The Next Thing Now-Moving into Outer Space

Several years ago, while we were on a family vacation, I was a first time guest at church for the first time in a very long time. (As a pastor’s wife, I don’t have this opportunity very often. And when I do, it’s usually at a fellow pastor-friend’s church or my husband is guest speaking so the whole “first time guest” experience isn’t quite the same.)

On this particular Sunday, after we awkwardly found our way into the building, I parted ways with Aaron and fumbled around for the children’s wing. After traversing check-in procedures and getting my kids settled in, I attempted to find the correct Worship Center (yes…there was more than one.)

En route, I found the ladies room and locked myself in a stall where I promptly burst into tears. And that immediately made me feel angry and foolish, because I am a pastor’s wife for heaven’s sake! I’m just visiting a church! Why am I acting like this?!

It occurred to me that attending a church for the very first time is hard. And awkward. And uncomfortable. And people are rarely ever just visiting a church. They are making a life decision for themselves and their families.

I know you’re thinking, “Duh. Like I don’t know that. I’ve done that a dozen times!” And for what it’s worth, now, so many days, weeks, months or years after the fact, I hope your first time experience at Freedom was free of difficulty, awkwardness and discomfort…once you finally found a parking space.

And there it is. A parking lot. The last thing on earth anyone truly wants to be excited about raising funds for.

But that parking lot is the first thing a guest experiences at Freedom. THE. VERY. FIRST. THING.

And it’s not just for the first time guest.

It’s for that lady who’s been coming to Freedom for quite some time now, and has been through the most difficult year of her life. This past week, life has completely beat her up. And this Sunday, she just needs to be in church. With her friends. With her children. With her Jesus.

But she’s running late this morning and she pulls into the parking lot ten minutes after service has started.  There are no parking spots left. She could park over at the elementary school…and traipse her young children on this blistering, cold, messy January day across the sidewalk, down the driveway and into church.

Instead, in defeat, she decides to turn around and go home…as her kindergartener cries in the backseat because he was so excited to turn in his Buddy Barrel today to help meet one of the big BGMC Goals that Glo has set this year.

So, it’s not just expanding a parking lot. It’s not just big giving goals. It’s creating a place and an opportunity. For people. For you. For me. For your family. For that guy sitting across the worship center who is broken and lonely. For that person who just pulled into the lot who is on the verge of salvation.

Faith and sacrifice are often two sides of the same coin. If I have faith that God is going to do something big, often my first action step is to make a sacrifice. Our family is taking steps, cutting back, taking on special projects and finding creative ways to make money so that we can give sacrificially, too. We are standing together with you as we move forward into the next thing…now.

Written by: Jaime Hlavin

Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant

The Next Thing Now-SERVE

Today I want to share a little thought with you that has been nagging at me for quite a while now.  It’s a little two-word thought with big implications.

Something we do continually in Christendom is sing, pray, and even tearfully cry out for “more of the Holy Spirit.”  You do it.  I do it. We all do it together, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  But one day, as I was crying out to God to let me experience more of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, I had this thought:

“What for?”

I had been meditating on one of my favorite sections of scripture, John 14-16, and I was becoming troubled by my reaction to something Jesus had said.  Jesus was telling the disciples that it was better for them that He goes away so that they could receive the Holy Spirit.  If you had asked me any time before if I would rather have the physical, flesh-and-bones Jesus walking and living beside me, or the Holy Spirit living within me, I would have answered that I’d rather have the Holy Spirit. I knew intellectually that Jesus had said it was better.  But this time, I forced myself to really face the reality of whether or not I really believed it was better.

I love Jesus.  I cannot express in words how badly I want to see him face to face, to hear what his voice sounds like, to laugh with him, to share a meal with him.  If Jesus physically lived with me, and spent every day with me, and taught me personally, would I ever feel distant from God?  Would I ever worry or be afraid?  Would I ever be lonely or discouraged?  Would I ever lack boldness?  Not likely. 

So I asked myself, “Honestly, can I really say that what I’ve experienced in my relationship with the Holy Spirit is better than that?”

I knew instantly that I had a problem.  My experience hadn’t been better than that.  To be honest, I was still choosing physical Jesus.  So either Jesus was wrong, or I didn’t have a right understanding about what kind of relationship was available to me with the Holy Spirit.

How could I experience more in this relationship?  How could he help me do the “greater things” Jesus had promised in the book of John?  To see what I was missing in my relationship with the Holy Spirit, I turned to the book of Acts. It didn’t take long for me to discover an interesting trend.

Acts 1:8 says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…”  On the day of Pentecost, Peter, the recent three-time denier of Christ, preached the Gospel and 3000 people were saved (Acts 2.)  Later, after being arrested, “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,” stood trial before the Jewish council and gave a defense of Christ that left them “astonished.”  Upon their release, the believers prayed, “and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”  (Acts 4)

As displayed in scripture, the people who were experiencing the power and presence of the Holy Spirit were the people who were actually doing things. 

