Albany Night of Hope

Last night my wife and I had the honor and the privilege to meet Joel Osteen.  What an inspiring time we had with him, Victoria, and his mother and participating in the Albany Night of Hope.   It was estimated that 70% of the crowd stood to invite Jesus Christ into their lives.  It was truly the highlight of our ministry.

What most people don't know is that in 2004, I was discouraged in life and ministry.  We had some huge problems in our church, and we lost our son Seth.  It was a dark year, probably the darkest of my life.  I was questioning God, my calling and my future.  Later that year, someone gave me Joel Osteen's book, "Your Best Life Now."  As I read that book, God began to speak to me.  I began to believe again and believe that God was for me and not against me.  As I read each page of the book, God was healing me.  I was able to believe that God's plans for me were not to harm me, but to give me a hope and a future.  I began to believe again that I was His favored child and that in spite of what I was going through, He had my best interests in mind.  Because I was so moved by the book, I decided to write Joel Osteen a letter in December of 2004 thanking him for his book and his words of faith and encouragement.  Never in a million years would I have imagined that I would have the opportunity to meet him and be a part of a Night of Hope.

I believe that God honors honor.  When you honor leaders, and honor people, He will honor you.  As you honor others, you are sowing into your future and I believe that it will come back tenfold.  It was also an honor to meet with other like minded pastors, Buddy Cremeans, Northway Church, Mike Servello, Redeemer Church, Lon Williams, House of Praise, David Traynham, New Horizons Church.  These guys are movers and shakers in the Northeast.  So proud and honored to have the opportunity to team up with them in Albany.

I'm also honored to be the Pastor of Transformation Church.  I was so proud of our volunteers who served and made a difference in the lives of many people.  They are truly the cream of the crop.  The feedback I received from Joel Osteen's team was that this was one of the best groups of volunteers that they have had.  They were happy, positive, and had such a great spirit.  I was like a proud dad when they told me.  I think I blushed :)  I love you guys.  I'm so proud of you.  You guys are the best!

As I think about the future of Transformation Church, I continue to passionately keep our mission at the center of everything we do, reaching people far from God and leading them to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.  That is why we exist as a Church.  That's why we participated and supported Albany Night of Hope.  It's about people, people coming into a relationship with God.  People finding hope again, people rediscovering faith, and people learning to believe, believe in God, and learning to believe in themselves.  The world doesn't need another critic, another judge, or another person to condemn them.  The world needs HOPE!  I'm honored to be a carrier of hope to a world that desperately needs it.

Knowing What to Ignore

As you begin fulfilling your dreams and God given destiny, it's inevitable, you will encounter critics.  People that are negative, people that are jealous, people that don't believe in you.  In the past 15 years of ministry, I have encountered numerous critics.  I have faced negativity from a tiny group of insignificant people that threatened to rob my joy and hijack my dreams.  


I'm sure many of you have experienced some type of negative criticism in your life.  Perhaps you were going to buy a house, and some jealous family members tried to discourage you into doing it.  Perhaps you wanted to go back to school, and your best friend told you that it would be too hard for you.  Perhaps you were about to take a step into a new career, and those closest to you told you you were crazy.  


How do you handle criticism?  How have I handled criticism?  There is only one way to handle criticism and that's ignore it!  Years ago someone gave me a duck to remind me to let criticism roll off my back.  It sits on my desk today.  Daily I'm reminded to let the negativity, let the criticism, let the discouragement roll off my back.  I can't tell you how important that has been in moving forward into everything God has for me.  


The only thing that really matters is not what others think of you, but what God thinks of you.  My goal in life is not to please people but to please God.  Over the years I have learned to make the shift and not allow others to make me or break me.   I have learned what to ignore.  The gift of ignoring may be your most important gift when you are trying to fulfill your God given destiny.  Ignore the tweets, ignore the facebook comments, ignore the letters, ignore the calls, and continue to follow your dreams. 


David faced intense criticism when he was about to face the giant Goliath.  Saul told David, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth."  But David didn't allow the Saul's criticism to keep him back from his God given destiny.  David responded by saying, "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God."  With one stone he killed his enemy and silenced his critics.  


How do you quiet a critic?  You ignore them and keep moving forward into your destiny.  You continue believing and reaching for everything God has for you.  Eventually, your critics will be silenced, not by what you have done, but what God has done through you.  They will become speechless when they see the supernatural power and favor of God operating in your life.

Reflections on 2011

2011 was a roller coaster of a year.  The year started off great.  The church continued to grow, we added a new staff member, Domingo Rodriguez, and plans to renovate the lower level of our facility were in motion, that's until I became ill with a terrible case of appendicitis in March.  I have never been so sick in my life, so a week in the hospital, was a huge setback.

That same week, our townhouse basement flooded.  What a mess!  We used our basement as storage for the stuff we had from our 4 bedroom house.  What a helpless feeling it was to see all your stuff sitting in water and not being able to do anything about it because you're sick.

It took me about a month to fully recover, but amazingly, plans to renovate continued moving forward... without me!  Thankful for an incredible team that stepped in an led during a time that I needed them the most.  Thankful for my friend Pastor Anthony and Medford A/G for being there when we needed them the most.  Thankful for people that came over to help us clean up from the flood.

Renovations continued and people continued to come.  Easter weekend was a huge weekend for us with over 700 people attending three Easter weekend services.  I knew it was just the beginning of greater things ahead.  By the summer I was feeling great again and plans to move to two services as well as plans to renovate the Community Hall into a cafe' by October 9th were in place, that is, until Irene showed up! My basement, flooded again!  We were devastated.  Then a few days later we were flooded again by Jose!  Funny, I guess the forces that be had it out for me.  While I assessed the damage of Jose, I got a call from Domingo.  "Pastor, you're not going to believe this..."  I ran over to the church and there was six inches of water everywhere!  All the work, all the plans, all the dreams, dashed in a few hours by one storm.

That was a turning point for me.  I had to come to grips with reality that I did not have the strength to continue.  I could not continue to do this on my own.  As I was about to throw in the towel, I told God I can't do this anymore.  His response... I can!  From that moment, faith began to fill my heart and I started to believe again.  I couldn't give up, I couldn't give in.  There was too much at stake.  We just have to press forward.  We have to overcome the challenges in order to experience the blessings.  Long story short, within 8 hours, the entire church was cleaned up and dry.  An army of volunteers came in and worked relentlessly all day until every drop of water was cleaned up.  I walked away from the church that day in amazement of what God did.  God taught me a lesson.  When we are not able, God is Able!  That set to tone for the rest of the year.  I preached for eight weeks, "God is Able!"

