Just Between You, Me, & God 11/5/2012

As a kid I loved going to Six Flags Over Texas. They had a great variety of rides, from things that went round and round and then the bottom fell out, to river rides where you never knew what was around the next bend, to roller coasters that went fast and slow and up and down while taking hair pin corners. There was also rides like the carousel that went around and around but nothing exciting ever happened or the Spelunker Cave that lazily floated along a relaxing stream in cool comfort with no surprises. I was thinking about my Christian walk over my lifetime the other day and couldn't help but notice the similarity at different times between that and the rides at an amusement park. There have been times when it seemed like I was in a whirl wind being swept around in circles and the ground was falling away from under my feet. That was when I felt far from God and there seemed to be no answer to my prayers and pleas. There were times of excitement when I couldn't wait to see what God was going to do next in my life. There are times when I seem to be struggling just to get up the hill and then God makes things move so quickly and change direction in an instant and you get so excited you can't catch your breath. Sometimes I feel kind of stuck, just going around and around in a circle, not making any real progress and I know that I need to spend more study time with God in His Word. Then there is always worship time when I feel so relaxed and open. It is a time of comfort, like being held by my Savior as I tell Him how much I love Him and appreciate everything He has done for me. No matter what is going on, how long it last, or how up or down I feel, I know that I am not alone and that whatever happens, it is God’s perfect will that counts and not my own finite expectations. Philippians 4:4-7 tells it like it should be, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What is your walk like and are you willing to let go and let God?
God bless, Dean Hanssen

Just Between You, Me, & God 9-27-2012

How many of you out there have a dog?  OK, quite a few.  I have a dog, his name is Buster and he is an Irish Setter.  He is currently laying at my feet, fast asleep.  Dogs are like kids, they can sleep just about anywhere and in any position.  They are one of God's great creations.  They are fiercely loyal, they are always glad to see you coming, and hate to see you go.  They love to play and bark and chase and do all of those things that God created them to do.  They can make a mess and have been known to tear up a thing or two, (the cover off of one of my study Bibles).  All in all we really love our dogs and they love us. It is pretty much an unconditional love that they have for us.  You can get mad and yell and they just wag their tales because all they hear is you calling their name.  You can lose them on a cross country trip and they will try their hardest to get back home, no matter how long it takes.  In this relationship, we are known as the Master.  We usually provide their food and shelter with an occasional treat or toy, and they provide companionship, or security, or enjoyment.  It's a pretty good relationship.  How's your relationship with God?  Could you learn a few things from your dog about what your relationship with your Master should be like.  Matthew 22:37 tells us, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  Are you always glad to see God?  Do you get excited, do you listen for His car coming up the street and do you wait at the door to welcome Him in.  A lot of us think that twice a year is sufficient, we'll have plenty of time to spend with Him when we get to heaven.  Listen to what Jesus says in John 10: 14-15, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-just as the Father knows me and I know the father-and I lay down my life for the sheep."  Your dog responds to your voice, you commands, because he knows you and he knows your voice.  If you don't have a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ, how are you going to recognize His voice when He calls you.  That may be the dog catcher or Satan that your answering to because you haven't been around your master enough to know His voice.  Are we loyal to follow Him, are we committed to obey?  Let's try this, take everything that you brought with you into this world and put it in a pile over here.  Hmm, that looks like empty space to me.  Everything that you have or own is a gift from God and when you leave this Earth, you'll have to give it all back.  These are you treats, your provisions from your Master.  So let's face it, we even mess up from time to time and even runaway but our Master is forgiving and loving and wants to welcome us back.  Buster and I have a lot in common, although he has a lot more hair than I do.  He is loyal, he loves me unconditionally, he is always glad to see me and misses me when I'm gone.  In my relationship with God, I try to be loyal, I love Him for first loving me, I am glad to be in His presence and I realize just how much I need Him when I am away from Him.  Have you been away from your Master?  He's waiting for you to come on home.  Embrace Him and show Him that you love and respect Him and that you are willing to obey so that you may walk together from now on.  Good boy!  Pastor Dean 

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Outreach & Ministries Pastor for LHF. He truly loves his big lug of a dog. His prissy cat Molly also loves Buster. His Chihuahua mix Red...not so much.

Just Between You, Me, & God 9/18/2012

We just got back from a long weekend mini vacation on the beach near Galveston. We were the grateful guest of our Port Arthur connection cousins, Jennifer, her husband Ricky, their two adorable kids Amelia and Noah, and Jenn’s dad, Daddy Dave. Daddy Dave has been a spiritual anchor in my life for quite a while. He’s one of those guys whose faith is so strong that he cannot help but put you in a more spiritual frame of mind when you’re around him. I love walking on the beach by myself and just taking in God’s creation all around me. There has been a lot on my mind lately and I really needed to have some alone time with God to talk things over without interruptions. Sunday morning I got up early, fixed a pot of coffee and headed to the beach just as the sun was coming up. I walked and sipped my coffee with my head down and started a rather lengthy conversation with the Lord. The waves constantly rolled in with a calming relaxing rhythm. As I walked and talked on I could feel the presence of someone with me and their desire to join the conversation. He said, “Have you noticed that there is no longer a trace of those who were here before you? Can you see that even the mark that you have left is no longer visible? But the waves of the ocean have continued on since before any man walked on this Earth and they will continue long after you are gone. They are like my love for you and all mankind. I am constantly rolling over you’re self- impression, trying to get you to notice Me. I roll into your life depositing little blessing like the colorful shells that the waves leave behind. Sometimes I have to roll in like a storm, changing your life so that you might come back to me even if it is in a time of need. I am constantly trying to get you to embrace our relationship. I am glad you have taken the time to seek me out this morning and I hope you will do it more often. I am everywhere and in everything so don’t wait till you come to the beach.” I stopped and I watched for a while as the waves rolled over the sand and then rolled out leaving a new collection of little shells. I thought of how God has used little waves and tidal waves in my life to bring me back to Him and I had a clearer understanding of everything I had been praying about when I first started my walk. Take some time alone with God this week and see if you don’t start to see things a little more clearly.

