Olympics, Church Style

In honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, I considered what an Olympic games would look like if it were held in the Western Church. What would the events be?


So, here it is, the event lineup for the 2012 Church Olympics…


The Opening Ceremony: The opening ceremony, the big deal, this is the chance for the Tech Ministry to shine. Amazing light shows, rousing music blasting through the state-of-the-art sound system, and one heck of a video presentation showcasing the varied ministries of the church. The culmination of this awesome presentation will be the "torch runner"--the Lead Ministry Tech sprinting in crazy, awe-inspiring slow motion up the aisle, holding aloft the microphone with fresh battery for the pastor, as Chris Tomlin's "God Of This City" (which is practically the National Anthem for the Western Church) plays, resounding pride in the hearts of the crowd.


2 Meter Baptismal Freestyle: A short competition, this event is especially popular among newer believers. Dunking, sprinkling, and dog-paddle are three acceptable styles.


Door Greeter Triathlon: A true test for the most seasoned Greeter Ninja, this event's course includes pew-leaping, then a front-door sprint, and culminating in a "Welcome to our Chirch" calisthenics routine. First one to shake the hand of the bewildered first-timer wins.


Free-weight Chair Stacking: Athletes must have a true "servant's heart" to participate in this event, as it is not for the weakly-committed. Randomly-positioned weighted metal chairs are hefted and stacked in towers of tough, glory-less wonder. Taller towers earn extra points, and points are deducted for use of a dolly.


Holy Spirit Floor Gymnastics: Continually dominated by those of charismatic denominations, this lively but complicated exercise really tests the skill and grace of the particpant. Rousing, rocking musical accompanant adds to the pizzazz as competitors move rhymically, or rather the Spirit moves them.


Nursery Diaper Long Toss: After changing the sopping wet diaper, competitors aim for the small, partially-concealed diaper pail and chuck the mushy mess while holding a squirming baby or toddler. Extra points are given if it's an over-the-shoulder toss or a poopy diaper. Points are deducted if the diaper bounces off the wall behind before landing in the trash. Competitors are disqualified if they drop the baby or miss the can completely.


Synchronized Praise & Worship: A group competition, this event pits Worship Teams, Praise Teams, and traditional choirs agsinst one another in a contest of symmetry, timing, and grace. Popular movements include rhythmic clapping, lifted-hand waves, integrated swaying, and staggered vocals.


This may seem somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I gotta tell you, I think we could pull this off. If your church would like to host this celebration of Christ-like athletic prowess and Spirit-filled endurance, please leave the website in the comments.


Thanks, and because you know I must…GO USA!!


Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF, and finds a good satire as uplifting as an perfectly-stuck landing. To see some of the masters of satire, check out Jon Acuff and Tim Hawkins.

On VeggieTales, Leadership, and Wimpy Kids

I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. -- Jeremiah 1:5 NLT

As the Children's Ministry Director and a mom, I am pretty familiar with the VeggieTales. Most Christian parents, nursery workers, and daycare teachers are. For those who aren't, they are these amazing little computer-animated talking, dancing, singing vegetables and fruits that teach children about God, the Bible, and living a Christian witness. (You can read my Rosaleen's review of one of their latest videos to get some idea.) These little $5-$20 DVDs have been providing wholesome, vitamin-rich entertainment since 1993, and don't seem to be slowing down any time soon. But what comes to mind today for me is that at the end of every video, after the stories have been told, the songs have been sung, and the lesson learned has been repeated, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber (the main characters) remind the children that "God made you special, and He loves you very much."

And while that seems simple, even infantile, it doesn't make it less true. God DID make each of us special--uniquely talented and tailored by our experiences and choices to fulfill a purpose only we can. The same Creator who took His time pulling each star together out of gases and heat took His time pulling you together out of flesh and bones, and as He placed each star in a specific place to shine, so has He placed you in a unique position and place to shine. And He loves you, even when it seems no one else does.

Many people assume that if they volunteer at church, help out a friend in need, pray for others, or give money to worthy causes, then they are doing what God has for them. And I'm not knocking those things; they are good things, wonderful things, and please God when we do them, but they in and of themselves may not be the specific thing (or things) God created you for. If God wanted people to just give money, we'd all be rich. But because He loves diversity (just watch a documentary of the Galapagos Islands if you don't believe me), and delights in our individuality, He intends each of us to fulfill the one-of-a kind purpose He has for us.

