483-05:00

I think that one of the most exciting, yet - challenging times for a church is the fall season. Lately, I've noticed that even television stations are pumping up their "new fall lineup" in hopes to gather a crowd and to boost their ratings. Fall is a great time to offer up new ideas, new training, and a new perspective on how to do life together as a church. In fact, most research suggests that

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-4889134758937419682009-08-20T14:08:00.003-05:002009-08-20T14:10:57.406-05:00

Our newest member on our staff at WCC pointed out this pretty cool video that demonstrates that it only takes one to start a revolution. Question: Can you be that one for Jesus - no matter where God has you positioned in His plan? Go for it! Start dancing today ~

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-55426061750321373412009-08-19T13:24:00.003-05:002009-08-19T13:58:24.753-05:00

"Cleanliness becomes more important when godliness is unlikely."P. J. O'Rourke Each of us face the daily challenge of living our lives to please Jesus. John explains it this way, "Those who claim to follow Jesus must walk as Jesus walked" (1 John 2:6). You talk about a tall order. Even Apostle Paul, in Romans 7, admitted that the day to day challenge of walking in Christ's steps can be

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-77219695249662076202009-08-18T07:31:00.004-05:002009-08-18T07:39:00.533-05:00

I am so amped to have another member on our great staff at WCC. Joel Nelson and I have a bit of history together. Years ago we were neighbors together at Bethel Seminary (let me stress... years ago). Later in life (years after seminary) we both went on to start new churches - in separate parts of the Twin Cities. After this, our paths crossed again on a Leadership event in Ukraine. We were

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-54433207425682933412009-07-17T11:18:00.004-05:002009-07-17T11:36:26.620-05:00

Let's face it. Those lines do not look straight do they? Be honest. You're eyes are being fooled.I'm really jazzed about our new series at Willowbrook called, iLLUSION. A while back I started having some thoughts about the art of deception and how so many of us can be fooled or tricked by enticing scams in magazines or on television. It's as if our hearts has this special place in it that truly

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-27326129761754897382009-07-15T16:31:00.004-05:002009-07-17T11:37:11.836-05:00

I love personal challenges. And one of the challenges that I recently committed to was to take a one month break from my blog entries. Why? Well -a relative of mine shared with me that in order to keep things fresh in his life, he discovered that each passion or obsession needed a resting point. Just as the body needs rest for the new day ahead, so our dreams and passions do as well. In doing so

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-62998243763939757532009-06-18T09:05:00.005-05:002009-07-17T11:40:46.844-05:00

This past week I got the rare opportunity to get away and refuel my engines by doing something I truly love to do - fish. Fishing can take my mind to different places and it allows me to experience the beauty of God's creation. After a five hour drive into Canada, Rainy Lake produced some great fellowship along with some big fish!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-51217660297318993682009-06-05T12:07:00.003-05:002009-06-05T12:21:03.155-05:00

This Sunday after church I got the privilege to do a little "exit greeting" as people left our 10:00 service. I love exit greeting because it gives me the opportunity to mix and mingle with just about everybody (young and old - first time guest and veterans). But I also must add that exit greeting (for me) does come with some elements of risk. For example, several years ago an elderly lady did

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-25330505642691652772009-05-27T12:34:00.004-05:002009-05-27T12:53:34.932-05:00

I believe that one of the essential for leadership growth is an attitude that expresses, "I am committed to improving." When it comes to a great marriage, people just don't accidentally fall into a good marriage. Instead, all great marriages have a common denominator - they are committed to improving their skills, and they seek out the best resources to allow it to happen. At our church I oversee

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-806702943357710652009-05-05T15:13:00.004-05:002009-05-05T15:33:18.685-05:00

I was reminded this week, as I performed a child dedication at our church, how important the role of a parent is when it comes to spiritual development for their son or daughter. My mind went back to Sesame Street and the familiar song, "One of these thing just doesn't belong here." Remember that crazy game? The idea behind this particular lesson was for the child (watching from his or her

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-84672310101544758732009-04-24T10:14:00.002-05:002009-04-24T10:20:27.485-05:00

I was so moved by this homemade video by Francis Chan, Pastor of Cornerstone Church in California. What do our sons and daughters see in us as both dad and pastor? Certainly, our children do watch us closesly - and as you will see, do a pretty darn good job of imitating us as well!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-55682615530474295792009-04-20T10:01:00.004-05:002009-04-20T10:36:02.323-05:00

