Lies We Tell Our Kids

This next Parenting series is going to rock many of our worlds. We live in a culture that is encouraging us to "not prepare" our kids for the real world. Over the last 15-20 years, we have faced an epidemic in our nation. Our kids are turning 18, 19, 20, 21 and beyond, and are clueless about how to function in the REAL world.

Look at this staggering stat:

Since 1970 there is a 50% increase of Twenty-somethings still living at home. Between the ages of 22-35, 16% of "adults" return to live with and rely on their parents.

We have a nation of parents not preparing their kids how to lead, make decisions, be responsible with their money, how to handle conflict, work hard, study hard and be responsible adults. Much of this is fostered by the misinformed lies we tell our little darlings....Do you ever say these to your kids?

You can be anything you want to be!

In life, it's the thought that counts!

It does not matter if you win or lose, it is how you play the game!

Love is all you need and it will last a lifetime.

You can have it all and deserve it all!

It does not matter what you do in life as long as YOU are happy!

Looks don't matter, it is what is on the inside that counts!

Some of you are steaming right now....how could a pastor NOT think those statements are true and that we should NOT tell our kids those things?

I thought I would stir the pot and get your parenting juices flowing...come this Sunday and lets talk about the real goal of parenting and not what many in our present culture would tell us.

Recommend a Book

As you know, this Sunday we are starting a new parenting series. Whenever I teach on such topics I try to take timeless Biblical truths about parenting and apply them in a life-application way for us as parents today. I also try to read current books by Christian parenting authors who can help shine some light into the sometimes dark holes of parenting. Then, on Sunday, I give what I believe to be a God honoring and helpful message on this tough subject.

I truly believe the topics and direction we are going in this series will be very helpful and is not really talked much about in our current culture.

On that note, I want to tell you about a book we will be selling at cost this coming Sunday at the Porch Cafe. It is a book that I first "had" to read when taking an Understanding The Youth Culture class while in Seminary. While reading it, I remember thinking how good it was and that I thought the principles were on target. I was 22 and single but it seemed correct.

I am now 36 and have 3 kids (ages 9, 5, 2) and believe through my own personal experience as a youth pastor, pastor and especially as a parent that this is a great book. It is not a book that falls in line with the last 25 years of parenting principles...but I believe they are correct and stand in contrast to much of today's philosophy, which is flawed. The name of the book is "Parenting With Love and Logic". We will be selling them for $17 each. They are normally $25 at the book store. However, we purchased a large amount and received a discount.

Send this BLOG to your friends who do not attend CSF. Invite them to this life (KID)changing series!

Buck Fever

This morning I was driving from Peak Fitness at 6:30am heading to the office. As I was coming down Mount Harmony road a huge six point Buck galloped across the street. This boy was huge! The kind we see every year when we go to my parents house in WVA for Thanksgiving. I could not believe a deer that big was running through the suburbs!

All over the country hunters are getting what they call "Buck Fever." They are getting ready for Deer season so they can go hunting. I personally am not a hunter. I love to be in the woods, love to shoot guns and would think it was great to have a chance to shoot a Buck like I saw glide over the road this morning. However, I don't want to spend the money on all the stuff you need, I don't have the extra time and more specifically I have no interest in spending hours upon hours sitting in a cold deer stand. I have tried it.....my ADHD kicks in about 15 minutes into the "hunt" and I get bored and trigger happy. Once that happens I just want to shoot something and get out of the tree!

I have a question for you? Do you ever get "Lost Person Fever?" Here is what I mean....do you ever get amped up about sharing your faith in Christ with someone you know does not attend church and maybe is not a Christian? Are you willing to take the time, maybe read up, gear up, spend some money or do whatever it takes to help lead someone to Christ? I wish most Christian got as fired up about helping people come to know Christ as deer hunters do about "bagging the big one!"

Jesus tells a parable in Luke chapter 14 that explains what lengths Christians should go to in reaching out to those who are not connected to Christ. He says at the end of the parable..."Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel (do whatever you have to) them to come and hear about the love of God, so that my house will be full!"

