Vacation Church – My Sunday Quebec Experience

As you may have known or guessed, our family was on vacation last week.  We took off for a week to enjoy the great outdoors and the French Canadian culture in Quebec, Canada.  We spent most of our time in and around the small ski town of Mont-Tremblant.  It was gorgeous and a wonderful break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life here in the Stolpe home.  The Sunday we were there, we visited the only church in town, L’Eglise Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Church).  The church is a small Roman Catholic church that overlooks Lac Mercier.  Here are some of my thoughts from our visit:

It was very interesting to be in a French-speaking church and to be in a catholic church.  In some regards, it makes me appreciate my own church all that much more.

On the other hand, it was encouraging to see the devotion of those who regularly worship in this setting.  A few other observations:

1.  Besides the passing of the peace, we were not greeted by a single person.  Nobody said, “Bon jour.”  Nobody said, “Hello.”  Nobody said anything.  If you belong to a church, you should be friendly.  Stop and say hello to those you don’t recognize.

2.  We need to speak the language of those around us who don’t have a church home.  Putting aside the French language and the differences in doctrine, would I or anyone else understand what was going on as part of this service?  Do we expect people to come into our churches and fall in line with the routines and traditions we keep?  Do we provide an explanation of our traditions, etc.?  Are we relevant to the community around us?

3.  The priest reminded me of (my wife’s) Uncle Dave’s brother, Tom.  I know this is trivial, but it’s just what I noticed.

4.  The French language is beautiful.  I have no idea what everyone was saying or singing, but it sounded nice.

5.  People think that church ends after communion.  I shouldn’t judge as I don’t know what these people had to do this day, but I observed many people slipping out of the church as soon as communion was over.  They didn’t stay around for the closing words.  They didn’t stay around for fellowship.  They left as quickly as they arrived.  Our involvement with church isn’t meant to be a task that must be checked off the list.  It’s meant to be our life.  We’re called to be in Christian community that transcends the Sunday service.  We’re called to be involved throughout the week, and we’re called to bring it into our communities.  This doesn’t happen in a 40 minute Sunday service.  This happens every minute of every day.

6.  I’m not real great at the kneeling thing.  Perhaps, I need to practice this more.  Getting on my knees before God is a discipline of trusting God and of putting Him first.

I realize these thoughts are somewhat random, but I thought you’d enjoy hearing how I was stretched on vacation.

Where do you go to church when you’re on vacation?  What have you learned from your vacation church experiences?

Finding Community On-Line

I’m a big connection and community guy.  I love to see people connected in meaningful relationships.  I’m passionate about being in community with others.  Over the years, I have been amazed to see where community can be found.  I have found it at work in the office and on construction sites.  I have found community through sports – on the basketball court and on the run.  I have even found community around the poker table.  I appreciate the community I’ve experienced through my kids – scouts, music, and school.  I have enjoyed many years of community through camping.  And I’ve experienced community through small groups of various kinds and sizes.

I’ve been most surprised by the community I’ve discovered on-line.  For me, it all started a few years ago when Frank Chiapperino and a few other leaders from my church started blogging and then encouraged me to blog.  Initially, I discovered a lot of amazing bloggers out there who had things to share about things that interested me like small groups and leadership.  I followed at a distance and carried on with my own blogging without any ideas of potential connection or community.

A couple of years later, Frank introduced me to Facebook.  I was immediately sucked into the whole social media thing.  I’m not sure if that was a complete blessing or a partial curse.  I’m thankful for so many renewed connections and several new ones that have come as a result of Facebook.  It’s been eye-opening, enlightening, and sometimes enriching to keep up with friends on Facebook.  It’s also been a bit addicting, and I admittedly struggle at times with staying balanced.

Somewhere along the line, I picked up Twitter and a few other tools.  Twitter has definitely been an interesting tool for discovering new information about people and topics that interest me.  I’ve especially enjoyed the “listed” option on Twitter where users can assemble lists of Twitter users with similar interests.  I have discovered many small group gurus, leadership junkies, and several blogging buddies.

