Post-Easter, Pre-India, Present Peace

The last month has been a whirlwind of activity. It always seems that way but the wind was whirling faster these past few weeks. There's too much to tell so I'll just start with Easter last Sunday. LSCC celebrated the resurrection of Jesus for the 5th time as a church. It is one of my favorite Sunday's of the year. Lucy woke me up at 4a and said, "It's Easter Day Daddy!" I told her to go back to bed and fell back to sleep with a great big smile on my face. The day didn't disappoint as we had our largest outreach to date as a church. This year I also celebrated my birthday, 46 years of life. I enjoyed being over-shadowed by the empty tomb and pray that's how I live everyday. He must increase and I must decrease, as John the Baptist said it. I am truly overwhelmed at the grace God continues to pour out in my life. The church is a miracle! The place, the people, the provision. Thank you God for LSCC! Make us a soul-winning, praying, obedient church for Your glory and our good.

Next week at this time (or 10.5 hours plus) I'll be doing something in India. Pastor Mecwan and I have been meeting weekly for a month or so, preparing and praying for the adventure that's ahead. It is hard for me to imagine what my eyes will be seeing next week but I am ready for the journey. Pastor Mecwan has us traveling around Gujarat, India to house churches, to homes, to churches and only God knows where else! But for the work here this weekend, I'm starting to look forward to seeing what God has in store for these 12 days. I'm hoping to post updates here and would so appreciate you following along and praying. I have 13 chances to share God's word and the gospel. What a privilege I have to make Jesus name known where it is not! What a responsibility to share God's word to those who are so hungry to know Him more! What a life God has given me! Pray that I will be faithful to speak, to serve and to love in Jesus name!

In the meantime, I'm praising the Lord for His presence in my life. Right now, as I think about the work ahead and the things I can't control, His peace floods my heart and I hear His voice saying, "Trust me." I'm preaching through Exodus right now at LSCC. I've been living so much of what I've been reading and preaching. I hear God say, "Go!" I hear myself say, "But I can't!.....how?.....what if!" In God's mercy and great love, He just asks me to take one step at time and to trust Him. I've got a lot to learn but even in all this preparation for India, He is teaching me. It's time to be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged, the Lord my God is with me, wherever I go! No more worry, just praying, and the peace of God which blows my understanding, calms my heart. Besides, nothing is impossible with God and at least I'll have beautiful feet (Rom 10:14-15). :) Stay tuned! Pastor greg

If You Say Go

I'm going to India! On April 9th, I'm going to be heading to the airport for a long flight. Last year I had the sense that the Holy Spirit was wanting LSCC to work closer with Pastor Mecwan. Pastor Mec works here in Indianapolis among the Hindu population sharing about Jesus and leading several small groups of Hindu's that have become Christians. He is a man of simple but bold faith and his ministry is an example of how to walk by faith and not by sight. Last year he was the third of three unsolicited invitations for me to come to India on a mission trip. After a few more Spirit lead conversations, plans are being made to board the plane and go to a very foreign place for me to share the Gospel and encourage believers in house churches with no pastor. I confess, I'm feeling the edges of my comfort zone. God has given me very pleasant boundaries to serve Him here in Indiana, let's just say India won't be so comforting. There's things to worry about, safety, health, messages to deliver to people that have very little in common with me. I would have felt better saying "No" to this opportunity but God is saying, "Go!"

It's time to let the rubber meet the road in my walk with Jesus again and believe the promises in His word. Joshua 1:9 is has encouraged me as we launched LSCC, here it is again, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." T-minus 42 days and counting before lift off on this Gospel adventure. I know I will learn much and God will change me through the experience. God has said "Go!" He said it to me and it's my privilege to represent Him to a lost world. Join me in praying for the grace to obey Him, for the gifts to preach and teach in a strange place for me and for God's Kingdom to grow in width and depth. Thank you so much, All For Jesus! Blessings, Pastor greg

