the BLOG

2011-03-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

(Click image to enlarge.)

2011-03-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying in Galatians, we have been talking about how adding to the Gospel can be not only dangerous, but make you do ridiculous things! Here is a great example of ho trying to be "Religious" by setting and keeping our own rules leads us to ... well, long elevator rides!

Watch the full episode. See more NOVA.

Marriage Tips ...

2010-04-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

So, we all know that marriage is not easy! It takes about 10 minutes for the euphoria to wear off, and after that it is hard work. So what can you and I do to help us strengthen our marriages before there is a major conflict, rather than waiting for World War 3 to start fixing things in the most important relationship you have with another human being?

These 10 things come from a great resource called All Pro Dad, and guys if you are not signed up to get their daily emails to help you be a better husband and father ... do it now! (your wife and kids will thank you for it :-)

#1 Always put your spouse first: This is a HUGE principle and key to reducing relationship stress. Ideally, husband and wife both put the other first. But the only aspect you can control is you.

#2 Have fun together: Movies, walks, picnics, games, trips etc. Not just fun but hilarity. Laughing together is great relationship medicine.

#3 Build “together time” into your schedule: Stop awarding “Time with your spouse” the status of leftovers! Your relationship is more important than any other priority on any kind of schedule. If that means scrawling “Relax together” on the calendar in indelible marker, then so be it!

#4 Don’t sweat the small stuff: When you feel stress coming on, ask this question, “Is this a moral issue?” If not – and nine times out of ten the issue in question is not, then let it go. Talk together about your priorities, constantly. Remind yourselves what really counts. Simplify your lifestyle. Celebrate what you have.

#5 Give back, and do it together: Work at the soup kitchen; volunteer with a faith-based community; hook up with a group that helps the less fortunate or restores the environment. Throw yourselves into charitable causes, together, and watch things fall into perspective.

#6 Communicate clearly and respectfully: Misunderstandings are responsible for a lot of tension. Always keep your spouse in the loop and always communicate with love and good manners.

#7 Tell the truth: The aphorism goes like this – when you tell the truth you don’t have to remember what you said the last time. People who don’t keep secrets experience less stress in relationships.

#8 Hold hands; hug; make out! Physical contact is a proven stress reliever. Squeeze onto the same chair to watch TV – just hang all over one-another. Reach out and take your spouse’s hand while walking, driving, or at an event. Be deliberate about demonstrating affection via physical contact.

#9 Play to your strengths – and hers: Effective teachers use students’ strengths to overcome weakness – it simply works better than focusing on the negative. Pay attention to your spouse’s strengths - build up, affirm, encourage. Criticism always leads to more stress.

#10 Live within your means: Money problems are the leading cause of stress in American marriages. Work this one out. Take preventative measures. Remember (#4-Don’t sweat the small stuff)? It turns out most of the stuff we get into debt over is not worth the stress.

2010-01-19T12:30:00.001-08:00

:-)

1 Peter 1:3-5

2010-01-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

You know those moments when you have done your best to say or do something and someone comes along behind you and does it so much better and makes it look really easy? Yeah, that just happened to me. We have been going thru this study on 1 & 2 Peter and I spoke this Sunday about the "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for those who believe" that Peter talks about in vs. 3-5.

Then I read the post from a pastor at Matt Chandler's church (a 35 year old pastor with brain cancer) and thought, "Man! I should have just read his 5 minute thing instead of talking for 45 minutes!" {and everyone at EWC said "Amen!"} So here it is ....

All of my life I have wanted to be successful. The idea of success has driven me most of my days and the fear of not being successful has kept me on course as well. As I reflect on this, I find it interesting that not much has changed for me personally. I still desire success, but my definition of “success” has shifted drastically. Growing up in the thriving and prosperous suburb of Plano the mantra and allure of success was all around me.

