From the Depths of my Heart

 

 

Grant that I may not pray
 alone with the mouth;
help me that I may pray

 from the depths of my heart.

Martin Luther

Vision

As I was growing up in Minnesota, the members of our rural community shared a gift that made a profound impression on me. No one in our community was wealthy. They were farmers living from crop to crop, adding slightly to that income with dairy cows, chickens, and pigs. They were hard working people, working long days, whether under the hot summer sun or during wintry months when the temperature would never get above zero degrees. Etched on my memory is the fact that these folks decided they needed a new church for generations that would follow. It seemed as if every family was committed to being involved. Everyone gave generously. They insisted on doing all the work themselves so no one would need to be “hired.” The women provided wonderful meals to the workers who diligently worked in spare moments to build Alma Lutheran Church in the country. They completed building it debt free. That church still looks wonderful fifty years later. I rejoiced for the opportunity to speak at their 125th anniversary in 2006, thanking them for my spiritual roots.

 

 

We have done it again, built a church building in Clifton so that Jesus Christ will be more than just a name. Jesus Christ will be a friend who can see us through the best of times and the worst of times. Our multi-campus concept is also becoming a model for churches across the nation where a new style of ministry is emerging, one congregation on multiple sites. When we started this process, there were only a few such congregations. Now there are well over one hundred ELCS congregations either expanding into main-site congregations or planning such an expansion in the near future.

George Barna says, “Vision is the single most important dimension of a successful ministry.” Lord of Life is a congregation of vision and has been from its founding days over 40 years ago. 

There are four levels of vision:

Those who simply never see a vision: the Wanders.

Those who see the vision but never catch it: the Followers.

Those who see the vision and personally own it: the Achievers.

Those who see, own, and help others catch the vision: the Leaders.

 

 

We are blessed with many leaders at Lord of Life! We are limited only by our vision and commitment. God has a plan. All He needs is a people. Not just any people, but those with ears to hear, eyes to see and hearts to understand. His message has not changed, but we must. And when we do, we will without a doubt fulfill our greatest destiny as a people called out by God.

Go with God!

Pastor Qualley   

In God's Hands

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all;
but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.
  Martin Luther

October Thought

 

Of all the people who ever inhabited planet earth, this generation is probably the most besieged by a tidal wave of information, messages, facts, figures, truths, and lies that have ever assailed the human mind. It’s easy to feel intimidated and overwhelmed. Christians know that they cannot respond to every message they hear, or solve every problem, or meet every need by applying some once-and-for-all elixir that translates every language and clarifies every ambiguity. What we can do is to deliberately recognize that we cannot avoid being part of the current scene, and that our greatest gift may well lie to also recognize that the Holy Spirit is not limited as we are, and that there is energy from God that is seeking entrance into our world, through us. We are called to recognize that God changes things not by miraculous re-ordering of our social universe, but by planting into the history of the human family the seeds of his living word, like some potent virus for good that has a life of its own, introduced into history through God’s people and growing by its own energy into a persuasive and saving presence in the human scene.

Our task is to transform the human observation of the Grace of God from being a distant and sometimes inarticulate abstraction into a warm-blooded, here and now, observable human version that we experience. In the long term, it is like the October task on the farm (as I imagine it to be in its basic parts) of harvesting the field: to free the kernels of grain from their immediate environment, so to speak, separating leaves and thistles – and other confusing materials – and then to take those kernels of grain to the mill, and grind out the flour that becomes the food that sustains us.

In all humility, it is for the believer to allow the truth of the gospel of grace and love to grow in one’s heart and mind; however one’s environment may challenge or confuse. Then with all humility to allow that truth to shape one’s daily life. The world has been changed not because Christians took on the entire task in one fell swoop, but were willing to be a micro cosmos, a small world of one by one whose faithfulness was infectious, and graciously claimed at least some little piece of the world’s travail each day for Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Jansen   

God's People

 

 

To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.  

Martin Luther

An Important Piece

One of my interests is in putting jigsaw puzzles together. During the January 2010 blizzard, Sandy and I completed a 1000 piece puzzle. It was a picture of birds at the bird feeder on a beautiful summer day. In the midst of the snow storm, it was a reminder that summer would be coming. There are instant rewards when you find another piece that slowly completes the picture. The body of Christ can often resemble a large jigsaw puzzle that was just dumped out of the box onto the table. The pieces can seem jumbled together without any sense of cohesion, but as you examine the various shapes, you soon begin to figure out how certain pieces will join to others. Connecting one part to the next, the big picture gradually comes into focus as you begin to see how other pieces fit into place.