Next, I picked up Skype and Tokbox which allow for free live web video chatting.  I’ve enjoyed using Skype with my family – especially my parents who live in far away Dallas, TX.  A year or two ago, I decided to try an experiment with Tokbox.  Tokbox was easier to use for multiple participants than Skype was at the time, so I decided to lead an on-line small group using Mark Batterson‘s recently released book – Primal.  I was impressed by the depth of conversation that took place as this experiment launched.  And I see a lot of potential for fostering community through this type of technology.

Most recently, I have discovered incredible community through interactive blogging.  By actively participating in the dialogue that transpires in the comments that follow a post (on my own blog or on other people’s blogs), blogging becomes interactive.  My life is enriched by these comments – by this community.  I have discovered many new friends like Michael Shaw who blogs about the local town of Skippack, Jason Fountain who blogs about being intentional with life, and Beck Gambill who blogs about the ups and downs of life.

If you’re reading, you’re probably part of this community.  I would encourage you to take the next step – either start your own blog or become active in the comment conversations that take place on your favorite blogs.  (If you start you’re own blog, let me know so I can follow along.)

On a final note, while I strongly encourage finding community on-line, there’s nothing like face-to-face community.  Find a group of people you can plug into your life.  Lift each other up.  Hold each other accountable.  Meet regularly.  Grow together!

How have you experienced community on-line and face-to-face?

Return to Blogging – My Wife is Back On-Line

My wife, Leanne, had taken an extended break from blogging over the past couple of years for all kinds of reasons.  But I think she’s decided to get back to it!  She has a lot to share.  She is an inspiration to me, and I’m sure she has inspired and will inspire many others.  Check out her first post in her return by clicking here.  Her first post back is titled “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.”

Check it out, and let me know what you think.  Also, add her blog to your subscription list.

Am I Expecting Great Things?

From time to time, I like to revisit old blog posts.  I think they can provide refreshment and renewed perspective on things.  Here’s one I wrote over a year ago.  Let me know what you think.

This morning, I woke up to make pancakes for our family before we headed off to church at Christ’s Church of the Valley.  As I moved closer to finishing up the pancakes, I for some reason decided to grab a CD from my past and let it play as everyone else was waking up and enjoying breakfast.  The CD I chose was Speechless by a favorite from my past Steven Curtis Chapman.  For some reason, I was moved by track 4 – Great Expectations.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLKrxg1QDng]

In this song, Chapman sings about believing the unbelievable and receiving the inconceivable – about having Great Expectations.  It hit me that I often don’t expect great things when I go to church or when I have my quiet time.  Why?  Perhaps, I’m too comfortable with the structure, pattern, and repetition of these “times with God.”  Maybe, I’m lazy in my approach to God.  Or maybe the wounds of the past have tainted my level of anticipation for God to work.

Whatever the case, I was challenged this morning.  I was challenged to approach my time with God (privately and corporately) with a renewed expectation that God has something great in store – for my church, for my family, for my neighbors, for my job, and for me.  I believe this in my head, but I want to believe it in my heart and live it out.

Matthew 7:7-11 reminds us that God has so much in store for each of us.  This is a reason to be excited about living, about working, and about spending time with God.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Thankful for a new day!  Thankful for renewal!  Thankful for the promise of great things!  Thankful for an incredible, awesome, unbelievable, inconceivable God!

Do you have great expectations?

Small Holdings Festival

Recently, one of my office team members invited me to bring my family to a new festival being held in Bucks County, PA.  The First Annual Small Holdings Festival showcased area suburban self starters.  The various exhibitors were regular people who found have found ways to live off the land, to live off the labors of their own hands, and to make decisions that will provide while being good stewards of the earth around us.

My team member, Eric, spends his spare time running Barefoot Gardens with his wife, Linda.  Together, they take care of a “farm” that serves their CSA and provides for local restaurants who are seeking to serve locally grown produce to their patrons.  Part of Eric’s farm includes raising approximately 100 egg laying chickens.  (Eric has become one of my mentors in the whole chicken farming thing.)  Eric built a chicken coop for the festival.

Other exhibitors for the festival included bee keepers, cheese makers, gardeners, canning experts, vegetable fermenting experts, bread makers, clay oven makers, and several others.  I was definitely inspired by the talents presented at this festival.  And I look forward to going again next year!

What inspires you?  If you could try something new, what would it be?