In his book The Church Unique, Will Mancini speaks to leaders about finding their church's "Unique"--the specific purpose God intends for that church, the reason they exist and the ministry/ministries they are meant for. It is a fascinating read, and many of the precepts in the book can be applied on an individual basis. One example Mancini uses is that of a "funnel," which looks roughly like this:

XXXXXXX

\              /

\            /

\         /

\     /

X

The Xs across the top are the many talents and skills we have. They are good things, often useful, sometimes not, but still they are things that we can do. The single X at the bottom represents what God intends for us to do. It is a beautiful and wonderful thing to understand that God has blessed overabundantly with more than we need to accomplish what He has planned for us! How much more can He show us how He loves us?

That's great for others, but not for me, you think. I've messed up a LOT. I've done things I never want to people to know about. I can't possibly be useful to God after what I've been through. I've soiled the gifts, broken the sculpture, torn the painting. Let me share a video with you that we showed our kids yesterday at our summer program:

Again, simple, somewhat childish, but true. No matter what you've done, seen, experienced, or been, God has a special, unique plan and purpose for you. He has crafted you out of messy, smelly ingredients to make something beautiful, useful, and greatly loved. I pray that you accept what God has for you. Find a church, get involved, and pray for Him to reveal your talents and what He designed them for.

Because God made you special, and He loves you very much.

Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF, incredibly flawed, but wonderfully made. As we all are.

Just Between You, Me, & God 7/23/2012

I used to belong to a procrastinators club but I could never make the meetings. There was always something else coming up that I needed to do. I’m still waiting for them to refund my dues to me. It’s easy to put things off. For instance, I wanted to mow the yard this afternoon so I wouldn’t have to use so much of my day off tomorrow doing it but it’s still pretty hot outside and it’s cool inside and I can sit in my chair while I write so, I’m writing. Maybe it will be cooler outside tomorrow. We all put things off that we need to do every day. Some are rather insignificant, like mowing the yard, or one of those “honey do” things, or starting that exercise thing or diet. There is a difference between procrastination and good timing, I’ve tried to tell Jeannie that a lot of mine is good timing but she just won’t buy it. Procrastination is just putting something off because you don’t want to do it for whatever reason. Good timing though comes from experience, good observation, and uncommon wisdom. Jesus had good timing. How much more experience do you need if you were around when everything was created. John 1:3 reminds us that, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” Experience gives you a certain confidence that can be observed by those around you because you instinctively know how things work and what’s going to happen next, if you do this, then this will happen. Jesus observed our human condition and the fact that we are like lost sheep. Matthew 9:36, tells us, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus teaches us to be good observers by observing Him and how He relates to other. Jesus, of course, represents the wisdom of the ages. 1 Corinthians 1:25 tells us, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” With this in mind, here is one thing that you cannot put off any longer, accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This is a limited time offer that expires with your last breath. Don't let this pass you by, there is nothing more important on your things to do list today than to accept Jesus. Let's take care of this right now. Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I accept You as my Savior and I want to change from who I am to who You want me to be. Forgive me of my sins, mold me in Your image, and help me to share this Good News with others today, amen. God bless you, and 1000 years from now let's gather around Christ table and share this experience. Pastor Dean

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Ministries & Outreach Pastor for LHF.

Review: Moonblood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Publisher/Date: Bethany House/2012


The third in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, Moonblood is the story of Prince Lionheart’s search for Rose Red, whom he banished in a moment of rash decision after pressure from the people of his kingdom. He enter Goldstone Wood, a mysterious place that connects the world of Faerie to the worlds of men. Entwined in Lionheart’s tale are the stories of Rose Red and her goat Beana, King Vahe and his Queen of Arpiar, and the knights Imraldera, Eanrin, and Oeric, a unicorn who has betrayed what is good, and the mysterious Prince of Farthestshore, as well as an eclectic and varied cast of characters, some from the previous Tales of Goldstone Wood, Heartless and Veiled Rose. All the stories move toward Moonblood, a magically powerful time when King Vahe plans to sieze power over both the worlds of men and Faerie.


