It’s Been a Great Year – And It’s Not Over Yet.

As I write this blog, we’re a little more than halfway through the 2016 calendar, and it’s already been a great year at Mount Pleasant Christian Church. In fact, there’s not enough room in this blog to list all the great things that have happened so far. There was “Night to Shine” our first prom for special needs folks, Change the World week (over 400,000 meals prepared, the frames of 5 houses constructed, and countless other people served in and around our community). We’ve had mission trips to Romania, Poland (2), The Dominican Republic (home build), Cookson Hills Christian Home in Oklahoma, Big Creek Mission in Bear Creek, Kentucky and Mexico (VBS), and we’ve got remaining trips to Austria, Mexico and Myanmar on the calendar. Each of these trips provided opportunities for people to be served and the gospel to be presented. We had almost 400 students and volunteers at Camp Allendale for a week of church camp as well as over 200 students attending Christ in Youth MOVE and MIX Conferences. Our Bible Bowl teams capped off another successful year by placing 2 teams in the top 3 at their recent National Tournament. Our preschool continues to grow and serve the families of our community. We’ve kicked off a new Soul Care ministry along with a new Financial Freedom ministry. Our Home Group ministry is growing, I could go on and on. It’s been a great year and its only July 27.

I have always had a vision for a church that provided multiple opportunities to reach and serve people. And while Mount Pleasant Christian Church is far from perfect (there’s no such thing as a perfect church), I’m seeing that happen each and every week. So let me encourage you to embrace that vision and that opportunity by making some important commitments for the remainder of this year. First, commit to faithfulness in worship. While we are a church that is involved in lots of ministry opportunities, our major focus continues to be our weekend services. The Bible encourages us in Hebrews 10:25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing… (NIV) I know you’ve got a busy life. I know weekends are filled with lots of options when it comes to your time. But I also know the great value of committing an hour and fifteen minutes to worship. Making that commitment is something you’ll never regret. Second, get connected through a Home Group and through regular service. Church was never intended to be a, “Just show up once a week” experience. We can’t live out the “one another” commands of the New Testament (love one another – serve one another – bear one another’s burdens – etc.) if we’re not “connected.” Get connected to a Home Group (you can even recruit your own Home Group) and say “yes” to the many opportunities to serve on a weekly or monthly basis. Third, Be faithful and consistent in your financial support. It takes money to do ministry – especially when your ministry is so focused on making an IMPACT both locally and globally. We operate on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 thru June 30 and we have begun the 2016/2017 fiscal year a little behind our budgeted needs. This isn’t unusual as lots of our church family are gone through June and July with vacation and lots of other activities. And I know that “back to school” always brings an extra expense to families with young children. But our financial commitments are continuous and we don’t want to fall behind. We’ve got operational costs to support the great campus God has blessed us with, a large staff (and families) to care for, and significant opportunities for IMPACT through the IMPACT Center (food & clothing) our IMPACT Chin ministry, local & global mission partners, and the list goes on.

So here’s my encouragement to you. Take some time today to thank God for the ministry of Mount Pleasant Christian Church (say that prayer right now - it really is incredible). Ask God’s blessing on the many ministry opportunities that are before us throughout the remainder of this year. Then be prayerful and thoughtful about your response to the three commitments I’ve shared. Be faithful in worship, get connected through community and service and give faithfully. I can tell you that one of the greatest decisions my wife Sandy and I have ever made, was the decision to be faithful, consistent and generous supporters of our local church. There has never been a moment when we regretted or fretted over this support. We have our weekly gift automatically taken from our account so it’s here even when we’re not. And I can tell you from years and years of firsthand experience, no matter how much we give, we can never out give God.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Financial Freedom

One of the things I love the most about Mount Pleasant Christian Church is that we are able to offer ministry opportunities to meet a variety of needs. No doubt that’s one of the reasons why we see all kinds of people in our community, oftentimes people who attend different churches, coming to us for things like Bible Study opportunities, Youth & Adult Sports opportunities, Counseling, Pre-school, Mom to Mom, Support Groups and you can go on and on. I love that about our church!

One of the ministry opportunities we offer that I’m most excited about is our Financial Freedom Ministry. Simply stated, the purpose of this ministry is to provide Biblically based financial resources for our members (or anyone in need) to become excellent stewards (managers) of God’s money. Now, this is nothing new as good Biblically based financial stewardship has always been a part of our teaching at Mount Pleasant. But we’re “raising the bar” in what we’re able to offer to help you become a good steward. In addition to offering Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) at different times throughout the year, we’ve also begun to offer Dave Ramsey’s “Legacy Journey” which is a seven-week Biblically based class that teaches you how to live and leave a legacy for generations to come. But there’s even more. In addition to these classes, we now have three Dave Ramsey trained Financial Coaches to assist you with special questions and needs. These coaches will come alongside you to help you achieve your financial goals no matter where you are in your stewardship journey – whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck, saving for some special need like college for your children or planning for retirement. These “coaches” are not insurance specialists or brokers and they won’t try to push or sell any products. Their sole mission is to help equip you with practical advice and a Biblical toolbox to enable you to become financially free so you can fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Depending on your specific situation, they might recommend qualified professionals for you to consult with (tax attorney, estate planner, etc.), but you will be in control at all times. Our coaches will only make recommendations to you, the follow through is up to you. And this confidential service is being offered at no cost to you.

