Time to re-Wesleyanize

On Sunday August 12 there was a reception for Sharron and me at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene. The office manager - Donna - took several pictures to document this event. You can view the slide show at the church web site (note the post below and click on the web site).


On Tuesday the 14th I conducted my first church board meeting as Lead Pastor. As the meeting was coming to a close a board member shared with me that it was really good to laugh at a board meeting. I am greatly encouraged by the great leadership team at NRN (North Raleigh Nazarene).


God truly met with us on Sunday morning August 19th as Tom Alsbury and Crystal Bennett with the praise team lead us in worship. I enjoyed preaching the message entitled "Why are we here?" You can hear this message on the church web site - just click on the worship podcast.


An emotional event took place later in the week when we finally secured auto insurance and placed North Carolina license plate on our vehicle. This sounds so simple, but I had NC tags on every car I had until God lead Sharron and I to Christian Fellowship Church in April 1981. Now, 26 years later, we celebrate going home with the reality of NC tags on our vehicle.

When Sharron and I departed from Josh and Stephanie's on Saturday morning we knew we would not be back in Indian Trail for 10 days. I couldn't believe that Stephanie accused us of trying to pack Alyse in our suitcase to take her to Kansas with us!
Why would she ever think we would do that?


The pastoral team departed Sunday afternoon for our first Pastoral Team Advance. We enjoyed a time of sharing, praying, planning and of course pigging out! I believe God has placed a great team together!


A short note of appreciation to Phil and Joanie Richards for their hospitality as Sharron and I stayed in their home on Tuesday evening. I am thankful for the Richards and their open hearts and open home to provide a place for me to stay when in the Raleigh area. I enjoy the laughter with each visit! It was Joanie that gave me a recent copy of Holiness Today - the magazine of the Church of the Nazarene. In this edition I read comments from General Superintendent Nina Gunter as she addressed the M7 conference in Kansas City. She was quoted as saying the following:


"Gunter warned that the rate of change in our culture has increased so quickly that what used to take a generation now changes every 5 years, which presents challenges for our church, some of the biggest challenges in our 100-year history.

Gunter called upon her hearers to rise to those challenges, to re-Wesleyanize the Church of the Nazarene. She asserted that this church is a vigorous 100-year-old, who can still give birth! “We can embrace new methods, new structures, and new ways to connect, serve, and resource our church, all for the ultimate work God has called us to, the work of making Christlike disciples in the nations.”

I shared with the Richards that I am doing my part in this challenge to re-Wesleyanize the Church of the Nazarene!


Today, Sharron and I are in Concordia, KS in compliance to a subpoena I received to testify on behalf of Rev. Bryan Sprung in the entitled action pending in the Cloud County district court. I did not testify today but will be called upon tomorrow. Sharron and I will return to NC on Saturday.


We look forward to Sunday with special guest Dr. Mark Barnes - District Superintendent of the North Carolina Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Barnes will be preaching and conducting an installation service. Next Sunday (September 2) I am planning to preach from Acts 17:1-9 as we explore the establishment of the church in Thessalonica. In the days ahead I plan to preach through the book of First Thessalonians. My heart is stirring as I prepare my first series of messages for NRN. My desire is to preach with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and share the message of Christ clearly.


Acts 17:3b says "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." This my friends, is truly a trustworthy statement.

FIRST THOUGHTS AS A LEAD PASTOR

On Sunday August 5, 2007 I preached my first sermon as Lead Pastor at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene. To read more about this and even hear the message I preached on the podcast simply click : http://www.nrnazarene.org/ You can also hear for yourself why I am not the senior pastor - but the lead pastor of the church! Pictures will be posted soon!

I appreciate Crystal Bennett and the worship team leading us into the presence of the Lord. I was especially honored when I looked upon the congregation and saw my dear friends - Doug and Joy Huber with their children, Mac, Jacob and Emma Grace, and Joyce Ford. When I surprised Sharron by asking her to sit with someone for me, she broke into tears when she saw Joyce and the family!

As I shared the message entitled "The Marks of a Healthy Church" the spirit of God moved upon us. At the close of the service I invited people to come forward to the altars to pray and "give this church back to God.". The prayers of many in leadership and then prayers of long time members brought tears to my eyes. People prayed for forgiveness. Many prayed for unity. I believe God was pleased with the many decisions made.


I had the privilege of meeting many new people prior to the service. It was good to be in the foyer to welcome people!

This coming Sunday - August 12th - a 15 minute reception is scheduled for me to meet everyone!

(Cartoon: Copyright Christianity Today International/BuildingChurchLeaders.com. Used with permission.)
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bcl/features/cartoons/

In the office during the week I attending my first meeting with the Steward Committee. This team consist of leaders responsible for outreach, membership and spiritual life in the church. I also met with pastoral staff members and filled the days with meetings and pastoral responsibilities.

I appreciate the hospitality of John and Janet LaLone. They opened their home for my use while they were out of town for the week.

I am really excited about this coming Sunday. Zack Whiteside is leading our worship with the worship team before he heads back to Appalachian University in the beautiful mountains near Boone, NC. His brother Brandon recently graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University. http://www.trevecca.edu/

God has moved upon my spirit to change the message I had planned and follow up on the message from last week. I am putting the strategy together for my first 100 days as pastor.

Sharron is enjoying the time with our family in Indian Trail, NC. I enjoy the days I spend there each week and hold my grand daughter. Her smiles at me are worth the round trip commute to Raleigh each week. We are still praying for the sell of our home in Topeka and look forward to establishing a new home in the Raleigh area.

Sharron noted that the emotional stress was evident by my demeanor last Friday and Saturday. It greatly encouraged me when Sharron told our close friends that "Rick seemed so anxious Saturday afternoon, but after his prayer time at the church late that evening, he seemed like the Rick I haven't seen in quite a while." I admit, it was good to be back into the pulpit as pastor again. I am crying out to God to increase my love for the people at NRN (North Raleigh Nazarene) as I desire to be the best pastor I could possibly be.

This past week I have been thinking each day about what I believe will be the measure of success as pastor at NRN. I know many people are hoping for numerical and financial growth of the church. I trust God for those things. I desire to base my work on the simple definition of success: "Finding out what is on Jesus' heart and then doing it, when and how he says."

I will be sharing these words of missionary Jim Elliott, who gave his life for the cause of Christ in the remote jungles of Ecuador:

"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep,

for that which he cannot lose."

I believe this, my friends, is a trustworthy saying.

I've been tagged

I have been tagged by my friend Amy. Here we go.....

Places I've Lived:
1) Charlotte, NC
2) Herndon, VA (right outside of DC)
3) Bartlesville, OK
4) Marion, IN
5) Sturgis, MI
6) Topeka, KS
7) Raleigh, NC (I'm on my way.)

Favorite TV Shows:
1) Monk
2) Psych
3) Hell's Kitchen
4) Law and Order (Criminal Intent)

Favorite Food:
1) Anything chocolate
2) BBQ
3) I like my Momma's Pancake breakfast at Cracker Barrel (blueberry's in the pancakes)
4) Chicken and rice

Places I'd rather be:
1) My wife says- Church
2) My daughter says - asleep
3) I say- alone
4) Ricar, Ecuador

Favorite movies:
1) Star Wars (The 1st trilogy)
2) Field of Dreams
3) Bourne series (I am going to see the new one asap)
4) Home movies of Alyse

Tag Time:
1) Stephanie
2) If you are reading this and you attend NRN then you are tagged!