Quick Update

Well, it's been almost a week since my last post so I wanted to put out an update.

• God is doing some really cool things through NewSpective Church and we've not even held a service yet.
• Tuesday was a Roller Coaster Ride: We know where we're going to meet . . . we don't know where we're going to meet . . . we know where we're going to meet . . . no that won't work either. In the end Adam located a great place, great environment, great location, and the best rate of any place we looked at. You can check it out here.
• In preparation for our gathering this weekend, I realized how much I took Jill for granted.
• Why is it that Technology seems to fail when you need it the most?
• Why does Dazzle not make the "good" analog video capture card anymore?
• Why does Windows Vista exist?
• Pray for Emily, she's got Strep Throat and is home sick for the second straight day.
• NewSpective Church is generating some buzz but watch NBC Nightly News tonight for a story about a new church plant in North Carolina. The Pastor is Todd and the church is Pine Ridge. It's supposed to be a good story about new churches in America
• I'm really excited about the message for this weekend. It's going to be a great start to an exciting journey. You won't want to miss it.

G3

Keepin' It Real

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. At times I've been very diligent and post several times per week. There have been times when I've gone weeks without any post and times when I've posted several times in one day. There have been times when I've had very few, if any, people read my thoughts and then other times when the hit count seems to go through the roof. During this entire year, the look and feel of StevenWales.com has remained fairly constant.

However, I recently changed the header at the top of my site and I've had some "interesting" comments about the new photo. I've heard everything from "I laughed out loud when I saw it", to an implication that I'm hiding from something because my eyes aren't visible. Over the year I've had people comment on various post. Some people think I'm nuts, some people think I'm too deep, others think I'm not deep enough and the list could go on and on.

The reality is that I maintain this site and post my thoughts for one primary reason. I want those people whom I do ministry with to see my heart. I want you to get to know me. Sometimes I'll post about my family. Sometimes I'll post about seeing God is some strange place. Sometimes I'll post about a sports team I like. Sometimes I'll post about what God is teaching me. Sometimes I'll simply list a bunch of random thoughts and sometimes I'll post about the great taste of a Starbucks coffee.

There will be times when I simply state a thought:

The Buffalo Bills Lost again!
I love my wife!
I don't like Cold Weather!

And there will be other times when I'll post something like today's Starbucks experience.

You see I was in Starbucks (or St. Arbucks as some may call it) today for about an hour and a half. I enjoyed a Venti bold coffee. No cream, no sugar, just straight up bold coffee. When my meeting was over and my coffee was gone, I went home. But for the rest of the afternoon I continued to smell coffee. Apparently the coffee smell had penetrated my clothing and I continued to smell it long after I left the store. It made me think about how a good message or "God Experience" should stay with us long after the service is over or the study is complete. After all, isn't that the point. Shouldn't the God of the universe penetrate our being? Shouldn't the creator of the world, the Son of the living God stick with us all day, every day? I mean coffee is just coffee but God is God!!

I guess my point is this. With my goal being to expose my heart to those I do ministry with, sometimes that will be a heart in change. Sometimes it's a heart that's in a deep place. Sometimes it's a heart that's laughing out loud and sometimes it's a heart that is hurt. However, I pray that it will always be a heart focused on God and running after His purposes.

G3

Just Some Thoughts

Well, it's Sunday night and it's been a long but really great weekend. Here are some bullet points:

• I love our connecting point. These people are real, they care about each other and they're open and honest. I love that!!!!!
• Saturday Morning breakfast with potential NewSpective Partners was great. I love talking about what God has placed on my heart and seeing people respond to that.
• IKEA is great. Quality stuff, low prices.
• How does The Cracker Barrel stay in business? You get a ton of great food and pay very little.
• Real office furniture is great. However taking 5 hours to assemble when you don't start until 9:00pm is a real pain in the back.
• Attended a Catholic Mass today. It was packed. Standing room only. In fact, 2 rows of people standing in the back. No media, no "creative relevant message", no praise band, no special lighting and a sound system that you could not hear. Makes me wonder how many people "could" be coming.
• Snowy Sunday afternoons with Family and Friends is real life!
  

