A Passionate Pursuit

My Life's Meaning

2009-05-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

³³Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
³⁴"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
³⁵"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33-36.

Yeah for the Bible

2009-04-30T07:37:00.001-07:00

I think that I may have to do the unthinkable, and actually write a book. I am not writer, I do not enjoy writing, and I have no desire to become famous or leave my church every other weekend to go preach to other pastors when I could be preaching to lost people who have never heard the Gospel. However, enough people have been begging me, and the Spirit is prompting me to author a book on the Scriptures.

In our day and age, no one reads their bibles, which includes most pastors. Instead they prefer to read "Christian" inspirationals, or books written by "Christians" that are supposedly about "Christian" topics with "Christian" answers, when in reality they are just repacked New Age junk they stole off Oprah. No one simple reads the Bible and the WORLD is dying...

I ask that you please pray for me and this new course of action that might be happening. If a book is to be penned by me, it MUST be God's will, and it MUST be full of His Word and His Wisdom only.

Church Leadership

2009-04-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

Pitfalls in Church Planting: Leadership, Part 1

Barry Keldie

Continued from Pitfalls in Church Planting: Finances.

Leadership is one of the biggest pitfalls in church planting because the effects of leadership are so pronounced. Good leaders brighten your church-planting world. Good leaders can overcome a lack of resources, difficult situations or limited staffing. Similarly, bad leaders can’t win a fixed game. With bad leaders you can’t raise enough money or gather enough people to plant a strong church. Finding good leaders for every level of your church is key to planting well. Let’s take a look at two key levels: elders and staff.

Installing Elders

Every planter is frantically looking for teammates and help as he plants the church, but don’t install elders too quickly. This usually leads to hiring people who are not qualified or ready to lead, or giving authority to people who are not completely in sync with your mission and values. I know a church planter in North Carolina who hastily installed a group of elders who proceeded to fire him in their first elders’ meeting. Your first elders should be picked with almost as much care as your wife (unless you got married in Vegas)!

A Distinct Call

Your elders should feel a distinct call to pastor “your church,” not just “a church.” When you plant your church, it should be because you heard a distinct call from God to do so. Your elders should have had a similar experience. Lots of guys install their closest friends as elders, but don’t assume that someone else has experienced that call just because they like you and want to do ministry. Your best friend may not be called to your church, and he may not know it until he’s been there a year or so. If you’ve given him the title of elder, it will be a major ordeal if he needs to leave. Give him a staff role or a seat on the leadership team, but don’t give away the title of elder lightly.

Be slow to give power and authority, and be quick to take it away (1 Tim. 5:22). A man should be tested and approved in your church before you give the title of elder to him.

XMConference 08

2008-10-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

We just concluded our first XM Ministry Conference here in New York City. Twenty-five pastors from the Tri-State area came out for an afternoon of conversation and refocusing. It was a great success and my deepest "thanks!" to all who made it possible.

See you all back for the next one!

Blogging over at FHCChurch.blogspot

2008-10-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

hey,

I am placing this BLOG on "hold," until I get time to be consistent.

In the meanwhile, I am regularly blogging at Fhcchurch.blogspot.com

Check it,
jeremy

Manly Men for Jesus

2008-07-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

So, this past Sunday ROCKED at FHCC. There were just so many good things that took place, and the message was super cool.

here is a snipet of that message, and I highly encourage everyone to visit iTunes or our website for the complete sermon.

God Desires are being revealed in Hawaii

2008-06-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

How awesome is our God and His love for NYCity???

I have never been to Hawaii, nor do I know anyone in Hawaii, but somehow, word of Forest Hills Community Church spread to a church in Hawaii. They heard of the passion and zeal that our church leadership team has for Jesus and His people in Forest Hills, and they knew that God is wanting to do something big in Queens. So this incredible church in Hawaii, has recently begun praying for our little church, and beseeching the Lord to have His way in our hearts and city. How awesome is our God and HIS church!!!

Now, to all of us at FHCC: let's not disappoint. Let's not handle church, and our relationship with Jesus, like everything else in our life. Let's not turn this incredible opportunity into a fad or a religious event. Let's seek Jesus! Let's live like Jesus! Let's allow Jesus to change our city and our world FOREVER!!!!

Why Talk about Jesus?

2008-06-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Preacher gets a little preachy, but it's all true....

Matters of Conscience

2008-06-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Divorce Hurts

2008-05-21T16:47:00.001-07:00

Thoughts on Calvin

2008-05-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm reading "Institutes" by Calvin. I completely reject TULIP, but I love the beginning of his book, and his view/love/respect/awe for God.