Today the streets are full of people who need to hear about the love and grace of Jesus Christ. I hope you are geared up to share with them! We are starting a new parenting series that I promise you will be like nothing we have ever done before. This would be a great series to invite a friend or co-worker to attend.

Walk The Walk

At our 2007 vision night I introduced a new ministry that we would be launching and putting a lot of CSF power into over the next 16 months. We are calling it "Public School Impact", and our passion and mission is to get hundreds of CSF volunteers into the public schools. We want to serve those who teach our kids. We want to assist those who help raise our kids. We want to show our city, the parents, the teachers and especially the kids that attend these schools that CSF has a mandate from God to help make our city a better place.

We don't care if they ever come and sit in our seats on Sunday morning. If our Fellowship is just about how many Christians gather on Sunday morning...we have missed the great command of Jesus!

We want to make an impact in the lives of kids/teens while they are at school and school activities. We want them to see the love of Christ working through us......so that they are drawn to Him AND so that we can help make their journey through adolescence better and more productive.

We are off to a great start! I am proud to introduce these folks as our point leaders for this great CSF ministry:
* Kristine Wood
* Lisa Crosby
* Jennifer Mowery
* Kendall Taylor

These folks are making school board, principal, and teacher connections so that we proceed correctly and within public school policy. However, I can assure you thus far we have not had a principal or administrator say anything but....HELP! As a matter of fact CMS superintendent, Peter Gorman, said in a speech recently that churches needed to get involved in the public schools and work with CMS to make this a great school district for all kids.

Even as we are getting organized CSF is "doing something" in our schools. Tonight we are hosting the Butler High Varsity football team for a pre-game meal and devotion.

Tomorrow, many volunteers from CSF will be leading out and serving at Porter Ridge High School at the area Band Competition. We will be working at tables and helping with all the activities that go on at a regional band competition. When the band director and principal was told that CSF..."had it covered"...they could not believe it!

This Sunday you will see a table set up for the book drive for the "high needs" kids at Benton Heights Elementary School. The books will be given to these kids as they cannot afford to buy their own books or do not have means to get to a public library. We want to provide these kids with their very own books! More info this Sunday!

Of course we are also getting ready to launch into our Walter Bickett Christmas Mission. That is the project we have done for the last 5 years. The people of CSF prsoanlly buy over 700 gifts for each kid at the school and we give them to each kid personally on the last day of school at the Christmas Party we provide at the school.

Our vision is to do more than just projects like this. We have been doing this for years at CSF. Our vision that will go into full drive in January 08, is to start having CSF volunteers on campus on a regular basis. Our goal is to have hundreds of CSF volunteers making a weekly difference on the campuses of our local schools! That is where we are going......I hope you will be a part of this public school revolution!

True North

I have started reading a new book called "True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership". The tag line in the book reads..."just as a compass points toward a magnetic field, your True North pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership. When you follow your internal compass, your leadership will be authentic, and people will naturally want to associate(work)with you. Although others may guide or influence you, your truth is derived from your story and only you can determine what it should be."

Thus far it seems like it will be a great leadership book.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the Bible also teaches us about our True North when it comes to each one of us being a vital part of the "Body of Christ..His Church." The Bible teaches that we each have different gifts that have been given to us by God. We each have specific passions that God weaved into our souls that makes us unique. Add to that our own life story and you have a very special person created by God to do great things on His Team in a local Fellowship.

CSF, like every church, only functions as a healthy body when all the parts are actually engaged in serving in their passions, gifts and according to the purpose of that local Fellowship.

Please take a few minutes to read through chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians and ask yourself....what part of the Body am I? Am I doing my part?

Great questions.....when you are fully engaged in doing your part, the CSF team, the Body of Christ here...Thrives!

And speaking of THRIVE...we will be launching our winter quarter of THRIVE in January 2008. Outstanding workshops designed specifically to help you discover and live your True North will be offered. Biblical financial management; sharing your life story with those in the Crowd; knowing what you believe by knowing what others believe; cultivating a rich and intimate marriage...those and much more! Be looking for registration opportunities in the coming weeks.

