First Things First! Start the new year on the right foot!

Much has been written about the Law of First Things.  Stephen Covey in his famous book First Things First said "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."  Frank Damazio in The Power of Spiritual Alignment wrote a fantastic book about following the firsts of Jesus which he called "the bottom line for a victorious life."

You can only have one main thing in your life!  If we don't prioritize our lives something or someone else will.  People may claim to be non-religious or are exasperated by talk of God however each one of us have a God or gods that we live for.  In fact our hearts are idol factories.  We live for the love of another, our career, money, sport, our for ourselves to name a few.

When new years day hits we do two things.  The first thing we have a tendency to do is to look back over the shoulder of our life to analyze the previous twelve months.  The second thing we do is to analyze problems in our lives or shortcomings and mistakes and try to change those in the upcoming year.

An article in the New York Times only confirms that the will is weak when it shows that the overwhelming majority of New Year’s resolutions are doomed to failure. According to research, 80 percent of those who make resolutions on January 1 have given up by Valentine’s Day. Nutrition experts say that two-thirds of dieters regain any weight lost within a year, and more than 70 percent of people who undergo coronary bypass surgery fall back into unhealthy habits within two years of their surgery.
(I grabbed this quote from: http://theresurgence.com/2011/12/31/why-new-years-resolutions-dont-work)

I spoke on January 1st 2012 (last Sunday) on the power of first things and looked at seven scriptures where Jesus used the word FIRST.   He said things like seek Him first and His Kingdom.  A famous teaching of Jesus was a reminder of the first and greatest commandment.  He also told a group of pharisees to first take the plank out of their eye before they point fingers at other people flaws and mistakes.

Irregardless of your hopes and commitments in the new year their is one concern or hope that I have for you. Take some time to consider who is your number 1.  Put God first and everything shall be added to you!  All of our diets, fitness goals, finance changes etc etc, will pail in comparison to God's surpassing greatness.  He wants to add to your life.  Like Ephesians 3:20 says, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. 


Have a super blessed new year! Visit our website and i-tunes account to listen to this message from 1/1/12.

Parents: Not your ordinary bedtime read:

Each of us battle the bounds of the small box that our world can become.  Even in our own community we go to the same stores, buy at the same coffee shop, engage the same people in our own circles. The danger is we can view anyone who is different as out of our world.  Jesus in His famous Great Commission worlds commanded His leaders "To make Disciples of all Nations" in Matthew 28:19.  The small circle of their reach, as well as their vision was challenged.  Apostolic doctrine changed from The people to All people, The temple to You are the Temple and The Holy Land to change All Lands!

The fact is if you grow up in America and if you make $10,000 a year you are better off than 90% of the world's population. If you have kids you have probably noticed when they want things in a store (over and over and over again) or they may take for granted the things that they have.  We are super blessed! I believe we are blessed to be a blessing.  Proverbs 11:25 says A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.  

I wanted to find a tool to not only give my kids a global perspective but also help them understand that they have it pretty good.  At first my wife thought this book may be too intense for our kids but I have had a blast reading, each night about a different nation.  There are facts and pictures and even my 3 year old has been moderately interested as we sit and read about a new nation each night and say prayers for people who are not like us and far less fortunate.  

Book Description

http://www.amazon.com/Window-World-Prayer-Atlas-All/dp/1932805915

Well loved by young and old - a book that will inform and inspire the whole family, this beautifully presented, yet practical book, is the ideal accompaniment to Operation World. Stunning photographic visuals complement this A to Z of countries and people groups providing an exciting learning experience and guide for prayer. Short stories about featured countries or people groups help relate foreign lands and people to children in the West. Each page includes a small map putting the country into perspective with neighboring countries, a fact box with essential country, and people information and prayer points that children can ask God for as well as thank God for.This invaluable resource develops cultural, political, and geographical awareness through a Christian lens. Families, churches, and schools will all benefit from this book and in turn be able to pray more effectively for their world.Winner of the 2002 Gold Medallion for Elementary Age Children.  

Some Great Books-

I wanted to recommend some great books that I have read over the last month or two.  The first two books would appeal to anyone looking for a great read.  The last books have to do with spirituality and faith, particularly in the Christian Church.

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose is a fantastic read about the Lewis and Clark expedition.  The beginning was a bit slow for me as plans and preparations for the expedition were underway.  This may have just been a window into my own impatient personality as I wanted to get them on the journey.  However once I got into the latter chapters I could not put this book down.  Incredible True story that takes place in our part of the world!

Bonhoeffer, Wow!  I am just a third of the way through this book about a fantastic pastor and author who wound up leading a plot to assassinate Hitler!   http://www.ericmetaxas.com/books/bonhoeffer-pastor-martyr-prophet-spy-a-righteous-gentile-vs-the-third-reich/

We just had the privilege of hosting this author and his wife at our church last Sunday. Terry Virgo is one of the best bible teachers of our time.  Not only do Terry and Wendy have an amazing resume and have shared their gifts with the church- they are so down to earth and personable.  If you would like to see a picture of what a Follower of Jesus and the Church of Jesus should look like,  pick this one up.  You also may watch this interview with Terry Virgo and Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church about this book.  http://theresurgence.com/2011/09/23/the-spirit-filled-church

A fantastic book by David Devenish about apostolic doctrine and Church life.  A must read for any Church leader.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RuLiGddaHo  (to learn more)

Real Time Connections is about linking your Job with God's Global work.  This is a fantastic book for anyone missionaly hungry to see their life make a difference in the world.  This will challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and push the borders of your reach as a leader.

