BillSimmonsLive

Honor

Scott launched our new series yesterday, Forgotten Virtues with the topic Honor. He did a great job reminding us that to dishonor means, "to treat as common or ordinary". Therefore, to honor is to recognize those in our lives as valuable, uncommon, and extraordinary.

Scott admittedly struggled with the third point of the message: God calls us to show honor to our Pastors and Church Leaders. Check out 1 Timothy 5:17; Romans 12:10; and Hebrews 13:7.

To share this in a message is sometimes nerve-wrecking because we as preachers and teachers do not want to come across as self-serving. But the reality is…this is a biblical truth. Honor is a big deal. Yes… we are to honor our parents AND those in authority (bosses, teachers, government officials, and more) but we are also taught through scripture to honor our spiritual leaders.

I firmly believe we at SpringWell Church are blessed to have the caliber of Pastoral Leadership we have. I have met thousands of Pastors and Church Leaders and here is what I believe about SpringWell Pastors:

Scott McAlister is one of the most compassionate and effective communicators I've ever met.

Dan Elmore is the most committed Care Pastor I've been around.

Brandon Higginbotham is one of the most intentional Worship Leaders you will ever meet.

Ben Able genuinely loves students and families in way that transforms lives.

David Pearson is the most exciting visionary Kidz Pastor I've met in years.

October is Pastor's Appreciation Month.

Will you take time to HONOR our Pastoral Staff and let them know how much you personally appreciate them?

Send a card; write an email; take them to lunch or dinner; give them a gift; join their team and serve alongside them; the list goes on…

Our Pastoral Staff never thinks of themselves as above others. We are simply leaders among equals. But called to lead nonetheless. Take time to let them know their leadership is making a difference!

Why Digital Giving Matters

As fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, my wife and I have been faithful and consistent tithers for nearly 25 years. What do I mean by "Tither"? The Bible teaches every believer should give a minimum of 10% of their income, or a tithe, to the local church. Anything over 10% is called an offering and is a way to honor God through giving sacrificially. Tithing is a biblical principle and a discipline we should practice on a consistent basis. God challenges us to test Him regarding this issue in Malachi 3:10.

 

Beyond the biblical mandate to tithe, we are committed to its practice because:

 

• We believe in the mission of the Church. The Church is called by God to be light in the darkness of this world. God's plan to fund His mission is for His people to tithe. I believe in the mission of SpringWell Church. We Exist to Draw Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus. God's plan for SpringWell cannot happen unless we give according to His Word. Do you believe in the mission of SpringWell?

   

• We want to be an example to our children and grandchildren. If you complain about the selfishness of your children, ask yourself this question, "Am I providing a biblical example of generosity to my family"?

 

• We unashamedly desire the blessing of God. We don't want to be blessed so we can get more stuff. We want the blessing of God so we can be more of a blessing. We want to be a blessing to our family, our church, friends, and missionaries. We want to make a difference and be a blessing in the lives of others. This happens when we honor God with our tithe.

 

Tithing is such a big deal in our family it is the first item on our monthly budget. It has become an automatic part of our life.

 

This is why SpringWell is challenging you to Automate the Important. If tithing is important, then make it automatic. This is why digital giving matters. We live in a modern world that provides us tools to be absolutely faithful and consistent with our giving. Let's take advantage of this tool.

 

Our church currently receives approximately 20% of our weekly tithe via Digital Giving through the website. Our goal is to increase this percentage to 50% for the summer. This will help us continue the momentum we've experienced so far in 2011.

 

Would you be willing to set up an online giving profile and automate the important? This allows you to set up recurring giving and to be faithful and consistent. Not only will you not have to bring a checkbook to church, you'll help us maintain ministries where we Draw Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus.

Jump in. Automate what's important.

My Planning Rhythms

Planning is a big deal. You've heard it…when you fail to plan…you plan to fail. I think this quote is very true when it comes to leading a church.

Effectively leading a church of any size requires planning. God is into planning so don't tell me that we are just being "led by the Spirit". Planning is the act of a Spirit-led leader. Besides, we call it the Plan of Salvation.

Over the next couple of weeks, I want to share my thoughts and principles regarding planning. Let me start by defining my planning rhythms.

