Space, Singing & Salvation

19 01 2012

What do all three of those have in common?  Well, I’m SO glad you asked, because at Element Church they are all VERY connected.  Let’s take this in order of appearance:

Space — God is continuing to bless our church with new people and continued growth.  Back in October we made the decision to launch our fourth worship experience on Sunday’s at 6 PM to help with a space issue at that time.  We launched that 4th service, people went to it, it’s been consistently steady, and now we’ve filled up the space it alleviated in the morning.  We had 35 empty chairs this past Sunday in our 10 AM service, and overall we had our SECOND HIGHEST non holiday attendance EVER!  That 10 AM service was beyond comfort level full.  That is AMAZING and I LOVE seeing that happen.  However, that is also the most popular service for new people to attend here at Element Church.  This past Sunday we had one first time guest (FTG) in first service, SEVEN in second service, six in third service and three at 6 PM.  That number usually indicates families, not just individuals, and those are only ones who filled out a card.  Bottom line, we need people who attend our 10 AM service and call Element Church home, to consider choosing to attend our 8:30 am service or 6 PM service.  This will help create SPACE at our optimal inviting hour…10 AM.  WE NEED SPACE!

Singing —  We’re starting something new this Sunday in our 6 PM service.  Because we aren’t as limited on time in that service as we are in the morning, we’re adding some time of worship through singing on Sunday evening.  If you are someone who is looking for MORE singing…MORE worship, then 6 PM service might be a GREAT option for you AND you can help give us some more SPACE on Sunday morning in the process too.  (Side Note:  We also serve freshly popped popcorn on Sunday evenings.)  Sunday evening is a GREAT opportunity to serve Sunday morning during one of our experiences, and attend Sunday night.  I challenge you to try it out!

Salvation —  This is what it’s ALL about!  We are about helping people experience LIFE to it’s fullest in CHRIST!  If you attend Element Church, you know that most every Sunday we offer people a chance to say “YES” to Jesus and accept Him as their personal Savior.  Seats = souls and souls is what God’s after!  At least that’s how I see it.  Every available seat we have, is a seat available for someone to hear about Jesus.  We are in this if only for the ONE!  I know that the 10 AM service is popular with MANY of our regular Elementers…I’m just asking, would you at least consider choosing some more singing at 6 PM, or choose to get up a little bit earlier on a Sunday so that we can create MORE space to reach MORE people for Jesus?

Element Church, I LOVE you guys and count it an HONOR to serve with you.  KEEP inviting people, KEEP bringing people, KEEP serving people, KEEP attending, KEEP worshiping, KEEP giving to GOD, and GOD will bring the harvest!

Till the end,

Jeff


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Categories : Element Church, Updates, Worship

FREE Financial Learning Experience (FLE)

17 01 2012

Coming up this Monday night, January 23rd at 6:30 PM, we are offering a FREE Financial Learning Experience (FLE) with Joe Sangl.  Joe, in my opinion, is THE BEST communicator and teacher out there on money management!

The reason we are offering this is, as I say in nearly ever sermon we do on money, we don’t want something FROM you we want something FOR you.  The FLE is a high energy, fun event where Joe will walk you through some very simple and strategic money management techniques.  Whether you are LOST financially, or even if you’re doing pretty good, you will benefit from Joe’s teaching.  If you put into practice the principles Joe teaches, you will see a MAJOR effect on your financial situation.

We are also taking away excuses for this event.  Not only is the event FREE, but we are also offering FREE childcare for you and your family.  There is NO reason why you should not be attending this event.  I’ve been to it three times before, and I’m going again!  You can sign up online by going HERE or at Community Central on Sunday morning.

When:  Monday, January 23rd at 6:30 PM

Where:  Element Church (600 E. Carlson, Cheyenne)

Who:  ANYONE

Why:  To live out God’s BEST for us in money management, REGARDLESS of income potential.

