Dear FCC Family & Friends,
Crown him with many…bones?! All Hail King…Elwood?!
Wake the neighbors, kids. Last night Elwood, a 2-year old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix was crowned ‘World’s Ugliest Dog’ in Petaluma. Often referred to as “Yoda” or “ET”, the dark colored and hairless canine is beyond description. All I can relay for your wildest imagination are the words - mohawk, bug eyes, and tongue. Let those imaginations run wild. Interestingly, Elwood’s owner, Karen Quigley, rescued the mutt just two years ago. According to Quigley, “The breeder was going to euthanize him because she thought he was too ugly to sell.”
That reminds me of another story.
A. J. Gordon was the great Baptist pastor of the Clarendon Church in Boston, Massachusetts. One day he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I'm just going to toy with them, and then I guess I'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad laughed and exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them. They’re no good. They're just little old wild birds that can't even sing very well. They aren’t worth anything." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain." The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.
The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost -- paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, 'Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!'"
Friends, maybe like those field birds, you don’t sing very well or have been led to believe you’re not worth much. Or maybe like ol’ Elwood you have a whole lot of ugly in your past and have come pretty close to the edge. The cross of Jesus is proof that you matter greatly to the heart of God. As your pastor, let me remind you that it’s not about what you do; instead, it’s about what your Redeemer has already done for you!
In the Fight,
Steve
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Pastor's Perspective - Ministering to the Minister
Dear FCC Family & Friends,
Please take a moment and pray for the Graham family. Yesterday Ruth Graham died. She was 87. In the very end she was surrounded by her husband, Dr. Billy Graham, and all five of their children. Dr. Graham said, “Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team. No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.”
This week in Cupertino, I had the opportunity to be an audience member under the teaching of Dr. Henry Cloud. For two incredible days he and his associate, Dr. John Townsend, taught us leadership principles. Wednesday Cloud reminded us as pastors of how closely the vision and mission of our churches are tied to us personally; that we are the very “guardians” of them.
Recently and sweetly, several of you in the church have asked me, “Steve, as you strive to take care of the church, who is taking care of you? Who encourages you? Who is ministering to the minister?”
On a weekend where I could/should be writing about fathers, I felt a special spark to write about the one who ministers to the minister unlike anyone else in my life – my beautiful wife Michelle. Friends, she is the one who takes care of me and has been my strongest encourager for many years – even before I was a pastor. Without her I simply could not do what I do.
While Dr. Cloud reminded me that as lead pastor I’m a pillar-person of vision; the Holy Spirit reminded me, “Steve, you couldn’t be that person without another often overlooked pillar-person in the wings, your wife.” So, at FCC as I try to uphold a standard and Christ-honoring direction, God in His beautiful planning and forethought is using one of His precious daughters to uphold me!
Recent studies show that upward of 80% of pastor’s wives are discouraged and feel unappreciated. Yet, if you stop and think about it, their roles are absolutely foundational to the success of the churches in which they serve. As they go, so do their husbands; and as their husbands go, so does the church. Yesterday, even the greatest evangelist of modern memory reminded us that he couldn’t have done what he has done without his dear Ruth – his treasured teammate.
In closing, thank you for the opportunity to be your pastor. I adore what I do and still pinch myself that I get paid to do it! It’s a joy occasionally peppered with migraines, but I love it because I love you. Your sweet compliments continue to bless and encourage me tremendously. However, I want to remind all of you, there is an unsung pillar person in the wings who lovingly and patiently provides a unique ministry to me that allows me to do what I do day after day. For her life and influence I’m humbled and eternally grateful.
In the Fight,
Michelle’s Husband
Please take a moment and pray for the Graham family. Yesterday Ruth Graham died. She was 87. In the very end she was surrounded by her husband, Dr. Billy Graham, and all five of their children. Dr. Graham said, “Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team. No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.”
This week in Cupertino, I had the opportunity to be an audience member under the teaching of Dr. Henry Cloud. For two incredible days he and his associate, Dr. John Townsend, taught us leadership principles. Wednesday Cloud reminded us as pastors of how closely the vision and mission of our churches are tied to us personally; that we are the very “guardians” of them.
Recently and sweetly, several of you in the church have asked me, “Steve, as you strive to take care of the church, who is taking care of you? Who encourages you? Who is ministering to the minister?”
On a weekend where I could/should be writing about fathers, I felt a special spark to write about the one who ministers to the minister unlike anyone else in my life – my beautiful wife Michelle. Friends, she is the one who takes care of me and has been my strongest encourager for many years – even before I was a pastor. Without her I simply could not do what I do.
While Dr. Cloud reminded me that as lead pastor I’m a pillar-person of vision; the Holy Spirit reminded me, “Steve, you couldn’t be that person without another often overlooked pillar-person in the wings, your wife.” So, at FCC as I try to uphold a standard and Christ-honoring direction, God in His beautiful planning and forethought is using one of His precious daughters to uphold me!
Recent studies show that upward of 80% of pastor’s wives are discouraged and feel unappreciated. Yet, if you stop and think about it, their roles are absolutely foundational to the success of the churches in which they serve. As they go, so do their husbands; and as their husbands go, so does the church. Yesterday, even the greatest evangelist of modern memory reminded us that he couldn’t have done what he has done without his dear Ruth – his treasured teammate.
