Pastor blog

Schools- The Welfare of the City

May 1, 2012 By Orion Leave a Comment

I cannot tell you how many negative stories I have heard about our schools. It seems like every time we watch the nightly news there is a story that casts a dark shadow on our local school systems. At some point there is a feeling of helplessness many of us have experienced when thinking about them.

But despite those feelings, we really want these schools to succeed. No, not just want but we need our schools to succeed. When our children learn to read, write and count our schools become one of the greatest deterrents against oppression, crime and the degrading of our societal health. When our schools actually educate our youth we see lower crime rates, less out-of-wedlock marriages, workers that are skilled and produce more, and responsible adults that are not reliant on the state to meet their basic needs. I believe it was Mark Twain that said “every time you close a school you have to open a jail.” We need our schools to succeed.

Diversification Through Schools

Another amazing benefit that I have seen schools provide our society is unity and diversification. Students share the same experiences, yet the only difference is skin color or cultural heritage. In other words, schools break down the tension between the black and white community. Those of us in the workforce often see this as we roll up our sleeves to work alongside people that are different than us. But this integration starts with a quality education.

Seeking the Welfare of The City

Our schools face many challenges in the year ahead. So this year, let’s all pray and look for ways to encourage our School Systems to work. It’s for the good of the kids, the community, and the region.

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Jeremiah 29:7

Reach The Teach – Encouragements

A few things that happened at our “Reach the Teach” event I want to point out:

1.)We listened. That is an important rhythm in life and certainly an important part of missional living. What are the real needs? How do people feel? Let’s not assume we know how to help without listening first!

2.)Prayer. It is the hallmark of the Christian life and our best chance at being humble and motivated correctly in serving and helping others. Plus it connects us to the Father who provides amazing grace and change to the many problems in education.

3.)Action. We cannot just talk about it. Let our faith spring into action! Faith without works is dead.

The Soul of Society: Education

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.
~G.K. Chesterton

If Chesterton’s quote is true, society has a sick soul. And as a church, we must jump right in and say “not in our backyard!” Let’s engage again, continue to engage and engage in more and better ways. Let us honor teachers and administrators and bring Gospel renewal to the world around us.

On Sunday we broke from our traditional worship services and we worshiped God by being on His mission and sharpening ourselves by listening, praying and learning how we can impact our culture for the good of our cities and the good of all of Kansas City. Let it not end with Sunday, let it continue on year after year.

Filed Under: Missional Living, The Avenue Church Tagged With: chesterton quote, culture, diversification through schools, education, education and the church, gospel, jeremiah 29-7, mission: ignition, Orion Berridge, pastor blog, Pastor Orion, race, schools, society, soul of society is education, the avenue church, unity, welfare of the city

Just Life – Hope in Mark 5

April 16, 2012 By Orion Leave a Comment

A Story of Hoplessness

When he got off the plane he did not know that his whole world would change. The long trip home from serving in a dangerous war for his country was one of anticipation sprinkled with rays of hope and a yearning for returning to life and family. He had survived many brushes with death and he thought to himself that it had to be for some kind of purpose.

Unfortunately those thoughts did not last long. He did not return to the same life that he had left. His job was cut, several friends had not made it home from the war others had moved away and his marriage quickly ended. In the first month almost every piece of hope that he had traveled home with had vanished. He found his life to be hopeless.

This is the story of a friend of mine. As a Pastor I can tell you the same story in hundreds of different ways and all of these true stories are “just life.” For many it doesn’t take a post war crisis to make us hopeless, news from a Doctor or admission from a friend or spouse can do the trick. It’s a phone call away. It is right that we try and weather the realities of life. We pull ourselves up by our boot straps and find ways to cope and survive these seasons of life. But hopeless means we see no way out, there are no solutions, no answers to the thing that steals our peace.

