Loving Well

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about about what it means to be healthy emotionally, spiritually and physically. We talk and hear a lot about getting healthy physically, but how healthy are we emotionally or spiritually? We diet, exercise and think about our health, but often do nothing to grow more healthy in our emotions or to grow in our spiritual journey. I think that a lot of our physical problems come from being unhealthy emotionally and spiritually.

As a follower of Christ I want to be healthy in all three areas.

Some people have not grown into adulthood in their emotions or their relationship with God. What does that mean? It means that they do not love very well. They haven’t been growing deeper and wider in their love for God and other people. They are stuck emotionally. Many times it is because they have been hurt and have not worked through that hurt. The deeper the hurt the deeper the emotional damage.

Many of us tend to focus on ourselves and our own needs and wants. As a result many of our relationships suffer and get damaged. We tend to not handle conflict very well and we often try to bury the hurts we have experienced only to find those hurts coming out in our relationships.

Here are some questions I have been asking myself, as I try to become more healthy emotionally and spiritually:

How can I be quick to hear and slow to speak?
How can I be angry and not sin?
How can I watch my heart above all else?
How can I speak the truth in love?
How can I be a true peacemaker?
How can I mourn?
How can I not bear false witness against my neighbor?
How can I get rid of all bitterness, rage, and envy?
How can I forgive?

Those questions reveal Biblical truths that should be evident in our lives. I happen to believe that God loves me unconditionally, and He wants me to love Him and other people like He loves me. If you want to review what love is, read 1Corinthians 13.

Loving well requires us to grow more intimate with God which leads to being able to love people better. God made us for relationships, both with Him and other people. We cannot live fulfilling lives in isolation. That means taking risks with God and people and allowing them into your heart.

If we do not love well, we cannot use our gifts and abilities to further God’s kingdom. All that we have to give is worthless unless we love well. Jesus said that everything goes back to loving God with all your heart, soul and mind and loving other people as much as yourself.

I think we all have some stuff to work on.

Church Growth

I’ve been having some interesting conversations about church growth with some other guys. We have been discussing the reasons that some churches grow and add new people and others stay the same or decline.

One of the guys asked if the church I attend wants to keep growing. I immediately said yes, because there are still unchurched and lost people in Holmes & Tuscarawas Counties.

One of the other guys said that growth is not an option for a church it is a command from Jesus. You see, the church is the plan for reaching the entire world for Jesus Christ. Therefore churches should try to spread the Good News to as many people as possible. It would be easy and safe to sit back and protect our own and feed ourselves and forget about the people that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some people decide against going to a growing large church because they think it will be impersonal and cold. They think they will be ignored. Maybe they think its just a cool place to be seen and a status thing. So without ever experiencing it they choose not to go.

The truth is that there is a reason a church is growing and attracting new people. I have heard many stories in my church and other Church’s that the experience has been amazing. I hear over and over again how welcome they felt. How warm and friendly everyone was and how the music and the message really spoke to them. I hear comments all the time about how they could understand what was being taught and how they felt the pastor was speaking directly to them.

If you have never gone to a growing church, I encourage you to try it. It is probably much different from the church you grew up in or have heard about. Church can be fun and exciting. God is not boring or uninteresting. It’s all about changed lives and growing churches have stories of changed lives.

Ever Monday morning at our staff meeting we share stories, and there is never a time we don’t have several stories of lives that have been impacted because of the church. That is why we do what we do!

Group Life

I am in a men’s group that meets every two weeks. Actually I am two men’s groups, one meets every over Tuesday for breakfast. I have been in that group for almost 8 years. My other men’s group meets every other Saturday morning.

My Saturday morning group has been together for about 7 months. We had breakfast this morning and just talked and laughed. I really enjoy meeting with these guys. We are getting to know each other and have been praying for each other. I have already seen a change in a few of the guys and have built meaningful relationships with these five other guys.

