Pastorpreneur

Where did my little girls go...Sunrise...

Yes, I am smarmy on occasion.  But our oldest daughter just graduated from Regent University (www.regent.edu) with her MFA in Acting (with a perfect 4.0 GPA!),  and then proceeded to drive to NY and back to VA and now drove to Indiana for a long term acting gig (www.amishacres.com).  Yes, I cried.  Plus she's getting married next March and I just saw a picture of her in her dress that she and her mom picked out in VA. 

Our second daughter, Dena, who is on staff at our church (www.cvcwired.com) in our Student Ministries, just graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno (www.unr.edu) this morning with distinction (summa cum laude), with a 3.9 GPA and a major in Philosophy and a minor in Communications.  She is entering an M.A. program in Apolgetics this fall at Talbot Theological Seminary, but can do it in a distance/intensive format so she can continue in ministry here.  Yes, I cried.

O.k...so I'm not that macho apparently.  But I've always been sentimental at huge transitions...and wow, does it seem like a lot right now.  I remember when they were just little girls....but there have been a few sunrises and sunsets since then...

Amazing Grace and a little faith...

Spent the last couple of days in Virginia Beach, VA  at Regent University, where our oldest daughter Jennifer just received her MFA in Acting.  Jennifer was a Robertson scholar her last year (100% tuition) and we were blown away by the accolades given to her by friends, professors, and administration folks.  Clearly the grace of God.  Both of us (Mom and Dad) are amazed by God's grace.

So...we left VA early this morning (5 a.m. PDT) in order to insure that we would get to Reno on time for me to make it home to preach Saturday night services...which start at 5:15 p.m. PDT.  We were supposed to land at 2 p.m. PDT in which case I would have had time to get home, take a shower, and get to church only a little worse for wear...

But, we are now delayed by about 80 minutes (quote, "mechanical failure in Baltimore on departing flight")....so currently scheduled to land at 3:20 p.m. and then make it home, shower, and arrive at church...barely in time for service to start...

We have other people who can preach (and I left a copy of my notes just in case), but I really would hate to miss Mother's Day weekend services...

So...I still believe.....

UPDATE...made it to the church about 25 minutes before service started.  Changed clothes and got wired up with the microphone.  We had child dedications, two videos, a drama, and our student ministries band leading worship.  Great night at CVC!

Graduation News

Strange doings in our household...especially for folks as young as we are :-)

Oldest daughter Jennifer is graduating with her MFA from Regent University (www.regent.edu) this weekend; and graduating with high honors.   We won't be able to attend the graduation itself on Saturday (side rant...WHY do academic organizations hold their graduations on Mother's Day weekend???...this is our 2nd experience with a Christian school having a graduation on Mother's Day weekend).  We do get to enjoy a special graduation dinner on Thursday night and then the Commissioning Service on Friday before coming back in time for church on Saturday night and to spend the Mother's Day holiday with our four children here in Northern Nevada.

Second daughter Dena is graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno (www.unr.edu) with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Communications in just two weeks; she is graduating with highest honors.   Dena is working in the student ministries of our church (www.cvcwired.com) and doing a fantastic job.  Ah---mazing....she will be going forward next fall with an M.A. in Apologetics from Talbot Seminary/Biola University (www.biola.edu)

We are very proud of each of our 5 children and particularly rejoicing at this season of special moments for our two oldest kids.  Parenting is a perpetually humbling experience...but we pause to thank God for His goodness and grace.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

For about 25 of the past 29 years in ministry, I have done some level of traveling.  Some years more, some years less.  Right now I'm in Lima Ohio for a "Hit the Bullseye" conference put on by Growing Healthy Churches, an organization I am part of that helps congregations change, new churches get planted, and supports church movements.

I speak for them every year at this event, the last two years in the Bay Area.  This year, they are doing the event in the Midwest, and next year will do the event in Florida and perhaps one other location.  I enjoy the people (many of them good friends in ministry), and I enjoy the event.

I just miss home (coming home tomorrow!).  Yes, I miss my family..that's a total given.  But what always surprises me when I'm at a ministry event is that I miss my church family.  I miss the worship we do, and the people, and the sense of  "home" that CVC is.

Can't wait until the weekend at CVC...we're finishing up our "Living the Generous Life" series....which has been amazing!

Thrive 2008 in the books!

One of the conferences that I DEARLY love to be part of is called "Thrive"...hosted by awesome friends Ray Johnston, Scott Schaull, and the dear people of Bayside Church.  You can visit the Thrive website for additional information.

Key speakers this year were Sherwood Carthen, Miles McPherson, Ray Johnston (his session got booted due to an energetic worship experience led by Israel Houghton and his band), Brennan Manning, and Frances Chan.

Normally we take our entire staff and spouses and make this a staff experience of sorts.  This year, for a variety of reasons, we did not take the entire staff.  So just my wife Pam and I, along with our new Executive Pastor Craig and his wife Deborah were in attendance.  I taught two workshops on Leveraging Your Leadership Style and on Leveraging Your Communication Style (note...10/08 release date).  Both workshops went VERY well...and I had a blast.