3 Hopeless people in Mark 5

In Mark chapter 5 we read the story of three people that Jesus encounters who are in the same state of hopelessness. The stories of their deliverance by the power and love of God in Jesus Christ should give us hope that God cares for the life of the hopeless. But we have a hard time applying the miraculous to what is “just life” for us. Mark’s account of the demon possessed man, the bleeding women and the Ruler with a dying daughter is not just about a deliverance though. It tells a greater story that matters more than one healing or one miraculous sign. If we back out away from the details of the story and sort of squint at it like it was a hidden art stereogram we might see that this story applies to all of us.

The Greater Story

Jesus crosses the sea (the great divide between God and us) and comes through a storm (our sin and broken creation) to encounter a hopeless man that is full of all kinds of darkness and sin (all of us). Upon encountering the man, Jesus is loving, powerful and purposeful and accomplishes exactly what He means to do (delivers by the power of God, the Gospel). Not everyone understands why many things are allowed and the deliverance costs the townspeople and herdsmen their pigs (more than they are willing to pay), so they ask Him to leave (they reject the Gospel). The freed man decides to follow Jesus and Jesus sends him back to share the love and account of Christ with his friends and family (sends him on mission). Jesus leaves again the same way in which He came.

Most of us will enter seasons of hopelessness. All of us know people who have been hopeless. We all have areas of hopelessness where we aren’t believing the Gospel. We call this unbelief because as Hebrews says, faith is being sure of the things we hope for and the proof of things that aren’t seen. I don’ t want you to just be encouraged about an account of deliverance and healing in Mark 5. Because this is an issue of faith, I want you to BELIEVE again or for the first time. See yourself in this story, this deliverance is our deliverance. God crossed the great divide between Him and you. He came across that divide for His glory and your freedom. We are the hopeless man tormented by the demons, we are the bleeding women who will only find healing in Jesus, we are Jairus that sets aside every objection and falls down at Jesus’ feet to patiently seek help.

Hopelessness, unbelief, and grave circumstances are “just life” , but Jesus is Life itself, and the Gospel destroys even the strongest “just life” issues and gives us freedom and peace for those that put their hope in Christ. Take courage in the areas of unbelief in your life. It is time to believe the Gospel for them, let Jesus heal them. When you find yourself in the season of hopelessness, rest in Christ, be desperate for Him to deliver you. If you don’t know Christ maybe it is time to fall at His feet, repent of your sins and believe that He gave His life for your life.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:25)

Filed Under: 8 Bit Jesus, Devotionals, The Avenue Church Tagged With: coping, decisions, depression, desperation, faith, hope. hopelessness, life, unbelief

The City I Love?

February 27, 2012 By Danny Leave a Comment

Do I really care about my city?

In a couple years I will have lived in this city for 10 years. When I moved here right out of college the jokes about Independence were about as abundant as traffic on Noland Rd. Everything from the quality of our schools, to crime, to the people, to the general consensus that Independence was simply a city not as good as its neighbors. Economic development, commercialization, housing — the glory days had come and they were now most definitely gone.

I’ll admit that since living here I’ve delivered just as many cheap shots towards the city of Independence as the next person. For awhile I felt I could, after all, I do live here. But for all the jokes, all the put downs, the snide “under your breath” remarks, I began to feel uneasy. Over the last year or so as the comments rolled on, I’ve had this odd, unexpected feeling. As best as I can describe it, a simultaneous sense of anger and hurt. What is this all about? I mean…really?

It turns out that Independence is the city I’ve begun to love. And the simultaneous anger and hurt I occasionally feel is because I care about my city. The rich, the poor, the somewhere in the middle. The schools, the businesses, the neighborhoods. My neighborhood. My neighbors. The ones we do know and ones we don’t know. The guy who police chased through our streets a few weeks ago and the Liberty Tax guy who shares a corner with the T-Mobile guy. These are my people. This is my city.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the importance of caring for our cities, let alone our neighborhoods. The very people who should care the most, the people who live in a city, throw rocks and condemn it. When Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” He wasn’t giving you the right to be selective. Your neighbor isn’t just the people you know, the people you go to church with, the people you work with. Your neighbor is your literal neighbor, the girl at the checkout counter, the guy who cut you off, the family with the crazy kids at Pizza Street and the elderly woman who is unfamiliar with the 35mph flow of traffic. Everyone in your city is your neighbor.