Waves Of Blessings

OK, I know this is bad but I'm at home on a Sunday morning. I know, I know....What's a PASTOR doing at home Sunday not attending church? Well, this was a special weekend for my family. It's another wave of blessings from God that began back at the beginning of the year. I'll start back then and work to the present wave. On January 20, 2012 my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage. We held an open house at the church and saw so many family and friends on a Saturday in January. It was cold outside but very warm inside. This was the first wave of blessing from God. I don't think I fully realize the impact my parents faithfulness to each other has had on me, my marriage and my family but I couldn't be more blessed to have them in our lives and witness their love for each other. The next wave came in May. My son Garrett graduated a year early from high school. As a student, he's been exceptional, caring about his excellence and really wanting to learn. I'm so proud of him and can't believe how he's growing into a man of God. Another wonderful wave. This weekend, my oldest, Casey Elizabeth was joined in marriage to Carl Edward Watkins. These two were made for each other. Carl is every bit the gentleman and rode into Casey's life and swept her off her feet. I told her yesterday when I first saw her in her dress, "You look like a princess." She responded, "I feel like a princess." Tidal wave! I couldn't ask for a better man to give Casey to and I'm so excited to see them start a new life together. Back to Garrett, he turned 18 just 8 days ago. A milestone birthday that slipped a little under the wedding wave. God brought him a wonderful opportunity to serve at Habitat for Humanity for the next year, helping build houses and leading volunteer crews. I know God will stretch and grow him through these months as he works full time and serves his community. He's also working on college plans for next year and praying about what to study and where to go. (I'm not so secretly pulling for Purdue, no pressure Gt!) Wave!

Oh yeah, a midst all these wonderful waves of blessing, God has been growing a new church at LSCC. Our worship ministry has been growing with David Mottinger leading our team. Our congregation has been growing all year as we welcome new people every month. We held a marriage conference back in February where half the marriages in our church were represented. Easter was a glorious celebration in April. At the beginning of May, I baptized my son Gavin (14), along with three others at the church. What a powerful moment to hear how Gavin has come to believe in Jesus as His Savior and desires to serve Him as the Lord of his life. In June, both Gavin and Garrett and I went with a team of 12 to Honduras on LSCC's first short term mission trip. We just held a Fresh Encounter prayer meeting with close to 30 in attendance last week. People at the church are growing in their faith and in their knowledge of God's word and I see their excitement as they follow Jesus day by day. The Spirit of God is working in us as we seek to bring glory to God and advance His Kingdom in our world. WAVES!

So today, Sunday, this pastor is home, on my knees and praising God for drenching me with waves of blessing and grace. I pray you are able to see God's goodness in your life today and that you too will be able to turn your face to His and thank Him. Soaking In His Grace, Pastor Greg

It's Christmas Time At The Stream

It's amazing! Time flies when you are having fun and that's what we're having at LSCC. Since my last post, all the way back in May, we have been very busy. In July we held our first Jubilee sale. I had this idea years ago to give some money to church members to go to garage sales to buy clothes. Then give them away at a massive community sale. The only trick was, all the clothes would be free to people. Jesus said, freely you have received, now freely give. So that's what we did in July, to 250 people in the community. They came expecting to buy but left with bags of free clothes and the knowledge that God loved them. It was a great day!

Then in Early Sept, we broke ground on a building expansion project. Our friends at Meijer gave us permission to add on so we took a step of faith and brought in the heavy equipment. The project only took 6 weeks and we are now using the new space and looking for more people to fill it in. God has already started sending new families. I see Him continuing to provide for His church.

Now it's Christmas and we've just decorated for the season at the church. I love this time of year and the story that is behind it. I love bringing that story out in the open and reminding myself and others that once, God put on clothes called skin. He became helpless to help us. He became nothing so we could live. There's a lot of great reasons to celebrate Christmas, hope you do it right this year! Blessings, Pastor Greg

No Way Out

I was reminded recently about the Israelite escape from Egypt and Pharaohs pursuit. I love the story and all the symbolism that it produces for Christians and God leading us out of slavery and to the Promise Land. It's interesting to think on the path that God chose to lead them on. After the 10 plagues on Egypt, Pharaoh breaks down and let's the nation of Israel go after 430 years of slavery. God takes the lead with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. To protect their heart, he kept them away from the Philistines so they wouldn't have to face war so close to Egypt and want to turn around and go back.