While this is the third Goldstone Wood book, I had no trouble diving into the story, as Stengl gives very rich detail as the story progresses, including enough back story to understand the present. In fact, reading this novel has piqued my interest and I am eager to read the previous two to truly get “the whole story.” The characters are wonderfully flawed, with the heroine/damsel in distress Rose Red being an unsophisticated, grotesque creature but kind and a bit stubborn. Lionheart hardly lives up to his name, as he is a coward, woefully self-preserving, and quick to make excuses for his poor choices. Many characters are bitter, proud, angry, hateful, anguished, selfish, spiteful, and just plain grumpy. Even those that are noble are far from perfect, such as brave Sir Oeric, whose dark past hangs about him like a wet, clinging fog. Of course, there are kind, joyful, wise, jolly characters, and many are a delightful mix of ups and downs. And there are dragons, a simple must for any self-respecting fantasy tale!


To say that Stengl has an exceptional mastery of words would be an understatement. She is an artisan, a craftsperson of great talent, who weaves together countless details to produce a tapestry that is vibrant, engaging, and has a culture all its own, certainly equal to classical masters such as Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, or Tolkkien, and contemporary to today’s giants such as J.K. Rowling. Her story, though it contains many elements we expect from fantasy stories and fairy tales, is put together in a way that seems fresh, keeps the reader interested, and provokes thought (something lacking in so many fiction books, especially those in Christian categories). Embedded in the beautiful dramatic narrative are spontaneous burst of humor, refreshing, witty, and immensely pleasing.


If I had one complaint about this novel, it is that amongst the exquisite writing, the Christian allegories I was expecting weren’t obvious. Not that obvious is always a good thing, but when I read the critical acclaim for the previous novels on the cover, I expected something different. The previous books were compared to Narnia, which is rife with Christian allegory and allusion that it’s not exactly easy to miss. I suppose I was expecting that, and it wasn’t until the end that it was that apparent (I can’t be more specific without some major spoilers). Still, when it was present, it was very well-done, and nothing about it was un-Biblical, trite, or condescending. It is likely that my somewhat dissatisfaction was due more to my assumptions than to Stengl's writing.


I truly enjoyed this novel, and as stated before, I look forward to reading the previous two tales, as well as the upcoming novel Starflower, which we were given a teaser for in Moonblood. I believe any reader of fantasy fiction would enjoy Moonblood, and perhaps learn something about grace, love, and themselves while doing so.


Extra links:
Goodreads.com entry for Moonblood
Check out Anne Elisabeth Stengl on Goodreads, Facebook, Bookreporter.com, Amazon, and her blog on Blogger.


Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF, and a complete sci-fi and fantasy geek. Seriously. She has a cat named Saavik (it's from Star Trek, look it up). This review of Moonblood is strictly the opinion of Mrs. McGinnis. The novel was provided by Bethany House in exchange for a review. 

Castalia's Cause: How one kid is making a difference

Today I had the extreme pleasure of meeting a young lady that has truly grasped the teachings of Jesus. Abby Grace is 9 years old and has a very good friend in her cousin Castalia, who is 7.

Abby Grace, left, & cousin Castalia

One year ago, Castalia was diagnosed with leukemia, and has undergone treatment since diagnosis. She has recently re-entered a serious treatment phase and makes frequent trips from small-town East Texas to Dallas for treatment. Castalia's parents do not have insurance to cover treatment costs, as she was diagnosed a few weeks prior to her father's insurance becoming active at his job.


Abby wanted to help. She was sad that her cousin was sick and unable to play, and had to wear a mask everywhere she went. Castalia was not allowed to attend school, as her immune system was weakened by the chemotherapy as well.

Abby started working on a painting while I was there

Like her mother Charity, Abby Grace has a natural artistic flair, so they decided that art was an answer. Together, they scour the Internet for inspiration, then design crosses, flowers, hearts, and other fun patterns for Abby to paint. Abby Grace originally planned to sell the paintings for around $40 each and hoped to raise $1000 to help with treatment costs. With $50 startup investment, she set to work, and eventually started a Facebook page to promote Castalia's Cause, and begin auctioning the paintings instead. In 3 days, she raised $1000.


To date, Abby Grace has raised $7500, and has raised her goal to $10,000. After that, she says, she's going take a break for awhile.