There is too much need in this city, too many opportunities, too many people that have never experienced true unconditional love to have one of their own toss another rock on the pile of insults, put-downs and mockery. If the people in a city don’t care about it, no one else will.

So if you don’t love the city you live in — begin the process of searching out how to love it. If you can’t or don’t want to, move to a city you can. Regardless of your property taxes, your shopping districts, your home value, or schools no city is exempt from its challenges. And every city needs the people within it to love unconditionally.

Filed Under: Missional Living, Pastors Blog

Ash Wednesday and the Gospel

February 22, 2012 By Orion Leave a Comment

Today is Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of the season of Lent. This is the season where millions of Christians observe a season of reflection leading up to Easter. It is a season to examine ourselves, our sin and our mortality, and because of those things our need for a savior that can do something about those things. You can find more about both here.

In years past I have given up something that is a pleasure to me like chocolate or shrimp or chocolate covered shrimp, mmmm! I have not abstained from those things to show my love to God or to try and earn extra “heavenly attention.” I am not trying to receive anything or obtain special blessings. I simply want to focus on my need for Christ and Christ Himself more intently. Those that observe this season find it helpful to do so. Others don’t find the time to be all that helpful to them and they would rather focus on other rhythms in their spiritual walk. These observances are not sacraments and we are not commanded by the authority of scripture to participate. Either way I wonder if this season leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday would be a great time for us to reflect deeply on our faith and our desire for Christ.

About this time over 2000 years ago Jesus was fully involved in ministry and He was heading to the cross. He knows what almost no one around Him knows, that He is about to lay His life down for the world. He was healing and preaching and He was about to give up all He was to become our sin, to become our unrighteousness so that we would become His righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) What was getting ready to happen to Him was horrible, it’s terrible. Our reaction in shock is to look away. But what if we don’t? What if we don’t fear the pain and tragedy of this season so that we can know the full weight of the glory that comes next? What if we deal with our sin and our mortality and the life to come.

In this season don’t look away from what Jesus did and don’t look away from your sin, look at it and repent of it. Look to the transforming work of the Gospel to redeem our brokenness.Even if we don’t know how to believe God, let’s cry out to God “help my unbelief!” What area of our lives do we need to find repentance in? Let us turn to the transforming work of the Gospel and believe God’s promises for our lives.

Let’s embrace the cross and the tomb over the next 40 days and their endless implications in our lives. We should embrace them because we know what is coming. Joseph Campbell once said “the treasure you seek is in the cave you fear to enter.” Go to the cross and look at what price your sin had, enter the tomb and sit on the slab where the God of the universe lay dead for you. It can have a saving effect on us.

Filed Under: Devotionals, The Avenue Church Tagged With: Ash Wednesday, chocolate, Easter, Good Friday, healing, Jesus, Lent, preaching, repentance, shrimp, sin, treasure, unbelief

Know Your Role – Spiritual Gifts

January 19, 2012 By Orion Leave a Comment

Following up on a series we are doing (find that here), I want to share with you a couple thoughts about spiritual gifts.

1.) The Apostle Paul almost assumed that Christians would know their spiritual gifts.

Because of this assumption he spent more time convincing us of the purpose of spiritual gifts. He assaulted the heart attitudes that cause us to think wrongly about them. Paul builds throughout his letters to the Corinthians and the church at Ephesus that gifts are about love, community and mission.

2.)The reason the early churches knew their spiritual gifts was because community, discipleship and mission flourished in the 1st century church.

The early church was a community of missionaries that at it’s center was the gospel creating transformation, growth and discipleship. The first century church standing in the historical wake of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ found themselves squarely connected to the story of God. At one point Paul said “there were 500 people that were around when Jesus was walking around after he was raised from the dead go ask them.” (1 Cor. 15:6) They had a deep connection to the gospel and had joined God’s mission. Gifts were worked out in the context of community while on mission with these early disciples and witnesses.

Awaken!