How:  Sign up HERE online or at Community Central at Element Church on Sunday.


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Categories : Community, Element Church, Finances, Updates

Sunday Ruminations (1-15-12)

16 01 2012

AWESOME day at Element Church today!  Took on a deep subject and hope that God brought healing and wholeness to those who sought it.  Here are my ruminations on the day.

—  TONS of hands went up today asking for prayer to deal with unresolved conflict, unreconciled relationships, hurt or pain in their life.  Maybe I shouldn’t be, but was shocked at how many people acknowledged that.  Praying for forgiveness, healing and hope.

—  We are SLAMMED today in second service.  Literally running out of chairs.  This is AMAZING but it also brings a problem.  2nd service is BY FAR our most popular service to attend for new comers to Element.  It would be a TRAGEDY for someone to come to church and not have a seat available for them, OR feel so uncomfortable squeezing everyone in that they don’t come back.

—  We want to have as MANY seats available at our most POPULAR time to attend church.  In order to do that, we need some people who call Element Church “home” to consider moving to first or fourth service (8:30 AM & 6 PM).  Next Sunday (January 22nd) we are going to be extending our time of worship in fourth service.  Since we don’t have any time limitations at 6 PM, we are going to add some more time of singing to God in praise.  If more worship is something you are seeking, fourth service is a GREAT option for you.

—  By the time our first three services were over, we already had 140 more people than this same Sunday last year, AND WE STILL HAD ONE MORE SERVICE TO GO! Unreal.

—  KEEP INVITING PEOPLE!  We will do whatever we can to make sure that people you invite and bring to Element Church feel VERY comfortable as they hear a VERY dangerous message.

—  Had The Tour today.  LOVE seeing new people get connected into the ministry of the church.

—  Continued our series called “The Year Of The Comeback” today.  Asked the question “How can I live in peace with everyone?”.  Preached from Matthew 5:21-26.  Here are some excerpts on the day:

  • God’s best is not based on what’s happening TO us, it’s on the condition of our heart.
  • A person who’s living out God’s best doesn’t do so because everything in their life is perfect, they do so because the Perfect One is EVERYTHING in their life.
  • The best God has is a heart condition, and a heart condition from HIM is always followed by a change in physical conduct in us.
  • A lot of living in peace with everyone has much more to do with OUR heart condition than it does THEIR personal conduct.
  • When I see people through my view of Jesus, I realize how horrible of a person I am and am able to view them as better than myself.
  • When I see people through my view of Jesus I’m not comparing myself to THEM and what they did to ME, I’m comparing myself to JESUS and what I did to HIM!
  • As long as you think you’re better than someone else, you’ll never go and be reconciled to them.
  • Until you’re willing to reconcile the problems you have in your relationships Jesus won’t accept any practice of your religion.
  • I don’t think forgiveness comes from the state of our heart.  I think forgiveness CHANGES the state of our heart.
  • Forgiveness is not forgetting what was done to me, it’s letting go of my right for revenge.
  • The cross is not only our avenue to be forgiven, it’s the ONLY avenue by which we must forgive.
  • It’s hard to stay mad at someone when I’m caught up in the love of Jesus, and the love of Jesus was perfected on the cross.

—  As I said, TONS of people responding saying they needed prayer for reconciliation, restoration, healing and forgiveness in relationshps in their life.

—  Don’t forget about Joe Sangl being here this coming weekend and the Financial Learning Experience we are hosting on Monday, January 23rd at 6:30 PM.  The event is FREE and childcare is provided.  You can sign up to attend HERE.

—  In my opinion, there isn’t ANYONE better out there than Joe when it comes to teaching on money management, and God honoring principles when it comes to our finances.  If you want some good, solid, practical advice on money management, you need to be at the Financial Learning Experience.

—  Our Winter Community Season kicks off in February.  We’ve been talking about it each week at church.  There are some GREAT community opportunities for you to plug in.  Make sure and check out our Community page HERE to get signed up and connected.

