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Deep, Dark, Dirty…

December 1, 2010 in Personal thoughts, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

As a communicator at a church my prayer is simple, “God, I want to be your mouthpiece.” In preparation to speak I write my messages all the way out in manuscript form. There are those subtle, slightly arrogant, moments where you write something out and think to yourself something like; “Oooooo. That’s a good one. People are going to respond to that.” I don’t think I’ve ever actually written out a line like that and seen lightning flash as a result. In fact, over the years I’ve learned that often the response comes from the things that God led me to write down in preparation, and I never thought would be a big deal.

That has happened this last week in a big enough way that I wanted to stop and highlight it. My hope is that others will be encouraged by it. I thought this line was a throw away. An illustration that would break up the tension in the communication, cause people to perk up a bit, and then zing ‘em with the next line. Like I could zing anybody!

I was looking around and studying scripture and came across a goofy illustration on biblos.com. The story is of a plumbing outfit in South Africa who have a slogan that goes like this, “No Job Too Deep Or Too Dark Or Too Dirty”. Funny, huh? Plumbers, huh? Get it?

In my talk this last week I applied that slogan to the Grace of God. There’s nowhere the Grace of God will not go. There’s no one it will not be extended to. It extends to the person willing to do anything to get money to meet their addiction needs. It extends to the couple who thinks their marriage is not able to be salvaged. It goes out to the one who has bottomed out financially. It extends to the abused and to the one that has done the abusing. It even extends to the legalist who is typically more mindful of the law of God than the Grace of God that has appeared to all people.

This thought seems to have hit the most hard with people who are already followers of Jesus Christ. Some have shared that there are things in their past they have not brought up with God. Not to say he doesn’t know, it’s just they have never been honest about it. Others have said with great transparency that there are people in their lives they really don’t want to show Grace to. People that have hurt them. People that have caused suffering.

Everyone needs grace. Grace doesn’t withhold from anyone. Perhaps this year Grace is not a pretty white package, with a little red bow on it. Perhaps she’s been dragged through the dirt, and stomped on. The good news is that grace doesn’t stop coming. That’s part of what is amazing about it.

If you want to see the message you can go here. The title of the talk is ‘Innocent’. It’s a play on words involving a popular Bible story. May we all get a greater understanding of Grace.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Innocent (A Message On Grace)

November 29, 2010 in West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

Got the opportunity to speak at West Ridge yesterday on Grace. The opening video is one I found from the folks at People Of The Second Chance.

IDentity: Grace from West Ridge Church on Vimeo.

The Whole Christmas Burrito

November 12, 2010 in Community Outreach, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

At West Ridge Church we are partnered with two non-profits, A Fresh Hope and CAYA Ministry to serve @ 2,000 NW Atlanta families for Christmas. There are lots of ways to get involved. Everyone can play a little part. If you want to read ‘The Whole Christmas Burrito’ then by all means see the expanded explanations in this post. For the rest of us, here’s the quick summary:

1. Volunteer to be a part of the event on December 11th, or for some aspect of the preparation at the Hope For Christmas Website

2. Sponsor a family’s Christmas dinner for $20 using the paypal button on this site, or at West Ridge Church on Sundays!

3. Buy a toy for a child or gift card for a student. Donate them at West Ridge, or at our donation boxes throughout the community at participating Wal-mart, K-Mart, and Rite-Aid stores

4. Donate a gift a child can give to a family member when they ‘shop for free’ at the Fresh Hope store on December 11th.

Thanks for being a part! Expanded explanations are below:

1) Go to the Hope For Christmas website, and volunteer to be a part of the process. There are over 1200 volunteer roles to make Hope For Christmas a success. Some have already started. Even if you can’t serve on December 11th, there is a way for you to jump in! We feed our volunteers and provide child care on December 11th. It’s like we are paying you to volunteer!

2) Visit the World Cafe at West Ridge Church and sponsor a food basket for a family for $20. Your sponsorship will provide Christmas dinner to a family in need with all the trimmings. You can also take a moment and write a card to the family who will be benefiting from your sponsorship.

3) Buy a toy for a child or student. Buying an extra toy for a elementary child is actually a lot of fun. Toys have come a long way since you were a kid! :) BUT we will also be serving students all the way into high school. Think GIFT CARDS! $10 gift cards to Best Buy, Sports Authority, and other teen friendly stores would mean a lot. You can donate them in the Hope For Christmas boxes made available at West Ridge on Sunday.

4) One of the most beautiful aspects of the Hope For Christmas Party is the store provided by Waverly Gilcrease and A Fresh Hope. Children and students are invited to come into this store and ‘shop for free’ and pick out a present for someone in their lives to give away on Christmas morning. Inexpensive gifts for adults are readily available at Wal-mart, Kohls, Marshalls, and other discount stores. Help a child or student give Mom, Dad, or Grandma a gift they won’t forget!
Do something that maybe you wouldn’t think of! Use the forward feature at the bottom of this email and help us get people involved from throughout the community as possible. It’s going to take a lot of involvement to make this happen!