We did not allow those setbacks to determine our future.  Instead we used them as stepping stones to move to a whole new level.  We continued with plans for two services on October 9th.  We moved the opening of the cafe' to December 11th.  We moved Life Groups into homes.  We also began a capital building campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete renovations and repairs, and we hired a Children's Director, all in the same month.

In October, God also opened unexpected doors for my family to move into a beautiful new home on 3.5 acres of land overlooking the mountains.  We thought we were stuck in our current situation, but when we let go of the problem, God will always provide the solution.  Unexpectedly God made the impossible possible.  We moved in on October 1st!

Renovations continued, finances came in and on December 11th we celebrated what God did.  In one Sunday, we raise over $150,000, we opened our brand new cafe', and we announced our new church name, all before a record crowd of people.  We are no longer Trinity Church.  We are Transformation Church!  That name not only tells of what has happened to our Church, but also speaks to our mission.  We are all about transforming lives with the power of love.  

In 2011, God has blown us away.  I stand in awe of what God has done in only 365 days.  I begin 2012 with faith and high expectations that God is going to do even greater things.  My ears of faith hear God saying, "you aint seen nothing yet!"  2012 is going to be a huge year for us.  It will be a year of unprecedented favor and unprecedented blessing.   I sense God opening supernatural doors for us.  He is sending the right staff and the right volunteers.  My prayer for 2012 is that the dreams God has placed upon my heart continue to become a reality.  My prayer for you is that the dreams that lie dormant in your heart come alive and you begin seeing God turn dreams into reality because God is Able.  Happy New Year.  The best is yet to come!

A New Name, A New Beginning

I announced on Sunday, with about 400 in attendance, that we have a new church name!  We are now Transformation Church!  I can't tell you how excited I am to begin a new chapter in the history of this great church.  In January of 2011, God impressed upon my heart that it was time to change the name of our church.  He showed me that often times, when He did a new thing in the lives of people He changed their name.  For example, Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, and Jacob to Israel.  Ruth and I spent some time praying and searching for that new name until we found Transformation Church.

We spoke to our Leadership Team about the name change and everyone agreed that it was time to change the name.  I spent the rest of the year praying and asking God to confirm the new name.  Throughout the year, God confirmed over and over again that the name was indeed going to be Transformation Church.

The new name speaks to our mission.  We are all about seeing lives transformed.  My prayer that is that Transformation Church would be about transforming lives, families, marriages, the community and the world with the power of God's love.  God is not only calling our church to be about transformation, He is calling each of our partners to be transformers.  Within each and every one of us, we have been given the power to transform the world.

In addition to announcing our new church name, I announced the results of our capital campaign.  I am happy to say that in one Sunday we raised $150,000!  God is Able!  This was a huge victory for us and for our church.  With those funds we were are able to complete most of the renovations and repairs to our facility.  On Sunday, we opened our new cafe'.  For years, I have wanted to open a cafe where people can come together and connect over a cup of coffee.  Within a year I hope to have it open to the community.

It's amazing to see how the vision that God had put on my heart years ago is becoming a reality.  In addition to the cafe' we opened a new kids wing with newly renovated kids classrooms, all equipped with flat screen tv's and blu-ray players, as well as a computerized kids check in system.

Transformation Church is moving forward.  We know that this is just the beginning for what God has in store for us.  Every day I wake up and thank God for bringing me to Transformation Church.  I know that 2012 is going to be an incredible year of growth and transformations.  I know that God is going to blow our minds as we continue to fulfill the mission of helping people far from God become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

God is Able!

A few weeks ago our house basement flooded.  It was the fourth time in a year.  Ruth and I were so discouraged and overwhelmed by the situation.  To top it all off, the church lower level flooded as well.  All the work we put into those rooms and classrooms was destroyed in one night.  As I walked into the church that morning, all I could say is God, I can't do this anymore.  I don't have the strength to do this.  I'm done!  His response?  Finally, you have come to the place that I want you to be.  You can't, but I can.  I am able!

Not long after, over a dozen volunteers came out to help with the clean up.  We were done by 5pm.  I was amazed to see so many people come and help us.  It was at that point that I handed everything over to God and began to trust Him to take us places we have never been before.  I know that God has incredible plans for my life and for Trinity Church.  Without God's help, we are going to fail!  It's easy to rely upon your own abilities and your own strength.  And to a point, you are going to be able to accomplish some on your own.  But if you are going to go to a level you have never been before, and see things you have never seen before, you are simply going to have to turn everything over to God and trust him to to the impossible.  The Bible says in Matthew 19:26, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  

This is what drove me to launch the sermon series, "God is Able."  I can't tell you how God is working in so many lives so far through this series.  People are beginning to believe again, and trust again.  People are beginning to raise the level of their faith and believe God for the impossible in their life, their situation, and their church.  What once was an impossibility is being looked as opportunity for God to do a miracle. I know that God is about to do a miracle at Trinity.  I know He is about to show us in miraculous ways that He is able.  If He can make water flow out of a rock, if he can cause the blind to see, and raise the dead, I know He is able to make the impossible possible.

Joshua prayed one of the most audacious prayer that I have read in the Bible.  He prayed, "Sun stand still."  The sun was setting while Joshua was attempting to defeat the enemy.  In order to get the victory, he needed more time.  Can you imagine that.  A mere man like you and I prayed for the sun to stand still.  That is audacious faith.  God responded to Joshua's faith and God granted Joshua's request.  He defeated the enemy and found victory just as God had promised.

The sun might be setting over your career, your marriage, your finances, or your future.  Don't settle for the expected outcome.  Trust God to turn it around, bring the finances, the people you need, or the resources to do what He has called you to do.

We are believing God to raise $250,000.  We need to complete renovations and move our church forward as we continue to reach people far from God.  It might appear to be the worst time to raise money in this economy.  You think?  Not with God.  He doesn't operate in man's economy.  As we raise the level of our faith and partner with what God is doing, I know He will do great things through us.  I'm believing, I'm trusting, and I'm expecting for the sun to stand still.  I know He will respond and do more than what we ask or think.  God is Able!

Setbacks

I'm a planner.  I love setting goals and timelines to reach those goals.  When stuff doesn't go as planned, I can get frustrated and discouraged.  For example, we are about to launch two services on October 9th.  Everything was coming together for our launch and the opening of our new cafe'.  We've got the timeline and plans in place, except we didn't expect a hurricane.  It hit everyone and hard.  We weren't the only ones sucking up water from the basement of our church.  It was an unexpected setback that had the potential to throw us off course and get us down and discouraged.  I have to admit, there was a moment where I was about to just throw in the towel.  As quickly as that moment, came and went, I remembered that we serve a God who knows how to work all things together for good. 