There’s no question that being financially free is God’s will for all of us. The Bible teaches us that everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1, The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.) so when He entrusts something to us (like money), we need to follow His instruction and His guidelines for how it is handled.  That’s God’s expectation. And God knows how easy and how dangerous it is to lose the right attitude or perspective about money. That’s why Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (NIV) Don’t make the mistake of being a slave to money. Use however much or little God has entrusted to you for His glory. We can help you do that through the Financial Freedom Ministry.

If you’d like to take advantage of this ministry, then just contact Don Vandoski at 317-513-5859 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday (please respect those times). He will confidentially discuss your situation and connect you with one of our coaches. You can also learn more about this ministry by clicking here. Don’t keep putting off taking steps toward financial freedom…act now.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Focusing on Faithfulness

Because of my age, I, like many others in church, have a great love for the hymns of faith that I grew up singing when I was a boy. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t love all the contemporary songs that we sing today, because I do…I absolutely do…I love todays songs just as dearly as those songs from the past. But whether or not you’re talking about the songs of yesterday or the songs of today, one of my favorite things to do is learn the story behind the song. Let me give you an example. In the little church I grew up in we would end every service the same way. We would stand together and sing the hymn, Blest be the Tie that Binds. Here’s the story behind that song:

Centuries ago John Fawcett was the pastor of a poor church in Wainsgate, England. Since he was a talented and dynamic preacher, he received an offer to be the pastor of a large, affluent church in London. It was a great opportunity, but it presented a problem: He dearly loved the congregation in Wainsgate, and it was killing him to leave. After he and his wife had packed away all their belongings, members of the church came to see them off. During their goodbyes, Mary Fawcett said to her husband, "John, I cannot bear to leave!" He thought for a moment and said, "Neither can I. And so we won't. This is our home, these are our people and this is where we will stay." John Fawcett spent his entire fifty-four-year ministry serving this one church. Shortly after making this decision, he wrote these words...

 

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.
That's the verse everyone knows. Here's one of the other verses.
We share each other's woes, our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
This song reminds me of an immutable truth in the church, whether you’re talking about yesterday or today…we need community…we need each other. 

Fall break is over and I hope that everyone who was able to get away had a fun and restful vacation. This two-week break (just like spring break) has an impact on three weekends of worship and always puts a dent in our momentum. So my hope, and my strong encouragement, is that as we move into the end of the year we will commit (or re-commit) ourselves to faithfulness in worship, growth and service. That’s something that can begin as early as this weekend as we kick off our annual stewardship series with the first of four messages called “The New ABC’s of Financial Freedom.” I hope you picked up your free copy of the book and, if you’re in a Home Group, I hope you’ve purchased your workbook (the cost is only $5). This series isn’t something that’s focused primarily on giving but on what it means to be a good steward with all the resources God has entrusted to us.  We’ll be talking about some very important financial issues that impact our lives every day.

 So, to those who’ve been gone, “Welcome back.”  And to all of us, “Let’s get focused on faithfulness.” 

 

Jesus cares,
Pastor Chris

How to do the Impossible

I’ve got a confession to make. In this modern day of computers and a seemingly infinite number of software programs to help you manage your time and schedule more efficiently, I still use a good old fashioned “to do” list. I discovered a long time ago that something significant happens when I take a pen and paper and write down a list of the things I need to accomplish during a particular day or week. The only down side is sometimes my list seems overwhelming. My “to do” list for this particular week covers an entire page from top to bottom. I know I’ll feel good at the end of the week when most, if not all the items are checked off but looking at my list today feels a little depressing and, honestly, a little impossible.  Have you ever felt that way? Fortunately I memorized a great quote years ago that helps me in moments like this. It came from St. Francis of Assisi and it’s great advice to anyone who lives with a lot of responsibility. “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” 

Now I don’t want to be misleading in any way.  I’m not routinely involved with doing things that would fall into the category of the impossible…not in the strictest sense of the word. But sometimes the things I need to do feel impossible. But whether the task is impossible or simply feels impossible the solution is the same. Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible. In other words, do what must be done then do what can be done.  And eventually you’ll look back and see that you’ve accomplished more than you ever imagined. 

So much of success in life is wrapped up in an attitude that says, “I’m not going to give up…I’m not going to quit.”  That has always been and will always be the key to success in life. And so that’s how we need to approach each day in life. In Psalm 90:12 David writes, So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Now, I don’t believe David is writing about counting our days, he’s writing about making our days count. How do we do that?  The answer is by doing something. We get up every morning and whatever it is that’s in front of us we start by doing what’s necessary, then we do what’s possible and in the end we find we are doing the impossible (or what once seemed impossible). How do you think Noah built the ark? How did Nehemiah rebuild the walls of the City of Jerusalem? The answer is one day at a time…one board, one stone at a time. We make our days count when we do what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and end up doing the impossible.

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

Giving

Dear Mount Pleasant Family & Friends,

Greetings in the name of Christ, I wanted to take a minute to write and share some important information with you. 

At Mount Pleasant Christian Church we operate on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30. That means we’re just a little more than 2 months into the 2014/2015 fiscal year. Because the fiscal year starts in the middle of the summer we always start a little slow with our giving and this year has been no different. Financially we are in very good shape with regard to our income verses expenses but after the first 10 weeks of the fiscal year we are $122,218.45 behind in our general fund giving. Now, again, because of the way we manage God’s money we are not in any trouble with regard to our income verses expenses. However, if we continue at this pace it will ultimately effect our ministry commitments on some level. So I’m writing, first, to inform you and second, to challenge you to help us remove this deficit so our ability to operate our local ministry and support our global partners will not be in jeopardy. I am deeply thankful for all the generous people who support the ministry of MPCC and I trust that God will continue to provide-but sometimes we just need to be reminded of the need. 