As I think about the groups that I am in, I am thankful that I know these guys. I know that if I need help or am going through a rough time that all of these guys would be there for me. I try to do the same for them. That is what group life is about. It is building lasting friendships, encouraging each other, caring for each other, serving each other, having fun together and being available to support each other when needed.

I really look forward to my Tuesday mornings and Saturday mornings because of these guys. If you are not in a group I really encourage you to get connected in a group and give it a chance. Take the time to build relationships, it is worth it.

Another Story

I love hearing stories about how people first came to NewPointe and what kept them coming back. I try to search out these stories as often as I can. I ask people to share their story with me when I meet with them about membership, baptism or simply when I am welcoming them to the church.

Here is a recent story I want to share. I have heard stories similar to this over and over again. It is exciting to see how God is working through the people at NewPointe to reach our communities. Everyone that serves in any way is helping make a difference every week. Here is the story:

“So once NewPointe opened my wife attended a few services and told me how nice it was. So one Sunday we came as a family and as soon as I walked through the doors and we were greeted by all of the smiling faces I knew that this place was special. During that Sunday morning service Dwight hit on so many things that were affecting us in our daily lives that it seemed like he was speaking directly to me. We have found ourselves wanting to come back every week to hear what God had placed on Dwight’s heart to preach to us about. There has YET to be a Sunday that we haven’t left there feeling like we have grown, even if in some small way in our walk with God. We are now finding ourselves wanting to grow more as a family and as a married couple in our relationship with God. My wife has much more of a Christian back ground than myself. I am sure that she can help me as I learn more about the ways of our God. NewPointe is a place that I am finding very comfortable to let my guard down and learn and grow spiritually. my family is looking forward to everything that NewPointe has to offer for us.”

This past Sunday we had 30 new families visiting. How cool is that! Each one has a unique story and represents a person that God loves. Thank you volunteers and staff for making a difference.

If you would like to share your experience of coming to NewPointe Community Church or how God has transformed your life, please email me at cstutzman@newpointe.org

Why do people do the things they do?

In my job, I talk to people every week about different struggles and problems they are experiencing. We all have issues or difficult circumstances in our lives. No one is exempt from suffering and pain. So as I was thinking about some of my own issues and circumstances I have been asking myself this question: “Why do we do the things we do?”

I believe the answer to that question is, we do what is in our hearts. The principle of inescapable influence says “Whatever rules the heart will exercise inescapable influence over the person’s life and behavior.” I learned about this principle in a book called “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” by Paul David Tripp.

Tripp says “that if we fail to examine the heart and the areas where it needs to change, our ministry efforts will only result in people who are more committed and successful idolaters”. Anything that replaces or comes before God in our lives is an idol.

So, our daily behavior is our attempt to get what is most important to us in certain situations and relationships. What we do always reveals the true desires in our hearts. The book of James says “But people are tempted when their own evil desire leads them away and traps them. This desire leads to sin, and then the sin grows and brings death.” (James 1:14,15).

So this all comes down to an issue of worship. What we worship determines how we respond to our circumstances. If we are loving, worshipping and serving the wrong thing, we will do things that line up with what we are worshipping.

Here are 5 things that Tripp gives us for application in our personal growth:

1. Our hearts are always being ruled by someone or something.
2. The most important question to ask when examining the heart is, “What is functionally ruling my heart in this situation?”
3. Whatever controls my heart will control my responses to people and situations.
4. God changes us not just by teaching us to do different things, but by recapturing our hearts to serve Him alone.
5. The deepest issues of the human struggle are not issues of pain and suffering, but the issue of worship, because what rules our hearts will control the way we respond to both suffering and blessing.

Every one of our hearts has a fount of competing desires. There is a battle going on in each of us for our hearts. God wants all of our heart, not just part of it. Our hearts direct our behavior, so if our hearts have dark corners or empty spaces we will continue to do things we don’t want to do. We will say things we don’t want to say. Things like anger, bitterness, lust, unforgiveness, jealousy and guilt will leak out of our hearts and into our behavior or words.