Through a series of setbacks recently, God was able to bring me to a place where I totally needed to trust Him.  You see, sometimes God allows things to happen so we can stop relying upon ourselves and our own strength and learn to depend on His strength.  I'm sure all of us at one time or another experienced a setback of some kind which caused us to get discouraged.  I know I'm not the only one.  When things don't go as we plan, we all have the tendency to "cop out" or "give up."  That's not how God wants us to respond to setbacks.  You see, God is the God of the mountain and He is the God of the valley.  Setbacks are no surprise to Him. 

Think of Nehemiah.  He was given a vision to rebuild the wall.  Halfway through it, He experienced a setback.  The enemy came to attack, the people become tired and discouraged.  So what did Nehemiah do?  First, he prayed that God would frustrate the plan of the enemy.  Secondly, he encouraged the people to fight for the vision.  Thirdly, he changed his approach.  You see, instead of having everyone work together to build the wall, he only put half the people to build the wall and the other half to stand guard and watch.  God was able to use the setback to redirect Nehemiah into a strategy that would be more efficient and effective. 

That's exactly what I feel God has done through these setbacks.  God has redirected us to now hold Life Groups in homes.  He as redirected us to pray.  He has redirected us to all work together towards a common goal and raise the finances we need to complete our renovations.  It's incredible to see how people respond when they are redirected through a setback.  Some don't understand, and complain.  Others just kind of lay low.  Others see the vision and pursue it with passion and excitement and that's where we are today at Trinity Church. 

I don't know what kind of setback you have recently experienced, but let me encourage you not to give up.  Don't get discouraged.  Adapt to what God is asking you to do.  Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  It may not be exactly as you have planned, but perhaps that's exactly why you have experienced a setback.  So God can redirect you to do something different that will produce more results and be more effective. 

We are about to move into a new home.  Why?  Because of a setback.  We were stuck at the place we were staying, but God used a setback to move us into where He wanted us to be.  We would not have discovered the place we did, if it wasn't for a setback.  Don't despise setbacks.  They can actually be stepping stones for you to move into exactly what God has for you. 

Despicable Me

We are in the middle of the sermon series called, "At the Movies." We have been discovering biblical truths from Hollywood's biggest movies. This past Sunday I preached, "Despicable Me."

I'm not too into animated films, but being a parent with small kids, I have to endure these kinds of movies all the time. This movie really grabbed my attention as I watched it one night with my boys. It's about a super-villain named "Gru" who operates out of his suburban home that serves as a front for an underground lair where he, his partner, Dr. Nefario, and thousands of short yellow minions plan their wicked deeds. Gru doesn’t care about anything or anyone but himself and his ambition to be the greatest super-villain.

When Gru learns that another super-villain has stolen the Great Pyramid of Giza, his pride is injured, and he plans an even greater heist, stealing the Earth's moon, a plan he has had since childhood but discouraged by his mother who really never believed in him. Gru is able to steal a shrink ray from a classified East Asia facility, but it is stolen from him moments later by Vector, a nerdy super-villain who is responsible for the Pyramid theft. Gru devises a scheme to use three orphan girls to take in robotic cookies that can be used to disable the lair's defenses and allow him to steal the shrink ray.

He adopts the three girls from the local orphanage. These three orphan girls (Margo, Edith, and Agnes) do not mimic Gru’s despicable behaviors. It is their pureness of heart and unconditional love that changes Gru instead of his lifestyle changing them for the worse. The glimpses back into his childhood show a little boy who just wanted to be loved and accepted by his mother. He never had a chance since she also was callous and evil. Over a period of time, the unconditional love, begins to soften his callous heart. Gru begins to experience love for the very first time.

All of us are guilty of leading a despicable life. Romans 3:23 tells us that "All of us have sinned and fall short of God's glory." We are all despicable in the eyes of God. We are all guilty of doing despicable things. But even our despicable lives and despicable deeds could not stop God from loving us. There is nothing that can stop God from loving despicable me. Romans 5:8 tells us that "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." You see, while you and I were despicable, doing despicable things, God chose to love us and die for us. He didn't wait for us to do good before He loved us. He loved us before we even loved Him.

You might be living a despicable life. You might be living indifferent towards God in an area of our life. Let me tell you today that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn you, but to save you. He loves you so much. Often when we think of God loving us we think of God loving the good in us. No, He didn’t send His Son into the world to die for good people. He sent Him to die for sinners, like you and I. Religious people are quick to judge the sins of others, and not see their own sins. Religious people love to point out the faults in other. In our own self-righteous ways, they justify their own sinful actions, and behaviors simply because of their religion. They fail to remember that they themselves were despicable in the eyes of God.

God’s love is a love that is not deserved. It is not something that is earned. There is nothing greater than being loved unconditionally by someone who has every reason to despise us. God had every reason to despise despicable me, but instead, he chose to love me. It was that love which transformed me. It is that love that can transform you.  

Kids Camp 2011!

Kids Camp was a blast this year.   I must say that with our limited resources we were able to have an incredible week.  Close to 100 kids attended.  It was an awesome three days.  I was most impressed by our 40 plus volunteers who served and gave their time for our kids.  Let me tell you that we have an incredible team of volunteers here at TC.  They  love being together and serving one another..  Our co-directors, Domingo and Zory also did a phenomenal job.  I'm so proud of how well everyone did. 

A special thank you to Pastor Willy and Darryl from Adoni Community Services who came out and put up the 7 tents and carnival games, 2 bounce houses and the 70 foot obstacle course, not to mention the cotton candy, snow cone and popcorn machine,  It was like we were at the fair!


God has truly done amazing things through kids camp this year.  The kids were really great.  They had fun, they were well behaved and they learned alot.  "Backstage with the Bible" was the main theme.  We focused very intently on teaching the kids about  the Bible.

Although we are all tired, hot and spent, we can't wait for next year.  Deep down within all of us is this desire to make it happen again for our kids.  Our kids are the future. If we can't reach them, then we might as well close our doors and put a for sale sign out.  God loves kids and so do we.  Can't wait for Sunday and we can't wait to see what God is going to do in Trinity Kidz this year. 

You Are Not What Others Say You Are!

Words are powerful. Words can give life or take life. Words can build up or words can tear down. Words can hurt or words can help. Proverbs 18:21, says that the tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 15:4 also says that the soothing tongue is a tree of life but a perverse tongue crushes your spirit.