Over the next few weeks, I'll post some quotes I like and find relevant. Here is the first batch...

BOOK 1, Chapter 2:

Here is what stuck out at me:
1 - " ..not a particle of light, or wisdom, or justice, or power, or rectitude, or genuine truth, will anywhere be found, which does not flow from him, and of which he is not the cause; in this way we must learn to expect and ask all things from him, and thankfully ascribe to him whatever we receive." THE TRUTH OF THIS REALLY THROWS ME BACK.

2 - "...no, unless they place their happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity." AGAIN, THIS IS A PROFOUND TRUTH, THAT REALLY HITS HOME AS I SEE SO MANY NEW PEOPLE COME TO JESUS AT OUR CHURCH.

3 - "...the pious mind dos not devise for itself any kind of God...nor does it feign for him any character it pleases." WOW!! NOW THAT WILL PREACH!!...and REBUKE!

4 - "Besides, it is not the mere fear of punishment that restrains him from sin. Loving and revering God as his Father, honoring and obeying him as Master, although there were no bell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending him." THIS IS TRUE CHRISTIANITY...SERVICE FOR GOD OUT OF LOVE.

5 - "Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear- ..." WHICH HE GOES ON TO DEFINE AS "REVERENCE." FUNNY< I SHARED THIS SAME THOUGHT WITH A NEW BELIEVER EARLIER THIS WEEK WHO WAS STRUGGLING WITH "GOING BEYOND SENSATIONALISM."

jeremy
www.fhcchurch.com

Relationships at FHCC

2008-05-02T18:30:00.003-07:00

I love my boy, Eddy. He and Nat helped put this together in no-time flat!

No Respect from the Ladies

2008-04-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

So today was a great day. First, the weather men got it all wrong by predicting a RAIN-filled weekend on Friday, only to wake up Saturday to a revised forecast of, "Cloudy and cold, with only a slight chance of a ray of sunshine." WRONG! It is warm (upper 60's) and partly sunny.

Second, today I got to hang with the boys...my two sons that is. Christine FINALLY got a day to go to mall without crying kids, which meant daddy got the kids. (It was a great treat for me, and for her.) The boys and I watched "A GOOFY MOVIE" till mid-morning, and I was surprised at how short the movie was, and how many era-famous voices made up the cast. It was a cool trip down memory-lane and Cart loved it too. The jury is still out on Jax's opinion.

Seeing that it was not 10am and I have several more hours with the boys...alone!...I decided it was time for a walk. A long walk that would entertain and wear them out physically. I mapped out my route that would be over 2 miles in length, fulfill "errands" I had overlooked during the week, and even provide a treat at the end. It was sheer brilliance!

A problem arose, however, as we hit pedestrian traffic: women! Particularly older women who felt the need to comment, not on the cuteness of my kids, but on my parenting. Honestly, I was doing nothing wrong, in fact I was doing nothing. I was pushing the stroller, Jax was asleep, and this lady freaked out that he was sleeping in the stroller! "Sir, Sir, your baby is asleep!," she screamed. Duh! No kidding, that's the goal lady.

Then there were the "other" ladies, who didn't care about my kids, but about the fact that I was a guy ALONE with kids. Some (I'm sure) were checking out the cool, good-looking dad for lustful reasons, but I got the feeling that the others were doing the opposite. For some reason I felt that everyone saw me as another "divorce'," or worse yet, "a dad who had the kids 'this weekend'." Maybe I was making all this up, but I'm not so sure I was. Praise God, I am a happily married man, who loves and is loved, by his wife; but I'm glad I could take this walk today and feel this societal shame. As a result, I now love single-dads/moms more.

I don't condone divorce, or ANY sex out of marriage, and I never will; and I am not a big fan of "stay at home dads," but no one should have to feel "excessive" guilt for their mistakes/decisions. Jesus reconciled us back to God, meaning that He took our sin and shame upon Himself to bring us back into a relationship with the Father. Paul then states in II Cor. that we therefore should be in the business of reconciliation as Christians. What this means then is the do not OVERLOOK sin and pretend it doesn't exist, but we address it and allow GRACE(forgiveness) to be extended to the offender.

Our society has no problem seeing sin/faults in others. In fact, we love it when we do find fault in other, but we never go beyond it to offer love and grace to the offender. As a result, there is now a backlash where we REFUSED to see sin, much less address it, and just pretend to live in harmony with one another. Forget that! That strategy has a very short shelf-life as people will either "crack" and explode emotionally, or worse yet fall prone to the sin they're ignoring in another's life or worse. Either way it is a dead end, an therefore the only solution is RECONCILIATION God's way: Address and Extend Forgiveness.