Short-Term Planning represents the next 12-15 months – The church calendar has natural rhythms that come around every year. We always know there will be an Easter; Christmas, and summer mission trips. Sunday is coming every week. I've yet to be surprised when a Sunday arrived. This is why we should constantly prepare for the next 12-15 months. What messages series will we preach? What outreaches and mission trips will we achieve? What staff needs to be hired? How will we recognize and appreciate our volunteers? How will we serve the immediate needs of our local community? How much money will the next year cost and how do we plan to invite new people to join us as financial partners (tithers)?

Mid-Term Planning represents the next 2-5 years – When planning, we should anticipate the impact of what we are doing now, will have on where we want to go next. Where do you see God leading in the next 2-5 years? What have we been doing that we need to stop doing? What are we not doing that we should be? If we are going to go where God is leading, what needs to change? What staff, facilities, finances, infrastructure, (and so much more) do we need if we are to get to where we are going in the next 3-5 years?

Long-Term Planning represents the next 5-15 years – Decades fly by a lot faster than I used to give them credit for. This might be a sign of my aging but the truth is still a reality. The world is changing at lightning rates of speed. Will our church change at the rate needed to keep up with the unforeseen changes our world will experience in the next 10 years? God already knows the future and desires for us to be prepared for it. What vision is God giving you for the next 5-15 years? Who are you sharing this vision with? What plans need to be in place to put your church on track for this vision to become a reality? What obvious challenges will need to be addressed? How will you plan to address them? The elephant in the corner of the room will need to be addressed.

Long-Range Planning represents the next 15-30 years – My personal email address is carpe2morrow@aol.com. This play on words is a mix of Latin and English. Carpe means to seize. My desire is to Seize Tomorrow. I think too many churches are behind the curve. But to just catch up with current times is insufficient. The modern day church desperately needs to get ahead of the curve. We need to seize tomorrow. Planning this far out requires church leaders to dream. Dream audacious dreams. Plan according to your God-given dreams. Slow the train down and realize that God does do a sudden work but more often He takes His time. If you believe your church will be around in 15-30 years, what do you need to plan for? What will it be like?

Start planning now, the future is on its way!

How do you break down the way you plan? Do you need help defining or refining your plans? Have you ever thought of using a coach?

I’m MAD…Are You?

I wish more people were MAD. I wish more members of SpringWell were MAD. I wish more students, parents, and whole families were MAD. I think if we were all MAD, our community and world would be a better place.

Are you MAD? I'm committed to MAD. It's why I do what I do. The purpose of my life is to Make A Difference.

Do you want to Make a Difference? Awesome…I knew you did. Here are some immediate ways you can Make A Difference:

• Join us Saturday morning for Servolution Saturday
• Invite Friends and Family to the Easter Service
• Sign Up to serve at the Brook Glenn Elementary Spring Carnival

We could just talk about MAD…..or we could actually go MAD.

I'm ready….Are You?

Turning Commitments into Practices – Tithe Faithfully

 

Tithe Faithfully

Giving is an issue of the heart. As Partners in ministry, we consider it a privilege to faithfully support the vision and ministry of SpringWell Church. Tithing is a biblical principle and leads us to be extravagant givers. When we manage our money according to biblical principles, God is honored and we grow spiritually.

We Believe... our individual faithfulness opens doors to accomplishing great things as a church.

I am amazed at the emotions that surface when "Christians" are instructed to tithe. This should never be an issue of tension for the fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Everything we possess belongs to God in the first place. He is simply asking us to trust in His provision and finance the work of the church. When we ALL practice this commitment, generosity is released and lives are changed.

Greed and a lack of trust have hindered giving in the church for far too long. It is time for those who truly desire to be followers of Jesus Christ who Love God; Love Each Other; and Love the World to demonstrate this commitment by practicing tithing in a faithful and consistent manner.

Make a commitment today to tithe faithfully and consistently. Go here to set up your tithe online. Consider setting up recurring giving as a part of your budget so you never forget this practice.

Turning Commitments into Practices – Invest and Invite

 

Invest and Invite

At SpringWell, our heart for others flows from our passion to join with God's heart to seek and save the lost. We desire to follow the example God gave in sending His Son to those who were far from Him. We are committed to building relationships and starting conversations that lead people from all backgrounds to experience and know God for themselves.

Our desire is to bring hope to broken people. Our goal, as we go, is to invest in the lives of those around us and invite them into a relationship with God. We call this practice Investing and Inviting. We want to bring those around us one step closer to knowing God for themselves.

We Believe... the spiritual condition of our lost friends matters to God and should therefore matter to us.