Kids-R- Us

Many people have been asking what the plan is for our new Children's Pastor and the team we are building for our kids. Thus far, we still have not settled on a permanent hire for this position. However, I am happy to announce that Leah Prasse, our current pre-school director has agreed to step in until the end of the year and work with Stacey Sutton in the All-Stars elementary school area. She will be doubling her hours and will be devoting time to the administration, training and volunteer placement for that area. This will ensure that Stacey has even more time than she did before to create and produce an incredible Sunday experience for our kids. Moreover, Clint Newton has been chomping at the bit to teach the kids again. So....he along with Mr. Ray will be the two dynamic teachers and stage personalities for the rest of the year.

If your child has never heard Mr. Clint teach....they are in for a treat. He makes the stories come alive with his creative style. The kids love it! He can even teach your kids to break-dance! HA HA

I truly believe in doing things as a TEAM. This great new team of Leah, Stacey and Clint....WOW!

One more thing about our All-Stars children's ministry. We need more volunteers for upstairs that will commit to 2-3 times a month. It is paramount that we have more volunteers who are consistent and regular. The kids need to know that they have the same Home Team leaders and such every week. Please consider making a commitment to this vital ministry. Last week we had 55 1st-5th graders in the 10:30 service alone. However, we only had a handful of leaders!

At CSF....we are all about kids!

What Do You Treasure?

Can you believe the massive out of control fires in Southern California? WOW! It is very sad and could get worse over the next day or two! Unlike the normal fires California gets every year in the mountain areas, this inferno is ripping through the San Diego suburbs. Million dollar homes are being hit with smoldering hot embers and are gone within minutes. The amazing thing is that the wind is blowing this fire through neighborhoods and one house will be gone while the houses on either side are not even touched.

Every time something like this happens the people who lose everything basically say the same type of thing: "Everything we had, everything we worked for, everything...is gone." These people are devastated and they have every right to be.

These kinds of tragic occurrences are a helpful reminder that "Stuff" is just that....it is stuff. It can be taken away in a minute. If we put our hope, dreams, self esteem and happiness into "stuff" then we can be completely depressed and hopeless in minutes....if we lose it all.

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where month and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where month and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where you treasure is there will your heart will be also."

This is a great reminder for us at CSF. Where do we put most of our time and energy? We can say all the right things and many of you "right now" thought the correct Christian answer. However, conduct a personal investigation and let this verse sink in your heart. What we really treasure is where we will find our heart's greatest passion. That can be found by asking yourself these questions:

1) Where do I spend most of my "non-work time"?
2) Where do I spend my money?
3) Where do I put most of my passionate energy?

Only one thing last forever...that is people and the eternal impact you have on them.

What Do You "Really" Treasure?....your heart knows!

A Great Sunday...BUT!

Yesterday was another great day at CSF! I heard that the cafe was a-buzz with people talking about Ghosts and the afterlife. We had more people come up to me in the End-Zone and discuss the topic than ever before. I also thought the band did a great job with the song, "Dead Man's Party"; it was cool and set the tone for the very ghostly message I gave. We set all time record with our middle school attendance at 4:12 over in the warehouse. Yes Sunday was a great day.....BUT!

BUT....during the 10:30 Encounter Service we had to close two rooms downstairs in the toddler area. Why? we were over crowded. We had to turn people away and they were forced to sit in the Adult Service with fidgety toddlers. Not good for them...not good for the people sitting around them. Moreover, some of the families just took their kids and left. OUCH!

I have a passionate clarion call for our CSF Players who have toddlers. Please come the 9am or noon Encounter Service! If you have older kids (1-5th grade) you will need to come to the 9am service as we don't offer that age group yet at the noon service. However, our Pre-School director has told me that many of the toddlers at the 10:30 service do not have siblings who are older and could come to the noon service.

The people who were not able to leave their kids were not regular attendees at CSF. I am not sure if they had been before or are Christians. I hope they will be back!

Reaching people is a team effort. We have volunteers who are here to serve you at 9 and noon.....please be a part of the CSF Team by coming to one of those services.

Who Wants It More?