Everyone Belongs,
Paul

One a side note, if your business is looking for a place to do some corporate giving to families during the holiday season, and they are not permitted to give to a church please contact me. I will be glad to help guide them in the right direction.

Love The Line

November 4, 2010 in Partnership, Personal thoughts, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

When was the last time you stood in a line you didn’t want to, but you knew you had to? Think about the DMV, or the Social Security office, or even the privilege of voting. It’s not the final act you are unhappy with, it’s just the fact that you are standing in line, and you know there are better ways you could spend your time.

I saw that look on a lot of faces this week when our community opened up Christmas registration. I was hanging around working on some administrative things with friends and team members, but my mind was on the people in the line. So the little politician that hides inside of me (and has no plans to ever run for office) started working the line, and I started to hear stories like these:

A woman who evacuated Haiti with her children, landed in American gov’t housing, and still has a hard time putting clothes on the kids and food on the table

A victim of the Atlanta floods of 2009 who says she just found new mold in her home. Her husband is out of work, and the FEMA money is long gone.

A woman whose husband died, and she is on disability.

A family who is in danger of being evicted and doesn’t know where they will call home for Christmas

Want to hear more? Tons of people out of work. Stories of loss, hurt, brokenness and despair. I was overwhelmed with the needs of people.

There is something about this time of year. If you don’t have enough food and clothes in your home; a bare table at Thanksgiving, or an empty tree at Christmas, is like lemon juice on a paper cut. But if the table is full, and the kids have gifts there is a measure of hope. This hope doesn’t come from having material things, but connects to something much deeper. The entrance of Jesus into a broken world so powerfully connects with even the secular images at Christmas that the whole season drips with the Hope that there is a personal God in heaven interested in my circumstances.

That is why we plan a giant Christmas party for the needy in NW Atlanta called, Hope For Christmas. Romans 15:13 tells us that every Christ-follower is to give hope away. I don’t know how well you feel like you do at this, but there’s no time like the present to get it started.

If you want to volunteer and want more information on how you can donate visit our website at http://hopeforchristmas.com. Join in and give hope. Love the Line.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Welcome To Moes!

October 20, 2010 in Burkina Faso, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

You need to put this in your Dave Ramsey Envelope for eating out this weekend! Previously, I wrote about our friend Joanna Gregg who has decided to move to Burkina Faso in West Africa.  You can read more about Joanna here! We are partnered with Pastors and Leaders in that country to dig wells, build churches, build and expand schools, feed the hungry, and more. We are about to launch a web presence you can connect to very soon.

Joanna is hoping to move in January and is raising funds to help make that happen. The Moes on Dallas Hwy in Marietta is being very generous. This Sunday, October 24th, they are giving 35% of their proceeds to ‘Engage Burkina’ and Joanna’s efforts. They really want her out of the country!

You need to mention Engage Burkina and Joanna Gregg when you check out on Sunday. And GO BIG! This is your Sunday to go all out with ‘Joey Bag O Doughnuts’ or load up a ‘Homewrecker’.

We hope this place packs out!

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Time For Some Execution

January 26, 2010 in Africa, Burkina Faso, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

A couple of years ago I came to West Africa for the first time. Pastor Brian Bloye and the elders at West Ridge Church had said that it is time for our church to play a role in God’s work on this continent. Through a family connection of a missionary on the field we ended up in a country called Burkina Faso in a part of the world called, ‘The Sahel’ (Sub-Saharan Africa).

Over the course of several trips and lots of prayer and discussion we have come up with a strategy to help play a role in spreading the gospel to unreached people groups in this country. It’s bigger than one church or any one organization. I’ll talk through more our strategy in some upcoming post.

As all of our plans came together one very important component came to the foreground; we needed personnel on the ground to host teams and look after the strategy as it developed.

After a couple years of prayer and a lot of bold moves by West Ridge Leadership I am sitting here in Ouagadougou with Chris and Connie Feilds and their 5 kids. These kids are so excited to be in Africa they can’t stand it. The four year old keeps asking, ‘Where is the pool?’ Thankfully, the US Rec Center has one. Chris and Connie look like you’d expect after bringing 5 kids, all their luggage and a dog with them across 20 hours of travel.

There is more to this little plan of ours. I’m actually going to sleep in another part of the plan later tonight. More than anything each of you have a role to play that I will be explaining as well.

Follow our trip this week by visiting Brian’s website and Tony Morgan’s Site.

For now it is time for a little rest.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Merry Christmas, Now Get Out

December 21, 2009 in Africa, Burkina Faso, Global Outreach, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

A few weeks ago I wrote an announcement to try and draw attention to the Global Trips we are planning at West Ridge. In tongue and cheek fashion I gave a recommendation that you send your spouse oversees as a way of saving your marriage. Evidently, I was right on as several of you have talked with me about giving Global Trips to your spouse for Christmas.

This may be more than just an exercise in marriage intervention. Many of you have come to me and said that it was actually a spouse that encouraged you to go on your first trip. Sometimes we have to give each other permission to take the time, or spend the money.

If you have a spouse that has talked about wanting to see the savannahs of Africa, the Amazon of Brazil, or the hidden treasure of Cuba, let’s make 2010 the year. God is allowing us to partner and do some amazing ministry in these countries; digging wells, building churches, and being a part of community transformation in these three countries. Whole tribal groups of people who have never heard the name of Jesus, are being told about Him first from West Ridge and our partners.

I would encourage you to sit down, talk about this together, and choose to make the investment of your family’s time. There is some money involved, but most of it you can raise through fundraising and networking. We will provide guidance in this. We are very interested in helping you see what God is doing in the world, and engaging His global kingdom.

Sign up by visiting www.westridge.com/global

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Like Never Before

November 30, 2009 in Burkina Faso, Community Outreach, Cuba, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

So I’m 33 years old. I look younger, which doesn’t really have any advantages at this point. I’ve been a part or a church staff for 12 years, and have been around ministry for a long time. I’ve had the opportunity to be around great leaders and great ministry, but I have never seen it quite like this.

Over the last 10 years we have thought that people are more open to receiving the kindness of God, like September 11th or the financial collapse last year. But sitting at my desk with my view of the world this season is one like never before. Maybe it’s the flood relief we have all been involved in for NW Atlanta, maybe it’s the unemployment rate, I’m not sure. Every day at West Ridge we see families who have lost everything financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically, and they are coming to the church for help. There is no longer a high level of cynicism when we go out into our community. There is an extraordinary amount of people ready to listen to what God has for their life.

This is only possible when Christ-followers get involved and invite other friends from the community to do that as well. I can’t put a finger on what is happening, but I plan to share how we are leveraging this season to expand the kingdom.

Here are a couple of examples of what we have coming in the days ahead.

  • We will provide food and toys for over 1500 families at Christmas including 400+ families impacted by recent flooding
  • We will serve four-five dozen special needs families with a strategically placed Christmas respite event
  • We will send a family to Africa to continue to help us engage Burkina Faso in the areas of water and education
  • We will begin to unveil some of the rebuilding work that we and other churches have been called into for flood victims around NW Atlanta

I hope you will join with us in this. I think we are on the edge of seeing lives, communities, and countries transformed like never before.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Jesus with a Shop-Vac

September 22, 2009 in Community Outreach, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

I’ve had a ton of great people from around Paulding and Cobb County ask me what will the church be doing in response to the floods that we have experienced over the last couple of days. Several other area churches have contacted me, and I have spent time praying about this as well. I have contacted every emergency management agency and several community leaders, and here is what I have come up with.

The church should go out into the community and provide help to those who need it. I know you are astounded. Perhaps you are weeping. Perhaps you are applauding…ok maybe not. People who follow Jesus Christ are the church. It’s not just the name for the building and it doesn’t refer to the church leadership. The only way for the church to respond to the needs we are having on the scale we are experiencing is for people who are Christ-followers to be the eyes and ears and hands and feet of Jesus. If you love God, go love your neighbor.

Have you checked on the people you do life with? Have you checked on the people in your neighborhood? Do you know of a family that could use some extra help? There are people who are discouraged and praying for God’s help right now. God’s people need to go be the help and encouragement they need.

What an awesome thing it would be to hear of a Revolution of love and action breaking out in our community being led by disciples of Jesus.

Truth be told we are considering some other things at West Ridge Church that we can all do together. We do know of a few families who have lost everything. We are thinking and praying about how to rally around them.

In the meantime share your box fans, dehumidifiers and shop-vacs with your neighbors, and be the church.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

Walk Inside

September 4, 2009 in Community Makeover, Community Outreach, Global Outreach, Personal thoughts, Uncategorized, West Ridge Church with 0 Comments

Earlier this week I went out for lunch fully intending to go through the Drive-thru and get back to the office. Upon seeing the line of cars I changed my mind and went inside. I actually do this quite a bit. Going out to lunch and moving from sitting at my desk to sitting in the car is not exactly rejuvenating, so I will get out of the car for a walk. I was reminded of a little lesson I thought I’d share.

I was inside for approximately 8 minutes. In that time I was approached about an opportunity for our church to reach out to a group of folks in an area we don’t have great exposure, was invited by a local high school to partner with them on a couple of items, thanked for helping out on the Community Makeover, and given the chance to invite someone to West Ridge who doesn’t attend church anywhere. One morning this week I didn’t ‘Pay at the pump’ for the gas in my car. As I continue to build relationships with the local gas station employees I was given another opportunity to talk church and life with someone who is clearly not a follower of Jesus.

Ok, I don’t do this all the time, but I will continue to try to do it more than not. If I always stay in my car then these conversations never happen. Outreach or Sharing Christ is not a program, it’s a lifestyle that stretches us as disciples of Jesus.

Everyone Belongs,

Paul

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