One of the best things Sandy and I have ever done with regard to our stewardship is make our giving automatic. I’m out of the pulpit anywhere from 8 to 12 weekends a year but we continue to give every weekend even when we’re gone. You can learn more about that by contacting the church and asking for information. Our online giving is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just log onto www.mpcc.info to learn more. And, as you know, each week we have a time of offering in each of our services. 

Thanks in advance for your help in removing this deficit. Please continue to pray each day for the ministry and impact of Mount Pleasant Christian Church both locally and globally as we strive to change the world one life, one family, one opportunity at a time.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

You're Never Too Old

Back in September 2007, one of the most incredible stories in the world of sports unfolded and yet very few people knew about it. It happened on a Saturday afternoon when 59-year-old Mike Flynt took the field for the Sul Ross State Lobos. Not as a coach or a trainer, but as a player. He was their starting linebacker. Flynt had played for this Division III team back in 1970, but was forced to quit before his senior year. And the truth is he never got over the regret of not getting to play that final season. So, when he found out that he still had one more semester of eligibility, he signed up. Sports Illustrated called him “the ultimate college senior” because he was a grandfather, a member of AARP and he was eight years older than his head coach. But his playing was no gimmick. He had to earn his spot on the roster just like everyone else. When interviewed by a local paper Flynt said, “The opportunity like what I’m going after right now is just a testament to what you do at any stage of your life if you just take a few minutes every day to prioritize your health and take better care of yourself.” 

I love this story. Maybe it’s because I just celebrated my birthday, but I don’t think so. I love this story because it reminds me that most of our limitations in life are self-imposed. You don’t find any verses in the Bible where God says you’re too young, too old, too weak, too poor, too uneducated or too anything to be used by Him. The reason why is because there are certain qualities that trump all the limitations you can imagine. One of them is faith and one of them is a willingness to suit up and give something a try. That’s what Mike Flynt did. 

Recently I was reading through Acts 2, and the miraculous event that happened on the Day of Pentecost that ushered in the beginning of the New Testament Church. When the people who were witnesses to that event were trying to figure it out the Apostle Peter stood up and gave an explanation that was based on some prophetic words spoken years earlier by the prophet Joel.  The prophecy described things that would happen in the last days and one of the statements (Acts 2:17) was, Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. (NIV) Now, I don’t want to be guilty of misusing this verse of Scripture but I just love the idea of old men dreaming dreams. The Bible is filled with story after story of God using people with lots of years (uh, I mean experience) to accomplish His will and His purpose in the world. There’s no reason why you can’t be one of them. 

Psalm 92:12-14 says, The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green. (NIV) You’re never too old to bear fruit for God, not if you live by faith and you’re willing to suit up and give something a try. So decide today to never let the number of candles on your birthday cake keep you from dreaming big dreams and pursuing whatever challenge, opportunity, desire or interest comes your way.

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

Finishing

 

One of the most moving passages of Scripture in the Bible is found in Acts 20 where the apostle Paul shares an emotional “goodbye” with the Ephesian Elders. This takes place during Paul’s third missionary journey after he has spent three years with these men pouring his life into theirs and equipping them to lead their local church.  He’s about to leave and travel to the city of Jerusalem where, by his own words in Acts 20:22, he doesn’t know what’s going to happen next. As he shares his heart with them he reveals the deep desire of his heart when he says, in Acts 20:24, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”  (NIV) He tells them his hearts desire is to “finish the race” and “complete the task.”  With those words Paul reminds us that there is great value in finishing what you start.

In 1912, a marathon runner named Shizo Kanakuri was chosen to represent Japan in the Summer Olympics at Stockholm. He began the race but along the way was overcome by the heat so he stopped at, of all things, a garden party for refreshment.  But he stayed too long – more than an hour. At that point he thought it was too late to get back in the race so he made his way back to his hotel and then, anonymously, boarded a ship and sailed home, too ashamed to tell anyone he was leaving. For more than 50 years his disappearance was a mystery and he was listed as a missing person in Sweden. Then, one day, he was discovered living a quiet life in southern Japan.  In 1966 the Swedish Public Television network called him with an offer: Would you like to finish your run? The 85- year- old Kanakuri accepted, and he traveled to Stockholm to finish the race he had begun so many years before.  This time he crossed the finish line.  His final time was 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds. His story and Paul’s words remind us that our reward is not found in starting the race, our reward is found in finishing.

So here’s the question: Is there something you have started but have failed to finish?  It’s never too late and you’re never too old to get back in the race. Start running today, the finish line is still there.

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

It’s Always Too Soon To Quit

Recently I was helping lead a Pastor’s Conference in Nashville, Tennessee where one

of my fellow presenters asked those attending a simple question: “What is your life verse?”  Basically he was asking, “What’s that one verse of Scripture that is always with you?  What’s that one verse that guides you and encourages you, that keeps you focused, that sets the agenda for your life?”  Some of those in the audience responded out loud by quoting their particular life verse.  I didn’t respond out loud but my mind immediately went to the words of Galatians 6:9 where Paul writes, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  (NIV)  That single verse of Scripture has carried me through 34 years of full-time Christian service.