—  I forgot to mention today that we are offering a group SPECIFICALLY on the issue of relationships that we talked about. It’s called The Bait of Satan and you can get more information on it and other Year Of The Comeback specific groups HERE.

—  That’s about it!  Thanks for checking out the blog, and thank you Element Church for allowing me to lead you.  You guys are AMAZING!

Till the end,

Jeff


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Categories : Element Church, Sunday Rumination

A Brand New Thing (Wheatland Campus Update)

11 01 2012

“But forget all that — it is nothing compared to what I’m GOING to do.  For I am about to do a brand new thing.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home.  I will create rivers for them in the desert!”  — Isaiah 43:18-19

That was the Scripture I read out of my New Living Translation – One Year Chronological Bible 6 years ago when God confirmed the calling in my heart to plant Element Church in Cheyenne.  And last night, there we were…standing in a conference room of a bank in Wheatland, WY seeing the beginning of a “brand new thing” again.  That Scriptural promise is something I pray for our church every week.  “Lord, do a BRAND NEW THING!”  I don’t want what happened last year, last month or last week to be what happens all the time.  I’m praying for God to do BRAND NEW THINGS!  Amen?

Last night we held our first “official” informational meeting in Wheatland to talk about the eventual launch of our Element Wheatland Campus in January of 2013.  We didn’t have any idea what to expect.  We didn’t know if one family would show up, or none.  When we started Element in Cheyenne, it wasn’t until our 2nd or 3rd small group meeting that someone NOT on our original team came.  I remember seeing that one person walk up to our door and could hardly contain my excitement.  I felt the same thing last night.

About 10 minutes till 6 pm, people started slowly walking through the door.  One family, then another.  One individual and the next.  By the time 6 PM rolled around and we kicked off our meeting, we had 24 people there (not counting Element staff) that were curious about this thing called Element Church.  A few already attend Element in Cheyenne and will be a part of starting Element in Wheatland.  Most of them, we had never seen before.  PRAISE GOD!

I took a few minutes to talk about the mission and vision of Element, introduced our campus pastor to the people and let him share his testimony, heart and passion.  We then opened it up for some questions.  It was an AWESOME time of just talking about God’s mission, how Element plays a role in that, and how that role can fit in Wheatland.

The COOLEST thing about last night, I didn’t even realize until today.  Yesterday was January 10th.  Well, it was January 10th of 2006 that I read these words in the book The Barbarian Way:  “We look to Jesus not to fulfill our shallow longings or to provide for us creature comforts.  We look to Him to lead us where He needs us most and where we can accomplish (Him) the most good.”

Those words WRECKED my heart that day.  I believe they were the genesis of Element Church.  I committed that day in 2006 to pray every day “Lord put me where I can do you the  most good.”  It was through that prayer that God called my heart to Cheyenne, and ultimately now, our church to Wheatland.  Yesterday, six years ago to the DAY, God started another BRAND NEW THING, and I believe is putting us where we can do HIM the most good.  SO cool!  To GOD be the glory!

Till the end,

Jeff


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As Generous As A 7 Year Old

10 01 2012

If I were as generous as a SEVEN year old I’d make a much more SIGNIFICANT impact.

Generosity is not something many of us are natural at, but it IS something we are called, even COMMANDED to be.  Now, giving is a spiritual gift that I think many people have and if they have it, it is OBVIOUS by the way they live.  My daughter Makalah, has been given the gift of giving and generosity…and I LOVE it!

Makalah LIVES and LOVES to give.  Not many days go by without me receiving something from her that she has made or found.  When we were at Disney World this past month, she used some of the money WE had given her to use as SHE wished to buy a gift for her sister.  What seven year old does that? Makalah wants to go to the Childrens Hospital for Chrsitmas and buy gifts for the kids who are sick, instead of GETTING gifts for herself.  WHAT?  And this past week, she did something that again blew me away.

