Three months ago today, I loaded up my bike and headed out on a twenty-five day road trip. (You can read about that trip by choosing the “Categories” tab on the right side and choosing “road trip”. Day one of the trip can be found here.) It was the start of a Rest Stop that I was blessed to have thanks to a forward thinking leadership team.
Today, I am sitting in my office for the first time since that Rest Stop began. I’m back. I’m ready to go. And, I want to share with you some of my thoughts about the past three months. I learned a number of things. About myself, my family, my calling, and the future. I think it would be fitting for me to share some of those thoughts with you.
Some mistakingly have referred to the past three months as a holiday. It really isn’t an accurate description of what went on for me. I did spend twenty five days on the road, and during that time, focused, for the most part, on relaxing. However, I also spent some of it meeting with other church planters with the hope of being inspired for new direction with Bikers’ Church. I devoted time while riding to hear from God about what he wanted with CCBC. And, since coming home from the road trip, I have spent most of my days working stuff that will eventually be implemented in the church. In other words, my days were not spent sitting around in my underwear pyjamas watching movies.
While I still did a number of things for CCBC, I was blessed to not have to follow my usual routine. I didn’t have to prepare messages each week or focus on the day to day stuff that I usually have on my plate with the church. As a result, I was able to see things from a different perspective and believe I’m energized to see God do new things at the church.
I wont go into a lot of detail about the things I learned during this Rest Stop, because the bulk of my messages in 2010 will focus on those discoveries. From the first series in January through the end of December next year, we will be challenged as a church to go to the next level of effectiveness. I am convinced that God has great things in store for Bikers’ Church, and we’re going to pin the throttle and see where it takes us.
Having said that, there are a few personal things I’d like to share with you now.
First, my relationship with God and the calling he has given me must be a priority for me. More so that at any time in the past. As a pastor, it’s too easy for my spirituality to become mechanical routine static dull less than what it should be. That has to change. It is changing. I have found myself rediscovering worship. Whether it’s in the car or sitting at home, I enjoy putting on a great worship CD and allowing my heart to reconnect with God. It’s wonderful. I need to devote more time to growing with God. It means not allowing myself to get distracted by the things that will pull me away from that connection. It means devoting more time to focusing on the things that I am called to do rather than the many things that others expect me to do.
Second, my relationship with my family is vital. Heather and I have rediscovered each other during this time. As many of you know, she has been off work due to a concussion she suffered in a car accident. While the headaches and dizziness she has experienced during this time is certainly not fun, having her home during my Rest Stop has been an unexpected bonus. In the nineteen years we’ve been married, we have never been able to enjoy this much time together. While there have been times in the past when Heather has been able to serve along side me in ministry, the sacrifices we’ve made to plant a church has required her to work full time. As a result, she has not been engaged in leadership at CCBC the way she’d like to. Over the past few months, we’ve been able to sit and dream together, talking vision and praying for direction. She’s an amazing woman and I love her deeply. I needed this time to be reminded of that. I’ve also been able to enjoy more time with the girls, often driving them to school or hanging out with them during certain activities. It’s been a true blessing for me.
I believe God is up to something at Bikers’ Church. As I shared with the leadership team this past Saturday night, I truly believe it is going to be a season of faith for us. We must learn to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). I’m ready to do that, and my heart is to lead each of us on a faith journey.
Bikers’ Church family, I encourage you. Take time over the next few weeks to prepare your heart. Ask God to use you, speak to you, direct you. In January, we begin a new chapter in the life of our church. And I’m excited about what will be written on the pages of this next chapter.
See you all on Thursday night.