The marketing slogan for the National Football League this year is "Who Wants It More?"
The add goes like this:

Last years results don't matter.....

Being young or old does not matter.....

It is not the tallest or strongest....

It is not the smartest or most popular...

The championship this year will be decided by "Who Wants It More!"

The same is true with your ability to grow in Christ. To become a fully-devoted follower of Christ that wins at the game of life. The main thing that will determine your growth is how much do you really want to grow in Christ?

Every Thursday after their football practice I am involved with the Butler High Football team chapel. Both JV & Varsity are invited. Not all the players show up...however, the ones that do, really want to be there.

We are squeezed into a room and it is standing room only. It stinks like all high school football locker rooms do. The players are coming right from practice. It is normally very stuffy and not the best breathing air. There are no power-point presentations, no band, no chairs and no room to move.

However, those young men "want to be there!" They are not forced by the coach or parents. No one from the paper writes about it and the college scouts are not looking in. They want to be there for all that is good about youthful passion and zeal towards God.

How much do you want to grow? Is your discipleship and growth based on whether you have time, how busy you think you are, how good was the Sunday message and music, was the cafe coffee hot enough, did I have great parking and wonderful seating?

When it comes to growing spiritually:

If you grew up in church or not, does not matter....

What you used to do at the church, does not matter....

Am I rich or poor, does not matter.....

Are my needs getting met by my Home Team, does not matter....

Having a busy life with many kids, does not matter.....


The only thing that matters is "How Much Do You Want It?"

Why Baptism?

If we are married we have a ring on our left index finger to show the world we are off the market. The ring is an outward sign of an inward commitment that we made on a specific and special day. If we win a championship we are given a trophy to symbolize what happened on the field at one specific time and place.

In many aspects of our lives we have outward symbols that represent something we have accomplished or taken part in. The Bible says the same thing about why a person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior should be baptized. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward commitment you have made in your heart. Moreover, it is a command in the Bible that once we have become a Christian, that we should follow through with "believers baptism."

The act of getting baptized does not have any special powers and it does not make you a Christian. It is a symbol. An important symbol, but still just a symbol of your hearts desires. If I lose my wedding ring....I don't stop being married. I am still married, just in trouble when I get home and tell Kelly that I have lost my ring! HA HA

At CSF we make our Baptism services very special and unique. Our next one will be at our Fellowship Service on November 14th. If you are a Christian and have never been baptized by immersion, then email rickf@charlottesouth.org.

Also, if you have further questions go to our web site and read about what we believe about baptism. It will be a great party! Come join the celebration!

Boo!

Did I scare you? Probably not! But most people like to be scared a little. That is why haunted houses and such are a big thing this time of year.

Have you ever wondered why we like to be scared? Why is it that we are intrigued by the dark side? Americans love horror movies, are enthralled with ghost, goblins, witches and all the things that go bump in the night.

People have always been curious about what happens to humans after we die. Do we become spiritual ghosts that hang around the earth? Do we immediately "cross-over"? Can humans talk to family members who have passed on? Are there such things as hauntings from people who are "earth-bound" ghost?

Does our grandma who passed on look over us and offer guidance? Can people make contact with dead people to ask questions? Shows on TV like "Ghost Whisperer" and the corresponding website seek to help people who are having trouble with Ghosts and also want different paranormal "strange" things addressed. There is even a website where a lady by the name of Mary Ann Winkowski will answer your questions about the strange things happening in your house and life.

What are we to believe about Ghosts and the afterlife? This Sunday we will jump into a short, 2 week message series called...."Understanding The Darkside".

As you set out to change the world today and invite a friend or two to join you this Sunday, remember, what you say and do throughout the week may be the deciding factor on whether your friend comes with you.

Psalms 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer!"

A Picture Of A Disciple of Jesus

I first read this quote when I was in college. It was written in the journal of a pastor in Zimbabwe, Africa. He was soon killed for his faith and trying to lead others to Christ. I was a young 18 year-old youth pastor and was full of zeal, optimism and a risk taking faith that was willing to do whatever it took to honor God and change the world. Here is the quote:

"The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made-I'm a disciple of His! I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes since and my future is secure. I'm finished with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, depend on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor with power. That's what it means to be a disciple of Jesus"!!