The same should be true for us today. Despite the fact we are separated by so many years in history from the work of Christ we must join in the same way to God’s mission. Those early witnesses made other disciples that in turn made others until that long chain of disciples reached our generation.We have to work harder to see that connection but it exists by the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit. God worked through men and women in every generation to bring people to faith. He worked through diverse gifts with all different kinds of different mixtures of gifts. These men and women worked out their gifts as they were raised up into maturity as God used them to do the same. Generation after generation Christians in community on God’s mission have worked out how they are called and gifted by God. Will you? Don’t let this question graze you and think to yourself “I have heard about spiritual gifts before.” The perfecter of our faith longs and desires to awaken our hearts to know Him more and to discover who we are in greater ways. Don’t let this season be just another spiritual gift study. Let the awesome gospel penetrate us more deeply than ever before and remove the blinders of normalcy. Awake my soul! Psalm 57:8

Do you know how God has made you? Pray with me this week that God would show you and awaken us to the gifts He has given the body.

image taken from Wikipedia

Filed Under: Missional Living, Pastors Blog, The Avenue Church, Women's Discipleship Tagged With: community, discipleship, god's mission, Jesus, Spiritual gifts

New Year’s Resolutions or Not?

January 2, 2012 By Orion Leave a Comment

Whoever decided to put Christmas right before the New Year was brilliant! (Read about why Christmas is in December here) If you are like me then you begin to look forward to Christmas and then when it is over you kind of have a “thud” in your stomach. The kind I used to get as a kid on Sunday evenings when I knew school was coming the next day. The build up over Christmas leaves in a blink of an eye. Then comes the New Year. New Year’s time is the time of the year when we receive built in motivation to set and accomplish goals. For no distinguishable reasons we all of the sudden get energy to do all the things we know we should have already been doing throughout the previous year. Many people will even wait until January 1st to put into practice the things they are thinking about all December. For instance they will finish off a bunch of Christmas snacks just so they can start a diet, sleep in late rather than exercise so that on January 1st they are without regrets. It is really an interesting phenomenon.

No Resolutions!

Many people, about 50% don’t do resolutions. (New Year’s Resolutions started with the Babylonians who resolved to return any farming equipment they borrowed during the year to their rightful owners by the first day of the New Year) The reason I have heard the most for not making resolutions is that making a resolution has no extra power in it. They don’t want to declare something only to not accomplish the goal and feel the guilt or disappointment of it. People that don’t make resolutions just take the determination they feel and do rather than talking about doing. They feel they will be more likely to succeed if the determination they find is rooted inside them deeply rather than an artificial time on the calendar. Others feel that declaring their intentions by making a resolution helps them sell out and provides the accountability to accomplish their goal.

A Bad Fortune

While dining at my favorite Asian restaurant this year my fortune cookie said “the past is the best predictor of the future.” I was a little disturbed by my fortune cookie and when I don’t like the fortune I don’t eat the cookie as a sign of disagreement. The problem wasn’t that it wasn’t true, because I knew that it was. (80- 90% of resolutions fail) You are not more likely to do on January 1st (and continue to do it), what you have not been able to accomplish in the previous 12 months. My problem was that the statement represented a lack of hope. I know that statistically and philosophically the fortune was true. Niccolo Machiavelli said “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” While Machiavelli was probably talking about someone taking over a position in government or employment and getting rid of what is broken and installing new things, I do think that the same idea is true for the renovations we desire to make in our lives this time of year. It is hard and uncertain to make changes in life.

The Better Predictor

Whether you are a resolution maker or not, and whether or not your past best predicts your future one truth stands out to me in this season. We find it in 1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. This is the source of all the hope and determination you and I will ever need this year. This verse says to me, “I don’t care about last year, this year you will have my grace, this year I have called you to an eternal, everlasting awesome communion with Me, this year I will give you the desire to be transformed in the Gospel and by the Holy Spirit to restore what was broken in 2011 (and before), this year I will confirm in you my calling, this year you will know my love, this year you will be strengthened like never before, this year I will establish you as Mine more than you would ever dream or imagine.”