Do you have a bad bout of the grumbles? Are you finding yourself a bit cynical towards life? Is it effecting your every day decisions and how you approach others? If you're human, you've probably gone through seasons of life in which your complaint switch is on. You might be in that season right now. To make matters worse, you turn in your Bible for help and your eyes glance down on this verse,

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-4605058105924868422009-04-11T08:36:00.004-05:002009-04-11T09:19:17.565-05:00

Every so often a bizarre story grabs my attention. Such is the case for this story about a plucky pooch that was separated from her owners when she fell overboard in choppy waters, but swam five miles to an island, surviving on a diet of wild goats for four months until miraculously being reunited with her family.“She surprised us all,” ecstatic owner Jan Griffith told the National Australian

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-90114784509367961402009-04-02T21:37:00.002-05:002009-04-02T21:42:55.931-05:00

My lovely wife (Terri) came through with a fun surprise the other day. Take a look:

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-52447785060919641242009-03-31T12:02:00.004-05:002009-03-31T12:53:41.939-05:00

Just this past week I received (via email) an annual survey about my spiritual health as it pertains to being a pastor. The organization collecting this information is, Converge Worldwide (http://www.scene3.org/). And so I took a moment to complete this brief survey and thought - why don't I just open myself up to you all. What's there to hide, right? In doing so, you'll get a pretty good idea

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-10673371772726724922009-03-30T11:12:00.002-05:002009-03-30T11:27:49.753-05:00

Years ago a friend of mine invited me to first row seats (on the floor) of a Timberwolves game. This, of course, is when K-G was still playing for our Timber-puppies. When we arrived at the Target Center we went through a special side door and into a small room in which a distinguished man placed a special tag around our necks. These tags permitted us to be on main floor with the professional

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-67467410172712725592009-03-27T19:51:00.002-05:002009-03-27T19:56:32.443-05:00

Real simple. Never give up. I think I watched this ten times in a row. I would be crushed if I played for the yellow team. I hope that a number of Youth Pastors were on hand and available for counseling. Ouch!Enjoy.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-45829343963289877002009-03-24T08:30:00.002-05:002009-03-24T08:35:11.895-05:00

Special thanks to, Pete Wilson, for getting this amazing clip to us.Have you guys seen this? It’s a clip of an experiment The Washington Post did with Joshua Bell, the world’s best violin player. They put him in a Washington DC Metro stop to work his musical magic. Would people stop and listen to the world’s best violin player who’s playing one of the world’s best violins (his violin was made in

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-3984852441312342922009-03-23T15:26:00.004-05:002009-03-23T16:00:46.580-05:00

Okay...so now that I've got you here - let me explain.As some of you know, I get the awesome privilege each week of leading a very exciting and dynamic church. Creativity is like a drug for me. The more creative - the higher I fly. And yet one of the many errors that I made early on in my ministry was to think that if our church was to be successful in growth, we must be cute and clever to bring

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-26880759485344831792009-03-23T08:28:00.002-05:002009-03-23T08:54:55.610-05:00

Okay...time for a test for us pastors and church entrepreneurs.If you were to ask your church board, "How would you measure my success in ministry?," what number would they place next to your name? I think we could make a case that it would be close to a 10 - maybe 8 or 9. Let's face it. We're on fire. We're turning out some awesome stuff. We're impressing the crowds with some new themes

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-74012418846770239682009-03-20T07:46:00.003-05:002009-03-20T08:09:52.991-05:00

Had to smile when I read that on a greeting card the other day. Isn't it so true? We have no problem loving those that love us. In fact, there is something beautiful about the person who demonstrates their love for us. It's a bit attractive. However, this argument quickly breaks down as it pertains to God and His relationship with us. The Bible records that while we were still "sinning" God died

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-8450738161419044162009-03-12T11:03:00.008-05:002009-03-12T11:25:34.955-05:00

There are times in life in which you simply need to respond. I've noted a couple pictures to help get my point across.I believe that God opens up tremendous doors of opportunity each day. And although the Bible clearly shares that we are to never stop praying, we still must be responsible to respond. Do we really need to think more about it? What is God asking from you today? Grip it and rip it!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-73535778028268423052009-03-11T12:26:00.004-05:002009-03-12T11:25:53.579-05:00

My wife and I will soon be leaving together for a destination that we have yet to visit, Washington D.C. I would be lying to you if I told you that I wasn't looking forward to it. While in D.C. we will be exploring the many exhibits and museums that our Nation's Capital offer. Pinch me! In addition, we will be visiting Ebenezers Coffee House led by a great leader, author, and Pastor, Mark

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-81154827627796212072009-03-05T09:38:00.003-06:002009-03-05T10:14:59.511-06:00