I can remember several years ago, three board members surprised me in my office one day to tell me what a great job I was doing and how many people were being touched, encouraged and saved by my ministry... NOT! They basically felt compelled to tell me what a crappy job I was doing. Those words crushed me. I was devastated. My spirit was crushed by those negative, toxic words. After I threw them out of my office, not literally, I went jogging, then I went to pray. I can remember as if a dagger had just been thrust into my heart. I prayed and asked God if there was any merit to what they said. God's response was, "You are not what others say you are!" It was tough during that time, and the several years ahead. I often heard, that I was too young, not caring enough, not this and not that. You see, although I could not control what others said about me, I could control what I believed. I chose to believe God's truth instead of the toxic words. I chose to believe that I am not what others said I was. It was my ability to reject toxic words and replace them with truth that has helped me become the person and the Pastor that I am today.

Chances are many of you, if you look back over your life, you can find some different times when you heard some crushing words, or you were pierced with someone’s hurtful words, they were toxic. The poisonous tip of those toxic words hits you and the poison spreads throughout your body and you hurt, you've lost life because people have spoken words that crushed your spirit. If that is you I want to tell you right now, you are not who others say you are! If someone said, "You'll never be good enough", I want you to know you were created in Christ Jesus to do good works which were prepared in advance for you to do. If someone says, "You're a piece of trash, you're used goods!" No you're not! You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old is gone and everything has become new! You don't listen to the toxic lies of the words!

People will say things that are hurtful over and over and over again, often those that you love and trust the most, but you are not who others say you are, you are who God says you are! Above all else, guard your heart against the toxic lies and words you may hear. In fact, Solomon in Proverbs 4, it's a really meaningful chapter about a father imparting wisdom to his son through life-giving words. Here's what he said, he said: "My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. … Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Prov 4:20, 23.

I'm so thankful that I didn't give in to those toxic words spoken over me several years ago. I wouldn't be at the place I am today seeing God's incredible blessing over my life and my ministry. Let me encourage you today, to guard your heart from those toxic words others will speak over your life. Reject them and replace them with God's truth. You are not what others say you are! You are what God says you are. He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He has a plan for your life and that plan is to prosper you, to give you a hope and a good future. When you are weak, you are really strong in Christ, and you CAN do all things through Christ who gives you the strength.

This Is Our Time!

Easter Weekend 2011

God continues to do above and beyond what any of us could ever think or imagine.  Easter 2011 took months of planning and preparations, which included months of remodeling and renovations of our facility.  It was a lot of hard work, and at times overwhelming, but at the end, God gave us the victory.

Close to 700 people attended three Easter Weekend services here at Trinity Church.  We are so amazed to see so many people walk through our doors.  We also had over 70 first time guests, and around 25 people make decisions to become followers of Jesus.  These are more than just numbers.  They are individuals that have been transformed by the power of God's love. 

I am also appreciative and proud of the 50 plus volunteers and team leaders that worked hard to make Easter weekend a success.  Everyone came prepared and ready to serve.  There were also several people that were not scheduled that came out and just wanted to help! (When does that happen in church?)  It did at TC this weekend. 

I know that this is just the beginning of great things ahead for Trinity Church.  I give God thanks daily for calling me here.  I know what it is to walk through a desert.  I know now what it is to experience God's blessing.  I believe that this is our time!  Our time for God's supernatural favor and increase.  We have only scratched the surface.  I know that God has more in store for us.  We will continue to do everything we can so that people far from God will become fully devoted followers of Jesus.  

Rediscover Church

What do you think of when you hear the word “Church”?  Stuffy, out-of-date, judgmental, irrelevant, unfriendly?  Well, when you come to Trinity Church you will rediscover a whole new definition of Church!  We are a church for normal people—people looking for answers and a purpose in life. You’ll find great music, a killer band,  casual dress, friendly people, and relevant biblical teaching that will help you connect with God, and you just might meet a few new friends.   Why don't you give Church a chance?  I know that you will love what we do and how we do it here at TC. 

Transformation Begins

I am so excited for what God is doing at Trinity Church!  Our attendance has doubled since 2009 and we continue to grow weekly.  Lives are being transformed and people are becoming followers of Jesus.  Each week I am meeting new people who were far from God and who did not attend church regularly.  They tell me how much they love Trinity and how God is transforming their lives.  This motivates me every week to stay focused on the mission that God has given us to help people far from God become fully devoted followers of Jesus. On March 14th I will be introducing the new partners that will be partnering with Trinity Church and on April 10th we will be having a baptism service.  I can't wait! 

Not only are lives being transformed, but our building is being transformed.  Our upstairs worship center is getting a makeover!  The 200 seat auditorium is being transformed into a state of the art kids worship center with new LED lights, new paint, decor, props and video screens to provide our kids with the ultimate kids worship experience every Sunday morning. The room will also be able to be used for other events such as coffee houses, and small concerts. 

In addition, a team from Medford Assembly of God, Medford, NY, will be coming up to renovate our 4 lower level bathrooms, remodel our coat room and remodel 3 preschool classrooms.  They are raising the money and are sending the people to help us!  The transformation begins on March 21 - March 25.  In addition to transforming the 2 preschool classrooms, we are going to create a preschool worship space with a large video screen, LED lights, and props so that our preschool kids can have an incredible worship experience every Sunday morning! 

This Spring our goal is to repaint the outside of our facility and get new landscaping all around the upper and lower buildings.  We know that this visible transformation of our facility is an expression of the the inner transformation people are experiencing every week here at Trinity. 

Our goal is to reach 1,000 people in attendance and baptisms by 2015.  I know that nothing is impossible with God.  His desire is our desire and I know that where there is a vision there is provision and there will be God's hand of blessing.  Let the transformation begin!

Fishers of men, not keepers of the aquarium by Steven Furtick

I recently read this blog by Steven Furtick, Pastor of ElevationChurch.org and wanted to share it with you.    "People ask me all the time how we’ve been able to see so many people come to Christ in five years.  Outside of the favor of God, I could give you a lot of specifics. Tell you a lot of things that we’ve done. But none of it will help you until you make a decision we made in the early days of our church.  And that was the decision to be more focused on the people we’re trying to reach than on the people we’re trying to keep. As others have said, to be fishers of men, not just keepers of the aquarium.  We’re not going to cater to the personal preferences of the few in our pursuit of the salvation of the many.  And that includes if the few is ten people when we’re pursuing one hundred.  Or 5,000 when we’re pursuing 10,000.  Or 10,000 when we’re pursuing 20,000. 


Most people and churches aren’t willing to do that. They’re keepers of the aquarium. They say they want to reach people, but in reality they’re more focused on preservation than expansion. On keeping people rather than reaching them.  They let saved people dictate style. Saved people dictate focus. Saved people dictate vision.  The result is a room full of saved people. Not people getting saved. Why? Because the people you’re trying to reach aren’t interested in the church that has been created by the people you’re trying to keep. If they were, they’d be coming. But they’re not.