Reflect More, Risk More, Leave A Legacy – Start Blogging

Blogging has brought several new friends into my life.  One of them is Jason Fountain.  Today, I’m blessed to share a guest post by Jason.  Jason is an educator who blogs about living an intentional life.  I have enjoyed his writing and the communication that we have shared.  Jason shares his current STRETCHING story with us below.  Please check out his blog here.

(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment.  I’d love to connect with you.)

 

John Maxwell relates a story shared by sociologist Anthony Campolo.  Campolo tells about a group of 50 people over the age of 90 years old who were asked one question: If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?

The question was open-ended and the people’s answers were varied. However, three ideas consistently emerged.

1. If I had it to do over again, I would reflect more.
2. If I had it to do over again, I would risk more.
3. If I had it to do over again, I would do more things that would live on after I am dead.

I want to share with you an idea that can help you begin to accomplish all three of these goals TODAY.

I love the title of Jon’s blog – Stretched. I think much of our life is spent stretching – whether we choose the stretching or it chooses us. Recently, I’ve chosen a purposeful “stretch.” Back in April, after at least a year of talking about it, I started a blog.

Little did I know, then, what a rollercoaster of emotions were in store for me. I knew that it would be challenging to write solid content that would be meaningful, but I don’t believe that I was quite ready for the grind of continually facing a blank document on the computer screen.

A blank piece of paper is open to so many possibilities, yet appears so daunting.

Blogging has stretched me in ways that I never imagined.

I want to share four lessons (about life) that I have learned since I began blogging.

1. Blogging teaches discipline.
I consider myself a fairly disciplined person, but blogging has taken this to a new level. Blogging is not an endeavor that can be undertaken every so often. It is a discipline. Steven Pressfield says in his book, The Work of Art, that the hardest part of writing is not the writing, it’s sitting down to write.

There are always fifty things other than writing vying for my attention. But, blogging has taught me to quiet those distractions and focus on the task at hand. There are days that I want to quit and days that I feel as if I could write forever. Managing that tension has been a “stretch” for me.

2. Blogging sifts your beliefs.
I am pretty solid and consistent in my beliefs. If any of you read my blog you know that the bedrock of my life is Jesus Christ. It’s much easier to talk about Christ with my “circle” than it is to write about Him in a blog post that is out there for the world to view. In fact, bearing your soul is a little overwhelming.

Beyond my religious views, blogging forces me to work through most all of my beliefs. If I write about goal-setting or any other facet of intentional living, I really have to narrow my focus and work on being concise in my delivery. This only occurs when I am crystal clear on my thoughts.

Several times I have written a blog and then did not post it because I lacked a strong conviction about it. Before I hit the publish button, I need to believe it. Attempting to present an articulate stance on an issue has really stretched me as well.

3. Blogging is more about me than producing content for others.
When I first started blogging, I was very concerned about how I thought others would perceive my thoughts and my writing. I still worry about this, but in the few short months that I’ve been blogging I have become more focused on recording what I believe about life.

If I focus on others, then I try to copycat my blogging heroes and write as they would write and about topics that they would write about. The problem with this approach is that I am not them – I am me. For me to enjoy the process of blogging, I have to be me. If others latch on to my voice, then great. If they don’t, then I know blogging is not my future.

The longer I blog the more comfortable I become in showing more of who I really am. And that is the only way to really put my “voice” out there. Balancing this desire to write for others with the need to be “me” has been a major stretch.

4. Blogging records my thoughts for myself and others.
Finally, blogging is providing me the chance to record a part of “me” for my future self. Every time I write a post I am really just recording my life lessons so that I don’t forget them. As I continue to blog, more and more life lessons that I have forgotten from my past seem to surface. The process of blogging has really been a mining project for me.

I’m also blogging so that parts of my life will be recorded for my future kids. Every time I write I want to be comfortable with my future children reading my thoughts. From this vantage point, I write with a purpose – something bigger than just blogging. Thinking about preserving my words for the future has stretched me as well.

So…are YOU ready to start a blog? For me, it has truly been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that I’ve ever undertaken. To say that the last three and a half months have stretched me would be a gross understatement.

If you really want to reflect more, risk more, and leave a legacy, think about starting your own blog. It won’t be easy, but I guarantee it will stretch you in ways you never imagined.

QUESTION: Is there something in your life stretching you right now? How do you manage the tension?