Is the past a better predictor of the future? Generally that is true from a statistical stand point. Brokenness gives birth to brokenness, and this world is broken. But it is only true until it is not. When Jesus Christ was sent into the world to rescue us from our own lost failings, what was once true is now not true under the shadow of the cross. We’ve been rescued from that reality. Having faith in Jesus Christ means that we can have hope that last year was last year and we have a greater future with God. That hope gives birth to desire and because of the work of Christ on the cross we can accomplish all things through Him. (Phil. 4:13) Resolutions or No Resolutions I pray that your resolve is alive and well and rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 2012!

A New Year’s Prayer

Father, I want more of you this year. More of Jesus and less of me. A few less pounds, to be a better husband, father , friend, ambassador and pastor would also be great. But Lord God help me to have true hope this year rooted in faith in Jesus Christ. Not hope that I can just become a better person through self willed determination. God give me true hope with true power to transform me. You have the only power on earth that gives sight to the blind, heals sickness and disease, transforms hearts from darkness to light and raises dead condemned children to glory. Father may your blessings flow like never before in 2012 but God more than that I want to be found in you, this year, like never before.

In your wonderful name Jesus, Amen

Filed Under: Pastors Blog, The Avenue Church Tagged With: Hope, New Years, Transformation

Cleaning Out Your Junk Drawer Isn’t Easy

December 22, 2011 By Danny Leave a Comment

Last Sunday I gave a sermon about using Advent as a time to assess the junk in our “spiritual” junk drawers. As we approach Christmas, Jesus, the God-Man, 100 percent God and 100 percent man, is the only one who can heal the junk in our lives and remove the junk from our junk drawers.

What is challenging however is figuring out how to go assess the junk in our lives and find restoration. Like much of our spiritual lives, there is no “one-size-fits-all” formula. But there are some principles we can pursue.

Identify Your “Junk”

The junk in your spiritual junk drawer might be different from someone else’s, but you have to identify it. Do you struggle with pride, anger, past hurts, jealousy, doubt, fear, self-esteem, lust, etc.? There are countless things we struggle with, endless things we shove in the proverbial junk drawer. Identifying those things which pull us farther away from Christ is paramount.

Turn and Run

If you know the areas of your life that don’t align with the will of God and His promises, you have to actually want to find healing. As odd as it sounds, we might know we are spiritually sick, but we don’t want to get healthy or do the things which could lead to health. In 2 Samuel 12:2-13, we read the account of David who is faced with the gravity of his sin and repents of it before God and Nathan. The principle and act of repentance is key. Putting down the desires of our corrupt heart, turning around and running in the direction of the will of God is a must. Through the work of the God-Man and the power of the Holy Spirit, as a follower of Christ you have everything you need to find health (2 Peter 1:3).

Don’t Go At It Alone

Discovering the junk in your spiritual junk drawer and repenting of it are great principles to pursue. But finding restoration cannot be a solo effort. That’s why discipleship is something we as your pastors are so passionate about. Moses had Aaron and Hur, David had Nathan, Jesus had the twelve and Paul had Timothy and Barnabas. We must live life on life with intentionality, accountability, encouragement, guidance, support, etc. Discipleship is woven throughout God’s plan. If Christians don’t have those relationships in their lives, I believe it’s incredibly difficult to experience lasting spiritual growth and even more difficult to find restoration from the junk in our drawers.

Additionally if “your stuff” warrants the care of a professional – get help. From Christian counselors to other mental health proffesionals – there is nothing wrong with getting help. I’ve had the opportunity to experience this type of care in my own life and it has been incredibly helpful. Paired with Christian discipleship relationships – it has allowed me to get to a place of health I could never have gotten to on my own.

Make Time for Solitude

Solitude isn’t just being still before the Lord. It can be unplugging and disconnecting from the worries and responsibilities of your life and plugging into what the Lord desires you to hear. Do you ever just sit and listen to God? Often hear nothing? Even though Psalm 46:10 and a host of others tell us to be still before the Lord it can be frustrating. Like other spiritual disciplines, it takes time to develop. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, even though He was the God-Man, we see Him pray all the time. Even in the moments leading up to his betrayal, His desire to pray and spend time with the Father was of incredible importance. We would be wise to include similar disciplines in our own life as we navigate the junk in our drawers. Listening to worship music, praying, meditation, journaling and yes…silence can all provide much needed solitude.

