Tithing? Woo-hoo! The perfect sermon series for Church growth! The sermon series that will generate untold buzz around the community that will bring people flocking to Grace! The sermon series in which people will make countless phone calls and write countless emails inviting friends and family to come!

Not.

Grace’s Executive Pastor, Mark Lingerman, and I had discussions about tithing. Then we both wrote articles for Grace’s monthly periodical. One of our Elders had talked about the need for discipleship when it came to tithing.  And seeds from those discussions began to sprout in me. A couple in our small group, after having read the periodical, said to me, “Jarrod, I hope we’re not stepping out of bounds to share this. But when you start praying through a future sermon series’, maybe think about tithing.”

(Insert Twilight Zone theme song here).

The following week, again in our small group, I shared my fleshly hesitancy to preach a sermon on tithing, much less a series. Then a new believer in our group said to me, “Jarrod, if you know something that will draw me closer to the heart of Jesus, you have to tell me.”

Um, wow…

That basically did it.  Still, the following Sunday, I took two sermons with me into the Worship Center. One was a sermon from the “Envision” series out of Nehemiah, and the other was the tithing sermon.  As I stood before the people I knew the Lord wanted me to trust Him and launch us onto a journey about money, tithing, and giving.  I didn’t have a title for the sermon, much less the series.  I had a video clip I was going to use with the Nehemiah sermon, but instead used it for the tithing sermon and launch of the series. As I began to preach, I choked up with tears. And I said, “My fear is that you will miss out on God’s pleasure by not tithing and giving for the glory of Christ and His work.” I don’t know where the tears came from, nor the words (though I think it’s safe to say, the Holy Spirit), but I meant every word and still do.

And the series right then and there became entitled, “God’s Pleasure.”

We are 3 weeks into the series ( I had to leave for the last two weeks but kept the series in front of our people by way of video and Grace family testimonies). I have no idea how long the series would be. I’m still not sure. But it’s like a mini-revival is happening in the hearts of the Grace fam. We are growing into “fully devoted followers of Jesus”, and we’re experiencing God’s pleasure. Yes, our giving/tithing has gone up. But what excites me is that it’s not a one time call to give that people are responding to. Rather, it’s a response to the gospel and giving/tithing becoming part one’s DNA. A lifestyle of worship…

I’ve gotten some emails in response to the series. The following clip of a recent email sums it up best.

“What an even greater privilege and joy it will be for our family to offer the first and best we receive from God because He gave the first and best He had, His Son.  Thank you!”

Are you experiencing God’s pleasure through tithing and giving to your local church and missions? Don’t miss out on God’s pleasure.

I’ve asked the question of myself and our people: “Are we motorboating or sailboating?” In other words, are we the ones doing what we think God wants us to do–steering the boat, determining the speed, etc.  Or, are we seeking, listening, and responding to the Lord’s direction—raising the sails and God blowing His Spirit wind in the direction He wants us to go and at the speed He wants us to go.

We desire to be a “sailboating” Church. In other words, we want to be a praying Church, a pleading Church sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit among us. And when we sense His movement among us, we want to work at raising more sails, turning the sails, patching the sails, or whatever needs to be done to move along with God’s Spirit.

Now think of your life.  Are you motorboating? Or sailboating?  Are you doing what God wants you to do, are you being who God wants you to be, and experiencing His blessing and joy (sailboating)? Or are you doing what you want to do and asking God to bless it (motorboating)?

I invite you to join me, my fam, and Grace.  Throw the motorboat keys over the side.  And pray up the sails.

As I’ve rejoiced over her today, Proverbs 17:22 came to mind. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 17:22)

I was single until I was 31 years old.  And at about 24 years old, I didn’t want to be single anymore. So a 7 year haul was before me! And for 7 years, I prayed, and even fasted, and waited, for my future wife. But that’s not all. I “looked” for her too. During those years, I kept my eyes open. And frankly, to “find a wife” was like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

In my early twenties, I had mistaken a strand of hay for being the needle. That was rough. It happened while I wasn’t following Jesus. Beware of the enemy and sinful desires in you. A hay-strand can look like the needle.  Even more dangerous is that you can convince yourself that a hay-strand is the needle. Beware.  (Sorry. I’ve taken the whole hay and needle thing farther than originally planned :)).

If you’re single, and God has given you the desire to be married, start looking and keep looking. Not desperately… (it’s a needle in the haystack, not a kitten in the haystack. (Sorry again…)).