So where did they go? The Red Sea. God lead His people to a place where they would have no way out. Then He hardens Pharaoh's heart to pursue His people when they are backed into a corner. Why would God do all this? To cause His people to look to Him for salvation and bring glory to Himself. Most know what happened, God parted the Red Sea and provided the way out and as the Egyptian army pursued, the sea collapsed on them and destroyed Israel's enemy.

I saw a parallel with our situation at LSCC. God has lead us to a building in McCordsville that is serving as a wonderful place to start the church and even grow. There is a problem though. At some point, our friends at Meijer will want to build a store on the grounds where we meet so we'll need to relocate. The expense of buying land and building a building is in the neighborhood of 1 million dollars, renting space will be an expensive avenue for the sq. ft. we need, it seems God has lead us into a corner. A place where the only solution that will work for the church is something like God parting the Red Sea. All of this brought me some comfort and excitement. To know God is caring for us like He did the Israelites, to know He lead them to the Red Sea and He has been leading us too and to know He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine if we'll trust and follow. I believe He has a plan for LSCC that will bring glory to Himself and cause His people to trust and worship Him more. Join me in praying for that plan to be revealed as we wait upon the Lord to see the way out. Blessings, Pastor Greg

The After Easter Glow

It's a couple days after Easter and the glow continues to fill me up. What an amazing thing God is doing at LSCC. When you look at the numbers, it is no less than a God story. We did three services Easter Sunday filled with music, drama, mime, a Jesus testimony and God's word. There was much preparation that went into the weekend by several Streamers. My heart was totally full as they worshiped God with their gifts and helped celebrate the empty tomb. Linda Zwick shared her Jesus story with the confidence of God's Spirit. At the end of the service, we all prayed a sinners pray and left wanting to live a life like Jesus is alive. The day was themed, "All Things New" so we gave away brand new bibles all those attending. I gotta say, I love the church God is forming and the work that is happening within us. I'm praying and believing that work will flow out from us as we live like that tomb is empty. Pray with me! Blessings, Pastor Greg

Learning To Walk By Faith

The New Year has started off great at LSCC. We have welcomed visitors every week this year and few have even come back! God continues to draw people from the neighborhood as we keep praying for people to come. This journey of blessings has been humbling and fulfilling. I never considered myself to much of a people person but one of the joy's in these last two years of ministry has been meeting new faces and getting to know them.
I have been more and more convicted about sharing God's word each week in a relevant way while still handling it correctly (rightly dividing). The challenge of hearing from God through His word and sharing that with people He has sent us is at times is overwhelming and exhausting. I am learning to trust God through the process, He has always given me a message rooted in His word to feed the people at LSCC. My anxiety comes from me being involved in the process!!
As we watch this new church grow, we have come to another place much like we were at the beginning of the journey. We're running out of room. So we are praying for what the Lord has in store for this congregation and what our next facility step is. There is land available for sale in the area but at prices above our budget. We could add-on to the building we're in and expand the worship space but there are no guarantees we'd be there long enough to be good stewards of the investment. There's still the possibility Meijer would gift us land where we are (what I'm believing God for). Any direction we turn, there is an opportunity to believe God to act for His church. To Him, these are not big concerns. I'm learning to trust in His plan for us and working to teach people how to walk by faith while I learn it myself. There will be a step of faith in our future, one of risk that I'm sure will stretch us.
Right now, there's work to do! If we can't grow the church under our roof, we sure can grow it out in the world. Pray for the stream that comes out of Living Streams Community Church, that it will come alive and share the gospel with those around us. Jesus is alive! I know because I know Him. I sure want others to know Him too. Blessings, Pastor Greg