I am now a 36 year-old pastor with a good deal of real life under my belt. I know about reality and how youthful optimism can sometimes get blurred by the sting of life. However, when I look at CSF and what God is doing here I am still full of optimism, zeal and a risk taking faith when it comes to doing whatever it takes to live a life of full devotion. I mess up many times...but this quote is still the target I am aiming for!

What does it mean to you to be a "fully devoted follower of Christ...a disciple of Jesus? I dare say, if it does not match this young pastor, you are missing the best God has to offer.

Be The Hero

Our Man VS Wild message series was only two weeks long....but it caused quite the stir and conversation. Many people new folks and members have asked where they can purchase the CD of the message.

At CSF you cannot purchase a CD of the message. Why? Because we let you have it for free off our website. At CSF we believe that the message is far too important to charge $5 - $7 dollars per message. With technology, we no longer have much of an overhead to reproduce the message online and let everyone listen for free. You can put it on your IPOD, download on your computer, burn to CD or just listen from your computer.

We are delighted to offer these messages for free so that you can listen if you miss a Sunday, listen to it again if you need to, or......send the link to a friend and let them listen. We have new guests on Sundays because CSF Players send the link to a friend , they listen and then want to come the next week to experience the entire Encounter Service. As a Player at CSF this is a quick, easy and inexpensive way of sharing with your friends about the difference Jesus Christ can make in their lives.


SPECIAL NOTICE>>>>

If you are planning to attend the memorial service for Janet tonight, please treat the service like a regular Sunday morning. We will be packed with many guests from her work and the city. Please park across the street or in the grass parking and allow these guests the best parking. Tonight we have an opportunity to share with hundreds of people the message of Christ that Janet believed in and lived for. Many coming tonight will be people who have never accepted Christ as Savior. Please be praying for a great night of honoring Janet and sharing God's love.

Doctrine of play

Don't get all jittery about the big word "Doctrine". The word "Doctrine" simply means what you believe and how you live out what you believe about a specific topic.

In the Church we have things like:
*** The Doctrine of God or Jesus Christ.
*** The Doctrine of sin or salvation.
*** The Doctrine of Satan or Demons.
*** The Doctrine of the Bible and the end times.

At CSF we have always had a firm grip on the Doctrine of Play. We believe that a Fellowship that plays together is more healthy, exciting, relational and way more FUN.

You don't have to spend much time around CSF before you realize that we like to have fun and play. We offer Fall, Spring and Summer team sports. However, we also encourage people to take part in one day events and more specifically our Home Teams plan fun playful days.

Last weekend a group of about 12 young couples went hiking in the mountains all day Saturday. Another 20 people played Disc Golf. Some families are taking off for the mountains this weekend to enjoy our first real cold snap. We have a Flag Football tournament in November that is open to anyone over 16. The list goes on and on.

Here is the point....God created us to need recreational release. When we recreate...we re-create our soul. Playing something should be a weekly calendared event. As parents we touch a part of our kids hearts when we play with them that cannot be touched any other way. I talked to a guy the other day who said with proud and smug voice..."I don't have time to play games or sports, I have work to do and responsibilities to take care of!"

That is just stupid. If you and I don't have to PLAY we have some major issues. If you are not sure what to do....check the CSF handout every week we will help you stay "Doctrinally pure" in one of the most spiritual things you can do. PLAY!

Wild Men

This past Sunday's talk opened some eyes. I have been flooded with emails or have been told personally face to face about the impact the message has had and the conversations between husband and wives that began after the service on Sunday.

"best message ever!"

"I realize that I lost respect for my husband years ago!"

"now it makes sense of why this person's marriage failed...she was always saying how she did not even need her husband. She told everyone she was self-sufficient"

"I stopped trying to get admiration at home a long time ago....that is why I work so much."

"men today don't act like men....they are weak!"

"I made a mistake by being one of those mom's who never let my son take a risk, be competitive and just be a boy."