Success equated to the various status symbols of the “American Dream”: expensive cars, expansive homes, exotic vacations and exclusive lives. The greater cultural system reinforced what most families modeled, and we were all competing for ways to get a slice of pie. The proverbial “Jones’” kept everyone running at breakneck speed and leaving carnage in our wake; people became a means to an end as “success” was the idol we chased. This is not isolated to Plano or the Dallas metroplex per se; rather, this ethos permeates the ghetto as much as Rodeo Drive. It is American to the core.

A biblically informed definition of success has almost nothing to do with the acquisition of material things or the achievement of personal comfort. Success for the believer is defined in relationship to Jesus Christ and His mission. Christ came to seek and save that which was lost; He calls a people unto Himself. We were once far off and have now been brought near through the blood of Christ. He creates a new humanity with transformed perspectives and ambitions.

The death and resurrection of Christ and the overall mission of God in the world now defines what success looks like for the believer and the Church. Simplistically, a believer’s desire for success should be in accordance with Romans 12:1-2. Do I look like the Savior? Have I been transformed by His grace to love radically, give generously, suffer willingly, walk humbly and engage missionally? Is the fruit of God’s Spirit evident in my heart: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

The hope in my life is that I would be successful, but success has been redefined as I have been transformed. Now, a prosperous life means an endowment of Christ-saturated thoughts, relationships and actions; not a certain tax bracket or health. Conformity to the image of Christ compels me rather than the creaturely comforts of a fading glory (2 Corinthians 5:14). The success I am now pursuing is not elusive; rather, it is eternally mine because it has been purchased by the sufficient blood of Christ and secured by the seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:7,14). The “American Dream” is a cheap substitute compared to the rich treasure of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-10). The gospel reality awakens us to pleasures evermore and causes us to abandon our prior delusions of grandeur to readily accept the inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for those who believe. (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Can I really be called a “success” if I waste my life chasing the wind? Maybe, but then I would also have to be called a “fool” as well.