Okay...so now that I got your attention. There's just something about that word, "purity," isn't there? Oh wait. Could it be that "other" word that grabbed your attention? Please.Oddly enough, last month I found myself (alone) in a mall walking through Victoria's Secret to pick up a little Valentine's gift for my bride. Without getting into a lot of details, our marriage has really improved over

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-69882934394212947012009-03-03T08:10:00.006-06:002009-03-05T09:37:58.551-06:00

Once again I wake up this morning feeling so overwhelmed by what God is doing through His church - which I'm amazed to be leading. I get the privilege of serving alongside of some of the greatest women and men on the planet earth. Oh yes - I know that there are those challenging moments in a leader's life in which you feel like you are out in the open sea with just a undersized 9.9 Johnson motor,

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-42094698612541311872009-02-25T12:17:00.003-06:002009-02-25T12:29:26.967-06:00

I came across this interesting and profound song by a group called, The Streets. It's basically about a son who lost his father and is now left to ponder the purpose of his life while living in the shadow of his dad's legacy. Unfortunately, his father failed to leave him a foundation in which to find peace with his Savior. Why? Because they never went to church. Give it some thought.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-83412997497530081132009-02-23T09:46:00.006-06:002009-02-23T10:18:07.463-06:00

Arguably one of the best college football coaches in our day was Lou Holtz. The Minnesota Golden Gophers were fortunate to have Lou as their head coach for a brief two year period (1984-85). And after a very difficult loss to the Wisconsin Badgers Lou addressed his team by saying, “Wisconsin beat us this Saturday, but we will not make the mistake of letting them beat us again next Saturday.” In

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-27510737160689123542009-02-18T12:41:00.004-06:002009-02-22T16:12:23.159-06:00

I joined Twitter a number of months ago and I must admit, I'm loving it. I have found Twitter to be extremely helpful in connecting with individuals who hold a plethora of knowledge and wisdom in so many areas of life. I have been astonished by the openess and honesty in which people approach life. In fact, I wish my entire church would Twitter. In doing so, I think I would know a lot more about

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-6161552492206691152009-02-18T12:16:00.004-06:002009-02-22T16:12:57.582-06:00

I'm anxiously awaiting our new Series this Sunday at Willowbrook. I truly believe that the defining moment of any church is when a community of people are in need of help, hope, and healing.This Sunday (February 22nd) I will be teaching on how the church was designed by God to be "thee" economical stimulus package for our culture. Many individuals and families are hurting finacially today. And

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-43331774436470023442009-02-16T10:30:00.005-06:002009-02-22T16:18:15.729-06:00

I am very anxious to get to our next Series started at Willowbrook because it has to do with the church helping the hurting (first response). I've entitled this message series, "First Aid."I'm not sure about you, but most of my friends are going through some tough times right now. And the question that comes out of this is: "How can the church help assist the hurting?" You can't help but open a

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-89771882455029438512009-02-09T14:22:00.003-06:002009-02-09T18:44:26.306-06:00

Thirty-four Willowbrookers took the plunge in cold and frigid waters to raise resources for Special Olympics. Willowbrook was the number one group, raising 5600.00. Next year, it's our hope to double or triple the size of our group. Can we do 100? Oh ya.POINT: You must leave the ledge to make a splash!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-75144622693252224392009-01-21T08:09:00.009-06:002009-01-21T10:15:45.711-06:00

Yesterday was a monumental moment for our Country as we watched our first African American take the highest seat in the land, The Presidency of the United States - our Commander and Chief. And as most of us know, President Obama selected Rick Warren to be the "one" to pray for our nation during this historical moment. But Rick's participation came with some strong scrutiny. Reporter, Ann Curry

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-47237019242985060502009-01-20T08:19:00.004-06:002009-01-20T08:23:28.355-06:00

I was tempted to write about this historical day in our history as a Nation, but instead I simply decided to pause and be still. Sometimes God speaks stronger to us and in us during a still moment. So pause and be still.Now...start praying for our New President!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-25115986362957977152009-01-17T10:56:00.005-06:002009-01-17T11:52:59.779-06:00

The other day I was listening to a local Christian radio station (Twin Cities) in which the DJ was sharing his thoughts about the renewed hype on the popular hit show, American Idol. He then went on to say, "What if we, as Christians, were to vote on the pastor that best represents our "Christian Idol of this day?" He wondered, which Pastor would we vote for? Who would be "thee" next American

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-77607636342612602732009-01-14T19:01:00.003-06:002009-01-17T10:56:31.482-06:00