 

Galatians 6:9 is my life verse because it has always reminded me that no matter how I’m feeling, no matter how discouraged I might be, no matter how many challenges I am facing it’s always too soon to quit.  And it reminds me that God always has a “proper time” for the events in my life.  Now, if I’m going to be honest I will have to tell you that there have been more than a few times when what Paul calls the “proper time” took longer to arrive than I wanted.  There have even been times when it felt like it would never arrive.  But it’s in those moments when we really need to dig in and make the determination to persevere because it’s always too soon to quit. 

 

 

B.C. Forbes once wrote, "History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats."  Here’s what I’ve learned over 34 years of ministry in a small church, in a turnaround church and in a megachurch: Ministry consists of overcoming one defeat after another. That’s true of the Christian life as well. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that, as Christians, we are in a spiritual battle every day with an enemy who wants nothing more than to destroy our lives.  And oftentimes he accomplishes that goal by causing us to get so tired or so discouraged or so frustrated that we just quit.  But quitting is never the right choice.  We may struggle at times, we may get stuck, we may lose a little ground but it’s in those moments that we need to remember: It’s always too soon to quit. 

So wherever you are and whatever you’re facing in your life today, just remember, God has a “proper time” for you to reap a harvest.  And you will discover it…I promise…if you just remember that it’s always too soon to quit. 

 

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

 

Optimism

 

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how many genuinely pessimistic people there are in the world (and in the church).  But when it comes to pessimism verses optimism, the Bible is pretty clear.  If we believe in God, and if we believe the Bible, we have to be optimistic about the future because, regardless of what might happen today or tomorrow, ultimately, we have the promise that everything will eventually work out for our good and for God’s glory.  Isn’t that exactly what Paul is telling us in Romans 8:28?  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  (NIV)  And this isn’t the only time Paul revealed the heart of an optimist.  When Paul wrote the New Testament book of Philippians from a Roman jail he chose to focus on the positive things that were happening even though he himself was a prisoner.  In other words, he chose to be an optimist. 

Just consider the following: Philippians 1:12, Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.  (NIV)  Philippians 1:14, Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.  (NIV)  Philippians 1:19, For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  (NIV)  Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  (NIV)  Paul could have spent his time in jail feeling sorry for himself…who could blame him.  He could have embraced a negative “woe is me…there’s no hope for tomorrow” attitude.  But that’s not what he did.  Instead, he focused on the good things that were happening in spite of his circumstance because he was convinced that God is good. 

Sadly, pessimism comes naturally to most people.  Because of that, we need to make the decision each and every day to choose optimism.  If Paul could be an optimist in a Roman jail, then why can’t you and I choose optimism in our daily lives?  Don’t let the negative things that are happening today, no matter how big or how small, keep you from believing the best about tomorrow.  Larry Elder once wrote, “Optimism, it’s not just a mind-set, it’s a behavior.”  Let’s all decide that we will behave, each and every day…regardless of our immediate circumstance like we serve a God who works all things for our good and His glory. 

 

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

The Journey: Commit. Study. Grow. Be a Disciple!

Hey Mount Pleasant family,

 I want to encourage you to check out and sign up for the newest "Block" of Journey Bible Classes that will begin on Sunday, March 9th.  You can log onto our website at www.mpcc.info and click on the "online registration" link to see the different options.  When I shared my "State of the Church" message on January 4th/5th, I told you that the early church was a "learning" church.  That's a characteristic that needs to continue into every generation.  The main reason we built the new Adult Education Wing as a part of the God@Work expansion plan was to expand our ability to offer a variety of different Bible Classes.  Now we need your participation. Journey Bible Classes are an opportunity for you to grow deeper in your faith, not just by learning more about the Bible, but by learning how to apply the Bible to the reality of every day life whether it be in your marriage, your finances, conflict resolution, spiritual disciplines and the list goes on and on.  In addition, some of the Journey Bible Classes are ongoing studies that are geared to specific age groups.  For example, my son, Andrew, leads a weekly Bible Study for Young Adults that is leading to greater levels of fellowship and connection. 

 I want Mount Pleasant Christian Church to be known as a church committed to making disciples and one unmistakable mark of a disciple is a commitment to reading, studying and applying God's Word.  We do that each weekend as we gather together for corporate worship but everyone needs to pursue that goal on a deeper level.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."  (NIV)  Let me ask you a question: Are you throughly equipped for every good work?  If the answer to that question is "no" or even "I don't know" then you need a deeper level of commitment to studying God's Word.  That's what Journey Bible Classes are all about.  Take a look below at just some of the classes that we're offering:

Pentateuch, Part Two:

Class for all ages.
Continued from Part One - The Pentateuch consists of the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Pentateuch is rich study of the God who loves us without limit.

Young Couples Class- Biblical Conflict Resolution:

Class is open for those in their first decade of marriage.
Do you have family tensions, trouble communicating with your spouse, arguments that never seem to go away? Conflict robs us of our time and energy, and destroys our Christian witness to the outside world. In this study, you will discover how to respond to conflict according to principles taught in God's Word.

The Legacy Journey- By Dave Ramsey:
Class for all ages.
In 7 powerful lessons you'll gain a deeper understanding of investments and basic estate planning, safeguarding your legacy, and the keys to generational wealth and true generosity, all within a biblical framework.

Book of Philippians:
Class for all ages.
What does it mean to live on earth as citizens of heaven? Paul's inspiring letter to the Philippian community teaches us what it means to be a mature Christian. Joy and contentment are the hallmarks of a Christ-follower and we are encouraged, strengthened and supported by our relationships within the church.

The Reason for God, Part Two:

Class for all ages.
Continued from Part One - This study addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics and non-believers bring to religion. Using literature, philosophy, anthropology, pop culture and intellectual reasoning, this class addresses how belief in God is a sound and rational decision.