Think about it, if these ladies would have just addressed what they thought was "wrong" in my life, and offered me "grace," not only could I have explained to them that I was happily married and doing my wife a favor, but I could have shared Jesus with them! Love is a verb that draws us to POSITIVE action.

Hope that all makes sense...

Bottom line, I had a great day with my kids and my wife, and I even got a 7/11 slurpee and nachos out of it!!

What is Forest Hills Community Church?

2008-04-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

So, I found my camera. Learned how to IMPORT video on my Mac, and VOILA!, we now make videos.

Please check out all THREE FHCC videos and let me know what you think.

BTW, sorry about the wind.

Don't Get Lost in the Dust

2008-04-02T17:33:00.001-07:00

God bless consistent Bloggers. I don't know how they do it, but I certainly can't. Too much to do, too much fear of UNNECESSARY scrutiny, and just too much of... well, I'm not sure, but for some reason I just cannot stay consistent with this thing. My apologies to the dozen people who read this thing. (BTW, I love meeting you randomly on the street.)

So, a lot is going on at FHCC. God continues to take this incredible vision and burden He has given me and make it a reality. Our Sunday attendance considers to grow, but more importantly, so does the DEPTH of our congregation. For example, last night we kicked off Round #2 of our New Believer's Class and had 20 people show up!!! That's pretty good since it is like 25% of our church!!!

Now, the really cool part is that about half of these people already "know" Jesus and are solid. They are not necessarily taking the class to solely learn for their own sake, but rather to be better equipped to reach their neighbors. AWESOME! You see these people KNOW that Jesus is awesome, and they want to better be able to share Him with someone else. THIS IS TRUE CHRISTIANITY and the very mission and vision of FHCC. (God forbid we become and "Member's Only Cult.")

So God is doing His thing and I'm just trying not to get lost in His dust. It is very exciting, and really very cool to see total NON-Christians find Jesus and find EVERYTHING they ever needed in life in Him. It's humbling actually...and rightfully so.

Great Service

2008-03-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

Today was a phenomenal service at FHCC. A big THANK YOU to all who responded by asking Jesus into your life, and to the rest who simply wanted MORE Jesus in your life.

God is moving in Forest Hills, and I am excited and humbled to be along for the ride.

BTW, FHCC now has its own blog. FHCChurch.blogspot.com Check it out!

Water Baptism Service

2008-03-19T17:26:00.001-07:00

WOW!! March is quite the busy month for a pastor! My apologies to the handful that read this thing...

The good news is that FHCC is experiencing phenomenal growth, numerically and spiritually! All month long, we have seen new people dedicate their lives to Jesus, and members go deeper into the things of God. Witnessing, wisdom, discernment, miraculous provision, etc. have all been taking place over the past few weeks. It is amazing!!

Also, we had 11 individuals make a decision to be water baptized last week. It was powerful, emotional, and highly spiritual as they took another step to being more like Jesus!

Rock On, FHCC!!

View the FHCC Baptism Video NOW.

Dating and Mating Q/A

2008-02-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

This past month was a huge success for Jesus and FHCC. Our recent series, "Real Love," brought out many first-timers and saw 7 individuals dedicate their lives to following Jesus!

What this series was also successful in was stirring up questions and emotions from everyone. In our world obsessed with love, sex, and dating, many have been hurt and jaded by the topic of love. This was especially obvious last week with our talk on "Real Marriage." Therefore, we have decided to extend our open Q/A forum by another week.

If you have a question about DATING, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, or anything else related to the topic, please ask it NOW. Please post your question "anonymously" in the comments portion of this blog, and we will answer it during a special Q/A session following the service on March 2nd. As always, no question is "off limits," so fire away!

Something New

2008-02-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

This Sunday at FHCC, we introduced a variety of NEW things and I would love to get your feedback:

New Bulletins: Smaller, different color, and more compact.

Text Messaging: Several of you took advantage of this new feature, and I LOVED it! I would love to continue it.

FHCC Kids: We also "secretly" unveiled FHCC Kids for little ones in pre-school. From what I can tell, everyone had a blast. Definitely will keep this going, but would like for it to expand into other age groups. Volunteers?

Resources on the Web: Following each sermon, you can now log onto FHCChurch.com to get sermon notes and other resources to enhance what you heard, and to further your education. Lot of work, but if you want it we will keep it going.

OK, I am all ears.