Just finished reading, In a Snowy Pit with a Lion, and I cannot lie, it defines the word, transforming. Props to Mark Batterson who puts the cookies on the table. I have been rejuvinated to dream bigger when it comes to trusting God in the area of leadership and personal devotion. My only regret with his book is that I didn't read it sooner. When you get the chance, grab the book and start

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-51316223056511733492009-01-05T23:22:00.006-06:002009-01-06T16:03:22.202-06:00

Oh ya... it's going to be one incredible day and one incredible event. I'm going to take the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics on Saturday, January 31. And I need your help. Would you...could you...sponsor me for a great cause? Below is a link to give you more information.COPY LINK BELOW TO YOUR BROWSERhttp://specialolympicsminnesota.org/Polar_Plunge_App.php?regid=4052&step=pledge&action=

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-20504747477236001572009-01-05T17:12:00.003-06:002009-01-05T21:40:37.142-06:00

Here's a great quote to start your New Year off:Christ is not valued at allunless He is valued above all- St. AugustineI'm going to take the remainder of this week to let this sink into my cranium and make its way to my heart. I hope you'll join me.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-78524330184278736652008-12-17T19:35:00.004-06:002008-12-17T19:56:41.669-06:00

You've planned hard. You've gone over it at least a dozen times. You've practiced and rehearsed until it hurts. You've got it just right. And then the service starts. It's called, "ministry blunders." Like a tornado that drops out of the sky without the sound of a preceeding siren or warning, so too comes those darn moments in which a blunder comes swiftly upon the pastor.In our second year

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-14097099864202629702008-12-16T16:01:00.004-06:002008-12-16T16:26:17.324-06:00

Do you ever have those moments in life in which you're just half of step off in your walk and you just can't pin-point the reason? It can lead to some real frustration. Everything seems to be going good - but there's just something missing and it is controlling you. You just can't get comfortable in your skin. We all feel this way from time to time. Let me share with you some simple steps that

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-37768258980289980982008-12-09T20:49:00.001-06:002008-12-09T20:51:16.418-06:00

1. When you are sad -- I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spidermonkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you. 3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in. 4. When you're scared -- we will high tail it out of here. 5. When you are worried -- I will tell you

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-29596006319324828872008-12-09T14:30:00.010-06:002008-12-10T11:47:53.416-06:00

Last week I posted the first four things I learned in my my first eight years of being a new church planter. I have now listed the remaining four things below.Year five: Too much sugar isn't good for the body.My fifth year of leading was, perhaps, the most eye opening for me. Similar to buying that first new car, it didn't take long for that new car smell to start wearing off at our church.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-48757671748174945382008-12-06T11:52:00.002-06:002008-12-06T11:55:13.474-06:00

Have you ever met an atheist? An atheist believes that there is no God. Do you know what God’s response to that is? “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Ps. 14:1). While no Christian would ever be guilty of being an atheist, many Christians are guilty of being practical atheists. Practical atheism does not believe there is no God… practical atheism lives as if there is no

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-48912421381994512012008-12-05T09:02:00.003-06:002008-12-06T21:15:57.708-06:00

I awoke this morning to find that my Blog Site just reached 1000 hits. Can you imagine being hit 1000 times? I'm not sure what this means or what's even next. My primary goal in this life of blogging was to simply be real and vulenerable with anyone who stumbled upon the site. As some of my closest friends know, I have always enjoyed privately jotting down my thoughts on paper. It produced

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-74879927427196906802008-12-04T09:13:00.009-06:002008-12-09T14:27:41.749-06:00

What are the eight things that I have learned in my eight years as a church planter that I wish I would have known (you guessed it) - eight years ago? Here they are:CONFESSIONS OF THIS CHURCH PLANTERYear One: Too much of me was not enough for me.The late comedian Richard Prior once said, "I like me too much to stop liking me." How true. Right out of the gate I learned something about myself

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-47663986244708538972008-12-02T13:49:00.001-06:002008-12-02T13:51:08.396-06:00

If you're having trouble, ladies, picking out that perfect gift for your man, then look no further. I gave my wife a huge hint last year and she came through. It's the best gift I've ever received.Take a look...