Each week, one of our children gets a daddy date with me.  (For Jonah we call it Father/Son hangout time.  His idea…and I’m cool with it. HA)  This last Thursday, Makalah had her date.  I LOVE taking my girls on dates and my son on some hangout time and they look forward to it every month.  Sabrina and I have budgeted money for each week so I can do that and the kids get to choose what we do, up to a specified dollar amount.  As soon as it was Makalah’s week I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said “I want our daddy/daughter date to go buy a gift for somebody.”  I told her “You understand that if you use your money to buy a gift, that’s what we’re doing for our date?”  She said, almost with a “DUH dad” kind of response.  “I know!”

So that’s what we did.  I came home from work, had dinner with the family and took my amazing daughter on a date.  I actually had a Starbucks giftcard that was given to me, so we used it to go sit down, have a donut and drink before she bought a gift for her mom.  We headed to Walmart, and I walked the aisles hand in hand with Makalah as she smiled from ear to ear, living out the LIFE of generosity.  She used every penny of her money to buy some things for her mom that SHE wanted to get her.  It was amazing.

We ended our date by going to the mall to check out the dogs in the pet store and see the guniea pigs, snakes and lizards.  (I like going down the snake aisle with her cause she holds my hand even tighter.  Daddy trick)  As we walked out of the mall and headed to the car, I unlocked her door and opened for her.  She looked up at me before she got in the car and said “This was the BEST daddy/daughter date EVER!”

God just spoke to my heart, and I thought “MAN…If I were as generous as a SEVEN year old I’d make a much more SIGNIFICANT impact.“  Makalah LOVES to give, and I LOVE affirming that gift in her.

Friends, we belong to a RADICALLY generous God, may we be RADICALLY generous people…like my seven year old.

Learning from my daughter,

Jeff


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Categories : Discipleship, Element Church, Family, Personal

Sunday Ruminations (1-8-12)

9 01 2012

GREAT to be back in the saddle again this week after having a friend fill the pulpit last week.  MAN, seems like it was last year that I last preached. (insert courtesy laugh at my corny joke here)  Awesome day at Element Church today.  Here are my ruminations on the day.

—  25 people acknowledged to us they said “YES” to Jesus, accepted Him as Savior and experienced LIFE in Him!  WOO HOO!  If only for the ONE!

—  LOVE seeing people accept Christ as Savior.  The miracle of new life should NEVER wear out on us.  It is AMAZING!

—  2011 was the most fruitful year we’ve EVER SEEN at Element Church.  Salvations, giving, attendance were ALL record years.  But I believe that 2012 is going to be EVEN GREATER.  No reason NOT to believe that.

—  I saw WAY too much Bronco paraphernalia in church today!  How can we expect God to bless us with THAT going on.  HA!

—  I got some Bronco bashing in today.  I’m sorry, I just can’t help it.  It happens naturally.  LOTS of Bronco jerseys in the crowd today.

—  Kicked off our new sermon series today called “The Year Of The Comeback”.  Preached from Revelation 2:1-7. Been praying over this series that it would be LIFE CHANGING for people.  Here are some excerpts from the day:

  • The past is a dangerous place to live.  Past failures can define us, past successes can distract us.
  • The year of the comeback is not about us having the best YEAR of our lives.  It’s about being the FIRST year of the best possible life we can live.  It’s not about being better this year, but living out God’s best for our lives.
  • I can be better than what I am today without having to live out the BEST that God has planned for my life.
  • I don’t want to go through the motions, I want to live my life with spiritual momentum.
  • Repentance is not just something you do one time so you can be saved, it’s something you do continually so you will stay strong.
  • People who don’t take sin seriously don’t take Jesus seriously.
  • Jesus didn’t save us so we could be stuck in our sin, He saved us so we could have power OVER sin.
  • Slavery to sin is broken through submission to the Gospel, and the power of God is found in the pursuit of righteousness and holiness in HIM.
  • We are saved by the WORK of Christ alone, but we’re also saved to do the WILL of Christ alone.
  • You’ll never live with momentum FOR Jesus until you’re live on mission WITH Jesus and His mission is lived out through the local church.
  • When I talk about serving I’m not talking about you being on our roster so we can have church on Sunday morning, I’m talking about you being on mission with Jesus so you live your life with spiritual momentum.
  • Most of us don’t need to know more, we need to do what we already know.