Real Love Series- Update

2008-02-14T17:48:00.001-08:00

Well, this past Sunday we kicked off our Real Love Series and had a blast!! It was hearing God's definition of love, and how totally opposite it is from what the world tells us is "love." I guess our best testimony from last Sunday was that 10 people gave their hearts to Jesus after the message. Rock on, Jesus!

Just a reminder: This week we are talking about Sex and following the message with a 30-min Q/A session. If there is a question you need an answer to, PLEASE ASK. Visit the post specifically designed for the event, and post. God wants you to have answers.

We love you, and look to see you this Sunday!

More Random Thoughts/Observations

2008-02-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

First off: Way to go, Giants!!! Yes, I was skeptical (even critical) of your abilities, but I never doubted your brute strength. While I still cannot relate to any of your players (although Plaxico really gave a great interview after the game), I'm proud of you. PLUS, you are NY, and I LOVE NYC. Atta boy, Giants!

Next: THANK YOU to all who made the first ever FHCC Super Bowl possible; that was an awesome event!!! I especially loved how everyone talked to someone. Very cool. Very real. Very Jesus-like.

Speaking of: FHCC Leadership Team, you SUPER ROCK! You guys have really come through and made FHCC more like what God desires for it to be. Thank you for your commitment to Jesus and His people. His love shines through you.

BTW: FHCC now has an office, but we are not calling it an office. The word "Office" sounds stuffy and pointless. Instead, we are calling it by a more appropriate term, a "Resource Center." Now the people of FHCC have a place they can call their own and minister in and out of. If they need a Bible reference book, a copier, or meeting place, or whatever; they've got at the Resource Center. God's doing it in Forest Hills!

Finally: Way to go all of FHCC. THANK YOU for responding to this month's sermon series on Love and posting comments on this blog. Get ready for some Godly advice to finally come to a subject we all deal with DAILY.

Real Love Series Q/A

2008-01-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

LAST CHANCE TO ASK:

Love is in the air this February at FHCC! Throughout the month of February, we'll be tackling one of the world’s biggest desires: Love. Society has messed this one up BIG TIME, and God wants to set the record straight in a very special way.

Rather than just have me give the Biblical definition of Love, Sex, and Marriage each Sunday and risk missing your specific question, we're making this series interactive. Please post your question "anonymously" in the comments portion of this blog, and we will answer it during a special Q/A session following the service on Feb. 17 and 24. No question is "off limits," so fire away!

Who Needs a Sign?

2008-01-21T08:44:00.001-08:00

Church this past Sunday was FANTASTIC. Yes, we went 10-min over, but it was worth it. We had a great turnout, despite the 10-degree wind chill, a great debut to the new FHCC worship team, a dynamic response to the message, and a great "Membership Q/A" session following the service. It was really, really wonderful. PLUS, three more people gave their hearts to Jesus, so what more could you ask for?

FHCC is really being blessed by some incredible individuals. Rather than have a congregation full of self-seeking deadbeats, the FHCC crew is constantly pursuing others. This past Saturday, Eddy and I committed ourselves to handing out FREE Bibles and hot chocolate on 71st and Austin. Yet, when the time came to begin, it was not just Eddy and myself, but Lisa, Nita, Anthony and Jacob had come out too! We handed out over 400 invitations to church, 10 bibles, and I don't know how many cups of hot chocolate. (The cool news is that the people we met on the streets on Saturday, came to church on Sunday and made a decision for Jesus! (So, who needs a sign, really?))

So now our FHCC crew is not only committing to weekly reaching out to our community, but they are also spearheading their own get-togethers. Whether it's a not of bowling, dinner on the town, or whatever, our people are doing it. (For a list of these events, visit out website.) I am blessed to be their pastor. I know that they are not doing out of "moral obligation," loneliness, or pride. They simply are driven by the genuine love that comes from knowing Jesus.

So cool to know Jesus...

Simplicity

2008-01-16T11:58:00.000-08:00

Quite an amazing 48hours and counting. So much to say, so much has happened....

Tuesday started off with some bad news, as someone had runoff with the FHCC sandwich board. As a result, no one has any way of knowing that a church operates every week inside the Movie Theater. It is quite infuriating and very disheartening to know that there are people who would want to: 1 - steal from a church 2 - hate another because of religion 3 - steal something that they cannot even use, sell, or hide. Nevertheless, we love 'em.

And if this person were to ever return to FHCC, either for a service or to just punch me in the face, I'd have no other response but to love them some more. So, go ahead take our sign, our building, our permits, whatever; we still have Jesus, and He is the one drawing people in and building a church.

All we need is Jesus.