Africa Trip Update

2009-12-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

The trip from Indiana to Niger, West Africa was for the most part uneventful. The weather in Northern Indiana had turned colder. Monday morning December 7th dawned with much cooler temperatures with periodic flakes of snow. After a laugh filled three hour drive, my wife Janice and Melissa Lehman (Gerald’s wife) dropped us off at the Detroit International Airport. In just under 22 hours we would step off the plane in the sub-Sahara plains of Africa.
Check in and clearing security was a breeze. We did enjoy the fact that it was Tim Helmuth who was singled out for special treatment as we passed through x-ray in both Detroit and New York’s JFK. In New York we had to change terminals which meant we had to get new boarding passes and clear security a second time. Eight hours later we landed in Paris, France at 6 AM local time. The four and a half hour transit turned into over five hours because our plane was late in arriving at the gate. But we were soon on our way for the five hour and 25 minute flight to Niamey, Niger. Walking down stairs of the aircraft we were greeted with blast of 90 degree temperatures. In spite of the shock to our systems it was good to be off the plane and in Niger. Little did we realize that we were about to encounter our first setback.
We had made a concerted effort to pray for favor as we cleared immigration; specifically that there would be no problem with carrying in all the vitamins we had packed into our luggage. Our missionary friend Rich Jorgensen had arranged for a baggage porter to take care of us. It was a comforting feeling to see him walk up to us holding a piece of paper with our names on it. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. That is until my large suitcase did not appear on the baggage carousel. We waited and waited but “big blue”, filled with most of my cloths, children’s vitamins, play dough, office supplies and a large jar of peanut butter never appeared. Welcome to the realities of international travel. Thankfully Janice had packed some of my clothes in a garment bag, that did arrive, and my carry-on.
The delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Going through the first immigration checkpoint had not been a problem. If we were going to have a problem it would be when we went through the final x-ray check to be able to leave the airport. It was at that point they might take the vitamins from us or make as pay a large import tax. For some reason, perhaps it was because we were the last in line or because another flight was arriving with a full passenger load returning from Mecca, they sent our things through x-ray and never said a word. For that we gave thanks to the Lord. Somehow I would have to find a way to survive until my luggage could be located. Even if it arrived two days later on the next flight from Paris, I wouldn’t see it because we leaving in the morning on the 400 mile drive to Maradi.
To say the road to Maradi is desolate doesn’t begin to describe the terrain. Coming from fertile northeast Indiana one wonders how anyone survives the hardships of this county which is almost twice the size of Texas. What possessed the French to even want to colonize this nation several centuries ago? No doubt it was nothing more than wanting to keep pace with the British and Dutch colonial expansion. With the exception of a few river bottom areas there is no real farm ground; at least as we would define it by western standards.
Life for most of the people in Niger is primarily a daily struggle to survive. People in the villages are for the most part of malnourished. The CARE, UNICEF and famine relief agency vehicles that we see on television at home are very visible on African roadways. Drugs are not much of a problem in Niger because, people are just trying to find enough food to eat. Gasoline, which is sold in liters, is over $6.00 a US gallon.
Oil has been discovered in Niger. We passed a large convoy of trucks headed for the oil fields. The Chinese are largely the ones funding the nation’s developing petroleum industry, pouring in millions of dollars.
We made the 8 hour trip with only one brief roadside stop in the middle of no where for minute of comfort and relief. Lunch was “on the go” consisting of wonderful beef burritos that someone had prepared for us. Passing through a small village that had sprung up alone the roadway we came within inches of hitting and killing a small girl who walked out in front of our vehicle. Rich felt so bad and blamed himself for the near tragedy, but we were just thankful that God was watching over all of us and no one was injured or killed.
About 30 minutes from Maradi, we left the roadway to drive 10 minutes down a path that led to a small village. We arrived almost an hour late for the 4 pm service but the sounds of the distinctly African worship from a small square building with a metal roof were unmistakable. The people were so excited about our coming. Following the service we said our goodbyes and headed into the city where Ginger (Jorgensen) had prepared a traditional meal of rice and pieces of meat in a tomato-pumpkin sauce. Amish cooking it wasn’t; but it did taste good.
The following morning we toured the Abundant Life Primary School where Ginger is the director. Watching the kids run for food at snack time was a moving experienced. Gerald Lehman summed it up when he said, “It just broke my heart to think that those little children had to push their way to the front of the straw hut at snack time because they were afraid that there may not have been enough food to go around.”
It was disheartening to learn that many of the children never go beyond the 6th grade in school. While this school has several college graduates, a person can teach lower elementary grades with less than a high school diploma. Missionaries like Rich and Ginger Jorgensen are working hard to raise the nation’s academic standards.
The Bible school graduation on Thursday evening (December 10th) was nothing short of a celebration. The program went on for over 3 hours. Given how few people finish secondary school it was wonderful to see five Pastoral and nine Discipleship students receive their certificates of completion. It was an honor and a privilege for me to bring the graduation address.
Following the graduation ceremonies food was provided for all in attendance. That proved to be both an uncomfortable and a humbling experience. The graduates were given the honor being served first. The meal consisted of a mixture of macaroni and rice, a small potato and red sauce with a tiny amount of meat. We were told that no one would be offended if we ate only one bite. Most of the village people who had come into the city for the celebration ate with their hands. The rest of us waited until they brought us large spoons. Out of courtesy I hate four or five spoons full and then set my bowl on the floor. Gerald and Tim did the same things as did our missionary friend. Those serving the food came and graciously asked if we were finished. When we said “Yes”, they picked up our bowls and gave them to other people who were eagerly waiting for anything that we didn’t want. I saw several pastors share a bowl of food. No scrap of food was wasted. There were no words to describe the feeling as I watched people reach out for my leftovers. I was convicted about all the food we waste or refuse to eat because we don’t like it. Here were people eager for my leftovers, more concerned about survival than getting my germs.
Friday and Saturday was the Pastors Seminar when the three of us all spoke. I did all of the teaching, but Gerald and Tim each shared in a couple of sessions. Following the last session we handed out the vitamins. Pastors were given a two months supply for each of their children. The pastors will handout the remaining bottles to children in their villages. The pastors were so appreciative because the need among the children is so desperate. Tim Helmuth, EWC Missions Chairman, made the statement that, “As great as it is to bring these vitamins over here, the need is so great; what we did is like a drop in a bucket,” “We just have to find a way to do more and keep them coming.”
The team from Eden was scheduled to minister in a village church on Sunday before making the drive back to Niamey on Monday. Pastor Gingerich will be speaking at a Bible College on Tuesday morning. Tim Helmuth and Gerald Lehman will be flying to the United States on Wednesday. Gingerich will be going on to Uganda for ministry. He is slated to return to Indiana on December 23rd.