—  We will be hosting Joe Sangl and his Financial Learning Experience (FLE) coming up on Monday, January 23rd.  Joe has been with us the last several years and SO MANY people have found financial freedom through his leadership and teaching.  You can sign up to attend the FLE and get all your information HERE.  At the FLE you will learn about budgeting, saving, retirement, insurance and MUCH more.  I don’t know of ANYONE better than Joe right now who is teaching on money management.

—  That’s all I’ve got for today.  Element Church, I love you guys!  Thanks for allowing me to lead you.

Till the end,

Jeff


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Vanessa’s Story: An Outreach Opportunity

5 01 2012

Here at Element Church we are ALWAYS looking for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  This year as a church, we are giving 12% of every dollar given in the offering to outreach.  Serving people and impacting our community is a TOP priority of ours.  Well, heading into the Christmas season we heard the story of Vanessa, and felt led by the Lord to be a part of impacting her life.  Here is the video we showed at our Christmas services sharing her story and how YOU as a church served her.


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Categories : Element Church, Outreach, Updates, Video

New Series: The Year Of The Comeback

4 01 2012

What if we treated 2012 as the 4th quarter of the REST of our lives?  2012: The Year Of The Comeback.  Instead of making “new year’s” resolutions, we’re going to make LIFE CHANGING transformations.  Formulated plans, setting ourselves up to live healthy lives the rest of our lives.  Spiritually, relationally, physically & financially.  This is not about you having the best year of your life.  It’s about being the FIRST year of the BEST life you can live. It’s not about being BETTER this year, it’s about living out God’s BEST for your life.

The Year Of The Comeback starts Sunday, January 8th at Element Church.

Location:  600 E. Carlson, Cheyenne.

Times: 8:30 // 10:00 // 11:30 AM & 6:00 PM

Childcare is provided for infants – 5th grade in our E:kidz ministry, where your children will learn about Life in Christ through a relevant, fun, practical, and age appropriate worship experience.


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Categories : Element Church, Sermon Series, Updates, Video

Enter: Prayer & Worship Experience

3 01 2012

Hey Element Church!  I want to invite you to join us tonight, to what may be THE most important Community Event in our church. It’s called Enter, and it’s some dedicated time of worship and prayer to God on behalf of our church.  We gather to pray for our city, other churches & pastors, as well as to dedicate the month of ministry at Element Church to the Lord.  We are led in a great time of worship, and we have some very intentional times of prayer.

If you’re looking for an easy way to connect through Community at Element Church, this may be it.  It is pretty unstructured and laid back, truly just focusing on seeking God through prayer and singing.  Childcare IS provided and it is a WONDERFUL opportunity for you to engage with your church and your God in prayer for our city.  We’d LOVE to have you come and join us TONIGHT at 6:30 PM.

What: Enter Worship and Prayer Experience

When: Tuesday, January 3rd @ 6:30 PM  (TONIGHT)

Where: The Worship Center in Element Church

Who: EVERYONE

Why: Without God, we are destined to fail!


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Categories : Community, Element Church, Prayer, Updates, Worship

Sunday Ruminations (1-1-12)

2 01 2012

2012 is squarely upon us and I believe it is going to be an AMAZING year.  I truly believe that this year will be the  most important year in the young life of our church.  HUGE things are on the horizon and I’ve dubbed this year to our staff as “the year of the set up”.  Setting up EVERYTHING that God wants to do in the years to come.  Had an awesome start to the new year today, here are my ruminations.