• Brian Sezter put on an amazing show tonight. Being able to experience it with some NewSpective Partners and seeing some other NewSpective Partner's there was the icing on the cake.

• My mind is racing with things to do and next steps that need to be taken to advance the vision of reaching the Lehigh Valley for Christ. I have some meetings set up this week and will forward more information as it happens. Stay tuned, it's going to get exciting.

Have a great week.

G3,

What is the Church?

The dictionary defines "church" as:

The whole body of Christian believers

As we embark on this new adventure, this new local body of believers, I want to constantly keep the above definition in mind. We need to continually remember that it's not about buildings, governmental structure, constitutions, bylaws, denominations, rules, regulations, cultural expectations, styles, preferences or other "models". It's about the people that God is bringing together, to begin a revolution for Christ, right here in the Lehigh Valley. While those other things are all things we may need to deal with and consider. None of them come close to being on the same level of importance as the "people" that are coming together to form NewSpective Church.

It's about helping people, who are far from God, connect with God and Friends. It's about those who already know God to continually live connected to Him and actively help others connect with Him. It's about lives being changed, marriages being restored, families being strengthened, and addictions being broken all because people are authentically Connecting with God and Friends.

Imagine whats going to happen as we focus on this vision and watch what God does.

It's going to be amazing. Not easy, but amazing.

G3

New Birth

I had the privilege of being in the delivery room when both of my daughters were born. It's truly an amazing experience. You've waited, prepared, prayed and "think" you're ready. Then all of a sudden, in a few moments, your world is turned upside down. You're life is never the same and you find yourself experiencing a plethora of emotions.

Fear, excitement, joy, anticipation, apprehension and wonder. You begin asking yourself a few questions: Did we do the right thing? What if I'm not a good parent? What if I drop her? What happens when she gets hurt? What if she grows up and runs away from home? What if she grows up and doesn't like me? What if I screw up and then she's screwed up for life?

Last night I felt very similar emotions. A group of Christ Followers met in a living room and began dreaming about what could happen if God chose to radically revolutionize the Lehigh Valley, right before our very eyes. After several hours of vision casting, questions, discussions and prayer, NewSpective Church was born.

All the details aren't known, all of the people and plans aren't in place yet. However, God is doing something really special and it's amazing to be a part of it. I am feeling fear, excitement, joy, anticipation, apprehension and wonder. I'm asking myself all kinds of questions. But what I do know is that God has ignited a flame and what He desires will come to pass.

It's going to get really crazy, so hang on and enjoy the ride.

G3

I couldn't Have Said It Better Myeslf

I read a couple of great Blog Posts this week. Rather than try and re-word them or give you my take on then, I thought I'd just link to them both and let them speak for themselves.

1) Steven Furtick: Pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC.
Here it is: CLICK HERE

2) Gary Lamb: Pastor of Revolution Church in Canton, GA.
Here it is: CLICK HERE

Enjoy!

G3

Monday Morning Thoughts

We had a great weekend.

Saturday night we spent some time with our Connecting Point. We had dinner together and then watched one of my favorite movies, "Facing the Giants." If you've not seen this movie I highly recommend it. However, I'd also highly recommend buying a couple of boxes of tissues prior to pressing play.

Sunday morning we went with Mark, Heidi and their family to Liquid Church in Morristown, NJ. If you ever get the chance to go and visit Liquid, it will be well worth the trip. Tim and his team have it together and they are seeing lives changed on a regular basis. It was refreshing and awesome to just allow God to speak.

Sunday night we went to Life Church in Allentown to see Lincoln Brewster. It was an awesome evening of worship and connecting with God. The place was packed and Lincoln rocked it.

The weekend was so good that even my Buffalo Bills won. The only downside to the entire weekend was the Colts loosing.

G3