Meeting this sweet young lady was definitely a pleasure. She is bright, friendly, and well-spoken. She was a gracious host, and happy to talk about her cousin and why she wanted to help. She enjoys playing with Castalia and looks forward to getting to do so again. Castalia's prognosis is good, but there is a long way to go still.

One of Abby Grace's paintings

Please keep this amazing family in your prayers. Not only is Castalia re-entering a treatment phase, her father Joe (an Iraq war vet injured by an IED) was in a serious motorcycle accident. He is currently in ICU fighting an infection, and has lost a kidney, broken his scapula, and crushed one of his cheekbones, as well as one of his legs. He is also suffering from an aortic tear, which needs to be repaired as soon as possible.


To find out more about Castalia's Cause, visit the Facebook page. You can also read about Abby Grace's efforts and the outpouring of community support on KLTV (East Texas), the Longview News-Journal, News 12 Beaumont, and the Trammel Trace Tribune (Tatum, Tx.). You can also email Abby Grace's mom Charity at castaliascause@gmail.com. 

Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF.

Just Between You, Me, & God 7/16/2012

Summer reminds me of scout camp and regular campouts.  My wife’s idea of roughing it is a Holiday Inn without room service, so we’ve only been camping once together and that’s a story for another time.  I enjoyed being outdoors, especially at night.  We were out in the country where there are no city lights blocking the natural star light.  During the day the sky looks big with just the sun and maybe some clouds filling up the empty space but at night, in the country, the sky looks immense with a countless number of tiny dots of light scattered across the sky as if you’d thrown glitter on a black ceiling.  You quickly see the familiar constellations like the big dipper, the little dipper, Sagittarius, and Pegasus.  But take some time and a long close look.  Some lights move, some twinkle, and some don’t.  The ones that move are generally satellites or maybe a space shuttle, the ones that don’t twinkle are generally planets while the ones that do are stars or suns that we couldn’t reach in our lifetime.  It is beyond our imagination as to just how big God’s universe really is.  In our own lives everything has a beginning and an end, even though it often seems like piano recitals and business meetings won’t ever end, they eventually do.  Jesus said that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  In a conversation with Job, God is setting him straight about who God is compared to us.  Look at Job 38:31-33, “Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?  Can you loose the cords of Orion?  Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs?”  If God is so big and powerful that He can hold entire solar systems, then why do we doubt His power in our lives?  Power to give us comfort and peace when there is none to be found, power to change the course of our lives when we have go far off the path, power to forgive the deepest of sins when we can’t even forgive ourselves and, power to heal marriages and to repair broken families that others have given up on.  This kind of power that sets galaxies in motion and planets in orbit brought life to the mere dust of this Earth and shaped it into His image.  You would think that the Creator deserves the fear or respect that He is due from the creation?  Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”   Maybe more of us should head out to the country this weekend where there are no lights obscuring our view and get a closer look at the handy work of our Lord then maybe we can begin to look at the wonderful creation of each other without the obscuring lights of our own sin nature clouding our view.  Pastor Dean

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Outreach & Ministries Pastor for LHF

Giveaway: Gospel of Yes by Mike Glenn

Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for sending us copies of Mike Glenn's Gospel of Yes to giveaway (and boo to UPS for damaging the package before delivering it to the wrong house...at least the books are ok)! We've already given away 2 through church and we have TWO more to giveaway to our readers!


I loved this book! I found it truly inspiring. I would recommend you read my full review of this book. You can also check out the official Gospel of Yes Facebook page, or follow Mike Glenn on Twitter.




To enter,  just comment below. Tell us what book you read most recently that impacted you (it doesn't have to be a Christian book or a Waterbrook/Random House publication). You must include a contact email address to win. Comment by Sunday, July 22, at 11:59PM CST.


Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF, and an avid reader. You can find her on Twitter when she can tear herself away from books and "Where's My Water?" on her iPhone (she eve wrote a blog about it!). The original Gospel of Yes review was completed for the Blogging for Books Program and the book read was provided by Waterbrook Multomah. The four giveaway books were provided separately also by Waterbrook Multomah for use as seen fit by LHF in their blog, church, and community. Opinions expressed in the review are strictly those of Melissa McGinnis. Opinions expressed in the comments on this or any post on fellowship fragments are strictly those of the poster.