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-51765257270883275262008-11-23T15:05:00.003-06:002008-11-23T15:14:08.315-06:00

Willowbrook started a little over eight years ago with a handful of people. One of them being Gordy Sundberg. Gordy and his wife, Betty, joined us after 50 years of ministry experience. What would posses someone, after 50 years of ministry, to join us for the start of a new church plant? Well, according to Gordy - retirement was not Biblical. Gordy's final eight years was spent praying for

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-14554775791231215892008-11-19T15:35:00.003-06:002008-11-19T15:56:30.487-06:00

Wow...it has been nearly a whole month since I last blogged. Thanks to a number of close friends who nudged me forward, and one who told me to "snap to it." (Jim?)Much of my time away has been all about "reframing" (how do you like this new word in my vocabulary?) my life in so many areas. It's like getting a life realignment. And if you notice, realignment has the word "real" built right

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-82265075905995262662008-10-24T11:08:00.002-05:002008-10-24T11:21:45.085-05:00

Terri (my wife) and I have been blessed with some really strong and solid friendships over the years. And as we have reflected the past few weeks about what makes these relationships so valuable to us we both agree that our friends are all about keeping it real. We've had our friends just show up to our home and pour out their hearts in sincere ways, and in return, we've done the same. In those

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-39167553646384588752008-10-08T09:55:00.002-05:002008-10-08T09:59:52.414-05:00

I love hello`s. I struggle with goodbyes. Today is one of those "goodbye" days. Not sure why they put the word, "good," in front of "bye." It never seems to be too good (unless you really despise the person who is leaving). Julia, our Ukrainian friend is leaving today for Ukraine. She has been with us for a whole month - and it will seem strange not having her around. Her love for Christ

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-55520465759533563232008-10-06T14:14:00.004-05:002008-10-06T14:27:01.067-05:00

Okay...so I'm a blogger, twitter, and now - booker. The most recent is Facebook. Since I'm terribly new to all of this, I really have not drawn any hard conclusions on this whole cyberspace stuff. It's pretty overwhelming. The only thing that I sense from being a blogger is that there are a lot of us who are either 1) really into ourselves and our activites or; 2) we just love keeping up

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-77452656298136641552008-09-26T06:58:00.006-05:002008-11-23T15:04:08.585-06:00

I don't know what to tell you or even how it works, but I'm a Twitter. You can check it out by going to Twitter. Twitter is a site for people like me who are extremely bored and into themselves - and like sharing personal information about themselves with others. If you want to follow me and my day, click here.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-70944834286189142712008-09-16T07:31:00.003-05:002008-09-16T07:42:45.464-05:00

BOWI stands for ~ Big Outrageous Wild Ideas. When Jesus said that he came to bring us life and for us to have it more abundantly (John 10:10), I wonder if we are truly claiming the power behind such words? I think most humans tend to "under-live." Sure, we might have that occasional moment where we shoot for the stars, but most often we fail to launch the rocket. Sometimes we don't launch

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-76966501591952431022008-09-08T09:44:00.002-05:002008-09-08T10:07:08.220-05:00

So ~ yesterday I thought I would give it a try. I wanted to run 20 miles. Never done it before. But now that I think I am Superman, I thought that I would give it a try. I had the perfect afternoon (low temps & low humidity). My first 12 miles went fantastic ("I'm the king of the world," moment), but I made one very serious mistake. I failed to drink water along the course. Ooops. On mile

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-84648194846397597862008-08-25T10:29:00.004-05:002008-08-26T20:54:30.365-05:00

Totally proud! That's how I felt this weekend after completing a great team running event called, RAGNAR. Willowbrook Church featured two Ragnar running teams (twelve on each team) for 30 hours of relay running from LaCrosse Wisconsin to Minneapolis. Our team name was - "Running on a Prayer." Isn't that creative?? We competed against 170 other teams through some of the warmest weather of the

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-140469399802571552008-08-08T17:09:00.002-05:002008-08-08T17:15:32.664-05:00

The Bible says that "laughter is good medicine for the soul" (Proverbs). Well, when it comes to worship, I wonder how many of us have a good laugh with the God who loves us? In fact, as it pertains to worshipping God with our giving, the Bible says that God loves a "hilarious giver." There's something about worship and laughter that go together - it does something for the soul. I hope you

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-6793432869252032132008-08-07T10:28:00.002-05:002008-08-07T10:32:34.588-05:00

We pulled it off -Over 1400 people from our community showed up to get a taste of Willowbrook and God granted to us some great weather and tons of people! I was so proud of our many volunteers who totally "tore it up" for over three hours! Take a look at this great little video put together by Tonicia Ferguson (her finger snapped over 200 pictures that day).