Your Life Has Something to Say

Your life is preaching a message whether you are religious or not.  You may not feel like it does but your life and your experience's have something to say.  I found it difficult believing that my life could in any way help people.  Although through sharing my story, both hilarity and tragedy, people seem interested.  People connect with story.  Jesus throughout the gospels encountered people and jumped into their story.  


You may feel like Joe-six pack or Average Jane.  But your life is not average especially when you find God has put a message within you.  When you find that message you become a messenger.  The Bible says in 1 John 5:10 "Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony of God in them."  


If you have a chance to visit Clark Fork City Church we are looking at several stories over the next 8 weeks. A woman who was a social out-cast, a man born blind, The Average Joe and several others.  These messages are sure to inspire you and your story and urge you into God's Story.  


There is a portion in “A River Runs through it” that balances the story with a line “What a beautiful world it was once.”  In this stretch of the Story Norman Maclaen described three parts of fishing water: The Rapids, The Deep Bend, The Tail of the Fishing Hole. When we back up from our life it is interesting to view life's parts and how they effect who we are. 

Each great story has different parts that are viewed by God in their entirety, our finite minds have a tendency to break down each part and in our (chronos) time frame see events as individuals.  God has been at work in our lives before we knew he was there.  When we couldn’t see him at work.  When nobody else was there, He was.  He see's the whole thing.  Maybe a bend in the River has thrown your story for a loop, but God will find purpose in it.  His River wants to flow through your life.

September 23rd-24th Leadership Event is for You!

"A Christian Leader is a humble, God-dependent, team-playing servant of God who is called by God to shepherd, develop, equip, and empower a specific group of believers to accomplish an agreed-upon vision of God." Dave Kraft

Next weekend, Friday September 23rd and Saturday 24th we are privelaged to host a leadership event with Dave Kraft.  Dave recently wrote a book called "Leaders Who Last."  Only 30% of Leaders finish well.  Each one of us is called to lead people.  Jesus didn't ask us to go make decisions, but to go make disciples.  We all have a story to tell and a minsitry to be a part of.  Whether that means full time staff at a church or a volunteer for an Awana program, or maybe you are on usher on a Sunday we all have a part to play.  Not to mention God's global call that compells us to reach into our cities and nations of the world. 

Dave Kraft worked with "Navigators" a christian ministry for 38 years before joining Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  Dave works as a leadership development pastor, training, recruiting and equipping leaders.  He has served as a leadership coach for very inffluenctial pastors as well.  

Dave will be speaking Friday evening and Saturday until Lunch.  This brief time will be packed with training and will challenge each of us to  grow in our leaderhsip capacity. Please set aside the time and if you lead a team please encourage all your leaders to participate.  You may not be leading a ministry but you need to be!  This would be a great event for you as well.

The 20$ cost associated with the event is helping us as a group of city churches to start a fund to bring in high end leaders to Missoula to impact our city.  This event will get the ball rolling for a ministry called "city forum." So we get the opportunity to sow into the next events which will be a parenting event ted Tripp called "shepherding a child's heart" followed by a marriage conference by Paul Tripp.

Please don't miss this opportunity to dial in your leadership skills and be challenged. Childcare will be provided.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157497414318325

Don't Miss our new Sunday series "God's River Runs Through It"

http://www.clarkforkcitychurch.org/connect/the-river/

The Church has Left the Building

So often when we think of Church, we think of a building, a Sunday morning, songs, speaking and lunch afterward.  Many Pastors and Church leaders spend time at a desk or keyboard or trapped in an office somewhere.  It seems as if in Jesus ministry much of His time was not in a building but out with people.
We have been prompted to in the last few months to leave the four walls of our facility and move our office out into the streets.  More and more I want our church to be "In Missoula, for Missoula."

One project we have just started is called "Street Teams."  We were given a twelve passenger van, filled it with tools and lawn-mowers and we have started hitting the streets with a Free Yard-work Service.  Wait, whats the catch?  Many people are used to solicitors, Religion Peddlers, and Vacuum Salesman pounding on their doors.  We have been knocking on doors to serve those who cant serve themselves and love on the City  we get to live in.  We cant change the whole town but we get to help one home at a time.  We have found people seem suspicious at first and then warm up to the idea when we serve their needs.

We have several needs as this project starts to expand:
1) Workers:  We go out every Friday morning and need more help as work increases and we are still looking for a crew-boss to start a Saturday Street Team. You do not need to be a skilled craftsman, just have a heart to help people.  We mow lawns, clean yards, pick weeds, and more extensive projects as well.


2) We are meeting at 7am tomorrow for a special roof installation and need around 3-4 workers.


3) Finances for Vehicle Graphics:  we have a van that could be a rolling billboard.  It just needs the graphics.  If your business wants to sponsor our vehicle graphics we would love to note that on our van.  This will also give us credibility and exposure as the van goes through the city.

4)  Tools: if you have tools to donate they can be dropped by during regular business hours.

Thanks for your help!