~Pastor Harold

Africa Trip / Christmas

2009-12-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

Pastor Harold has left for Africa! My dad and 2 other guys from the church left for Africa yesterday. They arrived safe and sound, but minus dad’s large suitcase.They do have ‘trip insurance’ so the hope is the contents will be replaced, but mom laughed as she said that he will have to speak to his first engagement wearing a suit and tennis shoes!

Please take some time to pray for them (Harold, Tim and Gerald) while they are gone the next couple of weeks. Pray for their safety as they travel and for God’s blessing upon the ministry there.

As Christmas approaches we think of the baby Jesus with Mary, Joseph and the stable and everything is so beautiful. But stop and think what it really meant for Jesus. For all eternity Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit had been together in perfect harmony and unity (trinity). Then Jesus, to fix the fallen world, leaves heaven and comes to this earth for what we would call a suicide mission! He was rejected by men, made fun of, harassed and hunted. He was turned on by his friends and family, abandoned by his disciples and eventually beaten and murdered by the very people he came to save!

And why? To deal with my sin and yours! He did not come to ‘make things right’ or ‘fair’, he did not come to make you happy or heal every sickness and make sure no one you love ever gets cancer. Does our God heal … yes! Does he make things right … yes! Do bad things still happen to us … yeah. It is not because Jesus isn’t doing his job! The second time he comes, he said he will wipe away ever tear from our eyes, no more death, sickness or sorrow. But the first time around he came as a “man of sorrow’ to deal primarily with sin. Not to make you happy but to make you holy.

So remember that Christmas although it is a happy time for many, points to the cross of suffering. That is the reason he came, and aren’t you glad?!

Attention Married Men!!!!

2009-10-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Self-help or spouse-help?

It's an interesting mark of our society today that one of the first things we encounter when we walk in a bookstore is the "Self-help" or "Self-esteem" section. Feeling good about ourselves seems to be a big business these days. But when's the last time you saw a bookstore section devoted to "Spouse-esteem?" On making your wife feel cherished and loved? On what you can do as a man to make your wife feel important and appreciated? It seems sometimes we are so focused on how we can be happy that we only concern ourselves with making our wives happy when we have some happiness to spare.

Rather, a Godly husband is far more concerned with his wife's emotional well-being and will do all he can to ensure her happiness, regardless of whether he feels content or not. And more often than not, a true sense of joy will come to us when our primary concern is for her well-being, not ours.

(Taken from allprodad.com)

The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexualit

2009-09-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

The following is taken from John Piper's blog in commentary on the recent events with the Lutheran church ... check it out! - Matt

The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality
August 20, 2009 | By: John Piper |

I saw the fast-moving, misshapen, unusually-wide funnel over downtown Minneapolis from Seven Corners. I said to Kevin Dau, “That looks serious.”

It was. Serious in more ways than one. A friend who drove down to see the damage wrote,

On a day when no severe weather was predicted or expected...a tornado forms, baffling the weather experts—most saying they’ve never seen anything like it. It happens right in the city. The city: Minneapolis.

The tornado happens on a Wednesday...during the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's national convention in the Minneapolis Convention Center. The convention is using Central Lutheran across the street as its church. The church has set up tents around it’s building for this purpose.