If we say we are committed to those who are unchurched and far from God, what are we doing about it? Turn this commitment into the practice of Investing and Inviting. Do not expect the church to do outreach events as the only source of evangelism in our community. We are a highly relational church. The best way to reach our community is to invest in our existing relationships and invite our friends and family to join us on the journey.

Where do we invite them to? Great question. Invite them to a worship service. Invite them to your Growth Group. Invite them to join you in service. Invite them to follow Christ.

Make a commitment today to invest relationally to someone who is unchurched. Then invite them to join you on the journey.

Who are you investing in? Are you ready to invite them? Invite them to SpringWell this weekend.

Turning Commitments into Practices – Serve on a Ministry Team

 

Serve on a Ministry Team

We have an incredible volunteer base here at SpringWell. We have those who volunteer in First Impressions, Student & Children ministries, Creative Arts, Team Clean, Celebrate Recovery, Administrative Support, and so much more. We have serving opportunities for those with no prior experience in any given area, and we have opportunities that use the specific life-long skills and talents God has gifted you with. We truly believe everyone is gifted! Our partners find ways to express their love for Him by using their gifts and skills in meaningful and effective service. We're here to be a resource to you as you search out those gifts and develop them in the serving opportunity you feel God is leading you to.

We Believe...serving is a great place to build relationships with others who share your interests and giftedness. Great joy is found when you serve others as a member of a team and express your faith in a tangible way. Your life is transformed when you are part of something bigger than yourself.

Serving comes in many forms. We serve each other in the body (local church) as we provide ministry through our weekend worship experiences. We serve the community through simple acts of service and demonstrate God's love with no strings attached. We do not ask the people of SpringWell to choose either one. We say do both. Serve the body and serve the community.

Make a commitment today to serve on a ministry team at SpringWell.

If you are not in a Serving Team….fill out this form and someone will contact you to follow up.

Turning Commitments into Practices – Participate in a Growth Group

 

Participate in a Growth Group

Growth Groups connect in homes for fellowship, Bible study, prayer, accountability, and care. This is a great place to build long-lasting and meaningful friendships.

Growth Groups are where real life and real issues are discussed. This is the environment where we celebrate the successes and good times of life, as well as comfort one another during the tough and disappointing times. It is a place to be encouraged, equipped, and challenged to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

We Believe...the ideal place for Christian growth is in a small community of believers that can challenge, affirm, and comfort us in both our good and bad times. Growth Groups are where discipleship and relationships collide.

Authentic Relationships is a big deal at SpringWell and we are committed to creating environments where these relationships can be experienced. We will never be satisfied because 50% of our adults attend a Growth Group. We want EVERYONE who attends worship at SpringWell to connect with other men and women who are on the journey toward a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

Make a commitment today to practice regular attendance and participation in a Growth Group at SpringWell.

If you are not in a Growth Group….register for one here.

Turning Commitments into Practices – Attend Worship

Attend Worship

We were made for worship. God put it in our hardwiring to long to connect with Him on the deepest levels. Our high value for worship at SpringWell springs from this fact. We want every corporate worship experience at SpringWell to draw hearts into a deeper experience with God. As we engage with God in authentic worship, He draws us to become people who give Him first place in our lives.

We Believe...that consistently attending a service to worship, pray, learn, and take communion with other believers is a fundamental necessity of the Christian walk. It puts us in God's presence, so that we can encounter Him and He can shape and transform us.

Do not attend church once every 6-8 weeks and call this your church. You spiritual growth is too important for this type of inconsistency. Now, I also do not think you need to attend church 52 weeks a year. Life happens. You have vacations, unexpected work assignments, family sickness, and so much more that can disrupt your church attendance. God understands. But make attending worship a commitment you practice on a regular basis.

Make a commitment today to practice regular attendance and participation of weekend worship services at SpringWell.

Turning Commitments into Practices - Intro

What are you committed to? This question can frustrate you if you don't have clarity. Why? Because we have so many areas of our life that requires commitment. Our marriage; our children; our jobs; our health; our finances; and so much more.

Each commitment we make, no matter the area of our lives, is demonstrated by our actions. So, how do we turn our commitments into practices?

This question needs to be answered in view of our relationship with Christ and the local church.

At SpringWell, our vision is that We Want to be Followers of Jesus Who Love God; Love Each Other; and Love the World. This is why we unapologetically ask each member of our church to make certain commitments. We have an expectation that each of these commitments become ongoing practices in each of our lives.

We have five practices at SpringWell purposed to guide each person in building relationships, strengthening our journey with Christ, and encouraging us to step out and make a difference. Over the next several days, I like to share each of these practices. The first one is… 

Check out my blog tomorrow and I will share more.

Help Select My Next Phone

A new phone is in my future. Here are my narrowed options....what do you suggest?

1. Replace my Blackberry Tour with Blackberry Curve or Bold

2. Droid 2?

3. Samsung Fascinate?

4. iPhone 4

5. Droid Pro by Motorola?

 

FYI...I am with Verizon and I've not had any complaints about my Blackberry except for the roller ball has lagged lately.

 

I use Microsoft Outlook and Google App to sync contacts and calendar in real time. I want to still do this.

 

I am also concerned about going to a touch screen only device. I want to quickly type. J

 

What do you think?

Facebook Code of Conduct

Yesterday, I talked about understanding why we are on Facebook. Today, I want to share my Personal Code of Conduct on Facebook. It is as follows:

1. Be real…but be positive
2. Don't comment on everything I read
3. Hide comments from people I do not interact with on a regular basis
4. Affirm people when time allows
5. Delete people who openly speaks passive- aggressive lies about the church and its leaders

I believe it is easy to be lured by negativity. This is why it is important to determine how we plan to communicate and conduct ourselves on Facebook.

How to intentionally, remain positive when lured by negativity?

Why I Facebook

Facebook is a verb. It is more than a company…it has become an action. It's what we do.

The question is: Why?

I recently preached a message about Taming the Tongue. I suggested one place we have lacked wisdom is in how we use Facebook. I submit Facebook has become a passive aggressive playground. This is why I've learned to have a personal purpose for why I Facebook and why I blog.    

1. To share life with Family and Friends
2. To influence people at SpringWell by communicating what God is doing
3. To influence Church Leaders around the country

Facebook is not a place for me to vent about people without actually mentioning who they are or playing the victim. We should avoid negativity and downright mean-spirited comments. This includes what we say about the Church and government. Tomorrow, I will share my Facebook Code of Conduct.

Chime in: Why do you Facebook?

SpringWell 2011 Ministry Plan

January 2011 was a landmark time at SpringWell. For the first time in our history we were able to distribute a ministry plan that describes our recent journey as a church; where we believe God is leading us; updates our strategy; and determines our needed budget. Scott shared this document on January 16^th and we distributed it at the end of service. We have also posted the plan our web site.

I encourage you to check out the SpringWell 2011 Ministry Plan.

Spread the word! God is up to something at SpringWell‼

Leadership Development

 

 

 

I am obsessed with a passion to expand the leadership capacity of those I influence.

God (and Scott) began to really challenge me last fall with the above thought. As I envision 2011, my goal is to intentionally equip and empower those around me. As a Leadership Coach and Church Health Consultant with Legacy Coaching, I am passionate about serving pastors and church leaders to help them lead more effectively.

At SpringWell, my focus is with our Staff; Elders; Management Team; Church Health Team; Growth Group Leaders; and Serving Team Leaders. I consider these teams to be the CORE of our church.

Beginning tomorrow morning, I will start a four week leadership intensive with our staff. We plan to take two mornings a week for the next four weeks to focus on foundational leadership principles. I will concentrate on four leadership categories with four lessons each. The categories will be: Inward Leadership; Outward Leadership; Church Health; and Expanding Leadership.

If you serve at SpringWell and would like to participate with the staff in our Leadership Development, please feel free to do so. I realize the time of the training may not work for you. But if you can work it out, join us. Just call the office at 864.268.2299 and speak with Elaine. Let her know you are coming so we can have materials ready for you. Below is chart of all the topics.

Time Slot	Tuesday 01/25/2011 Inward Leadership	Wednesday 02/02/2011 Outward Leadership	Wednesday 02/09/2011 Church Health	Wednesday 02/16/2011 Expanding Leadership
9:00-10:00   10:30-11:30	What is a Leader?   360 Degree Leader	How to develop authentic relationships   How to be a better communicator	Being the Church in a Post Modern World   Developing Processes and Systems	7 Habits of Highly Effective People   Time Management & Project Management
Time Slot	Thursday 01/27/2011 Inward Leadership	Thursday 02/03/2011 Outward Leadership	Thursday 02/10/2011 Church Health	Thursday 02/17/2011 Expanding Leadership
9:00-10:00   10:30-11:30	Leading with My Personality   Stress in Ministry	Building Teams   Handling Difficult People	Volunteer Recruiting and Assimilation   Dealing with Change and Transition	Coaching 101   Being an Armor Bearer

2011 SpringWell Mission Trips

 
We are very excited to announce the 2011 SpringWell Mission Trips.

o  Washington, DC - July 24-30, 2011

o  Dominican Republic - May 21-28, 2011

o  Dominican Republic - November 5-12, 2011

Join us for a Mission Trip Information Meeting on Sunday, February 6th from 12:00-1:00 PM.

Check out the links below for trip details.

Download Washington DC Trip Packet 2011

Download Dominican Republic Mission Trip Packet 2011

 

The Year of Prayer

2010 has been a year of prayer and fasting at SpringWell. We started the year with a 21 Day Fast and asked God to guide us as a Church. Why would we do that? Because we want to be a desperate Church. We want God to get all the honor for what He is doing. I am proud to be part of a church that doesn't just talk about prayer but actually prays. We had the fasting emphasis in February and continue to fast every Monday. We've had Sunday evening prayer gatherings during the summer and an all-night prayer event in October. Our Growth Groups gather weekly and pray together.

These intentional times of prayer have strengthened our church when we worshiped together each Sunday; when we went on mission together; when tough decisions were being made; and when lives were being changed through services like Celebrate Recovery.

You may be asking: What do I pray for? I'm glad you asked. Let me share with you 5 things Scott has asked our church to pray for regarding SpringWell:

1. Wisdom – We desire to be the best leaders we can be. It takes wisdom to leads God's people.
2. Souls – The lost and hurting in our community desperately need Jesus. Pray that SpringWell Draws Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus.
3. Finances – The number one obstacle in our church is finances. Too few people tithe. We will not give up praying for a breakthrough.
4. Sin – We pray that those things in the darkness will be exposed by the Light. We start with ourselves asking God to show us our own hearts (Psalm 139:23).
5. Make us desperate people! – Pray that we live is such a way to demonstrate our dependence on God. We NEED Him! (Psalm 42:1)

Prayer has not only been an emphasis in 2010…it will be in 2011. In fact, we plan to turn up the volume. If we are going to be the people and Church that God wants us to be…we must bathe everything we do in prayer.

Will you be praying with us?

How has your life been impacted by prayer?

Negativity Frustrates Me

I have to be honest…I get frustrated when I deal with negative people. I am all about possibilities and what ifs. But there are times when Church Leadership requires we face the very things that frustrate us.

 

Negativity is a big deal. If it goes unchecked, it spreads like a virus in a third world country. I want to face negativity head on. I want to deal with its attempt to influence God's people and create distractions. I want to call it out and defeat its attempt to confuse our church. I want to get louder about what is positive so that negativity can't be heard. Will you join me to drown out the negativity? There are more with us than against us.

 

If we are going to defeat negativity, we must better understand its impact:

 

Negative people suffer from small mindedness

Small mindedness is an attitude that I don't want other people to succeed in life or rise to greatness.

Small mindedness is based on a spirit of comparison and competition.

Small mindedness affects the way you pray, how you esteems other, you walk with Christ.

Small minded people think that there is only enough for them. So they have to control it all and take it all.

Small mindedness stops your capacity to believe God and limits your internal resources.

 

Negativity always reflects inner defeat

Jesus said, 'For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.' (Matthew 12:34).

You can easily tell the content of a person's heart by listening to the words they speak.

In your day-to-day life do you ever listen to yourself speak?

Do you notice the anxiety you express or the hopelessness you confess?

Negativity will reflect inner defeat. It often lashes out at circumstances, people, the environment or the government or leadership

It may cast blame on a father, mother, leader, boss or spouse.

I believe that in every circumstance negativity is not about any of these things. It is about the individual and what's going on inside.

 

Negativity always justifies itself

'All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.' (Proverbs 16:2)

We can generally justify the way we think and act.

There are usually good reasons for us to feel hurt or perhaps victimized, but justifying things won't change anything.

It simply gives us a reason to accept mediocrity or failure.

Negative people draw on negative experiences and build their beliefs and opinions around them. Then they justify their position because of what happened to them.

Positive people are more likely to change themselves to line up with their potential.

 

Negativity chooses your friends for you

'Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm....' (Proverbs 13:20 NKJV)

Whatever direction your friends are heading in, will have a major influence on your future ... if you allow it.

A person determined to overcome negativity and fulfill their destiny cannot afford to be held back by dead-weight relationships.