"It is so true, we tell ourselves we are all winners and that failure should be avoided. That kills a man's natural desire to prove himself."

"Do I measure up? I never realized that this was a God-given drive that was in me...I just thought I was weird."

This coming Sunday we will smash more culturally poor teachings when it comes to men and the WILD urges we have. I know I have stirred the pot with some of the things I have said....but I believe they are true and part of the issues with boys and men we see today in our culture.

Here is a "wisdom statement" I read this morning about getting up and getting a move on...Proverbs 26:14 "As a door turns on it's hinges, so a sluggard turns in his bed."

Get up...get moving....change the world!

The Orange Flag Men

My Blog for Tuesday was going to focus on thanking the guys who stand in the heat, rain (well maybe not rain) soon to be cold, and hopefully snowy conditions every Sunday morning. As you know, the sudden passing of Janet took priority. However, her tragic accident reminds me of why I was going to share about this great team. On Sundays we have hundreds of cars and people coming and going; driving and walking around our parking lot and sidewalks.

Lets talk about the good looking guys wearing the orange shirts and carrying the orange flags. These guys are volunteer parking attendants. They also serve as crossing guards for our families who park across the street and those with Middle School students using the warehouse for our Sunday middle school services.

It is very vital that as we come and go on Sunday that we pay attention to these guys and go in the direction they send you. We have a plan for the 20 minutes in-between each service. Their job is safety first and to have a constant, steady flow of cars coming and going. (We hope next year to make plans to open another main entrance/exit onto Mt. Harmony road) In recent Sundays we have had people who are arriving late and then trying to hurry up and get parked...without regard to stopping and following the directions of the parking team. We must all remember to be patient as we are coming and going. Moreover, you can reduce your personal stress in trying to hurry and find a spot by arriving 20 minutes prior to the start of the service. This will give you time to park, check in your kids, get a cup of coffee and a muffin, chat with a friend, go tinkle....and get a seat with before the band starts.

This Sunday...lets all smile and thank our friendly crossing parking team. If some of you guys think this is a team you might want to serve on, contact Clint Newton at Clint@charlottesouth.org.

As a reminder....this BLOG has vital CSF info, inspirational messages, and up to date info as it breaks around the CSF Fellowship. Please read and then forward to those you know who attend CSF and need to be reminded of this great tool.

Another Tragic Loss at CSF : Janet Devaty

Last night while jogging near her uptown apartment, Janet Devaty, 28, was hit and killed by a car. Janet was an incredible young lady who lived for and loved God with all her heart. Last year, after moving here from New Jersey, she came to know Christ as her personal savior and I had the privilege of baptizing her here at CSF.

Many know her at CSF as she has been serving in our Student Ministry with the high school kids since January. She was also our Student Pastor's girl friend, a great friend to all of the people who served with her in our Student Ministry and those in her Home Team. About 25 people gathered at her apartment last night once they heard the news to comfort Brad and each other. This is very tragic...very sad.

As the news of Janet's death passes around the phones and emails of CSF today...I wanted to share with you the same thing I told Brad Saab last night and all those who gathered. In no certain order....here is what you need to know when faced with such a loss.

A tragic and senseless death like this is just plain and simple...crappy! Don't try and make it anything else.....it stinks.

Don't even try and make sense of it by asking "why" to God? There are no good answers or reasons. It is an untimely death and it hurts.

Take comfort in knowing Janet is with Christ...and then pray for those here who will miss her.

If you knew her personally feel free to talk with others about your pain, confusion, anger and then take comfort with those from CSF who also knew and loved her.

We have had three untimely deaths hit our Fellowship in a pretty direct way in the last 2 weeks. I feel like I have been saying the same thing when it comes to why we do what we do at CSF. Janet is a perfect example of someone who was reached and then developed into a fully devoted follower of Christ here. As Brad told me last night, she was special and her devotion to God was stronger than many people who have been Christians for many more years than Janet had been.

The Charlotte news had this on all channels last night and it is in the paper this morning. Please forward this BLOG site to anyone at CSF you know. This is why we have a daily BLOG at CSF...it is our way of using technology to help us be an informed and missional Fellowship.

