Just a few days ago I was sitting on a quiet spot on a beautiful beach in Boca Raton, FL.  With my toes in the sand and the sun on my skin, I watched and listened to the waves crashing against the shore.  I found myself overwhelmed.  Nature grabs my attention every time, but there is something extra special about the ocean.  The ocean is so vast, so powerful, and so majestic… and the craziest thing is, that all that one observes from the beach is just a small part of what the ocean is.  Beneath the surface, there exist more wonderful and amazing sights than I could even begin to try and describe. 

I love the ocean.  In the years that my family lived in south Florida, the beach became more for me than a place to go and play or relax.  The ocean took a piece of my heart; it became my place of deepest connection with the Creator… and sitting there a few days ago on that beach, not much had changed.  I got to thinking about how much I love the ocean, and how God called me to Hot Springs, AR, to lead this congregation of Christ-followers.  As you can imagine, God and I had a little talk.  As I gazed out over a spectacular view of the horizon, I said something like, “Hey God… I love this so much!  Thank You for creating this beautiful moment.  And… well… You KNOW how much I love the ocean, so why did you call me to Arkansas to be a Lead Pastor?  In case you haven’t noticed, Lord, there is no ocean anywhere near Hot Springs.”  Before anyone gets me wrong, let me clarify that I really love Hot Springs, and have no doubt that Oaklawn is where God has called my family and me.  I wasn’t complaining at all, just trying to understand the deep connection that I have with the ocean, and the passion I feel for it.  And God answered me… not a loud, booming, voice but in a whisper to my heart, “I want you to love the ocean more than anyone else.” 

Really?  That’s the answer?  What do you do with an answer like that?  Is this one of those “absence makes the heart grow fonder” things?  You know what I realized?  Wherever I am, my love for the ocean is with me.  Everywhere I go, the ocean is there because, as it took a piece of my heart, it filled up that piece with itself.  And as much as I love the creation… I can love the ocean more than anyone else does… but the love the Creator has for me is deeper and wider and even more spectacular than the ocean!  Realizing this makes my love for God grow into the kind of love He deserves – the kind of love where He takes more and more of my heart, and fills that place with more and more of who He is!

Come, let's shout praises to God, raise the roof for the Rock who saved us! Let's march into his presence singing praises, lifting the rafters with our hymns! And why? Because God is the best, High King over all the gods. In one hand he holds deep caves and caverns, in the other hand grasps the high mountains. He made Ocean - he owns it! His hands sculpted Earth! So come, let us worship: bow before him, on your knees before God, who made us! –Psalm 95:1-6(Msg)

May the Creator overwhelm you with His presence, and may you go deeper and deeper into all that He is.  BE blessed and BE loved.

I want to introduce my friend, Debi, to everyone (Everyone: "Hi Debi!").  Debi is a member of the Oaklawn family.  She takes part in the sermon every week, she is up on everything happening with the congregation, and she knows a number of our growing tribe my name.  Here's the twist - we are in Hot Springs, AR... Debi lives in Michigan.

No, she doesn't make the long drive every week to attend worship gatherings, and no, she doesn't participate regularly in our Community Groups.  Every week, Debi goes to the podcast page on our congregation's website, and listens to the weekly teaching/sermon.  Debi keeps up with the happenings via the website, newsletter, and my blog.  She calls Oaklawn "her church" and she calls me "her pastor" (which blesses my face off by the way!).

This week, Debi broke her hip and had to have surgery.  When I got the info, I gave her a call.  It didn't seem strange at all to me when she answered and I said, "Hi Debi, this is your pastor."  I don't think it sounded strange at all to her either.  She IS a member of this congregation of Christ-followers and I am her pastor.  How cool is that?

Could this be "church" in the future?  The reality is that this is "church" for more people than Debi now.  People are going online and "joining churches" the way they used to turn on the TV and "partner with ministries."  I, myself, listen to the weekly sermon podcasts of two of my favorite preachers.  In a way, I consider myself a part of their ministries... but then my view of "church" is that there is only one anyway.

What do you think about being an "online member" of a congregation?

Amber wrote "Frayed" based on a sermon I preached on how life can be like denim - torn, stained, and frayed.

Everybody come out and support Amber and Raechel... and Java!  I'll be there, sending out tweets and perhaps even blogging... oh, and drinking coffee and eating gelato!