The Scripture says, “He who FINDS a wife…”, not “He who waits on a wife,” or “He to whom God brings a wife…”. It’s not spiritual to pray and wait upon the Lord to bring you your wife (or ladies, your husband). It’s spiritual to “find” them!

Although I didn’t meet Christie on a blind date, I was a fan of blind dates.  I had some catastrophic experiences on blind dates, sure. But hey, you never know what God is up to in those situations, and what He may have to teach all parties involved. And besides, they make for great blogs.

I suppose you can “find” something (and someone) without looking for it. There are testimonies out there where people were not thinking of marriage, only to meet someone, and… the rest is history.  But I’m thinking that is more the exception.  I don’t buy the whole “when you’re content you’ll meet ‘the one’” thing, as if that means we’re to be so content with being single that we no longer have the desire to be married. We’re to be content in Christ, yes. In that contentment though can be holy desires, such as the desire to married, and to be a parent. Those desires, surrendered and entrusted to Christ, are God’s way of keeping our eyes open to what He has for us… like a spouse.

For those of you who are unmarried, there’s the chance that you’re looking for what’s (or “who’s” rather) standing right beside you.  Kind of like searching for your sunglasses when their sitting on your head.   I hear stories all the time about someone who was friends with someone for years and then one day, the eyes are opened, and there he or she is, and has been all along. God does that type of thing too.I wondered often if that would be the case with me someday. It sure would have made things easier.

And then there are the times that what you’ve been looking for shows up in an unexpected place.  Kind of like when I was looking for a certain brand of toothpaste (even at Target and Wal-Mart) to no avail, and then one day buying gas at “Crump’s Gas and Grocery” and there it is!  I would never have believed I would meet my wife in Bethel, CT.

And to “find” a wife is to “find” a good thing…. That is the understatement of the year, it seems. Albeit, Jesus is the best thing. So I guess my wife would be the “good thing.”  Christie has been so good to me, and good for me. God has made His grace alive to me through Christie’s love and patience. He’s also made me holier b/c of her.  So true the cliche’ that marriage isn’t for happiness, but for holiness… and joyfulness.

I have indeed “obtained favor from the Lord.” When I gaze at my wife, I gaze at flesh & blood favor from the Lord to me. The thought that she’s “God’s favor to me” actually helps keep me accountable and empowered to treat His “favor,” His “gift,” with tenderness, care, love, appreciation, and gratitude. Indeed, when I married Christie I looked into her eyes before a crowd of people and repeated the words, “Christie, I vow to love Jesus more than you so that I will love you the way you deserve.”

So here’s some advice for those who want to be married:

1) Pray and Fast for your future spouse before the Lord

2) Surrender all your desires and affections to to the Lord

3) Love Jesus “more” now so that you will love Him (Jesus) more than your spouse in the future… and thereby loving him or her the way he or she deserves.

4) Go on blind dates

I’m in this with you. I have found myself in meditation, reflection, and prayer this week asking the Lord Jesus if He’s bored with my life. I’ve asked if He’s bored with my family. And I’ve asked if He’s bored with the Church He’s called me to Pastor, Grace Community (due to my potential “boring” leadership)?  Does my life, and the Church that He’s entrusted to me, keep Him on the edge of His seat in suspense to see what Spirit-led, crazy God-dependent, risk and sacrifice that I, my family, and Grace, is going to take for His glory and the sake of the lost and broken?

Is your life keeping Jesus on the edge of His seat?

Or is He bored with us?

God have mercy….

My final thoughts following Bama is about how excited and thankful I am to be pastoring Grace Community Church, Washingtonville, NY.  I greatly enjoyed Bama, but my thoughts and prayers were not far from the Grace family.  While in Bama, I would reflect at different times of the day about what the staff would be doing, who was meeting, what small groups that I knew about were happening.  The Sunday I was away, I was praying for Matt as he preached, Ryan as he led worship, and all of the staff and volunteers who were laying it on the line to welcome people with the joy of Christ and the hope of Christ, whether they were parking cars, greeting at the doors, tidying up the bathrooms, stocking the cafe, or brewing the coffee.

I thought about the new friendships God has granted Christie, me, and the boys with other families at Grace.  And how thankful I am for those friendships. They are growing more dear to us by the week. I got emails and texts from some of those friends while in Bama encouraging my heart in Christ.  The friendship connection and intimacy didn’t happen overnight in Alabama, and neither will it here. But I delight in the journey with these new friends as God draws us closer to Himself and to each other.