Ensure Your Spiritual Diet Includes God’s Word

Although often stated and maybe even assumed, it’s worth mentioning because we often read everything else but Scripture. The Bible is God’s word to us. From Genesis to Revelation, it is all His inspired word. Reading the Bible consistently will provide direction and correction amidst the challenges of life (Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:16)

As you continue down the path in pursuit of spiritual growth and health keep in mind it is a lifelong process. Change takes time and depending on the junk in your drawer, it might take a long time. The great news is as a Christ follower you have everything you need. Lean on those within your Life Group and those within your community, your family the Avenue.

I believe God has much in store for us this coming year. May we be a people who know Him more, rely on Him more and follow Him more every day.

Filed Under: Advent, Pastors Blog Tagged With: discipleship, healing, principles, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth

Advent- Responding to Hope

December 15, 2011 By Orion Leave a Comment

Many stories in scripture introduce to us a person that plays a small roll in the story and then as quickly as they come they are gone from the text. Simeon and Anna are two individuals that come and then vanish from the text completely. But although their part in the story does not continue to be told it does go on. Just as we may not be playing a role in the story of Christmas in Luke, however we are part of God’s story. We are part of His redemptive plan. He has come to bring us back to Himself and He will come again to bring it to completion.

When I look at the faith of Simeon and Anna I am encouraged. So many times in scripture and in life people make horrible decisions. Much of the time on this planet we do not believe God, and His promises. The situation they found themselves in was a nation that is not just expecting but longing for a messiah like a past due pregnant mother longs to give birth for relief. They were ready!

Anna was ready, she believed and played a tiny but significant role in the story as a herald of the messiah’s coming. She believed! Oh how I would see God where He is.

It’s difficult to imagine how Simeon dealt with the rising anticipation, we do know that he held fast to the promise. When the Spirit pressed, “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26), Simeon was not passive but sprung into action:
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” LUKE 2:27-32

Oh, that you and I would wait this well, that we – this season – would rise in agreement,
hold our breath, and let out a hopeful cry!

Are you like Simeon and Anna? Do you find hope in the promises of God?

Individual or Family Devotion:

Read Isaiah 9:1-7

In this passage the Prophet Isaiah speaks about the Savior Whom had been promised, the One for Whom the people of God were waiting.

Ask everyone if they understood the passage or if there are any words that they do not understand?

Who are the people who walked in darkness?

What is the great light that they see?

Why are these people so excited?

In verses 4-7 there are many promises made about this messiah. What are some of them?

How do you think the children of Israel felt about this promise?

Ask each person if they are waiting for God to answer any prayers? What does this time of waiting like? How sweet will it be when God does answer them?

Filed Under: Advent, Pastors Blog Tagged With: advent, Anna, Christmas, Hope, Jesus, Simeon

Advent: Expectations

December 8, 2011 By Orion 2 Comments

What is advent?

Advent officially begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, however we had Chili Bowl and were still getting over our Thanksgiving activities. So this year we decided to hold off a week. But we have begun recognizing the season of Advent. Advent which means “coming” or “arrival” is the time of year in which Christians from many different denominations and theologies celebrate the coming of Christ, and the accomplishment of God’s promises in Christ. We also look at the past faithfulness of God and that causes us to be even more eager in our anticipation of Christ’s return. For more on what Advent is check out Jeff’s post here “Happy Advent Season”

Advent Traditions

There are many different ways in which to celebrate Advent. Traditions range from opening a new window each day on a Chocolate Advent Calendar to weekly lighting a Advent Candle Wreath. In whatever tradition you might observe the point of each is to intensify the observation of the season both by frequently thinking of the meaning of Advent and to have a growing expectancy to the moment in which we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ.

Observing Advent This Week.