Chilling with the Hommies

2008-01-14T20:01:00.001-08:00

Not sure how you spell, "Hommies," so I hope I got it right. Nevertheless, it was a great day today. Started off with a miracle...I got to sleep in! went to bed Sunday night at 8:45am and my wife and I slept until 8:00am. A sleep like that was long overdue and I was extremely grateful.

The day then progressed with the opportunity to play with my boys before work. Yes, I work from home, but that can be both a blessing and a curse. Too often, because the computer is right in front of me in the house, I am drawn to it to complete a "work assignment" at any and every moment of the day. A Home Office just doesn't allow a disconnect too often. Today, however, I fought the power and played with my boys until 10am. Time well spent and very productive!

Later in the morning I was able to meet up with Eddy and we mixed a new podcast for the church. It not only was a lot of FUN, but it probably is our best podcast ever. YES, there is a small technical glitch about half way through, but it still is light, engaging, and deep in the truths of God's word. you can check it out here. Afterwards, it was back home to help put the kids down for a nap (a job I request and make room for everyday), and give Eddy a chance to help me find Air Jordan VI in the original black for under $200. (No luck with that one yet...)

Now, this afternoon got really crazy as Eddy and I hooked up with Niters for lunch at Corfu. Corfu is a phenomenal little Greek joint in Forest Hills, and is located right next to Omar's Concrete Jungle supply store. Speaking of Concrete Jungle: that place rocks!! If you are into Hip/Hop attire, urban art, or just cool people, then you have to check out Concrete Jungle. All the workers there are great, but the owner, Omar, takes the cake. Tell him I sent you whenever you visit. (You won't get a discount, but you will make me look good! :))

Now, during our meal at Corfu today, we were also joined by our friend, Norm. Norm brought his usual humor and insights into the conversation. It was great all being together and talking, that the party became a "crawl" without the alcohol. We spent all afternoon bouncing around the restaurants of Forest Hills. It was cool, and very enjoyable. I am blessed to be the pastor of such a great group of people who really do LOVE Jesus!!! As if this day wasn't already action-packed enough, turns out more great things were still to be had.

When I returned home for dinner, I was finally able to do what I've always wanted to do: take the kids off my wife. My wife is so great and loves our kids more than any other, but I know that even she could use a breather during the day. Today I was finally able to give her one before dinner. I love my wife.

After dinner, another church member hooked up with us, Sista Torey. Torey and the family were able to hang out and work on our Facebook account. I still think Facebook is too hard, but with Torey's help I think we can use it to reach a lot of people for Jesus. You can check our church GROUP page the next time you log in. We'd love your feedback.

So, in closing: it was a good day. Great people. Great family. Great God.

We Resolve: to Pray More!

2008-01-07T18:01:00.000-08:00

Praise God for what took place yesterday at FHCC! We kicked our "We Resolve..." series with "Pray More;" and boy, did the people respond. People prayed and sought God yesterday at church and it was amazing to see Him work.

To start off the service was packed yesterday. We typically run around 50 each week, but yesterday we hit over just 60. Not a HUGE jump in numbers, but given it was the first weekend in January, we did very little promotion of this series, and the weather has been "iffy" at best; to be above normal in attendance was a MIRACLE. Second, we seriously prayed before the service.

Yes, we always pray before a service, but for the past two weeks the Leadership of FHCC has been getting together, setting aside more than 30-seconds, and really digging in and seeking God in prayer. The results of these efforts are obvious and they are not only blessing our services, but our leaders are getting blessed at the same time. This past Sunday was no exception, but what made this week more unique than the previous was that EVERYTHING/CIRCUMSTANCES/ETC. was trying to keep us from praying. Set-up took twice as long, worship practice was having sound issues, the sound system was acting up, etc. But, we knew we had to pray so we said forget setup/practice; let's pray, and we did!

Thirdly, God has given FHCC a vision of the future and the people are responding to that vision. What I mean is this: because we have laid out a vision of what FHCC is called to be, given evidence that we are serious about the vision, and because it IS God's vision, people are accepting the challenge and eager to prepare for it and carry it out. If the FHCC vision was just a pipe-dream of Jeremy's, then people might smile or give a dollar, but they are NOT going to sacrifice or become uncomfortable to fulfill it. FHCC has a mandate from God to be HIS real, relevant, and empowered church.

Again, the proof of this is that when we concluded the service at 11am yesterday, I also dismissed the crowd, but invited those who wanted to stay and pray with us at the front. Over 75% of the church stayed to pray, with 40% coming down front to pray corporately. It was AMAZING, powerful and humbling. Let's never forget that FHCC is made up largely of new Christians and non-charismatics; staying to pray is not normal for most of us, but yesterday we all did it and God moved.