I compare my relationship with Grace Community Church with my relationship with Christie after we first met.  With Christie, right after we met, I knew that God had brought us together. I proposed to her three months later. I loved her. I was committed to her.  At the same time, we had a lot of growing together in that love and commitment. It was beautiful at times, rocky at times, scarey at times. But God was in it, He sustained us, and we’re having a blast. It’s the very same with Grace Community Church.

I reflected on how God is moving so powerfully at Grace.  People being saved by God’s grace through faith. People growing in Christ and repenting of sin. The love and warmth and joy that is sensed so powerfully among us.  Indeed, that is the testimony we hear often… how loving and warm and accepting the people of Grace are, and that we preach the word and give glory to Christ! The growth that God is granting us has been overwhelming–literally. As I shared a few Sundays ago. It’s as if God is blowing His Spirit’s wind into our sails, and we’re working hard raising sails, lowering sails, shifting sails, and so forth trying to keep up! Growing pains are just that–pain. But a glorious pain.

Wherever God is moving powerfully, that is where I want to be.  And God has gifted me that opportunity. I reflected on how I’ve prayed for years that God would bring revival in the Northeast and if he would allow me to be a part of it I would be honored. I prayed that if God called me to pastor, that I wouldn’t have to tell anyone, that I would never have to send out a resume’, that He would drop it in my lap, and that He would send me to the Northeast (Read about “The Journey To Grace” here). God answered that prayer spot-on.  And I believe in my heart He is going to answer my pleas, and the pleas of Grace, to bring revival to Orange County, the Northeast and beyond. I truly, truly, do.  Prayed specifically for it with the Elders and staff at 6:30am today.

Following Bama, I was reminded of how much I missed friends and family. It was the first time I had slowed down long enough to let it settle in. At the same time, I was affirmed of how thrilled and overjoyed I am to be the Lead Pastor of Grace Community Church, Washingtonville, NY. And as we departed Bama, I could not wait to hit the ground running back into God’s work here.

Greater things have yet to come….

(The gang from top left to right-  Chris and Rachel Callahan, Christen and Ryan Sparks, Ashely and David Spurling, Greg Blevins, Chuck Andrews. From bottom left to right–me and Christie, Julie Blevins, Lydia Andrews.)

I miss my Bama friends, specifically our former church “small group.”  We did life together with four to five couples for seven straight years.  We laughed together. We cried together. We studied Scripture together. We prayed together. We served one another. We vacationed together at times. We had our share of conflicts.  When our group began seven years ago it was just us couples and no kids. Seven years later, there is a brood of 16 kids among us! We were family. We were loyal to each other, and to our Church family as a whole, no matter what. We held each other accountable. We experienced community in Christ in the deepest sense of the word. It wasn’t uncommon for our Thursday nights to end at 1:00am.

……………………

(Only experienced campers will know what this picture means! (From left to right: David Spurling, Greg Blevins, Your’s truly, and Chuck Andrews.))

The fellas and I had a yearly camp outing to a self-named place, “Privy Point.”   Most of them were hunters. I’m a reader. So they’d hunt. I’d read, and stoke the fire.  I feel feminine sharing that. But I read and stoked the fire in a primitive, manly, way. :)  I’ve laughed to the point of nearly throwing up with these guys. We made commitments to one another to display to each others sons what it looked like to be a man, and a godly man. We shared good times, bad times, played horse shoes, shot guns, dogged each other out, shared personal, marriage, and parenting struggles, talked about Jesus, Scripture, and prayed together.  And what the girls did while we were at Privy remains a mystery to me to this very day.

Then there’s Chuck and Lydia Andrews.  Years ago, early in our relationship, we committed to spend time with each other one night a month.  We connected to hang out and let our kids play together. But after the kids were put to bed, we got into the hard stuff. We asked each spouse questions about how we felt our marriages were going, the struggles we had with each other, the conflicts that seemingly couldn’t get resolved.  There was an encouraged green-light between us all that we could ask the hard questions and give honest answers. We shared our deepest hurts and fears about work, finances, marriage, parenting, life, and family. We prayed together and talked about the hope of Jesus in all that we faced. Those nights sometimes lasted into the very wee hours of the morning.

