A very sad day -

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 pronounced dead on the scene. Can you imagine? How can anyone wrap their mind around this tragedy? Today I will be with the family as we grieve the loss of Norah. Andrew and Kristi also have an 11 month old son, and one on the way. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Good Morning - Ukraine

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!

Where's the Dog?

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 heading out to explore the "outer" world.

What about people? No matter how wide the parameters or broad the boundary markers, there is something that pulls us across the fence.

Pastor Tim Stevens in his book, Pop Goes the Church, describes the pull to go elsewhere like this:

Your marriage is great, but there is a relationship just across the fence that is interesting and exciting.

You have enough money, but you think the amount of money just across the fence would make you happier or give you more freedom.

Your job is good, but the guy across the fence seems happier.

You love your church, but you've heard all about the bells and whistles about that one church, and you wonder if you should check it out.

You're doing great watching your weight, but it stinks to have to count every calorie. That juicy cheeseburger just across the fence surely won't take you too far off track.

In your yard you are single, surely the married yard is better. Or you are married and wish you were single again. Or you don't have kids and wish you did. Or you have kids and can't wait until they are out of the house, like the couple across the fence who has total freedom with their time.

Yes, there is something enticing about the "possibilities" across the fence. You can pray this week that God gives me the wisdom to enjoy my own yard, and the courage to deny the temptations from across another yard. I'll pray the same for you.

How Do you Know if Your Vision is from God?

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 great landmarks. What do you think?

If you feel confident that you can accomplish what is in front of you with no problem at all…then you didn’t hear from God.

If no one is angry at you…then you didn’t hear from God.

If you don’t have to ask anyone to sacrifice to make the vision come true…then you didn’t hear from God.

If religious people are not steaming at you, blogging about you and/or leaving your church…then you didn’t hear from God.

If you have the money in the bank to do what God has asked you church to do…then you didn’t hear from God.

If every step is perfectly designed and nothing happens to totally throw you off along the way…then you didn’t hear from God.

If someone doesn’t try to talk you out of what you are about to attempt…then you didn’t hear from God.

If you don’t stay up at night thinking about the vision…then it probably isn't from God.

What is with the Elephant?

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 about. This can be said of your work place, at your home, in your marriages, and at your church.

So take a moment to give me your feedback on what "gray" areas you think are out there that the church should address - that nobody is talking about?