Our problems in our relationships and the wacky things we do are rooted in problems of worship. That is why we must start with God. I encourage you to go and read Galatians 5:13-26 for some powerful truth. This passage of Scripture is about what we do next. Will we live in self-imposed bondage to our emotions? Will we submit to our own sinful desires? Or will we grab a hold of the truth and transform our hearts?

It all starts on the inside, when that changes, the outside begins to change as well.

Great Story

Two Sunday’s ago I had the privilege of leading three teenage girls to the Lord. Here is the story.

I received three communication cards that said they wanted to be baptized and then underneath that, they hand wrote that they also wanted to be saved.

I called the one teenager and asked a few questions. It turns out that two of them are sisters and one is a friend (age 19, 17 & 16). The one I spoke to said that they all wanted to do this together, so I invited them to meet me in the prayer room the next Sunday at 10:30.

I prayed all week that they would show up and that God would prepare the way. At 10:30 they all three showed up. They were very open to hearing the Gospel and each one wanted to be “saved”. I shared some Scriptures with them and explained what it means to be a Christian.

They listened intently and did not have any questions. I asked them if they were ready to make the commitment to Jesus Christ and they said yes. We prayed together and I gave them each a new Bible. I also talked with them about what baptism is and how that could be a greater next step for them. I was floating after that, there is nothing more fulfilling than leading someone to the Lord.

How exciting it is to see young people like these three girls coming to know Jesus. I am sure many seeds were planted with them along the way and I had the privilege of praying with them. That is why we are doing what we are doing!

We are reaching people and helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Every person that serves here at NewPointe played a small part in this story. Yeah God!

Marriage Problems?

Today I spent time talking with four different men about marriage and relationship problems. All of these guys are struggling with their marriages. One just finalized his divorce, another has a divorce pending and the other two are trying to make it work.

Why is marriage so hard? I know there are many more out there that are having significant problems in their marriage. The statistics show that nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. It really doesn’t make much difference if you are a Christian or not. The rate of divorce is just as high.

So what is going on and how can you divorce proof your marriage?

Here are a few free thoughts:

* Start with a good foundation. Couples that go through a pre-marital mentoring program reduce their risk of divorce by nearly 75%. A good mentoring program will help to bring to the surface issues that you have not talked about or that you are in disagreement over. It allows you to think about and talk about these differences before you get married. It helps you to understand what it takes to make a marriage work by spending time with a healthy married couple. It is life buying insurance for your marriage.

* If you’re already married and having some difficulties, invest in your marriage. We spend a lot of money on our homes, cars, clothes and other stuff. Why not spend some money on your marriage. Some ways to do that are going to a marriage retreat or seminar, you can buy a book on marriage and read it together, you can go see a Christian counselor, you can buy Cd’s or DVDs about marriage. My point is that you need to invest time and money, if you want your marriage to improve.

* Get involved in a small group. Life change happens best in a small group environment. Find a group of other couples that you can connect with, pray with and learn from. You could also do a women’s group or men’s group to build friendships and have some accountability. When we are struggling we often think we are the only ones and we tend to isolate ourselves. In a small group you soon find out that no one has it all together. You can encourage each other and care for each other.

* The most significant thing you can do to divorce proof your marriage is to pray together. The statics show that couples that pray together on a regular basis reduce their risk of divorce by over 90%. Wow, I learned that from a DVD training I have been studying and it really blew me away. Most Christian couples do not pray together. When you pray with each other it builds spiritual intimacy and helps you become one flesh.

How do you start praying together? One simple thing you can do is to hold hands and pray silently for each other or for whatever is going on in your lives and then squeeze each others hand when you are done. Simple, safe and a great way to strengthen your marriage.