Some conferences are worth going back to every year...this is always a huge ministry experience.  Awesome experience again this year...amazing sessions. Check it out!

Ministry Network

Outside my local church leadership role (www.cvcwired.com) and my writing and consulting work(www.pastorpreneur.com), I have 5 additional relationships where I do other ministry work.  I've had the priviledge of meeting some of you in my travels with these groups:

1)  Growing Healthy Churches (www.growinghealthychurches.org) where I work with groups of people to plant new churches and transform existing churches.

2)  Thriving Churches Network through my good friends Ray Johnston and Scott Shaull and company of Bayside Church (www.baysideonline.com)

3) EQUIP (www.iequip.org) , where I serve international ministry partners in Kenya as an Associate Trainer

4) Tozer Theological Seminary (http://www.simpsonuniversity.edu/tozer/), where I work with dean Robb Redman to coordinate the Effective Leadership Track and teach as an adjunct faculty member in the areas of Leadership and Church Administration.

5) Eduplex, an emerging company founded by an individual within our church, which focuses on relational on-line education

There are many times when those 5 areas end up being a juggling act....but the truth is, I thrive on the multi-faceted nature of those activities and they all end up benefiting my role as the Founding and Senior Pastor of CVC (www.cvcwired.com)

Good Ministry in Hard Times

Those of you in ministry know what it is like to do ministry and serve Christ, "out of season".  Sometimes the pain of a relationship, of a decision, or of a circumstance makes ministry particularly rough.

Today I did a Celebration of Life service for a 5 week old baby.  HARD circumstances for the parents who are in between moving back to our area and had been gone for 7 months in a new area.  Hard times for their family of 3 children, and their extended family.  Painful ministry today...but good.  So proud of Roy Conover who sang, Steve and Dave who played and ran sound, and our Children's Ministry providing food for the family and participants.  Many people volunteered to help usher and support the family.   They will need our help for quite some time, I'm sure...but God is faithful.

Good ministry...hard times.

Original Four

Had a cool night this Friday night.  Our church (www.cvcwired.com) was planted with four couples and 12 children.  We've recently celebrated our 10th birthday and most of the original four came up here (or one couple was already here) and started gathering a core about 10 months earlier.  So...we have all been together for about 11 years now.

Gene and Barbara Jackson are doing Christian Times newspaper and continue to serve behind the scenes at CVC

Roy and Tracy Conover are the Congregational Care Pastor and Children's Pastor of CVC respectively and doing a great job.

Jack & Cheri-Li Negrete are the Campus Pastor and Administrator of our Dayton campus respectively and also doing a great job.

John & Pam Jackson are serving as the Senior Pastors of the church (that takes both of us!) and Pam is active in our women's ministry and prayer ministry at CVC.

We had a great time in fellowship...thought about lots of growth and lots of pain over 10 years.  I suspect that in another 10 years if the Lord continues to allow, we'll be sharing lots more growth and lots more pain.  The cool thing?  Each one of us said it was worth EVERY sacrifice we have made to experience the miracle of God that is CVC...

Good times...

Vacation Return and Spring Surmisings

Well, I'm on my 10th day back from a seminar/vacation with the good folks at Bob Harrison's organization (www.increase.org)   Had a glorious time there, particularly hearing from John Bevere Messenger International .  Spent 3 days on vacation in Maui, and had a blast.

Since coming back, I have taught at Oasis (our once monthly deeper worship/deeper teaching at CVC , had an uncountable number of meetings, had our once monthly Accountability Team (our board of directors) meeting, preached our weekend services, had our once monthly all staff meeting (about 30 people who serve in a variety of roles at CVC), and more meetings.  I "think" I'm caught up...but not sure :-)

My dad used to say that if you are gone for a week, it takes you a week to catch up.  That's probably roughly true, but I think it all depends on the season.  Which brings me to an early Easter date (I'm not in favor) and then what happens for April/May...the treadmill goes nuts!

I've got several conferences coming up in April/May and I think it is because people took advantage of the early Easter in 2008 to cram in more activity in April/May than normal.  Would you be in favor of a fixed date for Easter like they have in the Eastern Orthodox church?  I'm for the first or second Sunday in April...what say you?

Vacation in Maui

Just finished 5 days in Maui with two days of an AMAZING conference by Bob Harrison and the folks at Bob Harrison International (www.increase.org)   We had to stop attending the conference by mid day Thursday (we arrived late Tuesday night after a fairly intense travel day) in order to focus on rest.  We spent two glorious days of rest and had an unbelievable time.

We read, enjoyed the beauty of the creation, and just had huge relaxation time.  So thankful for our church (www.cvcwired.com) and the capable leadership there.  Our Executive Pastor, Craig Fuller, preached and kicked off our new series, "Living the Generous Life", and our student ministries band did worship and did greeting/ushering.  They were awesome!

Great to be back...