Pre-Service Prayer & Communion, Sundays 9am

I believe the Lord has taken us on a journey. When ya'll were crazy enough to vote me in last year, Carie was teaching an adult sunday school class, Sundays at 9am. Then John led us thru a special study. They both demonstrated a special teaching gift.

One recent Sunday Morning I came in and said, 'what next'? Keith Sr. said, 'I been reading some Jim Cymbala lately', and I suddenly remembered an amazing teaching dvd I had on prayer by Jim...

So, after we devoured his thoughts we felt the Lord leading us away from 'just another class' to a time of prayer and communion, pre-service weekly.

We are blessed with many times of getting together and 'spurring one another toward love and good deeds' in each others homes and in the church.

Ya'll have probably already figured out I'm not very committed to programs. I don't want to just go thru the motions and do what has always been done. I want to hear from the Lord and do His will whatever that may look like day to day, year to year. I have no problem letting classes, programs, activities come and go ('fail or succeed' is the wrong way to look at it)...

So, this is what is in my heart (this is what I pray this pre-service time will look like)...

I take Jesus' teaching on prayer very seriously. I know prayer meetings can be very dangerous! To avoid any pretentious religion...We will first have a quiet time of prayer where individuals will be encouraged to find a quiet place to pray in the sanctuary. This will not be a structured time. Then we will gather together in a circle to share any thoughts the Lord has placed on our hearts, maybe some words from scripture. No one will be asked to pray aloud unless they are comfortable doing so. We will throw in our mustard seeds of faith for a short time of corporate prayer and then go about welcoming faces to church. The Communion elements will simply be available for those who feel lead by the Holy Spirit to partake as a family or individual, etc...

expectations

Something that the Lord gave me at a pivotal point in my life and ministry was the words:

TURN THOSE EXPECTATIONS INTO INVITATIONS!
(this pastor has to say it over and over)

Instead of expecting people to read your mind, simply ask them to fulfill your need/want and then be able to receive the word no...

Actually taking it even further, if you let go of expectation all together, life is much sweeter. Instead of being disappointed things didn't go the way you wish, you can be surprised and delighted by what really happened...

Just saw this great article today along these lines...

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
By Steve Goodier

“Well, what do you expect?”
Has anybody ever asked you that?

Sometimes, my greatest disappointments have come because

I expected something that was simply not realistic.

You may know that Robert Lucas won the 1995 Nobel Memorial Prize in economics. His ex-wife received half of his $1 million award. Yes, his EX-wife. As it happened, when they were divorcing in 1988, she had her

lawyer add one tiny clause to the property settlement: “Wife shall receive 50 percent of any Nobel prize.” And her clause had an expiration date: October 31, 1995. He won the prize on October 10.

One would think that her expectation of him winning a Nobel Prize might be irrational.

How many people do that? It's something like my winning the Iron Man Marathon by

the year 3000.

That just won't happen.

But the difference is that I don't train, and she seemed to be sure that
it was only a matter of time before his outstanding work would be
recognized in such a way. Within seven years, she thought. So it turned out her expectation was entirely rational. (Ironically, Lucas was honored for an

economic theory he called, “Rational Expectations.”)

I admittedly know nothing about Lucas' Theory of Rational Expectations in economics.

But I do know something about irrational expectations among people. And I know that irrational expectations can cause untold disappointment.

Like the expectation that someone else will make me happy. This is
irrational. Nobody can make me happy. That is my job. If I expect others

to make me happy or to keep me happy, I know I will be disappointed again and again.

Or the expectation that life should be, for the most part, relatively easy and problem free. This, too, is irrational. Bad things happen. Living can be difficult. If I expect things to be easy, if I expect NOT to have problems, if I expect to avoid pain and heartache, I know I will be in for serious disappointment. Problems are here to stay.

I don't mean to paint a picture of life as bleak and miserable. It isn't.
In fact, I think it is amazingly wonderful. And all the more wonderful
when I don't expect too much out of it. I expect problems, but I also
expect to find joy. I do not expect others to always please me, but I do expect to be responsible for my own well-being.