Luke 24:28-32, As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted if He were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Go in peace and may the God of peace be with you, Pastor Dean

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

Just Between You, Me, & God 5/7/2012

Back from a week of vacation and trying hard to get back in the routine of daily life. It’s easy to get pulled off course. Day light savings time sends us in a spin twice a year, long weekends, a holiday in the middle of the week, even an alarm clock that didn’t go off when it should have can disrupt our whole mode of operation. Don’t get me wrong, I like vacations, but I get used to my routine also. It sort of keeps me balanced and going in one direction. You get up at a certain time, there are certain things you do at certain times and in certain places. We sometimes call them habits and if you’re not careful they can become ruts. So what is your daily, weekly, monthly, yearly routine like? Is God a part of your daily routine or do you just work Him in once a week, or maybe every other month or so, or is it just that once a year visit around Christmas or Easter? We had a visitor at our little church on Sunday. I happened to greet him as he came in and I welcomed him and ask if he was new to our community. I got an answer I wasn’t expecting. He had been working down South and was on his way home to a town just North of us but he wasn’t going to make it back in time for worship service at his church. He saw our sign and decided to stop in and share in worship with us on his way home. One of his routines is to worship God on Sunday whether he is at home or away on business, that’s how important God is in his life. Going to church on a regular basis has become less of a routine in more and more lives. There are only so many hours in a day so whenever we delete something from our schedule that gap is quickly filled in with some other activity. In Hebrews 10:25 Paul tells us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another---and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Christianity is all about relationships, with Christ and with each other. There is power in numbers and when we come together with Christ in worship and fellowship, amazing things can happen in people’s lives. Please be faithful in your church attendance and participation and if you are not involved in a church, find one. Zig Ziglar once said, “If you’re letting a hypocrite stand between you and God that just means that the hypocrite is closer to God than you are.” Have a blessed week and bless someone this week with your attendance at church. Thanks for all you do, Pastor Dean

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

Live from Fuller Seminary with Brother Ben, Weekend and Day 6

This weekend was an awesome experience. I rented a car and drove all around the Los Angeles area. I visited downtown LA and the west side including Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
No doubt this is a beautiful place that God has created but I couldn't stop thinking about consumerism, commercialism, exploitation, idealisms and hurting that is visible to the naked eye. This is Culture World USA and much of what we do, say, watch, act and respond is associated with and connected to this area. You know....I wondered quite often in the midst of things, where is God in all of this? Is He at work in the world in Los Angeles, Burbank, Orange County, Saddleback....GLADEWATER? What if we bought into the "Jesus thing" as well as we buy into the latest fads and fashions? Could we transform little ol' Gladewater? What if other churches just came up beside us and we worked together instead of competing against each other? Lots of questions. If you have answers, let me know or call collect!

In a sad note, I was in Beverly Hills when Whitney Houston's story surfaced. Even sadder were the thrill seekers that arrived on the spot just after they announced her demise. It was a feeding frenzy. I was saddened by humanity.

On a happier note, I was able to go to the Saddleback Church to hear Pastor Rick Warren preach and attend their service. He is the author and presenter of the program "40 Days of Purpose" that we are studying and involved with at LHF. I am bringing home many ideas from their church to throw at you for our context of their ministry ideas. Be ready!

This weeks course deals with Global Leadership Implications to Ministry. It is the first half of the course. The second half will be building a plan of action for myself with implications to LHF. Here are some of the notes from today's lecture that are relevant to LHF:

Major trends in global ministry:
1. Globalization
2. Shifting of global economic and political powers (Zakharia 2010:_______)
3. Technological innovation
4. Changing World demographics
A. worldwide migration
B. growing urban population (Viv Grigg:______________)
C. growing youth population
5. Climate of post-modernity (How can we reconcile the presence of evil with absolute goodness?)
6. Climate of “religious pluralism” and “secularism” (Acts 4:10-12)
7. The Gospel from everywhere to everyone


Which one resonates in my context (LHF)?

Which one word stands for my context?
Experience, Authenticity, Dialogue, Community, Tangible, Adapting [Email me back and tell me which one you would choose.]

What is urgent? Make disciples----how can we get leaders in place? Can they see authenticity in their life? How do you do discipleship to post-moderns?
RELATIONSHIP

There is no “one-way” to lead in terms of global leadership. It’s not easy.

So, what’s unique in my context?

Church Unique by Will Mancini
--we are unique in our context
--a church should focus on developing strengths rather than enhancing limitations
--vision needs to be a lifestyle
--discover your kingdom concept
--develop your concept
--Distinction between “talking about the organization to the people” and “talking to people about the organization.” [:20]
[:47] invest in the values not the method
[:53] leader’s role requires stewarding…draw attention to this uniqueness
[:84] ascertaining the Kingdom concept
local predicament
apostolic esprit
collective potential
[:197-198] vision advancement
[:208] don’t align hearts but attuned their hearts
[:233] Integration Model

I don't expect each of you to understand all of my note taking, but if you can just "take-away" one thing: RELATIONSHIP is the key to vision success.
I will be praying for LHF to encounter such a spirit of enthusiasm...I can already see God's hand at work in much of what is happening now at LHF.

See you on the journey,
Ben

Rev. Ben Bright is the Logistics & Administration Pastor for LHF