According to the ELCA’s printed convention schedule, at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 19, the 5th session of the convention was to begin. The main item of the session: “Consideration: Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality.” The issue is whether practicing homosexuality is a behavior that should disqualify a person from the pastoral ministry.

The eyewitness of the damage continues:

This curious tornado touches down just south of downtown and follows 35W straight towards the city center. It crosses I94. It is now downtown.

The time: 2PM.

The first buildings on the downtown side of I94 are the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran. The tornado severely damages the convention center roof, shreds the tents, breaks off the steeple of Central Lutheran, splits what’s left of the steeple in two...and then lifts.

Central Lutheran's broken steeple

Let me venture an interpretation of this Providence with some biblical warrant.

1. The unrepentant practice of homosexual behavior (like other sins) will exclude a person from the kingdom of God.

The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

2. The church has always embraced those who forsake sexual sin but who still struggle with homosexual desires, rejoicing with them that all our fallen, sinful, disordered lives (all of us, no exceptions) are forgiven if we turn to Christ in faith.

Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

3. Therefore, official church pronouncements that condone the very sins that keep people out of the kingdom of God, are evil. They dishonor God, contradict Scripture, and implicitly promote damnation where salvation is freely offered.

4. Jesus Christ controls the wind, including all tornados.

Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41)

5. When asked about a seemingly random calamity near Jerusalem where 18 people were killed, Jesus answered in general terms—an answer that would cover calamities in Minneapolis, Taiwan, or Baghdad. God’s message is repent, because none of us will otherwise escape God’s judgment.

Jesus: “Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:4-5)

6. Conclusion: The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin. Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction. Reaffirm the great Lutheran heritage of allegiance to the truth and authority of Scripture. Turn back from distorting the grace of God into sensuality. Rejoice in the pardon of the cross of Christ and its power to transform left and right wing sinners.

Wednesday Night "Wait on God"

2009-08-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

We really believe that God is calling us out of our cold hearted version of worship that we have been offering Him and into a passionate relationship with Jesus! So, we are calling people to pray and fast (something) for the next 40 days beginning this Sunday, as a time of seeking God with our whole heart!

To help facilitate real worship we are going to only have one service (9:30 AM) on Sunday mornings as well as a Wednesday night "Wait on God" time starting at 6:30 PM and ending when it is done! This is going to be a dedicated time of seeking God's face. There will probably be a short time of exhortational preaching, worship, and an open ended time of prayer and just coming to see what God wants to do.

Please begin to pray NOW about our time this weekend and for EWC as a whole, that God will meet with us. transform our cold hearted Christianity, and Re-Ignite our passion for Jesus!!!

Changes at EWC

2009-08-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, this week we announced some drastic changes in our services and called our people to pray and fast for 40 days beginning next Sunday (8/30).

For quite a while we have seen a steady decline in the passion for God in our church. Worship has become a spectator sport, and many people are feeling very ‘dry’ spiritually. I believe that for many the dryness is not due to the Spirit of God’s absence, but to our spiritual drifting.

Try the following spiritual test:

1.(true or false) I have stopped reading my bible.

2.(true or false) I have stopped praying consistently.

3. (true or false) I have lost my passion for God.

If we are brutally honest we will very quickly see why we are in the shape we are in! So what is the problem? God? The world? The church? My job? My wife / husband? … nope! (say it with me) “I am the problem!” We serve a God who declares “I do not change” so if something has changed it has to be us! So here is what we at EWC are going to do about it:

1. As of this week (8/30/09) we will only have one service at 9:30. The purpose for having 2 services is to enable the church to grow, but right now our ONE and ONLY priority is to bring us back to passion for Jesus! So with one service there are no time restraints, less activity needed and more fellowship as a whole church. From 8:30 to service time the sanctuary will be available for prayer and an hour of seeking God before the service.

2. We are cutting the worship team! (not permanently, but for a period of time) Although we love the worship at our church, when our music stops being about worshipping Jesus and becomes about entertainment, it is time for a change! Please hear my heart, the worship team has continued to seek God and lead hid people in worship, but more and more people in the congregation have stopped participating. So as of this week, we are stripping away everything until we are forced to make a decision to either worship God or not, not based on a style of music but a heart that longs for intimacy with God!