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-18985328684729309562008-07-05T14:56:00.002-05:002008-07-05T15:05:30.259-05:00

I just realized that I am about half way through our family vacation. If you're keeping score, we started about 14 days ago - and I have about 13 left. It's amazing what a little time of R&R can really do for the soul. And get this - the church is still doing great!! Imagine that. In fact, you know that you have confidence in your staff and volunteers when you actually forget what day it is

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-12198085507450367592008-06-26T21:09:00.004-05:002008-06-26T21:20:29.701-05:00

Get a load of this!!! This big girl is a 27" - 8 pound walleye. I love fishing! Secrets out. And a trip to Canada is exactly what I needed. If there is anything that can get my juices flowing - this is it. God created fish for that reason. I had an amazing few days with a great group of guys from Willowbrook in a place called, Canada (yes - they let me over the border). And get a load of

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-2383530958263567882008-06-12T21:35:00.005-05:002008-06-13T21:58:15.279-05:00

I must say, I was in my prime today! I had the privilege to hang out for a couple hours with "the man" who has truly inspired me more than any other man in my life (next to my own dad), Pastor Steve Anderson. Pastor Steve was the Pastor who married me and my lovely bride of 21 years. Pastor Steve was the man who led my own parents into a deeper walk with Christ for over 20 years. Pastor

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-49154623186678465052008-06-10T20:57:00.002-05:002008-06-10T21:22:26.800-05:00

It's hard for me to believe but our family is gearing up for an important time of refueling over the next four weeks. After finishing my Sunday's message (June 15th) I will be heading home to plan out a number of little family trips until the middle part of July. The Church Council has been so awesome in allowing our family this important opportunity to spend much-needed quality time together.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-48356700748201651802008-06-09T08:14:00.002-05:002008-06-09T08:22:36.064-05:00

Okay - If you're not familiar with the Twilight Zone, you won't get this funny and clever video called, "The Tightwad Zone." If you're a pastor you're probably always looking for creative ways to challenge your church to give to the ministries that truly touch lives. Well, this might be the ticket. The Bible says that when we give we should do it "hilariously." I think this will help. Yes,

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-34524092949214469982008-06-07T18:29:00.003-05:002008-06-07T18:38:11.486-05:00

It's been sometime since I had the chance to visit my own blog and to narrow in on what God has been teaching me this past week. Well, if you're like me, you have those dry times in life in which the rain just doesn't fall as much on the ole noggin. But, just the other day I was taking a moment to read some awesome and inspiring stuff from Pastor Perry Noble when pow - storm cells developed and

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-62374524326765942382008-05-28T11:59:00.002-05:002008-05-28T12:13:53.594-05:00

Five minutes from my home. It all happened just five minutes from my home. Many of our friends from Willowbrook were in the path of this deadly tornado on Sunday, May 25th. A large number of homes are completely gone and so is the life of a little two-year old child. What a tremendous loss. One moment life is wonderful with blue skies, and the next minute - well, gone. I was reading up on

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-71369892305790897322008-05-22T14:39:00.004-05:002008-05-22T14:54:12.661-05:00

Last night my heart fell to a new level when I learned the news that Steven and Mary Beth Chapman lost their 5 year old daughter, Maria Sue, to a terrible accident at their home in Franklin TN. Steven Curtis Chapman, 45, has won 51 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association and five Grammys. We have used many of his remarkable songs at Willowbrook. Please keep this family in your prayers as

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-7468366958243516952008-05-08T13:15:00.002-05:002008-05-08T13:34:12.995-05:00

Have you ever had one of those moments in life when it all became quite clear to you? I call this - a break through moment. Sometimes a break through moment comes to us when we're not even expecting it. In fact, I would suggest that most of our break through moments happen in life when we least expect it, like through a back door. Maybe you're reading a book and "pow," a statement just grabs

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-52971528046593923742008-05-03T12:54:00.003-05:002008-05-03T13:04:49.354-05:00

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.But it appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.She

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-65752220569229864632008-05-02T10:00:00.002-05:002008-05-02T10:19:04.441-05:00

I think these things only happen to me. Scenerio: I order a part for my laptop computer last week. To make a long story short, this part will allow my laptop to process video and to help assist Willowbrook with our Sunday morning services. The guy on "EBAY" assures me that it will work with my Dell Inspiron computer "operating" system. I shell out the dough! Guess what? The part comes six

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-17822957254161014952008-04-28T15:17:00.004-05:002008-05-03T16:54:37.420-05:00

My heart is extremely sad today as I reflect on a family that have so much to the ministry at Calvary Church in White Bear Lake. As some of you may have heard, Chaplain Andrew Paulsen and wife, Kristi, were preparing to leave last Thursday afternoon to move to South Dakota to take on a new lead position at a church when their 22 month old daughter, Norah, fell from a two story window. She was