Sunday the sermon was about raising our expectations for Advent. We talked about a few characters (Mary, Shepherds, Wise Men, Herrod) that had their expectations dashed because of what God wanted to accomplish through them. (click here to listen to that message) Please take some time to use this post as a devotional for your family or to get together with a friend over coffee. I want so badly for us to get all the God has for us in this season. Will you join me?

1.)This week have you found some time to observe Advent? If so in what ways were you able to escape the busyness of the Christmas Season?

2.)Think about and jot some things down that you place your expectations in? What happens when those expectations get dashed?

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world – C.S. Lewis

3.)If you expect created things to be a source of joy for you. What do you think it will take for you to exchange those things for the real source Jesus Christ who is able to give you not only true joy but to meet every need that you have.

4.)When we see every one of God’s promises come true it boosts our confidence that Jesus will be faithful and true to our in our own lives. How can we remember God’s faithfulness to us? How should we celebrate that?

If you have kids reading the story of Christmas in Luke 2:1-20 is a great idea. Be sure if you read this with your children to ask them if there was anything confusing about the passage. I also like to emphasize how many things God had to put in place to make this story happen and He did this because He loves us so much that He wanted to show us His love by sending Jesus to earth to live a completely obedient life and die in our place so that we would not have the consequences of our sins held against us.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Filed Under: Advent, Pastors Blog

“Hi, i’m one of the Pastors here”

November 19, 2011 By Orion 2 Comments

I have long waited for the day that I can say, “Hi , I am one of the pastors here at The Avenue.” I’ve longed for the opportunity to introduce myself as “one of the pastors.” You might wonder, “Why would Orion want to share his role?”

Well, it isn’t because I am overworked and need help (although getting a hand in some areas will be nice.)

Nor is it because it looks more legit on the website.

It is because I want Christ’s bride (the church) to look just like God wants her to look. And I am certain that God’s Word teaches that there should be multiple Elders/Pastors in the church. (Acts 15:6, Acts 20, Titus1:5, 1 Peter 5)

Growth for The Avenue

I’m beyond excited for our church. Raising up another pastor/elder means growth is happening. It means that everyone in our church can look to God’s evidence in our new pastor/elder and know that if God uses him – he can use you too! Recognizing an elder in the church serves as a litmus test for what God is up to among our people. It’s a great way for me to see that God is definitely on the move, and not only growing our leadership – but growing our church, too.

Sometimes growth hurts a bit – just like those pains you used to get in your legs as a kid that prevented sleep or play. Yet with any growing pains come a sweet reward, like when your legs were finally long enough to dunk a basketball (less than 1% of 7 billion people can dunk)… or reach the petals of your first car. I have no doubt God is on the move, and maturing us, growing us, in many different ways.

God Makes Pastors.

Last week I spoke about Christ being in us. John 15:5 says “…Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” I have said it before, but it is worth repeating: “We don’t make pastors, we simply recognize who God has made to be an overseer.” As we abide in Him and are obedient to His leading, we see blessings and growth. And my friends, that is the source of my joy today.

This Sunday, we will be setting in a man who is of high quality and character. I am honored to serve with Danny Burns. Lest I puff him up too much, Danny is nothing without Christ. He would be the first to tell you that. Danny is a man after God’s own heart. He holds an open hand toward the right things, so that God can change them as He chooses; and He closes his hand tightly over the essential doctrines of scripture. Danny is humble, thoughtful, and wise beyond his years. He models faith in his work, life and family (as pastor/elders are called to do.) As our team has worked with Danny more and more over the past several months, we’ve been excited.

Although we are a team, Danny and I will continue to serve God and the church in the way that God has gifted us. Similar to how a marriage partnership works – she does some stuff, he does others, and then together you knock out a few tasks. The same will work among our pastor/elders. Danny and I may share some roles, and in other ways we will have distinct roles. We will constantly be communicating our roles to the church. Danny will continue to be on staff at Fellowship of Christian Athletes where he is also serving in ministry. I will continue giving my full attention and time to leading The Avenue. Danny and I would love your prayers as we (as under shepherds) follow our Chief Shepherd.

Filed Under: Avenue Church Updates, Pastors Blog, The Avenue Church Tagged With: danny burns, eldership, pastor, vision