We are unsure about any funeral services as her family all lives out of state.

Psalms 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and you staff they comfort me."

The Rest Of The Story

Yesterday, during my message, I told the story of when I was in college and I entered an amateur boxing tournament at a local sports bar. I told the story in detail right up to the point where the bell rang....then I stopped and went on to my next point.

I was amazed at the amount of people who came up after each service and said they wanted to know the rest of the story. I have emails that came in yesterday asking for the rest of the story. One guy in the 3rd service even shouted out..."c'mon tell us what happened." That was a first for me! I have never had anyone heckle me from the crowd. I told him...."you will have to come back next week."

Next Sunday....I will tell the "rest of that story!" I promise, it does not end like you think it does!

I loved the energy and the fun we had yesterday during the services and of course in the Porch Cafe area. I have had many new people tell me, "This is actually enjoyable!" or "I look forward to coming to church....I did not think I would ever say that!"

These are great days at CSF. Growth that is coming from changed lives and changed lives that are growing in Christ. It was great to see so many people just hanging out on the patio before and after each service....great job cafe team, host team and parking team! You guys make all of our Sundays a better experience.

Life Is A Vapor

Vince Ferens was a friend via Pop Warner football. He coached the other Mighty Mite team last fall for the MARA Colts. He owned a few Moe's Restaurants here in the Charlotte area. He was a good Pop Warner coach. He donated Moe's food last fall when CSF hosted and fed the Porter Ridge varsity football team. He has a wife and three kids. His oldest son is the one who played football with my son Peyton.

Vince was shot yesterday afternoon at one of his restaurants. The guy who shot him and the store manager had been fired a few weeks before and he came back yesterday with a deadly vengeance. Last night at football practice the sad news was delivered to the three teams practicing.

My first thought was how very sad. My second was for his son that is my son's age, his other kids and wife who are now left alone. My very next thought was that I had never asked Vince about what he believed about God. I had never invited him to CSF. I had hoped he would come to the chapel dinner that he was sponsoring.

I was always going to ask him about his beliefs......just never did.

I can only hope and pray that Vince had at one time invited Jesus Christ into his life.....but I will never know.

Please pray for Vince's family.

Have anyone in your life that you don't know where they stand when it comes to eternity? Why don't you call them.....invite them to CSF this Sunday. This Sunday we start a new series...and maybe for some a new life in Christ.

Thank You...Mrs. Chick

As many of you know, Mrs. Chick (Chick Efird) is stepping down as our Children's Pastor. Her last Sunday will be October 14th. Mrs. Chick wanted me to tell everyone that this has been a hard decision for her, but after much prayer and talking with her family, she believes the demands of the job and the hours needed for our growing children's ministry no longer fit with her desires and what she wants to do with her family.

Mrs. Chick has done a wonderful job and our kids and volunteers were blessed to have her as their pastor/leader. Mrs. Chick is not sure what she will be doing in the future but for now CSF is their fellowship and they will be here serving with us. It has been my privilege to serve with Mrs. Chick and our staff will miss her tremendously.

As we move forward at CSF, we are excited that our All-Stars Pre-School director, Leah Prasse, has learned much from Mrs. Chick and is doing a great job. Same is true for Stacy Sutton, who has been working under Mrs. Chick in the Elementary School area of All-stars. We will be searching for the right person to complete that phenomenal team.

When you see Mrs. Chick on Sunday be sure to say THANK YOU! Also parents,your kids will not be told until this Sunday, so please be sure to keep this info to yourselves as Mrs. Chick will wanted to share with them first.

Speaking of kids....we are still in need of some families with children "K and under" to attend the noon service. Our first two services are "slamma-jamma" compared to the noon service. This would be a much need way for you to help us continue to provide room for our guests with little children.

One more....if you have a CSF friend who has not made our BLOG a part of their daily/weekly reading...please forward this to them so they can get this "inside-CSF" info.