For some reason, right here is where people usually play the discipleship card. They’re trying to disciple the people they’re trying to keep. They accuse you of pitting evangelism against discipleship.  But that isn’t the case. I just believe true disciples should care more about making disciples than freeze framing the church the way it was when they became one. Or wanting twenty-six programs customized to their liking. If the mark of Christian maturity is a bunch of people who want to create a museum glorifying and preserving their personal preferences and then sanctify it by calling it a church, count me out.


Some people say why can’t we have both? You can. Focus on the people you want to reach and you’ll keep the people you want to keep. Let the rest walk. They’ll find a church elsewhere to graze.  The way I see it is they’re just occupying the space of a person who needs to hear the gospel. You’ll fill their seat.  And it will be with the person who needs it the most."

Trinity Church will continue to be a church that focuses on fishing for men and not keepers of an aquarium.  We will continue to focus on reaching people far from God and leading them to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.  I am not interested in catering to the convinced, but in reaching the unconvinced.  I've spent too many years on people we're trying to keep instead of focusing on people we're trying to reach.  I will not cater to the personal preferences of a few, in the pursuit of the salvation of many. 

Incredible Sunday, Incredible Year!

I’m sitting in Starbucks right now enjoying an eggnog latte and thinking about today’s service (December 19th).  I can’t tell you how proud I am of our volunteers at Trinity Church.  Today was a big Sunday and perhaps the biggest of our year.  The music, worship, food, kids ministries, ushers, greeters, sound, video, hospitality, everything was done with excellence. I am amazed to see how far we have come in just one year.

I think about where we were one year ago this Sunday (December 20th, 2009).  There were 85 people in church, many of our leaders had resigned and I was feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about the future.  I felt alone and wondered if this vision God gave me would ever come to pass.  Fast forward one year and all I can say is WOW!  We now have an INCREDIBLE team of people who are committed to the mission and making a difference.  We have a strong board that loves me and loves our church.  We have a senior leadership team of guys with gifts and talents who are assisting me implement the vision. We have incredible ministry leaders who are carrying their load and making a huge difference. And we have an incredible congregation that loves God, loves their Church, and loves their pastor.  The result was record breaking attendance for the year next to Easter.  Today we had 261 people in church!  It was a huge day, one that I will remember for a long time.

I am looking forward to 2011 with great anticipation and excitement for what God has in store for our church.  I am expecting continued growth as we continue to fulfill our mission.  We have not yet arrived, but we are moving in the right direction.  God will continue to stretch us and challenge our faith.  He will continue to make us uncomfortable so that we can continue helping people far from God become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Thank you Trinity Church for believing in me and in the vision God has given to me.  Thank you for supporting me and praying for me.  Thank you for not giving up.  Thank you for hanging in there.  Because of it, we are one step closer to our goal of 1,000 people for Jesus.

I'm Rich!

I just completed a four week series called, "How to be Rich."  This series completely rattled my cage and changed my perspective on alot of things.  I have come to realize that God has blessed me with more than what I need and that I'm rich!  Compared to the rest of the world, I'm mega rich.  It's not a bad thing to be rich, after all it was God who made me rich.  He wants us to enjoy our wealth and riches, however, He wants us to be rich in a way that honors Him.

You know, many times, we don't feel rich because we are constantly comparing our lives with others that have more.  If you look, you will always find someone who has a newer car, a nicer home, better clothes, or the most up to date gadget.  If we constantly compare our lives with others that have more, you are not going to feel rich.  There are some who don't feel rich because they spend everything they have and more.  They have no margin.  The more they make, the more they spend.  Without margin, you are going to be living paycheck to paycheck to support this lifestyle of greed and selfishness.  That's not how to be rich, that's how to be greedy.

You see, God has given us more than I need, I am rich, but I will not trust in my riches but in Him who richly provides.  God is our source.  He is the one that richly provides.  Because we have more, we need to give more and do more.  That's how to be rich in a way that honors God... giving and doing... more!  You see, the greater the wealth, the more is required from us.  We will be responsible and accountable with how we used our wealth.  If we consumed everything we had, then there isn't going to be much reward in heaven.

The Bible says, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt. 6:19-21  When your heart is after God and when your desire is to please Him, the desire for more of wealth will not consume you but the desire for more of Him will.  

I am so thankful because God has given me more than what I need.  It's not longer "I wish" or "I want", it's "Thank You God, I have everything I need, I'm rich!"  Next time you are wishing you had more, or something different, just remember that God has given you all that you need.  Remember that compared to the rest of the world, you are mega-rich!  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Click HERE to listen to series messages

Religion v. Jesus

The longer I pastor, the more and more I become agitated, frustrated, and totally nauseated with religion.  Religion is what keeps people from experiencing the fullness and freedom of living in Christ.  The root of the word "religion" is usually traced to the Latin religare (re: back, and ligare: to bind), so that the term is associated with "being bound."  That's exactly what religion does.  It keeps people bound and enslaved.  All of our man made religious practices must nauseate Christ.  With elaborate buildings, flashy clothes, and religious jargon, Jesus must sit at the back of many churches today just ready to puke as people bring him their religion.  I am fascinated to see this religious spirit overtake entire churches and denominations.  People are more passionate about their hymns then they are with Him. 


Jesus did not come to bring religion, He came to bring life and life more abundantly.  He came to bring freedom.  He came to bring salvation.  He came to fulfill the law and not enforce it.  He drove religious people crazy.  He didn't wear the finest clothes, He didn't come in the finest chariots, He wasn't born in the finest homes.  Religious people couldn't understand that.  They felt that the Messiah should come in all of the religious splendor and rule and reign as a religious patriarch.  But that wasn't Jesus.  He didn't come that way.  He was extraordinarily ordinary, humble, full of grace and truth.  He spoke with stories and parables, not with religionese or christian jargon.  He associated with sinners and prostitutes, He hung out at parties with tax collectors and even stayed at their homes.  Jesus was more interested in reaching people who were far from God than religion.  He was more passionate about reaching the world than living up to religious expectations of others, especially the religious community.


I want to see a church that looks like the way Jesus intended for it to look.  No religion, no expectations, no perfect people.  Just a group of extraordinarily ordinary people who are willing to follow Christ, obey His teachings, become more like Him in their lives, and help those who are far from God become followers of Christ.  It's that simple.  At Trinity Church, I am striving to keep us from being religious.  I am striving to lead a group of people who are becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus, who are experience community through authentic relationships, and who are passionate about reaching people who are far from God.  Trinity is not about what you wear, or what you say, or how you appear to be.  I know that religious people that come in can't understand that because religion is all they know.  We are a group of extraordinarily ordinary people who have discovered the joy of living without religion but a shared relationship with Jesus. 