Crossroads Class- Hot Potatoes for Christians:

Class for singles of all ages.
Christians are frequently confronted with social and moral questions. How do we love those struggling with same-sex attraction (homosexuality) while honoring the Bible? Should Christians believe in evolution? This class will address topics with the attempt to apply Biblical principles to "hot potato" or controversial topics confronting society and the church.

Young Adults:  

Pastoral Epistles - Join this class every Sunday in room 101 at 9am as they continue their study of letters written by the apostle Paul.  This class is for people ages 19-29ish. No sign up is needed.

Women:
Women's Sunday Morning Workshops  - In this series of studies, you will learn how to lead a small group, give biblical talks, identify helpful study resources, and develop a plan for your prayer life. No sign up is needed.

Commit yourself to becoming a disciple of Christ and sign up for a class that will enrich your journey with Him.

Jesus cares,
Pastor Chris

Simply - Generously - Joyfully

 



Dear MPCC Family & Friends,

 I hope this email finds you doing well and enjoying the fall weather.  I wanted to take a minute to write about a new sermon series that begins this weekend. The series is called "Simply - Generously - Joyfully" from I Timothy 6:17-19. In this series we'll be talking, once again, about what the Bible says with regard to money. Talking about financial stewardship (money management) is one of my favorite things to do for a couple of different reasons: First, because the Bible has so much to say about money and second, because money can be a dangerous thing when not understood and managed from a biblical perspective. In fact Paul says that the pursuit of money can cause people to "wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs" (I Timothy 6:10).  That's why I believe talking about money is one of the most important things we do each year.  

 One very important part of this years teaching on money will be the challenge for everyone in the church to bring the "whole tithe into the storehouse (church)" on the final weekend of the series (November 16/17). We did this last year as a part of our series "30 Days to a more Generous Life" and it was a great blessing to everyone who participated as well as the church. This will be a critical part of this years series because we are currently a little over $40,000 behind our weekly budgeted need to cover our operating needs as well as our debt retirement. At the beginning of October we were operating in the black then the two weeks of Fall Break came.  Those two weeks affected three weekends of offering leaving us with our current deficit. I'm confident that we will be able to make up this need but not apart from your help. So, if you've been gone for one or more of the past three weekends then make sure you "catch up" with regard to your giving and make plans now to bring the "whole tithe into the storehouse" on November 16/17. 

We've got some exciting ministry opportunities coming in the last two months of the year. Let's make sure that none of them are compromised by a lack of financial resources. I'm very thankful for the many generous people here at Mount Pleasant and I know we'll more than meet this current need. 

 Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Meet the New Senior High Student Youth Pastor

 

Hey MPCC family,

I want to remind you of a very special event coming up this Saturday, September 14th, at 7:30 in the Student Ministries Center.  We will be having a "Meet the New Youth Pastor" reception as Matt Pineda, our new Senior High Youth Pastor, and his wife Shelby will be joining us for an informal meet and greet.  This reception is open to anyone who would like to attend but I'm especially encouraging all our families with Senior High students to plan on being involved.  After much prayer and an extensive search I genuinely believe God led me to the exact person we need to lead this ministry.  We have everything we need to build a dynamic Senior High Student Ministry in place but we can't do it alone…Matt can't do it alone.  We need your help and your support.  So here's what I'm asking.  Come to the meet and greet reception this Saturday night, encourage…ask your high school student(s) to come and get in on the ground floor of what God is about to do here at Mount Pleasant, be willing to use the influence you have with your kids and other kids to promote our student ministry.  

We live in a world where people's first question is often, "What's in it for me?"  The church should be different.  In the church we should ask, "What can I give" or "How can I help."  This is an opportunity to ask those questions.  We need your support and we need your kids participation to create a dynamic Senior High Student Ministry.  So I'm asking you for your help.  

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday night,

 

Pastor Chris

 

Summer at Mount Pleasant

 

I wanted to take a minute here in the midst of a very busy summer and just give you an update on some things that are happening around the church.  

 

First, it's been a very busy summer.  We've already had Family V.B.S., two mission trips (one to Mexico and one to Poland), several sports and youth camps run through the CLC, Summer Fun Days through our Pre-School and just this morning our 7th & 8th graders left on a charter bus to Knoxville for the CIY Mix Conference.  Next week our Sr. High kids will be headed to Holland, MI for the CIY Move Conference and later in the month well over a hundred of our elementary aged kids will enjoy a week of church camp just down the road at Camp Allendale.  In addition we've got another mission trip planned for Mexico.  This is always a busy time.

 

I've been spending a lot of time trying to fill a couple of open staff positions as well as find someone for a newly created position.  I'm excited to announce that Matt Goodpaster, our CLC Director, is going to be moving into the role of Church Administrator.  In this role Matt will assist me by overseeing the day-to-day operations of the church. In addition, he will continue to have oversight of the CLC through the existing staff.  Please pray for Matt as he begins this new role effective July 1st.  I continue to search for a new Senior High Youth Pastor.  This has proved to be more difficult than I first thought but I'm confident that the right man is out there.  Pray for God's leading in this effort.  Also, I have created a new position on staff that I am simply calling the "Serve" Pastor.  The Serve Pastor will have oversight of all our local and global missions.  This will include providing oversight to the current staff that runs our food and clothing ministries.  Please pray that God will provide the right individuals to fill these roles.