It was great reconnecting with the gang while we were home. They are all doing well and have a couple of new families in the group, and more kids on the way!! Wow. I’m kind of glad we’re out of there (J/K).  Christie and I rejoiced that they haven’t skipped a beat, and we all still feel like family.  Indeed, they are missed. I was originally going on mission to try and get them all to move to NY to be a part of the Grace Church family. They would fit in so well to the same kind of community and joy of our Church.  But they would leave a gaping hole in our former church back home, and in many other lives. So… I’ve let them off the hook.

1) I love and miss my family.

It was such a joy to be with my mom, dad, sister, brother-n-law, and nieces.  My family is crazy and hilarious. Dad and I have the same goofy sense of humor so we kept each other rolling. My sister, Tyree, unveiled to me the “I’m on a horse” Old Spice Commercial which has forever changed my life. And my niece, Mattie, has picked up a double-portion of my and her Poppy’s humor. She too made my face hurt laughing with her self-choreographed dance and song of “Poppy’s baby, Poppy’s Baby, Poppy’s Baby.” I know you readers don’t have a clue of what I’m talking about… and it will need to stay that way lest you have us all committed, or at the least call Dr. Phil.

Though it was good to be back in NY, it was very, very tough leaving the fam. Tears. Josiah cried for his Mimi later that night when he went to bed. That, my friend, was a bummer. Tidbit (our chihuahua) was manically happy to see us so that helped a bit. But we miss our fam.

Like a broken record, I urge them to move to NY. Because it’s beautiful here. And NYC is an hour-ish away. And because Boston is only few hours up the road. And because Grace Community Church rocks. And because we’re here. Sounds convincing to me.

More to come later….

It’s my off day–Monday. I’m supposed to be unplugged from technology. But following the Easter Services this weekend, it’s hard to stay “off.”  I want to testify to His goodness and answer to our pleas. My heart is full over how God moved so powerfully this weekend through Grace.  We took over the Washingtonville, HS auditorium Friday night and Sunday morn expecting God to do something special. And He surely did.

To put this in perspective, I have reflected that this happened in the Northeast. Even Grace members have shared with me that Orange County, NY feels “dark and oppressed” spiritually. I have sensed this, and that’s why I love it here. I have a vision and dream of one day Orange County, indeed all of the North East, worshiping Christ. A dear brother shared with me (a brother who was saved from drug addiction and is now a radical follower of Jesus) that he pleads for the day Orange County will be the next Bible belt! Ha (I’m not sure that will be a good thing though, being from the Bible belt :)).

USA Today reported in an article a year or two ago that New England is the “most godless” place in the Country. I don’t think Orange County, NY is considered part of New England, but we’re neighbors. And again, I think the Grace crowd will agree that we’re on par with the same.

That is why I rejoice to testify to God’s answer to our pleas and His favor on the work of our hands, that Grace Community Church’s Easter Weekend had close to 2000 people in attendance. Sunday morning 80+ people , young and old, repented of sin and gave their lives to the resurrected Christ. I put the “+” sign by the 80 because our deacons and others shared that with all the people responding to the gospel, they “lost count”!

I love that, especially in light that the Revelation 1 glorified Jesus was preached and not some fluffy feel good, easy believism, “gospel.” I have always refused that temptation, and by God’s grace, I always will. And God has always honored it.

I heard we had 4 people embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior at the 7:00am Sunrise Service (lead out by our Pastor of Connections, Matt Reed)!! When does that ever happen??? Why would any North Easterner unbeliever go to a 7:00am Sunrise Service? Answer: God’s divine appointment, and God’s favor.

I don’t know the words of appreciation that I can come up with for the volunteer staff that took on the coordinating of other volunteer staff. The number of volunteers that took Friday through Sunday to load and unload rental trucks of equipment and resources… the off-duty Grace police-officers and volunteers who helped lead traffic in and out, along with the volunteer workers who worked in the parking lots… the Kid’s ministry teachers, all the teenagers serving, all the greeters that left no visitor unloved and undirected, all the deacons who labored wherever they were needed…. and the volunteers who just jumped in and served wherever there was a need… All were just flat out amazing. When people love Jesus and commit their lives to the vision God has given to a local body of believers, the impossible unfolds.