Things Are Heating Up!

Things are heating up this Summer at Trinity Church!  While most churches experience a decline throughout the summer, Trinity Church is on the rise.  With an 80% increase in attendance from last year, God is doing incredible things at our church.  Each day I thank God for calling me back to Trinity.  I feel as if I am at the perfect place at the perfect time.  We have added over 125 new people to our church in one year and all of us feel Trinity is on the verge of exploding!  We are expecting even more people to come this fall and our plans to launch a second service by Easter 2011 may have to moved up to late fall. 

We have also added two very important members to our leadership team.  We have added Domingo Rodriguez as our new Worship Arts Director and Orlando Cruz as a new Ministry Resident.  Domingo is a gifted worship leader and keyboard player.  He has served in music and worship ministry for over 20 years.  He will be leading worship as well as leading our music teams.  He will also be assisting with the creative arts aspect of each Sunday worship service.  Orlando will be assisting us with vision implementation as well as church organization and assimilation.  He is currently pursuing ministerial credentials.  Both of these guys, their wives and families add incredible leadership to different areas of our church.  They are both gifts to Trinity.

This Summer we launched our first Kids Camp Adventure Island.  It was a huge success and we already can't wait for next year!  Melissa and the team did an awesome job.  We will continue this summer with Adventure Island on Sunday Mornings and Mega Sports Camp on Wednesday nights.

We wrapped up an incredible four week Sermon Series entitled, "Once Upon a Marriage."  God did some amazing things in the many marriages at our church.  You can listen to the series at our website at www.trinitychurchtoday.com  

Beginning next week I'm planning to kick off a brand new Sermon Series called, "At the Movies."  Pastor Tom and I will be uncovering Biblical truths in Hollywood's biggest movies.  It's going to be a fun time.  This is a perfect series to invite someone, a friend, co-worker or family member who may be hesitant of going to church.  Have a great week and see you "At the Movies."

 

Baptism

For years I have underestimated the power of water baptism.  Water baptism was something that I did occasionally and not very often.  Growing up and in my early years at church, baptism was considered a spiritual achievement rather than a first step in someone's walk with Christ.  These past few years, God has been impressing upon my heart that baptism is someone first step of obedience that should be an immediate part of our acceptance of the gift of grace offered by Jesus Christ.  Baptism doesn't save anyone, but it is an outward confession of the inward work of Jesus.  

On Sunday, June 6th, I had the privilege of baptizing 33 people on a Sunday morning at Trinity Church.  It was an amazing day and an expression of what God has been doing these past several months at Trinity.  33 people went public with their faith and 33 people made a decision to become followers of Christ.  What was equally amazing was the 12 or so people that spontaneously were baptized on the spot!  With their clothes on, they took the plunge and were baptized in Jesus name. 

Jesus tells us that we are to Go, Baptize and Teach.  It's that simple.  I'm afraid that many churches make the mistake of Staying, Not Baptizing, and just Teaching.  Teaching is only 1/3 of what Jesus wanted us to do as followers of Christ.  If you are a Pastor or Church Leader and have not baptized anyone this past year, What are you waiting for?  If you have recently made a decision to follow Christ and have not been baptized, What are you waiting for?  This is exactly what Ananias told Paul when he made a decision to follow Christ.  Ananias said, "And now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name."  Acts 22:16 

Honoring Your Church Leaders

by Craig Groeschel

1 Timothy 5:17 says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” Remember, to dishonor is to treat as common or ordinary. To honor is to highly esteem, to build up.  I remember a time when a church asked me to consult with them. For many years, they had been in decline. I was happy to meet with their pastor and elders to hear their story.  Each time the pastor spoke, the elders talked over him and brushed off his comments as meaningless. The longer the meeting carried on, the more obvious their problem became to me. When they asked me what I thought, I’m sure they expected me to tell them to change the style of their service or add a Saturday night service, etc.  Instead, I told them that their number one problem was that they were dishonoring their pastor. Immediately, the elders became defensive. It wasn’t until I quoted their words and demonstrated what they had done that they realized their lack of honor.  I explained that I didn’t expect God to bless their church until they trusted and believed in the one God had put there to lead them. On the spot, they sincerely repented to their pastor. Four years later, this church has almost doubled in size. Showing honor obviously isn’t the key to growth. But a lack of honor certainly doesn’t help. As my church honors me as the God-appointed leader, I feel a deeper sense of urgency to hear from God and do what pleases Him."  -Craig Groeschel

Many churches and boards are hindering the work of God because they fail to honor their pastor and God given leaders.  I have seen this time and time again and have experienced first hand what happens to a church when they do not honor their pastor.  If churches want to move forward , grow and impact their community it begins by understanding and believing that God has placed their pastor in that position to be their God-appointed leader.  I wonder what our churches would look like if more people would simply honor their pastor.  As my church honors me as the God-appointed leader, I feel a deeper sense of urgency to hear from God and do what pleases Him.

One Year Later

Words cannot express how blessed my wife and I are to be here at Trinity Church!  Sunday was our one year anniversary as Pastors of Trinity Church and what a year it has been.  It has been so exciting to see God at work in so many ways.  We have seen the renovation and beautification of our facility as well as many lives touched and transformed by God.  For four straight quarters we have seen positive growth with this past Sunday being the highest Sunday attendance since I have been here.  It's exciting to see the many new faces and families coming into our church over this past year.  At this pace it won't be long before we launch into two services.  We know that greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city!

This year was a year of transition for our family.  The longer we are here, the more we realize how blessed we are to be called to Orange County.  With our house in Massachusetts finally sold, we are now able to move forward in acquiring a new home for our family.  There are so many wonderful houses out there to choose from.  We are just waiting to find the right one.  We know that God has the right place for us and as soon as we find it, we will let you all know.

The word that God has been burning in my heart recently is "Forget."  Paul said, "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)  In order to move forward, sometimes you just have to forget.  Forget the hurts and the pains of the past.  Forget the way people have talked about you and mistreated you.  Forget about the pit or the prison you once found yourself in and just move forward into your God-given destiny.  That's what we are doing, moving forward!  

Trinity Church, let's continue to forget the past and reach forward for those things that God has prepared for us.  Let us press toward the mark.  Let us continue to embrace all that God has for us.  Ruth and I love you all.  Thank you for an incredible year.  We are looking forward to many more with you.

Books I'm Reading

   

Easter Sunday Highlights

Easter Sunday was one of the most fulfilling days of ministry at Trinity Church yet.  With the highest attendance in years, dynamic music, all new children's church, and awesome new video screens, and an awesome sense of God's presence, God marked our services with His blessing.  Trinity Church, I am so proud of you!  A big THANK YOU to our Kingdom Kids Team, Usher and Greeter Team, Worship Team, Sunbeams Team, Nursery Team, Audio/Video Team, Hospitality Team, and Pastor Tom, for doing an amazing job on Good Friday and Easter.  We gave out over 50 first time guest gift bags!  I know that this is just the beginning of the new Trinity Church!