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-2549361374617454922008-04-26T09:43:00.005-05:002008-04-28T19:11:11.456-05:00

Our friend, Pastor Sergei from Ukraine, sent me this video of our last visit with them in November of 2007. As you can see, we were a little tired from a lot of late night fun!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-41613597107692222822008-04-24T18:17:00.005-05:002008-04-25T08:49:31.844-05:00

The other day my wife and I were sitting on our porch with our goldendoodle, Morgan (half golden retriever & half standard poodle - not really a "mans" dog). We are proud to say that after two years of training her (invisible fencing) she is one obedient dog. However, right before our very eyes, Morgan just got up and walked away from us as though the invisible fencing didn't exist. She was

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-64381884068655345382008-04-19T19:25:00.004-05:002008-04-20T18:09:40.364-05:00

As a Pastor I often experience the excitement or thrill of God taking His church (like Willowbrook) to the next level. And yet, the one thing I've truly learned in my many years of ministry about God is this: He's always placing us in a position of faith. So how does a pastor, or any Christian for that matter, know when it is God's vision? Great question. My friend Perry Noble gave me these

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-70968907895070038782008-04-16T11:45:00.004-05:002008-04-16T12:13:39.759-05:00

I'm starting a new series on Sunday that I'm really excited about. I received this message series from a great guy/friend named, Mark Batterson. Mark explains that churches, like Willowbrook, can become much like a family that tend to avoid dealing directly with moral issues that confronts them. Instead, it's like having an elephant in the room which everyone sees, but no one wants to talk

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-90614941729002236812008-04-09T09:42:00.002-05:002008-04-09T09:46:18.749-05:00

What do these have in common?ProtozoaEchinodermsAnnelidsMollusksArthropodsArachnidsWho will get it right first? Leave a comment!Trust me, there is a spiritual purpose behind this question.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-6318669374730958012008-04-07T14:57:00.004-05:002008-04-07T16:32:50.926-05:00

I just received this from my wife (Terri), and I thought it was very profound to those of us involved in ministry - at any level. Enjoy.Ten Questions: Family 1. Am I closer to my spouse today than I was a year ago? 2. Have I read God’s word with my family this week? 3. Have I prayed with each member of my family this week? 4. Do my children know they come before the people in the church?

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-59394566913740038142008-04-04T15:13:00.003-05:002008-04-04T15:32:45.599-05:00

It's Friday afternoon and I just returned from having a great time with my two daughters (McKenna and Madi) at the new Kwik Trip store located about a mile from our house. That's right - Kwik Trip. We spent about 20 minutes just hanging out together at a gas station (slash) food store. And catch this -- We made our "very own" smoothies from the smoothy machine - all by ourselves. (It did take

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-47720568091699736702008-04-03T11:15:00.001-05:002008-04-03T11:50:04.672-05:00

My friends in Ukraine sent me this short video clip of me speaking (they cut the best part out - my altar call was amazing! J/K). I had the chance to speak at their first EVER regional youth conference last year in Chigrin, Ukraine. Over 200 teenagers were present. Notice that my Ukraine language isn't the best - thus my awesome interpreter! We are supporting this exciting ministry in Ukraine and

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-53499034087854386762008-04-01T23:20:00.002-05:002008-04-01T23:37:41.719-05:00

One of the challenges that every pastor must confront while preparing his or her message is the methodology of how to appeal to a wide range of people each Sunday? How to do church is undefined in Scripture for one very good reason: it would kill creativity. The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. That is one of my core convictions at Willowbrook. Unfortunately, it is easy

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-19367432934911646962008-03-30T18:36:00.005-05:002008-04-01T21:07:40.134-05:00

This video was sent to me and I can't help but pass it on to you! This rivals nearly everything I've seen. Amazing. I'll never think of the Lord's Prayer the same way. ENJOY.Give me your thoughts...

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-2682397508863854952008-03-27T13:21:00.002-05:002008-03-27T13:34:27.829-05:00

As a pastor it appears to me that, in an odd way, people tend to grow closer to God through trial and tears - even more so than sitting in a stained glass cathedral for years. Do you remember the story of the three little pigs and how each of the pigs built their home out of different materials? As much I love this story and the truths behind it, I have an odd feeling that God probably did

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-4305899717653983382008-03-26T17:03:00.001-05:002008-04-01T23:13:55.387-05:00

I just got a call from a friend of mine who shared a cool story about how God worked in his life during a phone conversation. He said to me, "I'm not sure what happened but all of the sudden it was like God's words were flowing through my mouth and it really made a difference in this person's life. I felt so used by God. It was awesome." I would consider this a "Go God Thing" (GGT)The Bible