Wisdom Teeth Principle

My wisdom teeth are killing me this morning and have been for about 3 days. I have tried to have them pulled, but the dentist has told me that my "nerve endings" are touching and even wrapped around my wisdom teeth. To pull them could permanently damage my mouth area nerves where I would have no control of my bottom lip and such. (like when you leave the dentist and can't feel your mouth so you drool everywhere...)

As a speaker....that is not a risk I am willing to take. So, about every 3-4 months my impacted wisdom teeth "flare up" and hurts like crazy. The worst thing is that because all my teeth and jaw area are connected to the same nerves that are around my wisdom teeth, my lower teeth and my jaw ache as well.

Funny how having one tooth hurting can affect all the other teeth and my entire mouth. Which in turn makes my head hurt and so on. While sitting here taking way too many milligrams of Advil, it occurred to me that negativity in any group of people works the same way. One person at the office has a bad attitude...it breeds contempt in the office. One person on a sports team has a bad attitude and does not play with passion and heart, it affects the whole team. (see Panther Defense)

This principle is true in any setting in life where people are together for a common cause. Unfortunately, this principle is also true in churches. Negativity breeds negativity. One persons bad attitude can affect many others. However, the same is also true with being upbeat,positive and having an optimistic view in EVERY situation. Today, as you go to the office, go to Home team, take your kids to practice, or whatever you do...be the one who makes everyone feel better and positive. Don't be the sore tooth that makes everyone close to you feel bad! You have a choice...choose wisely!

Philippians 4:12-13

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Man VS Wild

Hey ladies! Do you know what makes "your man" tick? Do you know what are his greatest challenges and struggles? Have you ever asked yourself "why does he do that or act that way?"

Did you know that built into each man is a God given and innate quest? A desire that wells up inside his soul. He will move toward this urge and either enjoy the conquest of his soul or he will retreat and feel like there is something missing in his life. He will feel an emptiness in his soul. It is completely different for a woman. God designed us to be different.

He will either know the feeling of satisfaction and be at peace or he will struggle day in and day out as his search takes him down the wrong paths. Do you think you know what it is your man is dying to take hold of? It is probably NOT what you are thinking right now......THAT (what you are thinking)is sometimes used as a void filler or means to try and fill the true longing in his soul.

The Bible says that God created men and women as equals. However, we are created differently in that what makes us inherently man and woman is unique. For the next two weeks we are going to pull back the curtains on a man's truest desires and help all the ladies get a better idea of the challenges that men must face. It is a "rights of passage" that too many boys in our culture have not been given the privilege of journeying down, and it has led to a generation of men who are wandering around aimlessly searching for their identity.

The next two weeks will be wild and it is designed to help both men and women in their lives together. If you have some friends or co-workers who are struggling with their relations male/female relationship.....invite them to come and take a ride on the Wild Side at CSF this Sunday!

A funeral with a purpose!

On Saturday night family, friends and our Fellowship said good-bye to Luis Lizarazo. His funeral service was a time to honor a life well lived. Luis was a great example of the teachable principle I shared with throughout our last message series. "People will talk about you when you are gone...you will determine what they say, while you are here!"

People talked about Luis....at his service, in the cafe on Sunday and around town. Everything they said, was positive and honoring to a man who lived a short but very "people impacting life." Luis left a fine legacy for his 6th grade son to follow.

I was personally moved when Luis's father in-law got up to speak. Here are some of the points he made as his entire address was directed at our Fellowship.

* He said that in the last 7 days he discovered why his daughter's family had made CSF their home. He was blown away by the love and support from Luis's Home Team and the Care Team at CSF.

* He said that Luis would have only felt comfortable at a church like CSF..that is why they first came as INVITED GUESTS and then he received Christ.

* He was amazed at the way that Luis grew in his faith and had even become a Home Team leader.

* He asked CSF to always stay the way we are as we reach out to those who are unchurched and not Christians. He asked us that even as we grow that we should never lose the relational feel that Luis loved so much and that had help his family in a time of need.

I left Saturday with a peaceful assurance that CSF was on track and doing exactly what we have been called to do. There are many churches in the South Charlotte area. We have a mandate from God to reach out to those who have never heard or have never been to church!

I was never more proud of our Fellowship than I was Saturday night! Great Job!