* Another simple and effective way to improve your marriage is to read the book of Proverbs together. Read one chapter a day for 31 days and meet to talk about what you are reading either every day or at least every three days. If you do that diligently you will see a drastic improvement in your marriage.

If you work as hard on your marriage relationship as you do your work or hobbies you will see significant improvement in a short period of time.

Amazing Stats

I just watched an eight minute video that gave some amazing statistics. It talks about how fast things are changing and how different today’s world is. As I watched the information it made me wonder how we as a church should use this information. How can we stay in touch and reach this ever changing rapidly developing world. The church should be out in front on this. The church should be the most exciting, changing, dynamic place on earth. We need to understand the changes that are happening in our world so that we can connect this world with the greatest news ever. All of these changes are a huge help to the church if we approach it correctly. Are we open to dramatic changes? Are we connecting with the younger generation or expecting them to get things like we did? Are we using technology to our advantage? Are we thinking about two three or ten years from now when technology has tripled? Are we willing to shift?

Watch the video and let’s have a discussion on this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U

Attitude isn’t Everything

I came across an incredible thought today. I was listening to a leadership lesson by John Maxwell. John has influenced my leadership greatly over the last 10 years through his books, tapes and seminars. The quote that got my attention was from an unknown source.

“Attitudes are when we learn to think correctly without acting. Habits are when we learn to act correctly without thinking.”

I used to think that attitude was everything. If I had a great attitude things would go my way. I have found that is not true. A great attitude definitely gives you an advantage in life, work and relationships. However without great habits the best attitude in the world won’t get you through the hard times. It really takes both.

I try really hard to have a good attitude, but sometimes find myself with a bad attitude because of circumstances or people. In those down times I need good habits that will carry me through.

Some of those habits include:
prayer, time alone with God, reading my Bible, fasting, silence, solitude, rest, journaling, confession, listening, worshipping God, seeking wise counsel, serving someone else, giving, going to church, community, exercise, focus, organizing and planning.

Not all of these things are habits for me, but some of them are. I am working on it, along with my attitude. Often I find that when I am getting discouraged or down I have strayed away from some of these basic spiritual habits. As I get back into them I experience God and that changes everything.

If you are experiencing a hard time in life look at some of these habits and start to work on them. As you do, you take the focus off of your hard times and onto growing in your relationship with God. Your attitude and habits will keep you centered. Your habits determine what you are centered on. Are you centered on Jesus Christ or yourself?

Life Change

The reason NewPointe Church exits is to lead people every where into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. That is a big vision. In a nut shell we exist for life change, to be the catalyst for people all over the world to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing six different people share their life change stories with me. All six are going to be baptized in October. I sat down with them and listened to them share what God has done and is doing in their lives.

Nothing charges me up more than hearing people talk passionately about their relationship with Jesus. Tears came to their eyes as they talked about how God drew them to himself and how they were able to overcome sin and difficult circumstances because of God’s strength and courage.

These six people have experienced a change. They have experienced God and they don’t want to go back to the old way of life. I can’t wait for their stories to be played on the big screens for everyone to hear. They are going public with their faith. Way to go Angela, Amy, Steve, Jillian, Jason and Christen!

Each one was nervous and unsure about be video taped, but they knew this was a step God wanted them to take. Often times if we can face a fear and do what God calls us to there is a spiritual breakthrough in our lives. For these six people they will never be the same. They are standing tall for Jesus Christ and following Him.

What is holding you back from following Jesus with all your heart, soul and mind? What is your next step in your walk with Him? For some it is baptism, for others maybe getting in a small group, for some it may be leading a small group or serving in an area of ministry. For others it may be taking on a leadership role in ministry or going on a mission trip. For others it may mean getting help for your marriage and reconciling your relationships. For some people it may mean being a better steward of your money. For someone it may be giving a large chunk of your resources to God’s work. I don’t know what your next step is, but God is calling you to it.

Step out in faith and begin living fully for God!