The Grace team–the staff. Words can’t express what the team has laid on the line to make the services happen with excellence and glory to God. Blood, sweat, and literally… tears. The hours, the prep, the labor, the coordinating, the pleading with God for strength, for help, for provision  (and this is on top of the challenges and changes we’ve faced in trying to keep up with growth and ministry needs in the day in and day out of ministry). I love them all dearly. It’s an honor, a joy, a privilege, and a thrill to labor in the gospel closely with them.

Yes, God moved. The staff and volunteers who stepped up with their time and sweat… all with a passion for Christ, and a passion “To Reach Orange County for Christ and to make Fully Devoted Followers of Jesus.”

And the prayer warriors. Those who fasted before God, and pleaded with God, in private and within groups that He would be glorified, that the gospel would ring out, and that many would flock to Him for salvation. The pleas that went on for weeks. And the groups that came and prayer-walked the school grounds, the school halls, the school classrooms (and even bathrooms!)… wow. God heard… and God moved.

What a resurrection day!  And now comes the Grace Women’s Conference this weekend. Our Grace Women’s Conference was moved to the High School and tickets were SOLD OUT nearly two weeks ago, and has a waiting list to boot.  The HS auditorium can only sit 753 people. So 753 women will come to hear the gospel, be discipled, and be empowered. The Grace volunteers and prayer warriors for this is just plain stunning….

God will continue to move as we glorify Him, preach the gospel, plead with Him, love each other, and stay committed to the vision to “Reach Orange County for Christ and make fully devoted followers of Jesus.”

This favor of God shown us Easter weekend was not a destination whatsoever, but another marker (albeit a big one) as we seek Christ, and labor to see O.C. NY’ers worship Jesus.

Greater things are yet to come… in this County, into NYC, and into the world…

Woo-hoo!

jj

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It happened on April Fool’s day my eighth grade year of Middle school.   Before school most of my friends would hang out by the outside doors of the gym.  As I was walking toward my posse they were all chuckling and looking at me. My first thought was “zip up.” But all was well there.  I walked up to them and said, “What’s up? What’s so funny?”  My best friend at the time, Lance, pulled out from behind his back an egg.  He slammed it onto my head.  I stood in shock.  I leaned my head over to catch the egg goop as it ran off my head.  But there was no goop.  Lance had pulled a glorious April Fool’s joke on me. The egg was boiled.

Once I shook off my instinct to pummel him I laughed and thought it was the funniest thing ever.  Then he took out another egg.  I was putty in his hands. I said, “Let me get somebody.” He gladly handed the egg over.

I was waiting for my other friends to come by. But none ever showed.  The first warning bell rang.  I didn’t want to miss out on the prank. I had to pull it on somebody pronto.  Most everyone had made their way to class except for me, Lance, and three or four of our friends.  The last kid to walk toward the door was a sixth grader hobbling on crutches and barely hanging on to his books under his arms.

I walked up to him and said, “Hey, would you like an egg?” Then I slammed the egg on top of his head just like Lance did me.  Problem:  This was a raw egg.

As the egg yoke ran down his face he looked at me in horror. I was speechless. I spun around and Lance was foaming at the mouth he was laughing so hard. My friends had taken off running trying to contain themselves.  I chased Lance around the building as the final bell rang.

Out of breath I decided to simply go surrender myself to the Principal and accept my fate. Consequences were inevitable. I walked into his office and confessed the whole thing.  As my story unfolded it was all my Principal could do to suppress his laughter.

Surprisingly the kid had yet to come to the office. I had a hunch he was in the hall bathroom by the office. Sure enough there he stood propped on his crutches swishing water over his face and head.  I felt so ashamed.  You should have seen me wetting paper towels and helping him clean egg off his face while he slapped at my hand as if it were a gnat.  I rambled on about how Lance had set me up, that he (the kid) was my last chance to pull the prank, and so forth. I told him I’d be his body guard the rest of the year.   He looked at me with fire in his eyes. You couldn’t blame him.

Unfortunately, I am still just as gullible.  Pranks pulled on me aren’t a difficult task. Actually I think fewer pranks are pulled on me now because it’s just plain boring. I’m too gullible, too easy a target.

It’s one thing to be an easy target for innocent pranks. It is an entirely different issue to be gullible in sexual temptation.  Upon further thought, gullible may be too soft a word.  Naïve is more like it.  To commend your emotions and issues to a woman outside of your marriage is a travesty. To entrust your heart and purity to just any woman before marriage can bring brokenness and regret.  It’s plain naïve.

Don’t be gullible.