The Better Way

Today, I’m honored to present another guest blogger.  Terri Stone is the Director of Pastoral Care at my church.  I’ve had the privilege of serving with Terri over the past several years, and I’ve met few people who can connect and remember people like Terri.  Today, Terri shares her current STRETCHING story with us.  Enjoy!

(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment.  I’d love to connect with you.)

I’ve spent the last 11 years stretching. I should be good and warmed up; ready for anything. Serving on the ministry staff at my church has given me the opportunity to do more things and meet more people than I ever imagined I would in my lifetime. Being in the mix of a fast growing church has had me “burning the midnight oil” for a very long time. I have to be clear, though, and say that no one demanded I burn the midnight oil; I chose to burn it myself. My personality is one that needs to be busy from sunrise to sunset or I feel like a useless, lazy, non-contributing person. Crazy, I know.

I’ve had a few different jobs in my tenure at the church. I’ve seen staff members come; and I’ve seen them go off to do awesome things. I’ve been part of large outreach events, classes, small groups, Sunday services, baptisms, mission trips, and capital campaigns…and this is the short list. The thought of having enough time in the day to get everything done has been unheard of. This was the case until recently. I’m now in the job where I’m perfectly gifted to serve. I’m no longer involved in every single thing that happens at the church being pulled in a million different directions. Now my days are focused, helping people with their spiritual questions, life struggles and personal needs. I have time to think and pray, plan and strategize about how to build a new ministry from the ground up.

And while I absolutely love how I’m serving, it’s been one of the most challenging things I’ve encountered in ministry. The task list has changed. The “to do” list has become the “who list.” To say the least, this new place in ministry has me stretching in ways that I’m not used to stretching.

I think about the story, in Luke’s Gospel, of the two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha welcomes Jesus and his crew into her home where she and her sister promptly choose two different approaches to their interaction with Jesus. Martha fusses with taking care of the needs of her guests while Mary ignores all the others and all the preparations so she can hang out with Jesus. Martha complains asking Jesus to tell her sister to help. Jesus’ response is not what she expects, “Martha, Martha,”…“you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What I’ve come to realize is that I’ve been like that complaining sister! I’ve been busy “doing” ministry; all the while fussing about something or somebody. For someone like me, it’s strange not to have a task list a mile long of what must get done. Having more tasks than I can handle has always equaled value. But Jesus is saying there’s a better way. The better way has me stretching to be contemplative, to be quiet, to be more prayerful and to listen. In doing so, I’ll actually be better prepared to do the people things, “who list” things God has for me to do.

I think there’s a great lesson in the story for all of us. Jesus needs us to be with him first before we can really do what he has for us to do. After reading the story in Luke 10, there are some questions we need to ask ourselves. Am I serving Jesus in the right way for the right reasons? Is my busyness “for Jesus” to impress others with all I have to do? What will it take to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen so we can learn his better way for us?

Examine your service to Jesus and others. Invite him to show you what he truly desires the outcome of your time with him to be.

My Good Versus God’s Good

I have the privilege today of presenting guest blogger, Jeff Whitebread.  Jeff (or Pumpernickel as I like to call him) is a good friend and sincere brother.  Jeff is just starting his own blog (see the link below), and he has so generously volunteered to share his current STRETCHING story here.

(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment.  I’d love to connect with you.)

It certainly is a pleasure to be a guest contributor on my good friend’s blog.  In sticking with the theme of being stretched, it is always helpful when I consider God’s purpose in stretching my life.  For when I focus on life’s circumstances, I can often feel overwhelmed and find myself being swept away in moments of despair.  For in the midst of life’s turmoil, I can feel as if I am being pulled apart from the inside, as if a part of me is dying.  I am left with these nagging thoughts.  Why does God make life so hard?  If life is this hard, am I doing something wrong?

Romans 8:28-29 says,

 (28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (29) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

As I read this passage, an obvious truth jumps out from V28.  God works all things for the good of those who love him, not some things or most things.  God is working every single thing in my life out for my good.  If I love God, then I can take this truth to the bank.  I can believe this truth and live according to this truth.  But wait, not everything that happens to me appears to be good, and here my story of being stretched begins.