There are so many other signs and wonders that took place yesterday, but they are too numerous and personal to share. All I can say is that I am proud to be the pastor of FHCC, and humbled that God could work so mightily though such a lowly guy. I mean it. What happened in church yesterday and over the past 4-months is not because of me or any of us; it's because of Jesus and His love.

So to all of us: let's keep making room for Jesus in our lives, keep trying to live right, and keep being utterly desperate for Him and His glory. If we pray, seek, ask and knock; He will answer.

Best is yet to come!

Oh yeah, I blog!

2008-01-04T17:47:00.001-08:00

Sorry, my blogging community, I've ignored you for too long!

Well, the holidays are over and life is beginning to get back to normal. Which does not mean it is any less hectic, it simply means that I have some SWEET new editions to my wardrobe, extra toys in my house to trip over, and about 600 more miles on our Honda. Speaking of which, "God bless that little ride!" She has over 160k on her, and still purrs and is in great condition. However, because of a growing kid there is so denting taking place on the back of the drivers seat.

I am really excited about 2008, and I love January. It is a great month, not JUST because I have a birthday (1/11), but because it just oozes expectations. Maybe it is just me, but there is a lot of anticipation around January. It's "kick-off week" in football. The season has begun, and it is time to see how it will all play out. And '08 has come GREAT potential!!!!

Forest Hills Community Church (FHCC) is in a great position as we head into our first full-year of ministry. Lots of people have made a commitment to following Jesus these past few months and they are serious about living it out. Acts 2:41-47 is our focus and calling, and these guys get it!!! So get ready for some AMAZING days in Queens. I mean it.

Where's the Vacation?

2007-12-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

After and AWESOME service this past Sunday at FHCC, we hopped into the family micro-sedan and headed to "Amish-Country" for Christmas. After one wrong turn and 15-min. of panicking at the thought that I may have forgotten something back in NYC, we arrived at Christine's parents' around dinner time. We ate, unpacked, bathed the kids, put them in bed, and then fell asleep only to wake up every hour to our youngest screaming. Apparently he was not liking the new mattress grandma had specially bought just for him. Needless to say, it was a LONG night...
Monday (Christmas Eve) it was "up at dawn" to take the car for the annual inspection. Sure enough, it needed some work so I spent the day sitting at my parents' house watching YouTube and waiting...and waiting...and waiting... But, by mid-afternoon it was done, the credit card was swiped and it off to Lancaster to pick up the wife and kids and head out to the Christmas Eve service. Super-sprint to church in time to get a seat, get inside and see all our friends we haven't seen in a year. GREAT TIME! The service starts with us standing and singing carols. I get to hold my youngest who hates to be held when I am sitting, so all is well...UNTIL the end of the first song. From there on out it was a sitting service, which meant I had to go to the back of the auditorium and walk and hold my baby. SUPER GREAT TIME!!! My arms are breaking, people are staring, but I am dancing and singing with my smiling, happy, daddy-loving boy. LOVED IT!!! Best way to spend a Christmas Eve.
Service is over, race home, bathe the kids, get them in bed, and then wake up early to run back to my parents' house for Christmas morning. Spend the morning with them, race home at noon to get the kids down for nap-time, finally open MY presents, get the kids up, eat dinner, bathe the kids, get them to bed, and then spend the night talking with family, FIGHTING FACEBOOK! and going to bed late...PRAISE GOD, the baby sleeps through the night.
Day after Christmas the baby is up before sunrise, which is no biggie since daddy got a new coffee-maker for Christmas. Fresh smell of Starbuck's, a Hillsong cd, baby in my arms and praying with Jesus is a GREAT way to start the day. Surprisingly, the family soon awakes, showers are taken, and it is OFF TO THE MALL for returns and gift card shopping. (NO post-Christmas deal this year :( ) Ended up buying nothing, coming home, putting the kids down for a nap, and getting ready for Sunday.
The rest of the week looks like the first part of the week: break-neck. Honestly, I have no complaints (my blood-shot eyes do, but I don't). I'm with my family, I love my wife and kids, and I love being a pastor. LOVE IT!

Real Ministry

2007-12-22T18:44:00.001-08:00

It is Saturday night, and I am overwhelmed with the need of this city. Over the past 48 hours I have SEEN vividly the desperate condition Forest Hills. I cannot even begin to describe it, nor do I need to. I am grateful that God has sent us here.

Yet while I have been taken back by the depravity, I have also seen the redemptive power of Jesus take place. I have seen miracles in the past 48hours. God is moving, and He is doing it through His church.

We should be honored and humbled to be a part.... I am broken...

