Wild Game Dinner

Tonight was Living Hopes annual Wild Game Dinner. It's always an adventure to eat the variety of food that is brought in. I love it!

Our speaker was "Walleye Dan", a professional guide out of Brainerd. He also loves to hunt turkey. I loved his turkey calls. If I was a turkey, I would have responded.

This is a night for us to not only enjoy as men from the church but to create a none threatening open door to church for men who are not yet following Jesus. Hopefully they can see men that love adventure and Jesus.

Use Your Gift

In yesterday's message I shared about Jesus' passion for His bride, the church. How every follower of His has been given a gift, a ministry, that He calls us to. It's amazing how lives are truly impacted and changed when every part of the body works together, as a team.

The video helped me to drive home the point that no one person can do it on their own. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Birthday Darla!

I want to wish my wife Darla a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She is the most incredible woman ever. Most men "marry up" and I am certainly no exception. God is so good to have given me someone who loves me the way she does. I value her above no other. She is my best friend and I enjoy spending every moment I can with her.

Happy Birthday Darla!

Flyer Boys Basketball Headed Back to State

In dramatic fashion, the Little Falls Flyers Boys Basketball team upset #1 seed Apollo Eagles 63-62. If you were at the game you might have been thinking, "deja vu". Last year the Flyers beat the Eagles with a tip in by Danny Kornbaum, just as the clock expired. This year it was again, Danny, this time he drove the base line and made a lay up with about 5.5 seconds to go. That basket gave the Flyers the lead. Apollo had one last shot that hit the rim and bounced off, ending the game. (Video of last three minutes)

Ron Kornbaum is being interviewed by a reporter from the St. Cloud Times.

Danny is on the phone, making reservations for Disney World.

Another one point game!

I was so impressed that the Flyers never quit. In the last four minutes, trailing by 10, they fouled as quick as they could, sending the Eagles to the free throw line. At first it didn't appear to be working, as Apollo kept making the shots. In my opinion the game started to turn in the Flyers direction when Nick was fouled from beyond the three point line. He made all three free throw attempts.

The Flyers will play at the state tournement on Wednesday, March 25th at Williams Arena.

GO FLYERS!

American Idol

For all of you American Idol fans out there (Lisa S. especially), I want to strongly suggest the person you should vote for, DANNY GOKEY.

Above is a picture of Danny with friend's of mine. In the middle is Danny Gokey, on the right is my friend, Pastor Chris Castilleja and on the left is his wife Jen.

Danny recently lost his wife and was encouraged by Pastor Chris to try out for American Idol. If Chris ever has him come to his church I am going to try and book him at Living Hope.

VOTE GOKEY!!!

The Scary thing about Facebook

I recently became friends on Facebook with my former youth pastor's wife. It didn't take long and she was uploading photos from the past. This is perhaps one of the scariest things about Facebook. You never know what others might dig up on you. (I hope you've lived a clean life :) )

I know, you are dealing with a little jealousy right now. You are wondering how Darla and I still look so young, just like this photo taken in the early 80's. We really haven't changed much, Hah!!!

I absolutely love Darla's smile in this picture. When she saw it, she let out one of her infamous laughs.

I think Living Hope should have a little fun by doing a "blast from the past". It would be hilarious to go through old pictures of everyone and catch a glimpse of our transformation.

Thieves Take Church Equipment

A friend of mine, Trent Redman, who pastors Valley Creek Church, discovered all of the equipment for their portable church was stolen.

Every week they set up and tear down just like we do for the Rice campus of Living Hope.

It looks like the thieves stole the trailer that was stored throughout the week at another church. It was found early today on Springside Drive in St. Paul.

Trent estimates that more than $50,000 in equipment was stolen. The only thing they left behind were the bibles.

Despite the lack of equipment, church went on this morning.

An article/video on Kare11's website written by Julianna Olsen said, "With most everything stolen, packing up the trailer after services was a whole lot easier Sunday. Valley Creek Church may be portable, but its members know the church's most important parts are permanent.

'It's not about a building. It's not about equipment,' Redmann said. 'All of those things can be replaced. It's about people.'"

Please pray for this church that God would provide the equipment needed by next Sunday. Somehow I think that what the Devil meant for evil, God is going to use for good. I believe God will provide new equipment and the publicity will bring people to the church.

Tourney Time!

I am at the xcel energy center for the state high school hockey tournament. Little Falls plays Breck today in the semi-finals.

This brings back great memories for me. As a kid and teen I would always get out of school to watch it on tv. This is the fifth year in a row Little Falls has made it. It's fun to watch it live and make new memories with my family.

GO FLYERS!!!!!

Men's Advance

In just a few hours I will be on the church bus with 20 other men, heading to Lake Geneva Christian Center for Men's Advance. This is always a great time for me to go deeper in my walk with God as well as my relationship to the men of Living Hope.

A fun thing we have done since we attended Promise Keeper's in Iowa is to have a "girlie pillow award". Usually the winners pillow is pink, has lace and a flowered print. What teen- age boy would have ever dreamed that when they became a man and were married that their pillow would look like that?

Along with the pillow award is the "snoring award". We have some guys that cause the richter scale to warn of an earthquake. I usually pack my earplugs or headphones. It does help, but if I don't get to sleep before they do it's hopeless.

My favorite part of Men's Advance is the opportunity for us men to be real. We share our struggles, heartaches, short-comings, dreams and passions. We share our hearts in a way that makes us vulnerable yet stronger.

If you have a moment, I would appreciate you praying that God would do a great work in our hearts.

Life Groups

I like to read the blogs of other pastors. I often find that I am challenged, encouraged and gather great insight.

Craig Groeschel, pastor of Lifechurch recently wrote something in his blog that I want to pass on to you. It really echoes how I feel about Life Groups.

"I still love small groups because:

• They follow the early church model of meeting in homes.
• They are a tremendous tool for discipleship. I prefer small groups to Wednesday night large group teaching because it gives people a chance to interact. I prefer small groups to Sunday School simply because you don’t have to build the expensive extra classroom space.
• They get more people involved using their gifts of hospitality, teaching, exhortation, etc.
• They engage the body of Christ in pastoral care. Instead of the pastors being the only ones who care for believers, small groups spread the load and utilize gifted lay people.
• They build leaders.
• Done well, they become a tremendous tool of retention. People want to be needed and known. Small groups make both possible.
• They have unlimited meeting space. You can’t run out of homes, restaurants, apartments, or coffee shops in which to meet.
• They have unlimited meeting times. In today’s busy world, a once-a-week discipleship opportunity will not work for the majority of your church. Small groups offer unlimited times to meet.
• They have changed my life. My family’s small group is like our extended family. God has used them to bless us in untold ways."

At Living Hope Church, we have found that Life Groups have brought just that, "Life"! People connecting, sharing, growing, worshiping, loving and reaching out. I am so blessed by the leaders and those who open up their homes. The leaders of these groups have become an extension of our pastoral team. It has provided an avenue for us to carry out much of the mission of our church and a way for people to be ministered to and to minister.