In closing, thank you for the opportunity to be your pastor. I adore what I do and still pinch myself that I get paid to do it! It’s a joy occasionally peppered with migraines, but I love it because I love you. Your sweet compliments continue to bless and encourage me tremendously. However, I want to remind all of you, there is an unsung pillar person in the wings who lovingly and patiently provides a unique ministry to me that allows me to do what I do day after day. For her life and influence I’m humbled and eternally grateful.
In the Fight,
Michelle’s Husband
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Pastor's Perspective - No Perspective
Dear FCC Family & Friends,
When the top national story this week is Paris Hilton, to properly reflect the culture in which I live and minister, I decided - there is no 'perspective' this week.
Thanks for visiting! We'll try again next week.
In the Fight,
Steve
When the top national story this week is Paris Hilton, to properly reflect the culture in which I live and minister, I decided - there is no 'perspective' this week.
Thanks for visiting! We'll try again next week.
In the Fight,
Steve
Friday, June 1, 2007
Pastor's Perspective - Desperate!
Dear FCC Family & Friends,
Since last weekend I have become a lay expert on the subject of tuberculosis; not because I wanted to, but because of a high-attention news story.
A 31-year-old attorney from Atlanta, Andrew Speaker, is currently being treated in Denver for the deadly disease. Speaker is being criticized globally for his recent decision to fly internationally – intentionally and needlessly exposing fellow passengers to this respiratory attacker. He denies that he knew about the seriousness of his condition and that he would have never put others at risk. As I’ve followed this story daily, the Lord reminded me of another infectious carrier who put others at risk found in the pages of the gospels – the woman with the issue of blood.
According to Matthew and Mark, for twelve long disheartening years, an unnamed woman suffered from an unnamed hemorrhaging condition. The Bible tells us that she completely emptied her piggybank on medical treatment and suffered greatly under the care of many doctors. Perhaps even more painful than her physical agony was her emotional torment. Her daily existence was wretched because she was shunned by everyone she came in contact with. According to Levitical law (Lev. 15:25-33) to have any physical contact with another human being meant defiling them and making them ceremonially unclean also. She was rejected, suffering and desperate for help and hope. And one day, hope came to town!
The Bible shares that when she knew Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, she intentionally put others at risk by fighting through the crowd to touch Him. Something strong rose up inside of her that He was her one and only answer, that somehow this Galilean prophet esteemed people over protocol. Her desperate condition warranted desperate measures. She risked what was wrong in man’s eyes for what was right in God’s – and won! Her miraculous premeditated encounter with Christ was just what the doctor hadn’t ordered.
Let me ask you an honest question. How desperate are you for Christ?
I’ve found that people who are truly desperate for something respond in desperation. They risk it all. They don’t allow people or things to separate them from their destination, their cure or their answer. They recognize that only Jesus Christ delivers and has the words of life. They are willing to get undignified if necessary to connect with Heaven, realizing He’s it. He’s the Ultimate. He’s ultimately it!
Friends, as your pastor and brother in the Cause, I’m recklessly desperate for Jesus Christ. I’m looking for some co-desperates to join me in church this Sunday.
Can I count on you?
In the Fight,
Steve
Since last weekend I have become a lay expert on the subject of tuberculosis; not because I wanted to, but because of a high-attention news story.
A 31-year-old attorney from Atlanta, Andrew Speaker, is currently being treated in Denver for the deadly disease. Speaker is being criticized globally for his recent decision to fly internationally – intentionally and needlessly exposing fellow passengers to this respiratory attacker. He denies that he knew about the seriousness of his condition and that he would have never put others at risk. As I’ve followed this story daily, the Lord reminded me of another infectious carrier who put others at risk found in the pages of the gospels – the woman with the issue of blood.
According to Matthew and Mark, for twelve long disheartening years, an unnamed woman suffered from an unnamed hemorrhaging condition. The Bible tells us that she completely emptied her piggybank on medical treatment and suffered greatly under the care of many doctors. Perhaps even more painful than her physical agony was her emotional torment. Her daily existence was wretched because she was shunned by everyone she came in contact with. According to Levitical law (Lev. 15:25-33) to have any physical contact with another human being meant defiling them and making them ceremonially unclean also. She was rejected, suffering and desperate for help and hope. And one day, hope came to town!
The Bible shares that when she knew Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, she intentionally put others at risk by fighting through the crowd to touch Him. Something strong rose up inside of her that He was her one and only answer, that somehow this Galilean prophet esteemed people over protocol. Her desperate condition warranted desperate measures. She risked what was wrong in man’s eyes for what was right in God’s – and won! Her miraculous premeditated encounter with Christ was just what the doctor hadn’t ordered.
Let me ask you an honest question. How desperate are you for Christ?
I’ve found that people who are truly desperate for something respond in desperation. They risk it all. They don’t allow people or things to separate them from their destination, their cure or their answer. They recognize that only Jesus Christ delivers and has the words of life. They are willing to get undignified if necessary to connect with Heaven, realizing He’s it. He’s the Ultimate. He’s ultimately it!
Friends, as your pastor and brother in the Cause, I’m recklessly desperate for Jesus Christ. I’m looking for some co-desperates to join me in church this Sunday.
Can I count on you?
In the Fight,
Steve
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