Every person in the family of God is given specific gifts. This could be a gift of teaching, music, leadership, writing, hospitality, or even compassion. It could be the transformation of a talent you already have, or a completely new ability God gives to you. It may not be clear at first how your specific gift will fit in. You may even be hesitant to use your gift out of fear that others will think it unimportant. However, it is important to remember that every gift from God is significant. When you fail to contribute your gift, you withhold pieces necessary to complete the big picture that makes up the body of Christ; like that frustrating last puzzle piece that is missing, withholding your gift leaves gaping holes in the body that could be used to bless others.

Rely upon the grace of God and trust that the gifts He has given will fit together to make the body of Christ stronger as a whole. God has entrusted each of us with unique gifts that will strengthen and inspire the body of Christ. Thanks for your partnership in putting the pieces of the puzzle together as we live out the gospel in word and deed.

Go with God,

Pastor Qualley

Planning for the future

Across America there is a trend in congregational life that is somewhat alarming. Every denominational body is seeing a decline in people involved in worship and ministry. Church is becoming one of many options for people to choose from in their busy lives. In some cases, people are opting out of church and choosing other activities to invest their lives. There is no better alternative in one’s life than to have a strong relationship to God. The church will continue to be a place where people will be encouraged and supported through the best and worst of times. There is no other message than the Good News of Jesus Christ which brings strength for daily living, peace within one’s heart, and a purpose and direction for living. It is with this in mind that Lord of Life is committed to changing this trend within our community. Our church leaders and staff are committed to ensure that our relationship to Jesus Christ will be valued above all other competing forces that seek to engage individuals and families. Lord of Life will continue to search for ways to connect to the needs of people in this place and time. We will understand the barriers to faith development and seek solutions in overcoming them. These are some ways in which we will achieve this goal:

 

Provide opportunities for all ages to grow in their relationship to Jesus Christ. Marks of Discipleship and Children and Family Ministry have detailed in which every household will be offered practical ways to deepen your faith through sermon series, small group offerings, resources, and in-home activities.

 

Engage a research and development program to ensure a congregational life that reflects the present/future cultural trends with the power of the gospel. As we move into the future with rapid cultural changes, especially in the area of technology, we will endeavor to seek ways for the church’s ministry to connect with the daily needs of our people. Lord of Life seeks to be proactive in finding strength and purpose in our changing environment. 

 

 

Assess the worship needs and styles for the next few years: No longer is one style of worship is meaningful to all ages. Some worshippers prefer traditional, some contemporary, some contemplative, and some more informal worship. If we are going to reach all ages with the gospel’s message, we need to address how best to use our talents and resources in providing meaningful inspiring worship for all ages.

 

Live out the “Great Commission” (“Go therefore, and make disciples…Matt. 28:19) and the “Great Commandment” (“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul—and your neighbor as yourself”…Matt. 22:36-40). These two verses continue to guide our thinking and our planning. They are like our North Star. Our ministry is shaped by our Mission Statement and Biblical imperatives. Our leadership and staff teams are committed to be faithful to these.

 

Visibly serve in the community, nation, and world through acts of kindness: Lord of Life has a strong history of making a difference in the lives of others. We are driven by the Biblical mandate of Micah 6:2 “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.” We will seek ways to assist our local government leaders, schools, and other community agencies to share our time, talents, and resources. This also applies to national and international needs.  

Proactively steward our resources to include prudent fiscal management of our monetary and human resources. Lord of Life is blessed with outstanding gifted people. Our motto continues to be, “Those who are so blessed have much expected of them as well”. We ask for everyone’s participation–sharing their time, talents, and resources—to be good stewards of what we have been given. Sound fiscal financial management of our resources has been another hallmark of our ministry. Lord of Life will continue to do so.

 

Ensure that Lord of Life’s future continues with dynamic leadership and vision. Lord of Life is committed to looking at the long term staffing needs to ensure this ministry moves from strength to strength. The congregation also remains committed to the continued necessity of a compelling vision to steer our ministry in the years ahead.

“I thank God in all my remembrance of you,” I chose Paul’s words to the church at Philippi to be my words as well. From the smiles and hugs from the little ones to the firm hand shake and look in the eye of each saint of God, this is a wonderful place to serve. Each of you is a treasure that God has placed in the midst of this congregation that together we can share each other’s burdens and celebrate each other’s blessings. May you know you are special to God and to each of us in this church family. So Let Our Light Shine. I like the wisdom of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that has.” Also I share this quote from an unknown source, “The person who says it can’t be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.” Never forgot that you are people of an Almighty God. Never forget that our highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live them out. May our thanks to God be expressed loudly and boldly as we serve one another in love and joy!

Go with God,
Pastor Qualley