When I was told, I was losing my job several weeks ago my first reaction was not, “thank you God this is so good.”  It was a shock. I had to pick my jaw up off the table.  Now, you must understand, I knew my job was going to end.  I have been working for an insurance company that has been going out of business since 2001.  When I started working for this company, it had 6,000 employees, and now it has only 150.  During this 11 year process, I have seen God reawaken my heart and set a desire to serve him in the full-time ministry.  I have viewed these last several years as a time of transition, as a time of preparation to leave the IT field and serve God where He calls.

As God began to open and close doors in my life, I developed a plan for how things were going to work out.  I began thinking about how I was going to transition from working as an IT geek to being a missionary to our elected officials in Harrisburg.  It was a smooth transition, it was neat and clean and in truth it required little risk and even less faith.  After all, I will be serving the Lord; He would certainly bless such pure intentions.  What I failed to see and what God is teaching me and stretching me to understand is this truth. God has a different purpose in mind.  While I am focused on the destination, God’s laser beam focus is on me as an individual.

Let’s take a step back and ask ourselves, how does God define the word “good” in v28?  We quickly realize through life’s circumstances that God is not working in our lives the way we might desire Him to work.  He is doing something strange to us; He is taking us places we have no interest going.  Our hearts cry out as we try to make sense of the situations we face.  You see V29 tells us the goal, the good thing God is doing in our lives.  What God desires for us, what He is working to accomplish through every situation and circumstance we face is to become like Jesus.  This is what He wants; this is what He is doing.  When we face the hard times in life we can hold onto this truth – this difficult and challenging situation is in my life because God is doing something good.  His purpose for me is to be conformed to the image of His Son.  He is working in my life and taking me through the hard time because his desire is that Christ may be formed in my life.

As I face the realities of my life and think of how God is at work, my plan no longer makes sense.  I cannot connect the dots.  I did not expect to be out of a job for another 2-3 years, I thought I would be one of the last people employed in my company.  Obviously, God had a different plan from mine.  Now I face the fact of raising my support, of trusting God with opening people’s hearts toward this ministry.  As I look for God to validate my call through the financial commitment of others, it is humbling, it is scary, and yet it is where God has placed me in my journey to follow Him.  I can say through the eyes of faith it is good.  Whether I end up in this ministry or serve God in some other area, no matter what happens to my family and the things we place our security on, God is working to create in me the image of His Son.

The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death (Heb 2:9).  The path our Lord went down was one of sacrifice and suffering, if this was required of our Lord, should we expect that to become like Him would require anything less for our lives.  The worldly part of our heart cries out, “No!  Please give us another way.”  Yet the cross stands and proclaims that there is no other way in which we can serve our great and glorious King, Jesus the Christ.  Is it easy?  Never! Is it worth it? Every single moment, for God is actively working for the “good” of our lives.

Through the encouragement of Jon, I am being stretched in another area, I have decided to start blogging about this journey.  If you would like to read my attempt to write about this journey, please check out On The Narrow Road.

All for the glory of God!

Jeff

Where do you see Christ being formed in your life?  How have you seen hard times actually used for good?

Locks of Love

The generous heart of my daughter never ceases to amaze me.  As you can see by the pictures, Hannah decided several months ago to grow her hair out, so she could donate to Locks of Love.  Locks of Love provides wigs for children who are facing hair loss for various reasons.  Hair is a big deal for girls, women, and kids.  So when Hannah decided to have her hair cut so someone else could enjoy a head of hair, it was quite a sacrifice – at least in my mind.

It makes me think about true sacrifice.  I am so often caught up in my own self interest.  I don’t put others first.  I’m thinking of me – instead of thinking of others.  I often fall short when it comes to true sacrifice.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)  Jesus is the ultimate example of true sacrifice.  He who was without sin laid down his life on the cross for us that we might be saved.

I’m thankful for Hannah’s example, it reminds me of Christ.  It reminds me that I need to be sacrificial if I’m going to be a Christ follower.  Thanks, Sweetie!

 What does it really mean to make a sacrifice for someone?  When was the last time you really sacrificed something for someone?

Stretch Uncut 2011 Video Highlights

Last week, our church hosted Stretch Uncut 2011, a three night event for middle school students.  You can read more about it here and here.  Our church’s video team led by Dave Wasserman put together this great highlight video.  Enjoy!

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/27165053]

What do you think?