After speaking to a few colleagues of mine, and hearing about their Easter services, it seems that we are on the verge of revival in the Northeast!  I could not believe the masses of people that attended church this Easter.  I have never heard or seen anything like this in all my years of living.  Churches in Orange County reaching 1,000, 2,000, & 3,000 people in attendance.  God is moving in Middletown and in Orange County and Trinity Church is going to be a part of it. 

Get ready Trinity because IT IS OUR TIME!  We are on the verge of great things!  God has given me this image of our church being a net.  Jesus is telling us to cast our net.  I believe that there are going to be so many fish that we will not be able to contain them. 

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  The vision is finally becoming a reality.  We are a new Church with a new vision.   Have a great week.  See you all on Sunday!

Easter Weekend!

Here’s a way to make up for some of those things you did as a kid: Visit Trinity Church this Easter! Lightning won’t strike; the building won’t fall down. Instead, you’ll find a warm, friendly, casual atmosphere, great live music and a relevant message to help you refocus your life this Easter. So whether or not mom used to drag you to church, decide for yourself to stop in this Easter.  No suits or ties required! Just come as you are. You’ll be glad you did (what a shock), and your kids will love it too!

We are very excited to launch the New Trinity Church on Easter Sunday.  We are now Casual, Contemporary, and Christ-Centered. I know that once you visit Trinity Church you will be shocked as to how much you will like it!  Give it a try and Shock Your Mama by visiting Trinity Church this Easter!

Change of Seasons for Trinity Church!

I am one who particularly likes the change of seasons. When seasons change, there is a hope and expectation of better days ahead. It's March 7th and 52 degrees outside! Spring is in the air. There is an excitement and anticipation of beautiful days ahead. Winters are hard, but we get through them. I love that moment when I realize that Spring is near.

Seasons are changing at Trinity Church. There is just a sense of excitement and expectancy that God is up to some big stuff. We have spent almost a year, renovating, refining, restoring, and rebuilding. We have worked hard to bring Trinity back and on Easter Sunday we are re-opening our doors as Trinity Church!

Our mission is to be a church that helps people who are far from God become fully devoted followers of Jesus. We strive to be culturally relevant in our approach. Our atmosphere is casual. Our style is contemporary. Our commitment is to Jesus Christ. That is what we have become... a casual, contemporary, and christ-centered Church. I recognize that we have a long way to go, but gosh, we have come a long way.

This Easter, why don't you check out the new Trinity Church. I know that you will love what God is doing here.

Super Sunday!

Sunday was a super day here at Trinity. God is continuing to bless us with great services. We had a record crowd with over 25 first time guests! It was a great feeling to run out of gift bags for the first time!

The Sunday Arts Team did an amazing job with music, sound, video, and skits. You guys were stretched this week and you did a super job! A big shout out to our ushers who also did a super job this week. Thanks for your help.

I hope that this series has challenged you to Live Beyond Yourself and Just Jump In! There are many ministry opportunities for you to exercise your spiritual gifts. Remember, we are all ministers. Each one of you have been called to serve others. My hope is that you would pick up the towel and do as Jesus did, serve others through simple acts of kindness.

On Sunday we are going to give you an opportunity to sign up and get involved in a service ministry of Trinity. We need your help! In order to fulfill the vision that God has given us to help people far from God become fully devoted followers of Christ, we need you to get involved and serve. On Sunday, we will be giving you and opportunity to do that.

I can't wait for Sunday. It's going to be another great day here at Trinity. If you have not had an opportunity to visit us, I invite you to come and check out the new things that are happening here. Ruth and I love you all. You guys are the best!

Living Beyond Myself

Today was the launch of the new sermon series, "Living Beyond Myself." Service was great as we continue the process of creating a church service that connects with the unchurched. New people are coming every week and Trinity continues to move forward. God is putting an awesome team of leaders together with like hearts and I know that we have not even begun to see the results. We are all learning and growing together and it's exciting to see our church transform from week to week. The changes have been exciting and the support has been overwhelming and evident. There a sense of excitement each week as we anticipate what new thing God is going to do.

I received an e-mail today from a person in our congregation. They wrote, "The service was great today, the presence of the Lord was so rich today, wow. It was amazing, what an awesome sight to see Gods children with their hands lifted in surrender and crying at His presence. So many were involved today in worship, wow.
I am so blessed to be part of this awesome move of God in Trinity. I can't believe my children came 2 sundays in a row. They love your preaching style, they connect to the word. Thank You." It's words like this that feed my soul and encourage me to pursue the vision that God has put on my heart.

I am excited for the next three weeks of messages. I know that God is going to stretch us and push us to live beyond ourselves. God is challenging us to take up the towel and wash one another's feet through simple acts of service. It's time that we declare to the world that we are His disciples, not by our lip service, but by acts of service. Imagine what our community would look like if we all took up the towel and washed one another's feet.

Jesus said, ""Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:12-18

Mission, Vision, Values

I am real excited for the direction that God is leading us as a church. 2010 is going to be an incredible year as we begin to implement the mission and vision of our church. In order to assist me with this huge undertaking, we are partnering with Tom Zahradnik, CEO of Sound of Life Radio, and Pastor Frank Chiapperino, Teaching Pastor for Christ's Church of the Valley in Royersford, PA. CCV is a church that has grown from 0 - 1400 in 9 years. He will work with us as a consultant and coach. Something very unique about Frank is that he grew up in Trinity. His father was on the building committees that built both of our buildings. He comes with passion for Trinity and the Middletown area and an incredible understanding on how to lead a church to 1,000. Tom and Frank are going to be a huge blessing to the Trinity Church family and Middletown area as together we lead Trinity forward.

On Monday night, we met with our ministry leaders to present the mission, vision, and values of Trinity as well as a strategic plan to implement the mission and vision. We talked about some goals for 2010 and the need to change our approach to ministry so that we can become a church that connects with the unchurched. For too long, churches in America have been inward focused and the consequences have been devastating. People remain lost as Christians in churches hold their cantatas and ice cream socials. The Assemblies of God is in a major crisis as churches remain stagnant without any new converts. My former district in Southern New England, 90% of the 170 churches in 3 states had either plateaued or were in decline. I believe one major reason this has happened is because churches have become resistant to change. Without change, the church will never fulfill its mandate, and never reach today's community. This will not happen to Trinity! It's time now to turn the tides and begin fulfilling Matthew 28, go, baptize, and teach.