 

The God@Work expansion plan is moving forward and I am anticipating being able to utilize the new space anywhere from the first of August to the middle of September.  Our God@Work offering is over one million dollars and there are still monies that have been pledged but not received.  I continue to be extremely grateful for the generosity of the Mount Pleasant family.

 

As of the writing of this, we have 8 more weeks left in The Story (we'll be taking a break this week for our Patriotic Service and another break on August 3/4 for our Back to School weekend). What a great study this has been as each and every week someone shares with me a personal testimony of how this study has created an even deeper desire in their life to study and know the Bible.  I've been thrilled with the way this has worked out and I'm already growing in my excitement for our next study called "What If?" (watch and listen for more information).  

 

Finally, I know it's the middle of the summer and everyone is busy but don't forget about the ongoing need to be faithful in your worship, your service and your giving.  This past weekend our offering was down over $20,000 from our normal budgeted need.  That's not unusual for this time of year but it can create some difficulty bouncing back.  Don't forget that there are more giving options available to you than just the offering bag that's passed each weekend.  With automatic ACH deposits and online giving you can support the church financially even when you're not here.  

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.  And thanks for being such a great church.

 

Jesus cares,

 

Pastor Chris

I Need Your Help

Sitting in my office this Monday morning listening to the sounds of the God@Work Expansion going on right outside my office fills me with a great sense of gratitude and satisfaction for the many good things that are happening in the ministry of Mount Pleasant Christian Church.  As I write this “blog” we have just received a special offering that is nearing the one million dollar mark, our weekend attendance is higher than it’s ever been before and many of our ministries are experiencing new levels of impact and influence.  At the same time we have some very definite areas of need.  One of those is our Senior High Student Ministry.  For many years Mount Pleasant had a strong and vibrant Senior High Student Ministry.  It was nothing for us to have well over one hundred kids gather on Sunday nights for a time of fun, fellowship and spiritual growth.  Over the past few years, though, that number has been on the decline.  I’m not going to try and explain why that has happened because, the truth is, it’s the result of a number of different things and I’m more interested in focusing on where we need to go rather than where we've been. This is where you come in.  

At the current time I am working hard to find a new Senior High Youth Pastor.  I want to fill this position as quickly as possible but I am committed to taking as much time as necessary to find the right guy.  In the mean time I need you to do two things.  First, will you commit to praying earnestly, each and every day, that God would provide the right man for this need.  We need someone who has the passion, the energy, the personality and the commitment to rebuild this ministry.  I’m prayerfully seeking that person but I could use your prayers as well.  Second, if you've got high school students or you know high school students would you encourage them to support this ministry?  The simple truth is I need the parents and adults at Mount Pleasant to “leverage” their influence to help rebuild this ministry.  I need your help.  I need you to view this as an opportunity to help your kids or the kids you know learn that church is a place that’s supposed to be different from the rest of the world because church is a place where our primary focus is not what we get but what we give.  I've written about this before.  In fact, here’s a link to a blog entry simply called “Youth Group.” http://mpcc-front-porch.blogspot.com/2011/08/youth-group.html 

So this is my personal request because I need your help.  I am committed to a strong Student Ministry here at Mount Pleasant.  We have a state-of-the-art Student Ministry Center and we are committed to providing funding through our annual budget.  But I need your help.  I need your prayers, I need your influence and I need your support.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

God@Work: It's Here!





Hey MPCC family, this weekend we’ll be receiving our special God@Work offering to help underwrite the cost of our current God@Work expansion plan.  I’m excited to see the results of what happens when God’s people have the opportunity to pray and plan for generosity.  I say pray and plan because I asked you to do those two very things all the way back in September 2012 as we wrapped up a sermon series called “30 Days to a More Generous Life.”  In the last message from that series I shared the biblical truth that when God creates a need He always provides for the need and He does that, most often, through His people.  I genuinely believe that God has created the need for ministry expansion here at Mount Pleasant.  We needed the additional 185 parking spaces, the new maintenance building, the additional adult classroom space and the new Community Ministry Center to house and expand our food and clothing ministries.  The overall cost of this expansion plan will be in the neighborhood of 4.3 million dollars.  As I told you in an earlier letter, we will be able to pay for this through monies on hand, additional monies borrowed from The National Bank of Indianapolis and through this offering. 

 How cool will it be to knock out a huge part of this expense through this special offering?  I’m praying that this weekend you will be prayed up and prepared to give.  We’ll have special offering envelopes available for the God@Work gifts you’ll give over and above your regular offering.  If you’re not going to be present then you can log onto our website and give your gift online.  Also, even though we’ve been promoting this as a “one time” offering, if you’re not able to give this weekend or you’d like to give more than you’ve got available at this time then please know that the God@Work offering account will continue to be available to you as long as it’s needed.  As we approach this offering I’m especially mindful of two verses.  The first one is Proverbs 19:17 and it has a special application for our new Community Ministry Center that will be used to help people in need.  He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.  (NIV)  The second one is 2 Corinthians 9:7 which has a general application for what we do each and every week but even more this weekend.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (NIV)  I’m looking forward to a great celebration this week!  See you in church. 

Jesus Cares,

Pastor Chris

Strengthen Your Strength

Strengthen Your Strength

 

In I Thessalonians 4, Paul urges the church to live holy lives.  In fact, verses 3-8 contains at least in my opinion, the best teaching in the New Testament about sexual purity.  Then I Thessalonians 4:9-10 say, Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.  And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia.  Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.  (NIV)  What’s interesting about this is that after Paul commends these believers for their love for others he goes on to say, “Do so more and more.”  In other words, he’s telling them to strengthen their strength…to take something they’re already good at and become even better.  What a great concept. 