12:21am and Still Awake

2007-12-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

Thinking. Wondering. Pondering. And answering emails that have been stacked up in my Inbox all week. It's been a crazy busy week. No calamities, just busy. I'm not stressed out, all is in order on my weekly "To Do List;" I guess I'm just awake. Plus, I've been tackling Murray's "The Indwelling Spirit" book. The jury is still out on this one...

Speaking of books, I've been reading a lot lately. Honestly, nothing good. I try to read books that make me think, or church/leader books that are popular, or just some classic theology book. I don't know about you, but I don't read to "receive," I read to analyze and compare. I would like to think that everyone reads with this goal in mind, but I don't think they do. Based on my observation of other's response to the books I've been reading, I think that most read and accept, rather than challenge. And I don't think they take this position out of stupidity, but rather out of ignorance. People voluntarily "limit" themselves in thought, practice, and exposure; and therefore, when someone does something even SLIGHTLY different it is as though a revolution has taken place. I'm not sure why they do this, nor do I think they know that they do this; but it is still voluntary nevertheless. For while they may not conscientiously "limit" themselves, they don't "push" themselves, and I think the desire to challenge is the natural human response. I also think this "limiting mentality" has become the world's practice. We only do what we are comfortable doing, nothing more. It's sad, because we are missing out on some really great opportunities, breakthroughs, and experiences as a result. So many are just wasting their God-given potential...

Incidentally, there is one book that ALWAYS leaves me challenged, and that is the Bible. I mean it with all honesty and sincerity: it humbles me and calls me out. I believe that God has created us for an incredible purpose, to experience life beyond our self-imposed boundaries, and for some reason this scares the majority of us. Why?

Casual Connections

2007-12-19T10:38:00.001-08:00

I'm still torn about the the title, "Casual Connections." It sounds too much like the bad section of Craigslist....

For those of you who don't know, our church (FHCC) has a calling to be a body of believers who love Jesus and who love others as a result. And to implement this calling, we try to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to get together throughout the week and just "hang out." No agenda, no work, no expectations; just chilling.

We launched this new activity back in November and began calling it "Casual Connections." Our first one was a tremendous success, bringing out a dozen individuals of varying ages and backgrounds, and of even varying involvement in the church. It was great to see everyone participate in the various discussions taking place around the table, and even better to see so many "small" conversations happening throughout the night. It wasn't about a single personality or topic, yet every conversation included a testimony about what Jesus was doing in someone's life. It was a fantastic night, and a wonderful beginning to this new outreach.
Well, we conducted our second CC last week, and again, it was another success! Same people, different people, and yet all of the talk was still about Jesus and helping each other. It is so cool to see God's calling on our church come to fruition! After the meeting, I immediately began planning the next installment of CC for January. However, as the week progressed, and as more and more people began commenting on how much fun they were having at the CC's, and how so many others still wanted to be a part, I knew we couldn't wait until January to host a third CC.

So, last night was round #3 of "Casual Connections." Once again, we had same people/different people and great conversations. Yet, rather than be of equal or lesser quality from the first two, this past one was probably the best yet. For more than any other night, everyone talked with everyone who was present. We all got to know each other personally, and that just doesn't happen in NYC, especially when dealing with strangers. It was beautiful, and not only did I notice the miracle, but so did the restaurant staff. They simply could not believe that people from a church would voluntarily come out during the week, pay for a cup of coffee, and talk with strangers, much less enjoy themselves in the process. It was amazing, and to top it all off, we even were able to pay the tab for the complete strangers sitting next to us! Mission Accomplished.

Unintended Illustrated Sermon

2007-12-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Well, God rocks! I went into this Sunday's service "prayed up" and expecting God to move mightily. I had been meditating a lot on what God wanted to say this week, was excited for the message, the new location, the new vision and growth we've been seeing to continue, etc. I was also in a state of expectancy due to the weather man's ominous predictions for service time. There was a lot surrounding today's service, and I knew it was going to be meaningful...and it was, just not the way I had been expecting.

Today's message was all about the redemption on Bethlehem. In the days of Jesus, Bethlehem was a little no-name place with not much of a reputation. It had nothing on its own going for it, and yet this is preciously where God chose to bring forth His Messiah and world redeemer. Out of nothing, something great happened; and ironically, this is precisely what happened in church today.

Today, we met in a new theater inside the Midway. We have been growing every week and this new theater offered us more space, better lighting, and supposedly more time to set-up and tear down. It was the right decision to move, and everything started off GREAT in service today. The lighting and sound were great, people could see, we were on track, yet when the message started...