The mission and vision of Trinity are simple. Our mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Christ. Our vision is the build a church that connects with the unchurched. Our core values are: Biblically based, culturally relevent, outward focused, community, discipleship, excellence, grace, stewardship, and spirit filled. These core values define who we are as a church. In 2010, we will begin accomplishing the mission and vision through strategically identifying and completing key objectives. We have begun identifying those objectives and we will begin completing them.

Trinity, get ready because we are in for the ride of our lives. I know that we is about to embark on a journey that we have never been before. I pray that you will open your hearts and begin embracing the mission and vision that God has for us as a church. I believe that as we follow God's plan, we will reach more people than we have ever reached before for Jesus.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Ruth and I feel so loved and so free to lead Trinity forward. Your support has been overwhelming. I know that together we will take Trinity to new heights and new places.

Six Month Mark

Sunday, November 1st was my six month anniversary at Trinity as the Lead Pastor and what a day it was. With extravagant worship marked by God's presence, we are making progress as a church and I know that the best is yet to come. On Sunday, we recorded the highest attendance and highest offering given this year. Spiritual progress is not measurable, however, attendance and giving is. That is an expression of what is happening in the spiritual realm at Trinity. Lives are being touched and people are being changed as the Spirit of God is released to move in their lives.

I am continuing in a series entitled, "Conquering Financial Problems." This series has been life changing and I know has helped many of you as multiple people have shared testimonies and positive words of encouragement about how the series has impacted them. Talking money in church is not an easy thing to do. I have been criticized for talking about money in the past, but that doesn't stop me. It just tells me that I'm doing the right thing. After all, Jesus spoke more about money than any other topic in the Bible. There are 500 verses on money and 500 verses on faith, yet there are over 2000 on money and possessions. Jesus spoke alot about money because He had alot to say about it.

If you are facing a financial crisis of any kind, I encourage you to enroll in Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey beginning in January. I know that you will benefit from Dave's teachings. Don't allow the bad decisions of the past, or the problems of the present keep you from fulfilling your divine purpose for the future.

God has been so good to my wife and I and so have you. We are so privileged to be the Pastors of this great church. Thank you everyone for such a generous gift for Pastor Appreciation. Ruth and I love you all. You all have been so loving, encouraging, supportive and open to the changes that God is bringing to our church. We know in our hearts that greater days and greater things are still to be done! Have a great week and Go Yankees!!!

What I'm Reading

Thought you all might be interested in what I'm reading. Well, I'm just about done with the Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. Incredible book that has inspired me to pursue everything that God has for me. I refuse to be caged but am passionately pursuing God's destiny in my life. No limits, no boundaries, new heights, and new places. I am learning total dependence upon the Holy Spirit and His plan for my life and for God's Church.

I recently started reading The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. A book about reactivating the missional church. Amazing book that I am looking forward to completing.

Sunday Highlights

What a great day at Trinity on Sunday! Many new faces and some old ones too. I know what the Psalmist meant when it said how wonderful it is when people come together in unity. We are a united church moving forward into everything that God has for us.

This Sunday, I launched a new sermon series that I believe everyone needs, "Conquering Financial Problems." It is a series that I believe can transform your life and transform our church as we discuss the biblical principles of handling money God's way. We left service full of hope and faith.

Our monthly family fellowship dinner continues to be a big part of our church. We are running out of room in our fellowship hall as more and more people are staying and enjoying great food and great friends. I believe that we must be a church that is built on relationships.

Our Youth had an awesome time at youth retreat this year. I'm real proud of Joel & Lynnette our Youth Leaders for making this happen. With only 3 weeks notice, they got a great group of teens together to go on retreat. Great job guys!

Thanks to everyone that makes Trinity tick. Our worship team, kitchen crew, ushers, children's workers, audio and video people, and others. We can't do it without all of you. You are all great to serve with and I know in my heart we are just beginning to see all the great things that God has in store for us as a church.

Ruth and I love you all very much. Thank you for all your prayers and support. This past week, we have sensed increased spiritual warfare. We know that as we move forward, we are not going to move forward without some kind of resistance. Thanks for praying for us, believing in us and letting us be your pastors! We love you all, have a great week!

Would-be cop back home as pastor | recordonline.com

Would-be cop back home as pastor | recordonline.com

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A Day to Remember

On Sunday, September 20th, I was officially installed as the new Pastor of Trinity Assembly of God. It was a day I will cherish for a very long time. People from every stage of my life were in attendance, including my 93 year old Children's Church director! She drove up all the way from NYC to be a part of this wonderful event. I will never forget her and the impact she had on my life. There were so many others that I cannot even begin to mention names at the fear of missing someone. In total, over 3oo people came to celebrate a new beginning for Trinity. Our Trinity family did an amazing job hosting the event and cooking for 300 people. I'm proud of our church. I have never worked with such a great group of people just willing to serve and do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Our main sanctuary refurbishing project was also completed and we held our first Sunday service there on Sunday, September 20th. We had record attendance on that day since I have been here. There were many new faces and people are coming out to see what God is doing at Trinity. It truly is a new beginning for me and my family and a new beginning for Trinity Assembly of God. We all are coming through a difficult season in our lives. We are all now entering a great season of blessing, growth and increase. I know without a doubt that God has great things in store for this great church. I believe that the Lord is calling Trinity to be a place of healing and restoration. The restoration of the physical building is only a picture of the spiritual restoration that God is doing and that He is going to do. He is a God of restoration. He restores our soul. He restores the years that the locusts have eaten. He is a Great God!

The Bible says in Isaiah 58:12, “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called the Repairer of the Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with dwellings.” This is God's vision for our church. God is calling us to be repairers and restorers. He is calling us to repair His house and restore people back to God. I truly believe that this is the work that the Holy Spirit is doing. A deep work of healing and restoration.

I can't wait for each Sunday to see what God is going to do next. This past week we had Ground Zero Master's Commission. They were sent by God to continue the deep work of healing and restoration that God is doing. This weekend we host Evangelist Greg Hubbard and his wife Robyn. They are great friends of ours and we love them and appreciate them very much. I know that they are going to be a blessing.

Trinity, Ruth and I love you very much. We are so happy to be home and so overwhelmed by your love and support. Thank you for letting me be your Pastor and lead you into everything that God has for you. Thank you for supporting the vision that God has given to me. A BIG THANK YOU for that incredible cake made by the Cake Boss himself. I could not believe it when I saw it. It was the most beautiful cake I had ever received, and to think that the Cake Boss made it. Unbelievable! Because of your love and support and unity, we were able to see God's wonderful blessing upon our lives and church. The best is yet to come!!!