 

As we approach our special one-time God @ Work offering on the weekend of April 20/21, I am mindful of the fact that Mount Pleasant is a generous church.  Now I’m sure there are plenty of folks who need to grow in the area of stewardship and generosity and that our week-to-week giving could be stronger, but the bottom line is, our church is a generous church.  So, following the example of the apostle Paul, I want to encourage you to strengthen this strength by being willing to generously support this special offering. 

 

God is at work at Mount Pleasant Christian Church all you have to do is look and listen to know that’s true.  The additional parking spaces have been needed for a long time and have been a huge blessing as our attendance is currently up 12% over this same time last year.  We’ve also needed a maintenance building for some time as our campus now includes over 70 acres of property and nearly 200,000 sq. ft. of building space.  Our commitment to develop what we are calling a plan for “focused discipleship” has created the need for additional education space.  And the sheer numbers of people who are coming to us for basic necessities like food and clothing have created the need for our new Community Ministry Center.  And speaking of the Community Ministry Center, how exciting will it be to open this facility and expand our partnership with Midwest Food Bank by becoming a Super-Pantry for the south side of Indianapolis.  Because of this building even more people will come to us for food and clothes.  And in addition to that, we will be able to resource smaller food pantries in the surrounding area.  All of this will give us many more opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with people in need.

 

So let me encourage you, once again, to strengthen the strength of giving by being generous in this special one-time God @ Work offering.  Be willing to trust God and give over and above your regular giving on this one weekend to contribute to meeting the needs that God has created at MPCC.  Give generously, give sacrificially and give joyfully.  If you have a non-cash gift we can put you in touch with someone who will help you convert that to cash.  Pray for God’s leading and God’s provision in this offering.  Every dollar we receive is a dollar that we don’t have to borrow and that means more money for ministry.  So strengthen the strength of generosity!   

 

Jesus cares,

 

Pastor Chris

The Story Begins

This past weekend at MPCC we began our much anticipated new series, “The Story” which will take us from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 over the course of 31 weeks (the actual series is 32 weeks counting this past weeks introduction).  To say that I was pleased with the way we began would be a huge understatement.  This past weekend we introduced “The Story” to 3,412 people…that’s infants all the way up to adults.  And it’s important to characterize what happened this way because our entire church is involved in this study.  That means our children and our students are involved along with all of our adults.  What an exciting adventure.

One thing that I was particularly pleased with this past weekend was there were no parking issues (at least that I’m aware of).  The addition of 185 new parking spaces (the first benefit of our God at Work expansion plan) makes a huge difference to the weekend experience.  We did, however, have an extra large crowd at our 10:45 service, which is usually our largest service (1,028 in Worship Center and Chapel Overflow and 166 in the Video Venue).  For those of you who may have felt a bit crowded at 10:45 let me just remind you that we’ve got plenty of room on Saturday nights at 6:00 and there’s still room on Sunday morning at 9:00.  Also, while I know it’s a different kind of experience, we have upgraded the Chapel for overflow.  We have a new projector and a new, much larger, screen that enables you to feel like you’re a part of what’s happening in the Worship Center.  I’ll be honest and say that in the past if you had to use the overflow space it felt like a punishment, but not anymore.  Our new Chapel is a very comfortable place to worship.

So, we’re off to a great start in 2013 and I’m looking forward to see how God uses The Story to challenge all of us to a deeper faith a deeper understanding of His story and a deeper desire to study and know His Word.  And if you missed the introduction it’s not too late for you to be a part or bring a friend.  The introductory message is already available on our Facebook page.  Watch it online and come ready to worship.  I’ve been in ministry for over 32 years and I can honestly say that I’m as excited about what God is doing at MPCC in 2013 as I have ever been.  I look forward to seeing you this weekend.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

“One of us”

Most of you have probably heard me tell the story of how my brother Kenneth was preaching about the incarnation (God becoming a man) one Sunday and began to tell the story of a man who went to live in a leper colony.  The only problem was he said he went to live in a leprechaun colony.  I believe it was nothing less than the favor of God that allowed me to be present, that morning so I could hear it with my own ears.  That misspeak on his part has given me lots of opportunities to tease him as well as provide me with a funny story to tell in all kinds of settings.  All that aside, the story he was trying to tell is a powerful one.  The man’s name was Father Damien.  He moved to Kalawao, a village on the island of Molokai, in Hawaii, that had been quarantined to serve as a leper colony.  For 16 years, he lived in their midst.  He learned to speak their language.  He bandaged their wounds, embraced the bodies no one else would touch and preached to the hearts that would have otherwise have been left alone.  He organized schools, bands and choirs.  He built homes so that the lepers could have shelter.  He built 2,000 coffins by hand so that, when they died, they could be buried with dignity.  Slowly, it was said, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope. 

Father Damien was not careful about keeping his distance.  He did nothing to separate himself from his people.  He dipped his fingers in the “poi” bowl along with the patients.  He shared his pipe.  He did not always wash his hands after bandaging open sores.  He got close.  For this the people loved him.

Then one day he stood up and began his sermon with two words: “We lepers…”

Now he wasn’t just helping them.  Now he was one of them.  From this day forward, he wasn’t just on the island; he was in their skin.  First he had chosen to live as they lived; now he would die as they died.  Now they were in it together.

There’s a sense in which the Christmas story could be told like this: One day God came to earth and began his message: “We lepers…”  God didn’t come to into the world in the person of Jesus just to help us…he came into the world to become one of us.  When Jesus was born God was in our skin.  That’s the miracle of Christmas.