—  I rang in the New Year last night SOUND ASLEEP!  In fact, I don’t even think I was awake for the East Coast celebration.  HA!  Saw someone on Twitter say “The older our kids get we give PERMISSION to stay up till midnight.  The older WE get we are FORCED to stay up by our kids.”  Thankfully, I didn’t give my kids permission last night. Maybe for 2013.

—  Hope everyone’s Christmas/Holiday season was excellent.  Our family had an AWESOME holiday.  We didn’t go anywhere this year so just hung out as a fam.  Took the kids to Denver for a day, went ice skating, hit Casa Bonita, went shopping.  It was a blast.  Hard to believe that Christmas and New Years is come and gone.

—  2011 was a GREAT year at Element Church.  It was by FAR the most fruitful year in our ministry.  From salvations, baptisms, attendance and outreach, it was a year full of God’s blessings.  SO honored to be a part of God’s work here and I CAN’T WAIT to see what God does next.

—  Had a friend of mine, Eddy Shigley, bring the word today.  Eddy is founder and president of Doulos Leadership Group.  Eddy, whether intentional or not, had a BIG influence on my life.  When I was in High School he was a youth pastor in the same district my dad was serving.  When I was in college he was serving at that same church which I attended while at college.  Then my first few years in ministry, Eddy was someone I looked up to as a leader.

—  Eddy concluded our series called “I Am” today by taking on the statement “I am the True Vine”.  He preached from John 15:1-17.  Here are some excerpts on the day:

  • He got in my key phrase for the series “Jesus is everything there is you need, and everything you need HE IS!”
  • You can sincerely believe in something and be DEAD WRONG.  (So good!  Speaking to Jesus as the ONLY WAY)
  • WITH Christ we are vitally important and significant, without him we are NOTHING!
  • What ships in your life do you need to burn?  (Such a GREAT question in follow up to the illustration of Hernan Cortez burning his ships after landing at Vera Cruz.  This kept the crew from trying to “go back”.)
  • What is the evidence of discipleship?  FRUIT!  (Not knowledge)  John 15:8  8 When you produce much fruit, you are my TRUE disciples.
  • The only true Christian is a practicing one. (Quote from A.W. Tozer I believe)
  • True significance comes from being IN Christ, and being IN Christ produces MUCH fruit.
  • Growth doesn’t happen in the mountain top, it happens in the valley of the shadow of death. (speaking on being pruned)
  • Lukewarm, complacent Christianity has NO PLACE in the Kingdom of God.
  • Love is the greatest FRUIT of all, obedience is the greatest EVIDENCE of all!  John 15:10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
  • Jesus is our friend, YET we are called to obey HIM and serve OTHERS with a sacrificial love.

—  Thanks to Eddy for doing a GREAT job breaking God’s Word to us today!  So honored to have you share the pulpit!

—  Having Eddy here reminded me of the IMPACT we can have in peoples lives.  It is truly, many people like Eddy in my life that have shaped who I am.  I may have only experienced them for a short while in the grand scheme of things, but they make a HUGE impact.  What kind of wake am I leaving with people who I lead today?  GREAT question.

—  I get to spend some time Monday talking leadership and ministry with Eddy.  Can’t wait to talk shop with him.

—  Excited for our new sermon series starting this coming Sunday called “The Year Of The Comeback”.  We’re not talking about making 2012 the BEST year of your life.  We’re talking about making 2012 the FIRST year of the BEST LIFE you can live! It’s not about being BETTER this year, but living out God’s BEST for my life.

—  Gonna call it a day with that.  SO thankful for another year with God on our side!  CAN’T WAIT to see what 2012 yields.  SO honored to be called your pastor at Element Church!  You guys are AWESOME!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Till the end,

Jeff


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Categories : Element Church, Sunday Rumination

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