So…what did you expect? I think if you can answer that question well,

you can expect to be much happier.

Judy found the fountain of youth or those numbers aint tellin the truth

Tonight wasn't just our usual AMAZING SOUP SUPPER and kids hostile take over of the church...we also celebrated JUDY as she turns another year older approaching antiquities status...(oh my word, pastors aren't supposed to tease)

a simple way to help Holly and I raise funds for our 2nd Ethiopia adoption

Please visit this web address and purchase some coffee and/or tell everyone you've ever known to do the same (better yet walk down the street giving the link to strangers): http://www.justlovecoffee.com/westadoption

Thank you SO MUCH

GOD BLESS

Tribute to Mike Yaconelli

I WANNA BE LIKE MIKE WHEN I GROW UP!

We lost him too soon!

He still speaks from his grave through his books, teaching, and youth specialties ministries.

I'm sharing some from his MESSY SPIRITUALITY this Sunday...

Valentines Banquet (hosted by the AMAZING Belford's junior high ministry, the food was SO tasty they should take over the church EVERY Saturday)

I'm devouring Joni's new book: A Place of Healing (I feel compelled to share it with you...this Sunday I will be preaching: holy suffering)

Here's some amazing JONI links and a recent devotion:

http://www.joniandfriends.org/

http://www.joniandfriends.org/television/

http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/

Joni Eareckson Tada’s inspirational daily

devotionals are biblical insights that will

enrich, enlighten, and encourage you in

your walk with Christ Jesus.

Would You Like to

Be Handicapped?

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears, and they have

closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with

their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with

their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

--Matthew 13:14-15

Someone once asked me, “If you had the power,

would you go back and choose your life in a

wheelchair?” In one sense, I knew what he meant.

After all, God has taught me much through my

wheelchair. But would I want to do it over again?

I don’t think so.

I can’t think of anyone who desires to be paralyzed.

Who would be foolish enough to choose not to have

use of his legs and hands? Can you imagine someone

wanting to be blind, choosing darkness over the

brilliance of a clear blue sky? Who would want to

deliberately shut his eyes against the sight of a

glorious rainbow?

And who would want to be deaf? Who in the world

would desire silence instead of the beauty of a waltz,

or the soothing voice of a loved one?

Yet there are people who choose to be

handicapped. If you were to challenge them,

they wouldn’t have it any other way.

They deliberately determine to be disabled.

Theirs are very serious disabilities, not physical

ones but spiritual handicaps. Jesus even

talked about such people.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

O God, it’s foolish to think that someone

would choose a physical handicap.

I certainly wouldn’t. But forgive me when

I foolishly close myself off from You

and Your Word. Help me to open

my eyes and ears. To look for You

and listen to You today. I choose not

to be paralyzed by indifference or doubt.

THIS GUY IS SO HILARIOUS

YEAH GO GIRLS!!!

Judy Deaver's GO GIRLS are at it again!

This time they are selling cupcakes raising funds to support Joyce Meyer's ministries battling sex-trafficking...

Have I mentioned recently how AMAZING this church is?!!!

His Love Endures Forever

What a special day it has been! This morning we celebrated Holy Love!

This evening we enjoyed a family business mtg! Yes! I said ENJOYED!

I think it's because of all our amazing leaders!

Everybody endured my long paper and the family business and discussion was fabulous!

I luv it when the mtg is characterized with some good 'don't take yourself too seriously' laughter and ofcourse concluded with some amazing dessert!

There's a recording of my paper entitled: the pastor pedestal, developing my philosophy of ministry (click on the podcast audio above or visit: http://revpaulbwest.podbean.com/) or I copied it to a note on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/notes/paul-brian-west/the-pastor-pedestal-developing-my-philosophy-of-ministry/501798237513 or you can grab a hard copy in the foyer at the church...