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-85321929904494665452008-03-26T10:01:00.001-05:002008-04-01T23:14:47.292-05:00

As you might guess, much of my time each week is spent researching and reading about the church. I love the church. In fact, I have come to believe that "the church is the hope of the world." Because of this, I have dedicated a large portion of my life to this organism called, the church. I came across this writing the other day by Pastor Mark Beeson that I found interesting. I'd love to get

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-19354349397048070882008-03-24T08:15:00.000-05:002008-03-24T10:09:25.182-05:00

To God, who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is within us...Ephesians 3:20Monday!It's Monday morning and I'm crashed out on our living room couch getting ready to gear up for another week ahead. I must admit, my motivation isn't even close to where it was last week - with Easter on the horizon. It's Monday. The Monday after

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-73772615447802332592008-03-16T16:29:00.000-05:002008-03-24T13:22:45.602-05:00

I had a good laugh at the cartoon above. Just the other night I was working on my blog when my wife, Terri, said to me, "Should I start a blog too so that we can better communicate with each other?" Herein lies the danger with blogging. So, if I'm not on my blog 26 hours a day - don't worry, I'll be back. But for now, I'm going to see if I can find my wife -Today was a great Sunday at the

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-78467642259970694062008-03-15T19:52:00.000-05:002008-03-17T21:42:53.953-05:00

Leave it to Vintage 21 to come up with another great dubbing from an old Jesus movie. What I find interesting in this video is the partial truth in the way many view Jesus today - strongly judgemental. Turn up your volume and enjoy a few good laughs - and remember: "for I did not come into this world to condemn it, but that the world might be saved..." (Jesus - John 3:17) NLT

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-31769216887997390922008-03-15T08:10:00.000-05:002008-03-24T13:24:21.173-05:00

The greatest part of being a pastor at a church where more than half of those attending each week are seekers, is that I receive some of the best questions about God, life, and relationships. This blog was created as a bridge to generate some of the best dialogue imagineable between us. Got a question? Give it a shot.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-18485466439121479152008-03-15T06:58:00.000-05:002008-03-15T20:55:03.816-05:00

We are on a Life Talk Series this March (08) that is all about defeating our giants. David, from the Old Testament, defeated a nine foot Philistine named Goliath. In a short period of time David went from living as a shepherd with his sheep - to living in a palace as a King. However, David suffered a tremendous defeat a few years later when he lost to a giant called, lust. All of us have

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-53663031668348952802008-03-14T17:38:00.000-05:002008-03-24T13:27:13.839-05:00

What Drives Me BananasEvery so often I will have those moments in my life that I'll just shake my head and wonder, "What are we thinking?" Let me take a moment just to share with you those things that make me go bananas.1. Parents who fail to get their teens to Youth Group.After 14 years of youth ministry, I discovered a powerful truth while working with teens and here it is: If a parent drove

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-32366231437633377142008-03-14T15:54:00.001-05:002008-03-15T20:53:39.446-05:00

I found this "Grow your Jesus" at a store in Chicago. The directions tell us to place Jesus in a cup of water and watch him grow over 600 percent of his actual size. I thought this might be what John had in mind when he wrote in the Gospel of John, "I must decrease while Christ increases." (John 3:30) Here's a real challenge for you and me: What do you think would happen in our lives if Jesus

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-31737333437737126702008-03-14T15:39:00.000-05:002008-03-15T20:06:44.141-05:00

I have known Sergei and Aylona for over three years. I first met them in 2005 when I went with a team of church planters from Minnesota to Cherkassy, Ukraine. While in Ukraine we shared ideas together on how we can make an impact on the many villages that have yet to hear about Christ. I'm happy to report that Willowbrook has a partnership with Sergei and Aylona and that plans are underway to

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-3157183418485545842008-03-14T15:33:00.000-05:002008-03-15T20:12:43.579-05:00

What is Willowbrook?It is important to understand that God is God of variety. And what is so magnificent about the body of Christ is the many facets in which people can come to know our true Savior. We believe that each church has a specific purpose in reaching our world for Christ. The key is for each church to find that purpose and commit to it.

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540385490416946091.post-75652734556893882862008-03-14T14:46:00.000-05:002008-03-15T09:27:26.291-05:00

I'm making some important plans for our Easter Service this year (2008). I hope that you check back soon to learn more about "Defeating the Giant of Death." You can go to our website at http://www.willowbroookchurch.org/ to learn more about us!

Pastor Bradnoreply@blogger.com