We are prayerfully looking at every aspect of church life at EWC and asking this question, is it making disciples? Is it leading people to fall in love with Jesus? With his word? And if not as much as we love it, we will cut it off until all that remains is a church of 100% sold out, crazy on fire, world changing followers of Jesus Christ!

Please pray for God to re-ignite the hearts of the people that make up EWC. And one more thing, as you pray and seek God, let’s not start with the assumption that we are “in”, that our hearts are the “good ground.” Rather lets get on our knees before God and asking him to show us where we need to change!

Thanks for taking the time to read thru this, and I pray that God will powerfully meet with you and reveal himself to you as you seek his face!

Re-Ignite! Ps. Matt

2009-07-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know that we have missed seeing so many of you in church the past couple of weeks.

It seems like this summer has been very busy for so many people. With all of the fun in the sun activities that warm weather brings, I think there is a danger of neglecting the family worship time. We hear all the time about the importance of spending “family time” together … and that is VERY important! But, don’t sacrifice your family's time to worship God and fellowship with other believers for just anything.

Yep, there are family gatherings and vacations that are needed for building strong families, but lets also make spending time worshiping God and gathering together with our church family a priority as well. Joshua said, “Hey guys, you do what you want, but as for me and my house … we will serve the LORD.”

Please let us know if there is anything we can be praying with you about!

God Bless, Ps. Matt

Wouldn't He Stick out?

2009-07-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

I read a story this week of a 7 year old boy who sat listening on a Sunday morning to the Pastor's sermon. When the service was over he patiently waited his turn to talk to the minister. His first words were, "You said that Jesus wants to live in our hearts right?" The Pastor, impressed that the boy had been listening so intently responded, "Why yes, that's right." The boy with a thoughtful look on his face then asked, "How big do you think Jesus is?" The Pastor smiled down at thew youngster and said, Well, when he was here on earth he was a carpenter, so he was probable a big strong man." The boys expression changed from thoughtful to puzzled as he said, "Well if he is that big, but I am so small ... wouldn't he stick out?" "Yes," said the Pastor, "I think that is the point."

How big is your Jesus? Does he "stick out" of your life? Or are you able to hide him away so that no one knows you are a Christian? If so, maybe you need a bigger Jesus!
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

How is Your Marriage Doing?

2009-06-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend Vic Hildebrand was sharing with us about the importance of the Christian marriage. All too often we devalue the relationship with our wife (or husband) as we push time with them aside for 'more important things' ... especially if it is ministry related! The problem is, when things aren't right at home, nothing else seems to go right in our life either. And get this one guys, if you don't treat your wife right, the Bible says it will hinder your relationship with God! (1 Peter 3:7) “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

So here is a little relationship check to see how your marriage is really doing. The check-up works best when both partners take it, and then compare answers. The goal is to pinpoint problem areas, praise positive areas, and increase communication. Try to take this check-up once a year. Save your answers and compare them from year to year.

Try it out, and see what in your marriage needs to change.

God Bless, Pastor Matt

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

RELATIONSHIP CHECK-UP

Rate your marriage on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest.

What is your marriage's weak spot?

What is its strong point?

On a scale of 1 - 10, how committed are you to making your marriage last?

Do you and your spouse share enough fun times? When was the last time you and your spouse laughed together?

Do you and your spouse spend enough time alone with each other? When was the last time you spent an evening alone together, in a social way?

Would you like more compliments from your spouse/ When was the last time you complimented your spouse?

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best, how would you rate your sexual interaction? Do you feel comfortable talking with your spouse about how to improve this area?

How do you feel when your spouse criticizes you?

When was the last time you criticized your spouse?

Would your spouse rather have a back rub, a quiet hour to read, a home-cooked meal, or an afternoon at the movies?

Is your spouse your best friend? Why or why not?

Are you willing to change to make your marriage better?