As I am delivering the message, the theater's PA system kicks in with Alvin and the Chipmunks singing "I Saw the Witch Doctor." This was followed by a country diddy about a love-sick Reba McIntyre. Eventually it stopped, but it was a real mood killer for sure. We continued on in the service, yet a few minutes later I see people pointing and laughing at the screen. I turn around to see what was going on and the theater's projector had turned on. Sure enough, over the Bible verses were advertisements for popcorn and hair removal (not on the same slide, of course). It was a wild and crazy time, but FIT PERFECTLY with what God was telling us through His message in Micah 5:2.

The service ended beautifully with us recognizing that God is in charge not matter what, when we allow Him to be. He can take any mess, uncertainty, calamity and make it perfect for accomplishing His will. We SAW that today at Forest Hills Community Church.

I love Jesus. He never ceases to amaze me....

Rough Day

2007-12-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

Hey, guess what: Pastors have rough days too. Surprise, surprise, I know. Man, it started off a winner. I was handing out invitations in the subway (300 in less than an hour), prayer walked home, finished the week's sermon and powerpoint, and then BAM!...all down hill from there.

What is weird is that it wasn't "one thing" or even "several things;" it was simply me! I was just in a funk and I let it get the better of me. I am still soooo human; and that is the problem.

No, I am not talking crazy left-coast-hippy-talk. I am not striving to become an enlightened spirit or being. What I mean by being "human," is I was not living like Jesus today in my attitude. I wasn't evil, cursing, watching bad movies or getting in fights with others, I was just living my day on my own like everybody else. I wasn't dependent and seeking God's influence as much as I should have been. The result: bad day.

Now, can "bad days" happen when you are full-throttle for Jesus? Sure. Life is life, and more often than not it's hard and disappointing. But in those situations, when you are full-throttle on Jesus, those bad days are still good days spiritually.

Ah...to be dependent on Jesus. It truly is the only way to go.

Thursday Sabbath

2007-12-13T17:19:00.000-08:00

Once a week, a day is set aside for NOTHING. As a husband and father of two small boys, "nothing" certainly doesn't mean "nothing." What it does mean is that the email is not opened, no work is done/modified/etc., and I don't even make a list of things to do. What does happen, however, is I spend the entire day with my family. This typically involves a trip to Target for family items, a $1 popcorn and Icee combo, and wrestling my oldest multiple times throughout the day. I always try to read a book or watch a movie, but again, I have two small boys and a wife that I love with all my heart. There is NO WAY I am going to ignore them for a book or comedy.

Today was no exception to the norm. Had a great day with the family, watched the snow fall (for a total of 1-hour before turning to nasty sleet and rain) and ate homemade "Sweet baby Ray" bar-b-que sandwiches. If you have never heard of "Sweet Baby Ray's Bar BQ Sauce," you are missing out on a little piece of heaven on earth.

I am grateful for the Sabbath concept. Good thinkin', Lord.

In Theory

2007-12-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

Now that I have been an official "blogger" for the past 24 hours, I think I like it. My mind now races throughout the day thinking of thoughts to post. I hate to say it, but this constant analysis of my day makes me appreciate my life more. (Yes, Google, you have changed my life...) Every event is being scanned as, "How and Why should I post this thought or event." It is quite weird, but so far so good.

The other notion I have been dwelling on in relation to this Bog-thing, is what I commented on in my first post: Connection. I really hope that this blog will become a tool for connection. Man, we live in a City where thousands of people are right on top of each other, yet we don't even know our neighbor's name. You know, it is sort of hard to witness/minister to someone when you don't even know their name! I know this is a part of what God is longing to do through the members of FHCC.

Last night at Martha's Bakery was a pretty good beginning to that fulfillment...

One More Blogger

2007-12-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I've made the move...I am now a blogger. I'm not quite sure "what" caused me to make the move. I guess I just felt "lead." Cheesy answer, I know, but I mean it. Having this incredible opportunity to pastor this amazing new church in Forest Hills, just moves me. I love how God is drawing people in from all over Queens, and I just don't think 1-hour on Sunday is enough.

Please don't kid yourself for 1 second. An hour a week of Jeremy is more than enough, but God has given me the incredible job as "pastor." That means something, and I refuse to take this calling lightly or callously. We need each other, and if that means that I have to get online and post thoughts and questions, well then, so be it.

The great thing about blogging is that it is a CONNECTION tool. Please know that this will not be a place for me to "rant," but a place for all of FHCC to connect and share. Again, God is doing something AWESOME in Forest Hills, and we are ALL a part of it. Let's go after Him like nobody's business, and leave a wake of change in the process...

Cool?