Video Message: An Ordinary Day

We hope you enjoyed our first video message, "Movement" (if you haven't see it yet, click here). We also hope that you enjoy and are blessed by this message, "An Ordinary Day," by our Lead Pastor, Rev. Ellis Hayden. This message is from 7/1/2012.

Just Between You, Me, & God 7/9/2012

I'm not much of a techy guy. My kids and wife keep trying to drag me into the 21st century but I'm not convinced it's a safe place yet. We recently got Netflix. We run it through the Wii so we can pick and choose our movies to watch whenever Jeannie's at home. I'm not restricted from watching when she's not here, it's just that I haven't learned how to work the thing yet. When we look at a person's lifetime we often associate it with all of the technical advances during that same time period. I remember doing that with my Grandparents. In their lifetimes they went from the horse drawn wagons to traffic jams on super highways, from the Wright brothers to the first man on the moon, from black and white silent movies and radio shows to a color TV in almost every home. They lived through a depression, two World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam war. They raised two sons that raised families that continue to multiply families of their own. There have been a lot of changes in this world and it seems like they just keep coming faster and faster. The latest in high tech devices today is bound to be obsolete and on the clearance aisle in a couple of months. But throughout the ages there has been one constant, one stable that never changes: God. John 1:1-5 explains it all in a Cliff Notes sort of way. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." I am always impressed at night when driving up on a town or city and you look out and see all of the lights shining in the neighborhoods lighting the streets and yards providing security in the night darkness. Our world is dark with sin and I like to think that Jesus looks out and sees all of these little specks of light shining in this dark sin-filled world representing all of those who have seen His light and accepted Jesus as their Savior. Only Jesus offers us the beacon of His salvation, the security light of His mercy, the flood lamp of His forgiveness, and the unchanging floresence of His love. If you find yourself wandering around in the dark in this fast-paced high-tech world, can I offer you a light? The light of the world, Jesus Christ. Pastor Dean

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Ministries & Outreach Pastor for LHF. Eventually, we may even get him to get an iPhone, perhaps even before iPhone 7 is revealed.

Movement: a video sermon

On Sunday, June 17, 2012, LHF's Administrative and Missional Pastor, Rev. Ben Bright, delivered a great message on creating a movement. 


We are proud to share it with you. Hope it blesses and inspires you!







Thank you for watching! It is our hope that we will be able to share many more uplifting messages by our amazing pastors!

Happy Independence Day USA!

As we enjoy the food, fireworks, and festivities that are common for those of us who live in the United States, let us continue to pray for our leaders, veterans, and active military stationed around the world.

Let us also continue to remember and pray for those of us in the US who are unable to celebrate due to illness, poverty, and the recent natural disasters such as the wildflowers still raging in Colorado and the recent chains of storms across the Eastern states.

God Bless the USA, as well as those around the world!

Just Between You, Me, & God 7/2/2012

We have a new member in our family. Buster is a 1 and a half year old Golden Retriever that weighs 67 pounds. He is house trained, which is a blessing in itself, but he still struggles with some manner opportunities. Buster is not our only pet, we have a cat named Molly who is rather antisocial, and a paranoid Chihuahua, Red, that is rather possessive of my wife and thinks he’s a giant among dogs. Now Buster, still somewhat a puppy, doesn’t know how big he is and he just wants to crawl up in your lap like the little dog, or thinks that Red is a toy that should want to play with him all of the time. There has been baring and gnashing of teeth with some vicious attacks that has sent the big dog scurrying. On the other hand, Buster and Molly have become best of friends with contest to see who can lick who the most. Buster has a definite tongue advantage. If he does overdo it a little, all it takes is one carefully placed, extended claw, to make Buster stop and reconsider his options. Buster does like to chew things and we have made adjustments in the placing of things where he can’t reach them. He, well they all require a certain amount of forgiveness. Sometimes I’m afraid he’ll think his name is “Buster Stop”. I often wonder if that is what God thinks about us when, like Paul, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do---this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20. Fortunately God doesn’t know me as “Dean Stop”, but because of Jesus Christ death on the cross for me and my acceptance of that, God knows me as “Dean Forgiven”. Take your guilt and give to Jesus who has already paid for your forgiveness and feel the freedom and love that comes in a relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Pastor Dean

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Ministries & Outreach Pastor for LHF.