Fill in the blank:

The thing I like most about my spouse is her/his _________.

I wish we had more time to _________.

I love it when my spouse ___________.

The thing my spouse understands least about me is _________.

The thing I miss most from our dating days is _________.

The thing we argue about the most is ____________.

If I could change two things about myself, to better please my spouse, it would be _________ and __________.

My First Pastoral Duties ...

2009-06-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Luke 22:25-26 And he said, The kings of the Gentiles are lords over them, and those who have authority are given names of honor. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

This Sunday was our "Transition Sunday" where we transitioned from my Dad being the Senior Pastor of EWC, and I became the Senior Pastor and Jason became the Associate Pastor. Vic Hildebrand was here and gave a great message and commissioning to shepherd the flock and oversee the congregation. The service comes to an end and as we are walking into the hallway, with so many people wanting to shake hand and give their encouragements, Danielle got a head of me. By the time I caught up with her she had borrowed a baby that she was proudly carrying around the hallway. And just like babies do, next thing you know there is 'baby barf' (yes I know the polite term is spit up) flying everywhere. I quickly ran to the kitchen to grab some towels to wipe it up before people started slipping in it (wouldn't that have been a sight) when it occurred to me ... this is really what being a Pastor is all about.

Too often we think of ministry as what happens on the stage, or what people notice and then congratulate you on how 'spiritual' you are. The truth is most ministry goes unnoticed behind the scenes. Even on a Sunday morning the service doesn't go well just because the preacher did his part well or the worship team all played well. Things come together when each one does their part ... the Sunday School teacher who is so faithful to teach the Word of God to the kids, or the ladies working in the kitchen through the sermon so the food for the carry-in dinner is ready right after the service ends, or those who stay after to help clean up even though they would like to go home, put their feet up and watch TV like everybody else. That is real service! Not the church 'service' that serves only ourselves, but sacrificial service that gives even when we don't really feel like it. That is worship! (Giving of our time, talent and treasure for God's glory not our own) So I am thrilled that my first official act as Pastor of EWC was cleaning up baby barf in the hallway.

Pastor Matt

Pastor's Breakfast

2009-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

This morning 4 of us went to the Pastor's Breakfast hosted by Dr. David Jeremiah and Turning Point Ministries in South Bend. There was a free breakfast and a time of encouragement from Dr. Jeremiah. These types of things usually turn out to be shameless promotion of what ever ministry is involved, but this was exactly to opposite!

There was no "sign up for this program" or "give money to this" but instead David talked for about an hour about the bedrock importance of preaching the Word of God! In a modern age where so much of what church is consists of hype and gimmicks, it was awesome to see a well known ministry leader stand up and say the center of it all has got to be the Bible! With all of the modern tech stuff we use to bring people in and hold their attention ... we can never compromise on the centrality of the scriptures or the message of the scriptures!

The Choir

2009-03-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Westview's Dynamic Singsations (show choir) was with us in both services today. They had a great presentation of spiritual songs, to worship and solo songs. A couple kids shared brief testimonies. They did a wonderful job and were a great blessing!

Biblical Foundations Class

2009-03-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

We just finished up our 9 weeks Biblical Foundations Class last night. Thanks again to all the people who came all those Wednesdays in a row, and a BIG thanks to Jason for putting all that material together!

We really believe that a real understanding of God's Word and how to apply it to our lives is something sadly lacking in the modern church today. All too often we hear of pastors, churches and even whole denominations who arbitrarily decide, "times have changed" or "that's not really what the Bible means" and they excuse and embrace the new pop culture sin-of -the-week.

Without really knowing what God has said in His Word, we are left to decide for ourselves what is right or wrong ... by the way, that is what Adam and Eve did in the garden, and what got us into this mess to start with.

So, if you missed the class and you just can't wait until the next time we have it, you can get online right now and start downloading the audio and study guide for yourself! Drop it on your ipod and begin filling your mind with the foundations of what we believe to be true (based on God's Word!)