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Story taken from John Ortberg’s book, God Is Closer Than You Think

The Story

I want to take a minute to write about a new sermon series called “The Story” that begins here at MPCC in January 2013.  The intent of The Story is to help you see the connectedness of the Bible as it unfolds from two perspectives: the lower story and the upper story.  The lower story is God’s work in and through the lives of people, places and events while the upper story is about how God uses those people, places and events to accomplish His ultimate plan of redemption. 

I want you to know that it took me a long time to choose this new series because it’s not something that I normally do.  I say that because The Story is a sermon series resource that comes from Zondervan Publishers and I almost never use these kinds of resources.  But I’m making an exception for some very specific reasons.  First, I believe there’s great value in helping people understand the connectedness of the Bible.  I think this will be beneficial for anyone regardless of where they are in their personal spiritual development.  Second, I believe that we can use The Story as a tremendous evangelism tool.  All of us know someone who not only doesn’t know or understand the Bible but believes it’s a book that is too difficult to know or understand.  I’m praying that we will invite these folks to come and be a part of this series so they can begin to see the Bible in a whole new light.  Third, regardless of how familiar you may be with the Bible, there will be great encouragement that comes from being reminded of how God has revealed Himself and His plan through the pages of His Word. 

Now, I feel like I need to share a couple of disclaimers with you before we begin.  First, while this will be the longest series that I have ever done at MPCC (32 weeks) there’s no way that we can go verse-by-verse through the entire Bible in 32 weeks.  There will be times when we cover significant portions of the Bible in a single weekend.  And there will be times when all I’ll be able to do is give a summary or overview of significant portions of the Bible.  The emphasis will be connecting God’s overall story from beginning to end.  Having said that, though, you need to know that Andrew and I will be writing our own original messages and our goal will be to bring as much depth as possible to each sermon (Andrew has actually already started working on the first sermons as I continue to focus on the remaining weekends in 2012).  We will not be preaching sermons that we purchased with The Story resource kit.  Second, Zondervan has published some resources to go along with The Story.  Two of them are The Story Bible and a companion Study Guide.  We won’t be using either one of these resources.  We will, however, be selling in The Resource Center, a book called “The Heart of the Story” which is like a devotional guide that follows along with the sermons.  Our goal in this series is to help people understand the connectedness of the Bible in a way that leads to a deeper faith in God and a deeper desire to dig into the truth of His Word. 

I hope that you are praying about someone you can invite to discover God’s love and His ultimate plan of redemption through a better understanding of the Bible.  I’m praying that God will use this new series to capture, to teach and to inspire all of us to a greater desire to study and know His Word…His story. 

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

Closing the Door

There’s lot’s of ways to describe it.  Some say “It’s the ugly secret that no one wants to talk about.”  Others say, “It’s the 800 pound gorilla in the room.”  The bottom line is it’s a problem, a big problem, especially for the megachurch.  What am I talking about?  I’m talking about the back door.  The truth is in most churches the back door is open and while new people are coming in the front door, others are walking out the back door never to return.  Now, to be fair, some of those who leave were never really committed to Christ and his church.  They are like the seed that falls on the “rocky” soil or among the “thorns” that Jesus talks about in The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23).  They gave an initial appearance of commitment but it wasn’t real.  At the same time there’s always a natural attrition that takes place in every church.  People die, people move, people divorce, people get mad, etc.  But the bottom line is the back door of the church is always open.  That’s certainly been the case at Mount Pleasant Christian Church over the years.  At the risk of being too honest I’ll tell you that when I arrived at MPCC in November 2001, the average weekly attendance was 2,107.  Today, in 2012, our average attendance has fluctuated throughout the year between 2,900 and 3,100.  But here’s the deal, from 2002 – 2012 (ytd) we have added 2,847.  You do the math.  While our growth has been solid, it’s fallen well short of what it could/should be.  So what’s the answer?  Let me give you four things.  First, establish high expectations for membership.  Research shows that as churches lower their expectations of members and attendees, the result is an exodus of people from the church.  Why would anyone want to be a part of something that expects nothing?  Second, get people connected to a small group (Journey Home Groups).  This helps create the kind of community that leads to long-term commitment.  Third, get people involved in serving.  The earlier a new member or attendee can get involved in a church’s ministries, the higher the likelihood of effective assimilation.  Fourth, help people develop relationships within the church.  This is why we have developed a new focused discipleship ministry called The Journey.  We have incorporated all four of these elements in The Journey to do two things.  First, and most important, is to help people become fully-developing followers of Christ.  Second, to do all we can to shut the back door.  Through The Journey you have an opportunity to make a commitment to Christ and his church.  We make sure you understand that this isn’t a casual commitment it’s the most important commitment of your life.  The Journey also gives you an opportunity to begin to travel down a specific pathway designed to help you grow.  That pathway will involve opportunities to be connected to a small group (Journey Home Group or Journey Care Group), opportunities to grow through a connection with caring and gifted people who have been trained to minister to you on a personal level (Stephen Ministry), opportunities to grow deeper in your understanding and application of God’s Word (Journey Bible Classes or Journey University) and opportunities to discover and use your gifts and talents to serve people (Journey Ministry).  I genuinely believe that The Journey is something that can have a dramatic impact on your life and our church.  I hope you agree.  Log onto www.mpcc.info and click on the link “Join The Journey” or contact Ken Jones at kjones@mpccministry.com. 

Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris