Today’s the day…when everyone in this great country of ours, gives thanks to where thanks is due. We all have something to be thankful for, no matter how grim our circumstances may seem. Here’s a few that I’m thankful for:

-Serving a truly AWESOME GOD. That He cared enough to send His very best…Jesus. No idea what my life would look like without Him. I do know it wouldn’t be nearly as blessed and exciting!

-MY FAMILY. They are really the best a man could have. No doubt about that. Once again, I’d be a mess without them.

-MY HEALTH. This year I was faced with having to start taking medicine for some inherited health traits. Although I have to take medicine everyday (for now, until God heals me), I’m thankful that there is medicine to take care of my blood pressure, thyroid and cholesterol. I’m also thankful that I’m pretty much in a good health state otherwise. Some people are a much worse off than me. Once again, when you look at your life through someone else’s eyes, things don’t look so bad. Plus my kids and my wife are all healthy…that’s a blessing beyond words.

-MY CHURCH. Not too many people can say they are called to pastor. I don’t take that lightly. I also feel honored to be able to lead people to Christ. When someone tells me that they feel led to make SouthView their church home, I get excited. That’s not only an honor but a true example that where God guides, He provides. No church would be fun if nobody came. People are what makes ministry worth while. I’m honored and blessed that God called me to step up to the plate.

-MY JOB. Never has this rung more true than right now, in this present economy state. Although I don’t do ministry full time, I’m blessed to be selling wire and cable right now. Having a job is not only a blessing in itself, but working for a company that takes care of its employees is really nice. Thanks WireMasters!!

These are just the big stuff. I could list a ton of things I’m thankful for. Honestly the more I see through God’s eyes, the more I see how much He has blessed me.

What about you…what do you have to be thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving!

M

Posted: November 27th, 2008 under Culture/Society, Family.
Comments: none

Ok, here’s the deal…I like Football a lot. Infact, my buddy Mike Norcio said that I usually put some kind of football reference in my Sunday messages. I’m trying not to do that all the time, but I seem to like talking about the NFL. It wasn’t always that way. Growing up I didn’t watch it much at all. Of course growing up in South Jersey, I would always follow Philly sports. I remember the days of Randall Cunningham and the Gang Green Defense (with the late, great Reggie White). I remember some horrible season as well (Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes eras). I can’t remember a Super Bowl win….oh wait…we never got one of those, that’s why! But I’m a die hard Philly fan to the end.

I’ve decided that I’m going to put my football rants in my blog. Hey, it’s my blog and I can do it if I want, but of course you can decide not to read it. Either way, Here we go…

My Football Rant:

I’m going to break down each NFL team and my unabridged thoughts on them (wow…I feel like Terry Bradshaw for a sec) I stole the team order from a Football site, but it’s not too off:

1. New York Giants: As much as I hate the G-MEN, I have to give them props. They truly look unbeatable. Could this be the start of another dynasty?

2. Tennessee Titans: On Sunday, I chose to watch the Titans live and recorded the Eagles’ game. I have to say the Titans looked exposed. I also know that Jeff Fisher is a very smart coach. I would be very surprised if that happens again…especially against the Lions this week.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Ben is up and down this year…but man, Troy Polamalu is so good!! Did you ever notice how many times he does the “Father, Son, Holy Spirit” Catholic thing during games?

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Verdict is out on this team. Can they make it deep into the playoffs? Will John Gruden’s head ever explode? Will Jeff Garcia ever give up?

5. New York Jets: Perfect example of how a great quarterback on the right team can reap wins! These guys look really good.

6. Dallas Cowboys: Is it because T.O. is the mortal enemy of an Eagles’ fan or is everyone sick of his stinkin attitude? I mean my kids act better when they don’t get their way, then he does. I guess he’s happy about last Sunday….although that deep catch (and throw) were sweet.

7. Carolina Panthers: These guys were supposed to stink. The Eagles have their 1^st round draft pick for 2009. I guess it’s going to be a low one this year. Man

8. Washington Redskins: Jim Zorn is the man. Clinton Portis is the man. Jason Taylor is not.

9. Indianapolis Colts: Its official, they guys will always be good, even when they are bad. I really like Tony Dungy. Class Act Coach.

10. Arizona Cardinals: I’m happy for Kurt Warner. I wish they would send over one of those beasts of a receiver to Philly…..please. Also, please don’t hurt us too much this Thanksgiving night. I want to enjoy the holidays!!

11. Minnesota Vikings: Can you image what this team might look like with McNabb as the quarterback?  Could be a serious thing come 2009…I know Brad Childress would do it in a heartbeat. Adrian Peterson can be McNabb’s Westbrook.

12. New England Patriots: Man, can these guys ever suck? I guess Matt Cassell is the real deal…but what happens when Brady comes back? Who’s the Quarterback then?

13. Atlanta Falcons: I’m truly happy for this team, Matt Ryan, Mike Smith and the city of Atlanta. After those crazy, stupid, dumb actions of Mr. Michael Vick, they all deserve to win and play well. Great turnaround…now teach Detroit how you did it!

14. Baltimore Ravens: No comment. I hate this team this week! Although I do love John Harbaugh (ex-Philly special teams coach).

15. Chicago Bears: Could McNabb find his way to this team and play in his hometown? I would love to see McNabb happy. Plus I think Lovie Smith might love it also.

16. Miami Dolphins: Ricky Williams playing well, not high AND staying on the team, is this too good to be true? Plus how many times can they unleash the Wild Cat formation?

17. New Orleans Saints: They did it last night. They really never seem to be out of the playoff race as long as they have “Magic Brees” playing quarterback. Wow. did I just create a nick name?

18. Green Bay Packers: Not 100% sure that the Farve deal worked out in their favor? See # 5 above…

19. Denver Broncos: Huh? What happened to this team? Losing to the Raiders…whoa

20. Buffalo Bills: I heard people say these guys were going to go deep into the playoffs? Not sure if they got all the pieces yet?

21. Philadelphia Eagles: No Comment! BOOOOOOOOO

22. San Diego Chargers: This team blows me away. What’s going on with LT? I think Norv’s days may be ticking by! Or is this all Shawn Merriman’s fault?

23. Jacksonville Jaguars: If these guys miss the playoffs, are Jack Del Rio’s days in Jacksonville over? I think so…

24. Houston Texans: Can they really win deep when they play in the same division as the Colts and Titans?…wait….wait for it…the answer’s coming…. NO!

25. Cleveland Browns: Team looks good on paper but bad on the field? Is Brady Quinn a bust or just a victim of a finger problem? (Ask Tony Romo for advice)

26. Oakland Raiders: Not only do I think Al Davis needs to fire himself (can that happen?) but he seriously scares me when he does press conferences. Yikes!

27. Seattle Seahawks: Poor Mike Holmgren, is this the way he wanted to off into the sunset? If I were him, I would run….run real fast towards the sunset!

28. San Francisco 49ers: I like Mike Singletary. I hope he stays on as the head coach into 2009. I love his attitude.

29. Cincinnati Bengals: TJ Whosyourmoma is the man. Is Chad Johnson awake or busy making up nick names?

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Why in the world did they not trade Anthony Gonzalez? Give the guy a chance to retire with a team that is atleast some what good (hint…the Eagles).

31. St. Louis Rams: Who wants to coach these guys next year? The “2^nd to Worst Show on Turf”. (see below for 1^st place)

32. Detroit Lions: Wow…it’s bad in Detroit. Seriously how do fans even bring themselves to want to go to the games? Are they giving away the tickets? Does each ticket come with a free Big Mac and fries? Is attending games considered community service? Maybe they are all fans of the other teams playing the Lions? What is the score going to look like on Thanksgiving when they play a fired up Titans team? Please dear Jesus, help the Detroit Lions win ONE game this year. (on a side note, if you want to send Calvin Johnson over to the Eagles, we will take him and send you McNabb, LJ Smith, Reggie Brown, the Philly Cheerleaders and a couple of Cheesesteaks. That’s got to help next year…right?)

There! It’s out and I feel alot better. Ok..now it’s your turn…Send me your Comments! I’m ready!

Posted: November 25th, 2008 under Sports.
Comments: 4

3-People……We believe in the value and worth of every person and are committed to connecting people to God and to one another.

People are the reason that Jesus came to this earth. God constantly talks about the worth of people. In fact the second most important commandment is to love the person standing next to you. That’s reason enough that we need to add value and worth to our relationships. In fact our relationships should constantly lead people back to God.

As a church we want to raise up a group of people that love others so much that they go out of their way to make them feel important. When we do that, our desire is that people see Christ’s love in us and connect to Him. Really it’s not about us, but all about Him!

4-Prayer……We are committed to continual prayer for direction, conception, planning and execution of the ministries and activities of this church.

Prayer is our way of talking to God. Who wouldn’t want to talk to God on a regular basis? We, as a church, know that every thing we do needs to start with prayer. It’s sometimes the first thing people forget to do, but it usually the most important that you can do. Not only does it unify us together, but it’s also a way to get God’s guidance and direction for the decisions we have to make for the church.

Look, we are all human and prone to making dumb decisions. As leaders we need to seek God to make sure we are following His plan. We also know the power of prayer for needs that we have. God wants us to call out to him with our needs. Who else can you say will hear your requests and be faithful to answer them? It’s His unconditional promise. If you knock he will answer, if you seek, you will find. God loves to talk to His people and prayer is an important way for us, as a church, to make sure we are doing the right things in the way we are building and running this church.