EWC Financial Update

2009-03-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a quick note and update everyone on the financial meeting last night.
As many of you already know I was ineligible for unemployment, so that plan to cut the budget didn't really work.
But, what it did do was force us to take a very detailed look at a few other areas ...

One of the very exciting areas was the furnace / air conditioner updates we have done in the past 2 years, plus the diligence of people like Dave and Wilma at making sure it only runs when it needs to, has meant we are $5600 ahead of where we were last year in heating and electric costs! PRAISE GOD!

In the end we have reduced all staff salaries including a reduction to Andrea's pay and moving her from a salaried employee to a 1099 contract to do the book keeping (which cut over $8000!) [ps. that was Andrea's creative idea ... good job Andrea Dawn!]

So everyone still has their job (including me ;) and we are by God's grace going to not only survive the storm, but grow in our ability to make educated financial decisions!

Please continue to pray for God's guiding and provision! Without his blessing even the best of our plans fall apart! Based on the average offerings for the past several months, we can make it until the summer reevaluation on this budget, but our hope is not in the average offering, or current economy (thank God for that!) HE is our hope! He is our provider!

Celebration Service

2009-02-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had a great time together at the celebration service! The place was packed, the message was right on, and God was moving!

At the close of the service we gathered around Dan & Laura Yoder, and as a congregation laid hands on them and blessed them. They have been a core part of our church for so many years, and although we rejoice with them as God is leading them in their move to Florida, they will be deeply missed!

Our New President

2009-01-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

In just a few days our nation will have a new president. After months of campaign commercials and stump speeches, Barak Obama is about to take office. The Bible commands us to pray for our leaders and those the HE (God) has set in places of authority over us. Romans 13:1 tells us, "there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

So our first job is to pray for the sovereign hand of God to direct his steps as the head of our country. But, as Christians, we also have an obligation to stand for what is right. In the days to come I believe there will be many opportunities for us to stand up and defend the family, the unborn and the Christian way of life.

As these basic freedoms come under attack, we are given the chance to stand unwavering upon the principles of God's Word for that which is right, while continuing to pray for God's hand to be upon those whom He (God) has put in place to lead our nation.

Men's Meeting

2009-01-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

The second Saturday of every month is our morning men's meeting. We are changing the location and time to the EWC kitchen, and we will meet at 7:00 AM. There is a time of teaching from God's Word, as well as food and fellowship. We will be cooking for ourselves so bring a couple dollars to help cover the costs. This is a great time of fellowship for the guys and it is early enough in the morning to not take up your whole day!

Love Church Christmas

2008-12-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

Last night we made the trip down to Ft. Wayne for our annual Christmas @ Love Church. Every year we get the privilege to bless the inner city through the work that Love Church is doing. Our kids performed "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and did a marvelous job! There was snack foods and cookies, and 'goodie' bags for the Love Church kids to take home.

A demonstration of how much this means to them, was in the story of one of the men from Love Church. Back in March he was literally run-over by a drunk driver who was attempting to leave the scene of an accident. He was pinned under the car and dragged 150 feet, horribly burning his stomach and tearing off much of the skin from his heals, back of his legs, his back and even the back of his head. He was in a coma for a couple weeks and spent months in the hospital. In fact he just got out very recently, and so far has only left the house for 2 things, Fran's viewing and when EWC came for Christmas (last night!)

What a wonderful testimony and reminder that even the little things that we do for others can have a tremendous impact on their lives! Thanks to everyone who went along and helped out!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday we had only one service and it was great to see how we have grown as a church! We have 2 services on a Sunday to make it possible for us to continue to grow, but it is refreshing to get everyone together for a worship celebration.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the carry-in dinner! It was awesome! Be sure to thank Tami Smith and the rest of the social committee for their hard work.

Have a wonderful thanksgiving and time with your families.

Thank God!!!

2008-11-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

After over a year of trying to get the new web site up and running it is here!!!!

We Are Close

2008-11-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

The new revised web site is up in test form and is very close to being posted !!!