Monday Morning Thoughts

For years I have been involved in the music ministry. It started in the 70's when our band Storm was the back-up band for Godspell put on by an amazing young talented group at Eden Church.

For years I dreamed of someday having a church with an amazing sound system and stage where the music ministry would flourish and the mechanics of doing the music ministry would be easy. Well, God works in mysterious but glorious ways, and accomplishes what He wants accomplished in the way He can best get it accomplished.

PCF may never have a big building or a sound stage BUT I believe God is going to use us as we allow Him to use us to accomplish great things for His Kingdom and that is what it is really all about. The last time I served on the Eden church council I had an agenda.  And that agenda was to get a new sound system for the church. I took the initiative to get quotes and had a sound engineer come to the church and design the perfect system for our sanctuary. To do it right  we were looking at least $75,000.00, probably more.  But as I got more and more involved in the discussion about making my sound system agenda a reality, God spoke to my heart. He made it VERY clear to me that the money it would cost to put that sound system in would have much better uses for the children of His Kingdom who were in need.

That revelation changed my whole reality paradigm about what church should be about.  I even went to the council and confessed my agenda and what God had laid on my heart.  The whole project was scraped. And, as much as I really really wanted to take the music ministry to what I thought was the next level, I know in my heart God had spoken on the matter.

So today, 10-12 years later, Bob Ahrens and I joke with each other about how fun it is to still be lugging equipment around and having to set up and tear down every Sunday.  The reality is, we really have found it to be "kind of" fun. Right Bob?

Recently I met a few people who work for a Mega church in Colorado.  By Mega I mean about 20,000 people show up each Sunday!  Can you imagine? The guys I spoke with work as technical people behind the scenes at this church. This church has the biggest and the best, sound stage, video, lights, smoke machines, sound systems and on and on. They also have an enormous debt.  Millions in debt. So what becomes a priority?

I love PCF. I love Esic Baptist for helping PCF. Esic Baptist is the only church that welcomed us with open arms and basically gave us free reign with no strings attached. Amazing!  Simply amazing especially in this day and age.  So a huge thank you to Esic Baptist for allowing our ministry to get established and for your continued graciousness.

So what is the essence of this blog?  We are staying the course of remaining debt free. We will continue to allow God to guide us as we move forward. We will continue to work a little harder to set up and tear down, to make it work with what we have and to continue to be a blessing to those in need as God opens our eyes to where He wants each of us to get involved.

The sermon last night was given by Jesus a long time ago.  We are each called to be the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and to use what ever it is we have to be a blessing to who ever God puts in our path. I'll be honest, sometimes I get down. Sometimes I think we just keep struggling and maybe we aren't making a difference.  Then I come to my senses and realize that the deceiver is working his voodoo on me. So I go to God and read scripture and it doesn't take long and I snap out of it and realize that we, PCF, really are wonderful and amazing.

Everyone who attends our Fellowship should be grateful for all that we have accomplished and we should also be looking to the future with great expectancy to see what God has for us to accomplish next! Maybe we will be the Wandering Hebrews again??? Who Knows?  But where ever God leads us, let's rejoice and continue worshipping Him and blessing one another. We are blessed!   We are a wonderful family. And I feel very blessed to be part of such a wonderful group of Gods people who are willing to be different, who are willing to live their life as a demonstration of Jesus' Hope, Love, Forgiveness, Compassion, and Healing to others.  To love their neighbor as much as they love their self!   So please pray with me, "Father, let all our plans come from you.  Let all of our work be motivated and empowered by your Holy Spirit. Let your dreams become our dreams and your mission become our mission. Help us to bury all of our personal agendas, and let us always lift the name of your son Jesus up to all those who cross our path. In Jesus name, Amen!!!!!!

Love, pastor Kent

This Sunday

Sermon Topic:  How to Start Living an Extraordinary Life!

Come join the conversation. Choir, band, fellowship, the Holy Spirit and YOU!

God has a plan for your life.  See you Sunday, 6:30.  Love Pastor Kent

Tonight and more

Tonight the Garden Club will meet again at the Edwardsville Care Center located on the corner of Route 143 and St. Mary Drive in Edwardsville. We will meet at 6:30. It was a fun great group last week come join us.

What do you think would happen in three months if starting today you did what I call the 4 -10's?
The 4 tens are  10 pushups, 10 sit-ups, 10 deep squats and 10 jumping jacks.

I know that doesn't seem like much of a work out to those who work out regularly.  But to others doing 10 of each may seem next to impossible depending on the physical shape you are in.
What if everyday for the next 3 months you commit to doing the 4-10's?

Do you realize that at the end of three months you will have done 900 pushups, 900 sit-ups, 900 deep squats, and 900 jumping jacks?

Now imagine eating only a Salad for lunch each day during those 90 days.

Ok now what do you think would happen if starting today you start doing the following everyday for 3 months?
Eating 3 Krispy Cream doughnuts for breakfast, a cheeseburger, large fries, and a large soda for lunch, and eating some kind of fast food for dinner with a large bowl of your favorite ice-cream before going to bed every night? And, during this time you watched TV for your only activity avoiding any type of physical exercise.

Obviously there would be a physical effect on anyone who would follow such a 3 month routine.  In the 4-10 example the physical effect would probably result in weight loss and over all strengthening and toning of the body whereas in the second example there would probably be weight gain and other negative physiological changes.

What we put into ourselves and what we do has a major impact on our health.

Our Spiritual health reacts the same way. What we feed our Spirit and what we do as guided by our Spirit determines our Spiritual health.

God has a plan for your life….get on with it!
Love, pastor Kent

Your Personal Ministry

Does everyone have a personal ministry?

Unfortunately No!  And the reason is, most people have never considered the fact that God has a personal plan for their life. But the fact is, everyone who has accepted Jesus, can have and should have a personal ministry.

Great, how do I know what my personal ministry is?

God will unveil your personal ministry when you surrender your will and goals and desires to His will goals and desires. However you can start experiencing the joy of your personal ministry today.

How?

By living your life as a demonstration of Jesus' Hope, Love, Forgiveness, Compassion, and Healing with everyone that crosses your path.

The world is starving for Kindness, Compassion, Love, Honesty, Healing. The crazy thing is, the world is craving and starving for Gods Kingdom. You can begin sharing Gods Kingdom with others today.  Tune in and listen to Gods Spirit. He will guide you to your ministry and it may come to you one person at at time.

Hope to see you soon.  God has a plan for your life!  Love, pastor Kent

Monday Morning Prayer

God please help me to see the plan you have for me today. Please allow me to hear the voice of your Spirit and help me to be Jesus to someone today. Amen.

God wants to work through us. Our busyness, our agendas, and our goals hinder God's ability to do what He wants to do through each of us. He seeks surrender and submission from us first. Then He comes in and begins to work through us.

People are afraid to surrender and submit to God. I know I was for years. I think we are afraid because we play the "What If" game.

What if God ask me to do something that I don't want to do?
What if God asks me to do something I cannot do?
What if God asks me to do something I will not do?

The answer to all of these is simple.  God is never wrong no matter what He asks you to do. He will equip and empower and motivate you to accomplish His work no matter what it is. The key is to continue to surrender your will to His.

God has a plan for your life. Don't be afraid of it!  Embrace it.  God wants to be your partner. Where He takes you and what He asks of you will always bring you the most joy, peace and fulfillment, the very things that we are all seeking.

God has a plan for your life.  See you soon. Love, pastor Kent

A new Chapter Begins Tonight!

I hope you and you family can join us TONIGHT at 5:30 for an evening of food and fellowship as Praise Community Fellowship  begins a new chapter in it's history.

Come find out about how you can become part of a new way of doing church. Come join the conversation!

God has a plan for YOUR life!

See you this evening at 5:30.

Love, pastor Kent

This Sunday…A New Direction Begins

This Sunday, 5:30PM 2nd Year Anniversary Dinner!

Fried Chicken
Friends
Fellowship

Deserts requested, make your best pie, cake, cookies…..and come celebrate.  We will not have a formal service but we will begin a conversation on possibilities as we enter our third year together.
We will be talking about the 3 M's of PCF.

What's our Message?
What's our Mission?
What's our Method?

And, we will discuss the huge potential and effectiveness of finding your personal ministry!
God has a plan for your life!  Hope to see you and some of your friends Sunday.  Love, pastor Kent