5-Worship.…We are committed to having vital, inspiring, alive and real worship in a climate that enables people to say “yes” to the love of God.

We love great music. It’s amazing how music affects our everyday lives. It’s hard to image our day without music in it. It’s also amazing to think that God created music so that we could experience His presence and draw closer to Him. Music is just one way we can worship our God. God desires our worship. Worshiping God is when we truly give him the praise and respect that He deserves.

We at SouthView, love exciting, powerful worship. We not only want to give God the love He deserves but we want it to be the BEST we can give. When it comes to praise, we want to create an atmosphere were people, no matter the age, race or background, can experience the love God has for us. We also want it to be something that God would be proud to receive.

We know that when God is in the house, people’s lives are changed. It’s like being in the presence of someone famous, you can’t help but be excited, expecting something great to happen. That’s the way we need to be about worshipping our God, only we expect more and know that God will show up to deliver. We know that once you experience real worship, you will never be the same. We look to cultivate a place where all of this can happen.

More to follow…

M

Posted: November 19th, 2008 under Church info.
Comments: none

Here’s an old scripture verse that most of us know, memorized or was taught the day we accepted Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.”

This scripture was reminded to me by the Holy Spirit this past week (it’s amazing how God does that, right). I think most of us read that verse and think it applies to the “big” sins. Sins like, drug addiction, sexual perversion, murdering people, stealing cars, breaking into homes and things that are punishable by a court of law. Of course God hates that stuff.

What about the so called “little sins”? Things like, watching certain kinds of movies, listening to questionable music, thinking some nasty thoughts, hating people, drinking a little too much, subscribing to certain magazines, visiting dirty websites and the list can go on and on and on….These things aren’t going to get you a night in jail, but are clear evidence of the “old way” creeping back in? Most of the time you know, deep down inside, that you shouldn’t be doing this?

Sin is sin to God. We know that He desires us to be a NEW CREATION. He wants us to be completely reborn into total opposite of the way we were before we came to accept Christ as our Saviour. Even the little, non-illegal things, need to be looked at. Are you going to be arrested for subscribing to Maxim Magazine….no, but are you REALLY reading it for their thought provoking articles?….yeah right!

I challenge you to continuously look over your life with a “God-toothed comb” and see what things just don’t remind you of a NEW CREATION. Get rid of that junk and you will find the real benefit of a NEW WAY OF LIVING.

M

Posted: November 15th, 2008 under Culture/Society, Leadership.
Comments: none

Over the next couple of posts, I want to break down the VALUES of SouthView Community Church. We discussed them at our last Preview Service. I believe if you want to know what’s important to someone, you need to know what they value. As we build this church, my desire is that our values are easily seen by the things we do and say. It should be part of our DNA. So let’s break them down…

1-Faith…We are committed to faith in Jesus Christ as expressed in the bible.

Look, the Bible is really the main reason we do what we do. Without it, we are just a group of people meeting on Sunday morning. The Bible is not only the basis of our faith, but it’s also historically correct. How many other books can you say have changed history like the Bible?

The Bible says it’s IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. I believe that says it ALL. Our Faith in believing that God died for our sins, rose to conquer death and is still reigning, is the premise of our church. We believe that what He has done is why we even get up on Sunday and “do church”. It’s not just a meeting but a chance for us to give thanks for the life that Jesus has given us. All of this is based in faith. Faith is what you need and it’s the faith in Jesus that give us life.

2-Family…We believe that family is the foundation that every relationship, both spiritual and natural, is built upon.

I love my Family. Most people love their family. The issue is when we place more importance on other things (career, hobbies, friends, money…) in front of them. The Bible’s list of things we need to hold important (and the order of them) should be – God, Family, Church. Take notice of that since many of us have screwed up that order, or have even added other things in there. We need to constantly check ourselves in making sure we don’t mess with that list.

Some of us have grown up in great families, some of us have family memories we wish to forget. I know God speaks highly of family and His idea of family is something we desire our church to show. Regardless of your color, age or background, we want you to feel like family when you come to SouthView. When you walk in the door at our church, we want you to feel like you just showed up to grandmom’s house on Thanksgiving and she’s got the turkey in the oven and your favorite pie baking. You know that feeling when you enter into a place when all your friends are there and they are all happy to see you…that’s how church should feel.

Some people are afraid to go to church, thinking that all they will feel is condemnation or guilt. I believe God wants you to feel the love of our Saviour. It doesn’t matter how disfunctional your growing up might have been, we (as the church) want to show you what a loving family feels like. Our church should feel like a Spiritual family that you can’t wait to see every week. If Jesus is your Saviour, then that makes us a brother or a sister. And as family we consider you very important.

Our “importance goal”…God first, our natural family second and our church family third. That’s what I believe will keep this church blessed and balanced.

More to follow…

M

Posted: November 10th, 2008 under Church info.
Comments: none