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