That day I had to face the harsh reality that I wasn’t really doing anything for Christ.  I went to church, asked God to give me more power, and then I did….nothing.  Could this be why I wasn’t experiencing the fullness of my relationship with the Holy Spirit?

On Sunday, Pastor Aaron pointed out that the only people who knew a miracle had taken place at the wedding (in John 2) were the people who were serving.  In the same way today, let us understand that the pathway to seeing “more of the Holy Spirit” at work in our lives is not found in a lifestyle of quiet church-going.  The call to follow Christ is not a call to comfortable, safe, consumption. It is a call to action.  If you want to experience more of the power of God, put yourself in a position where you need that power and see how God comes through.

The next time you find yourself in a place where you just don’t “feel God” anymore, the next time you’re crying out and asking for more power from the Holy Spirit, consider this:

What for?

Written by: Pastor Travis Buerky
Edited by: Brigit Edwards

The Next Thing Now-GROW

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

If you give me a flower or a bouquet, I will kill it. I am not a gardener. I am terrible at tending to things if they don’t make noise when they aren’t taken care of or haunt me every waking moment. Plants fall in both of those categories. My desk is essentially a graveyard where innocently cut flowers have gone to die a lot quicker than they should. I. Am. Not. A. Grower.

 I cannot even begin to describe to you then, the peace and security this verse brings to me. To know that my inadequacies can be covered by the glory and goodness I know is almost unfathomable at times. No, God has never made any house plant of mine flourish against all odds, but He has done so with me many times. Whether I had planted myself at the bottom of an ocean of apathy, or in dry, hot sands of disobedience, He has taken me time and time again (once I am willing to tear up my roots) and brought me back to life. But more than living, He has made me come alive.

What’s so absolutely AMAZING about this little verse is that it has taught me that my failures and mistakes in this process of growing do NOT have to equal stunted growth. There’s no Spiritual Snakes n’ Ladders for every time we falter. God has provided so much through the Holy Spirit and the redemption of the Cross that we can be confident in our ability to grow as we serve Him.

To be open enough with people of faith in so many different stages of life is such a unique thing in the church world today, and I truly believe one of the things “His divine power has given us” is our congregation. It’s so encouraging to go to a church that is now embracing this idea. I get so excited talking about the “next thing now” because I imagine all of these people thriving in the spaces of life God has created for them, and helping one another find the tools needed for growth- no matter what that path of growth may look like.

Written by: Brianna Vanderveen

Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant

The Next Thing Now- CONNECT

John 13:34-35 states, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 This verse can be a bit challenging. It’s easy to love those who love us, but what about everybody else? God instructs us to go far beyond loving friends and family. In fact, He commands us to love those we don’t even know (Hebrews 13:2.) Furthermore, the world will know we are His based on the love we show. In other words, how we treat others is a direct reflection of our relationship with Him. This is so important. Jesus is teaching us here that in order to reach people, we need to love them first.

I think we have all stepped foot into a place before where nothing was familiar—whether it be a classroom, a workplace, a new church, or someplace else. Regardless of the environment, it’s natural for one to desire to feel a part of the community. Likewise, we all know what it’s like to feel alone. As Christians, we have the opportunity to show God’s love to those that are feeling isolated and detached from their environment. Sometimes this can be easier said than done. However, it’s so important that we choose to not grow so comfortable with the familiar that we miss these moments. Jesus created us to connect with others, and love them like we love ourselves. When it comes down to it, Jesus loves us all equally even though we sometimes like to think differently. Therefore, it’s time for us to see others with the value that He sees.

It is part of our church’s vision to carry out this principle, as it is vital to our growth both personally and outwardly. I challenge you, this year, to get a little uncomfortable. Go out of your way to love, care for, and welcome someone you have never met before.  Practice hospitality. One of the strongest human desires is to feel loved, and God demonstrated His love for us greater than any man ever could have. Therefore, let us follow His example and show the world how much He loves each and every one of His children.

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Edited by: Jenelle Kelly

Together

Have you ever had a day where everything seemed to be falling apart, and just when you were about to throw in the towel, someone gave you an encouraging word? As discussed in Sunday’s sermon, Paul mastered the art of building broken spirits. Likewise, the encouraging letters he sent and his intentional approach of togetherness paved the way for fulfilling what you, I, and our community need so desperately. Despite the do-it-yourself attitude possessed by many in today’s culture, God created us to live and function as a whole. We need moments where someone says just the right thing at just the right time. We need people to come alongside us in prayer during difficult times. We need someone to cheer us on when we succeed. These are the moments that make the difference. Community allows us to experience Jesus’ love at a deeper level, build character, and grow spiritually.

Furthermore, community prompts us to love others more like Jesus, act more like Jesus, and lead others closer to Him. As easy as it is to read the Bible, go to church, and pray on our own, we are selling ourselves, and our community short if we do not engage with others on a deeper level. To be more like Christ is to act like Him, and in order to act like Him we must express care for others. When we choose to invest our time, prayer, and encouragement into people, it is mutually beneficial. Doing so, they will receive the encouragement needed as we become more like Christ. In a healthy relationship this will also be reciprocated.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 confirms this by stating,

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

It’s time for The Church to get real with others. Instead of focusing on the processes and functions of what being a Christian “should” look like, we need to step out into our community and start to live it. Together. 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant

The Christmas Crazies

Friday night, my family attended a holiday performance downtown. As we waited in a dense mob for the usher to take our tickets and seat us, a woman nearby lost her patience--and by "patience," I mean "mind." She unleashed a string of profanity so shockingly graphic that I clapped my hands over my youngest daughter's ears. Then, the impatient lady threatened to shove an elderly woman out of her way.

"Yikes! 'Tis the season, I guess," I thought sarcastically as we all finally made our way into the theater.

Unfortunately, the stress, pressure and complicated emotions of the Christmas season often bring out the worst in people. Thankfully, this Sunday we learned some skills to help navigate our encounters with the dishonest, demanding, deadly and defensive "Christmas Crazies" as exemplified in Matthew 2:1-16 with the craziest of them all - King Herod.

First, it's crucial to realize that it's impossible to get along with everybody. And if you are wronged, refuse to give into a payback mentality.

What stood out the most to me, however, was that we are to respond with love and concern in these situations. God loves them. God loves you. But He doesn't love you any more than He loves them (or anyone else).

Ouch.

I guess I know that in my head. But how hard is it to fully wrap my mind around the fact that the one (hypothetical) person I can barely stand to be in the same room with, Jesus loves just as much as He loves me? And as much as He wants me to walk in His purpose and blessing - that's what He wants for him/her, too.

Whatever reasons brought that woman at the theater Friday night to such a deep level of anger, Jesus knows. And He loves her and wants to heal her of those hurts and transform her into His likeness.

Because I am His, I need to learn to respond like Him--with love and concern. Not just because that will help me get beyond the craziness of the holidays, but because this is the second greatest commandment and my Jesus knows best.

Written by: Jaime Hlavin

Edited by: Brigit Edwards

Family Christmas

This year was my first time to experience Family Christmas at Freedom Christian. I’m going to be honest, I was a little worried. Let me explain. We’ve all experienced that moment where there’s a movie we want to see but we can’t get to it right away.  It seems like all our friends, relatives, neighbors, and casual acquaintances want to do is gush over how awesome it is and how much we’re going to love it.  By the time we finally get to see the movie, it usually ends up falling a little flat because the expectations that were set could never be reached. For several weeks leading up to Family Christmas, I felt similarly bombarded by glowing reviews of how much I was going to love it. Likewise, I grew concerned it could never live up to the hype.

I am pleased to say that Family Christmas exceeded my expectations at every level.  Hearing the stories, feeling the emotions, and seeing the deep expressions of humble gratitude from those being honored filled my heart with a great measure of joy.  As we celebrated just a few of the amazing members of our church, there was a feeling of unity and love in the room that was tangible in a way I have not often experienced.

I think we forget sometimes how exciting it truly is to be a Christian.  In this world, some may feel they may never be more than bean counters or pencil pushers.  In the Kingdom of God, however, all of us can be heroes. We get to help rescue people and save their lives. We get to engage in spiritual warfare that really makes a difference in the world. We get to speak encouragement into each other’s lives that helps us reach the full potential of all God has in store. Days like Sunday help remind us of the real impact that the great people in this church are making in the world. Furthermore, they inspire us to reach greater heights for God’s glory.

Prior to Sunday, I was kind of surprised when Pastor Aaron had told me that 10-20 people make decisions to follow Christ each year at Family Christmas.  While I expected it to be a powerful and exciting time for our church family, the idea of Family Christmas never struck me as particularly “evangelistic”.  When I think about it now, it makes perfect sense.  People want to know that they matter.  They want to feel like they are loved and like they have a place to belong.  People want to believe that they can make a difference in their world.  People also need to see that Jesus is more than just a character in a book.  On Sunday, Family Christmas showed them all of those things were not only possible, but were to be expected as a part of the Family of Christ.

So I’ll leave us with this challenge: Let’s keep this same spirit alive throughout the year.  Our church does an exceptional job in so many areas already, but I believe we can do even better.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In 2015, let’s be a church that outwardly displays the unity and love of Christ among our congregation for the world to see.  When we see a need we can meet, let’s meet it.  When we notice a brother or sister doing a great job at something, let’s write them a note and tell them how much we appreciate all they do.  When we see a young person striving to better themselves and do something great, let’s be there with an encouraging word. Let’s constantly seek to show people how much they matter, and how much of a difference they make in our lives.  Let’s be heroes--because the world needs a place like that to come home to for Family Christmas.

Written by: Pastor Travis Buerky