 

Negativity magnifies and distorts the truth

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. (Prov 12:25 NKJV)

Anxiety is built on what MIGHT happen.

Negativity and anxiety work closely together.

An anxious or depressed person cannot see straight.

Their perspective on life is blown out of all proportion. Small things seem huge, molehills turn into unbeatable mountains.

If you are looking at the world from a heart full of cynicism and bitterness, your perspective of the truth more than likely, will become magnified and distorted in a destructive way.

 

Negativity makes sweeping statements and harsh judgments

When King David began to dance with joy and happiness in the midst of a great crowd, his wife Michal watched with disdain.

 

I am ready to deal with negativity….will you join the army?

 

Mistakes I Make

Mistakes are a regular part of my life. I make them often. Don't you?

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet someone who is new to SpringWell. She wanted to ask me some questions regarding a few statements I made as I preached. I told her that we were not a perfect church. In fact, there are two mistakes we make on a regular basis.

1. Giving Grace
2. Being Transparent

If we are going to make a mistake when someone is struggling, we are going to make the mistake of giving grace. What do I mean? At SpringWell, we value relationships. This will always cause us to believe the best in people. Patience, unconditional love, and second chances will always trump judgment and religious piety. Grace certainly comes with accountability, but it also comes with the time people need to deal with their stuff.

Transparency is another mistake we often make. We are not afraid to talk about the elephant in the room. There is no value to hiding your head in the sand. When things are great…we will say they are great. When things are not going well…we will speak the truth in an effort to solve the problem and make things better. This often makes some people feel very uncomfortable. Being transparent creates trust in the long run. We must have honest transparent conversations if we expect to be effective.

At the end of the day, I honestly do not think these are truly mistakes. But if they are, they are mistakes I can live with.

How about you?

Join the Servolution

ARE YOU READY TO BE PART OF A SERVING REVOLUTION?

On Saturday, September 18^th we will unleash an army into Greer and Taylors to simply SERVE.

The army will arrive at SpringWell by 8:30 AM and will then head out into the community from 9:00 AM until Noon.

We will share God's love through simple acts of service. These opportunities to serve could include passing out water, cleaning up properties and schools, cleaning windshields, providing a free car wash, bagging groceries, pumping gas, providing coins for the laundry mat; and so much more.

In the coming weeks, we will provide online registration and much more information.

I am also in the process of recruiting a team to plan the day.

DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE SERVOLUTION PLANNING TEAM?

Email me at bill.simmons@springwell.org and I will follow up.

Dealing with Stress

 

Stress is a regular part of life. Its learning to manage it that's the trick. I have had seasons in my life when I managed it well and others when stress seemed to conquer me.

I have learned that dealing with stress is about controlling the way I think. When we allow the problem to dominate our mind, we are controlled by the circumstances. When we focus on the pain of our circumstances, we are controlled by anxiety. We cannot control our circumstances but we can control the way we think.

So, how do we learn to think differently? Stress management is dictated by our spiritual thought patterns. We must learn to react to the problems of life with faith, not fear. When we are overcome with stress, it is often the result of faulty perceptions.

Scripture gives us great guidance:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. ⁶ Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

2 Timothy 1:7 (New Living Translation)

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)

 ⁶ Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

The next time you find yourself very stressed….change the way you think. Use a spiritual thought pattern based on scripture.

Let it Rain! Let Him Reign!

Over the past several weeks, Scott and I have discussed prayer quite a bit. While on my trip to the Dominican Republic, I read Deuteronomy 28. I felt inspired to share with our staff how my prayers were challenged through these verses. I decided to create this video blog to share these thoughts with you as well. It is 18 minutes long but I hope you stick with me.

Special Announcement: SpringWell Business Network

I am very excited to announce the development of the SpringWell Business Network. The purpose is to:

• Identify and network business owners/professionals and entrepreneurs who attend SpringWell Church
• Provide attendees an online directory of businesses from SpringWell they can support
• Gather the network together periodically for leadership development luncheons
• Support our community with workshops that empower financial stability (i.e. budgeting and credit repair; education for first time home buyers; foreclosure avoidance; equip potential entrepreneurs in starting, managing, and growing a successful business; and much more)

If you attend SpringWell and own a business, I want to encourage you to place and add on the directory today. Visit this link.

It's FREE to advertise. There is an option to pay a fee so that you are listed as a first result in searches and so you can link to other networks, but that is not required.  If you choose to pay the fee, SpringWell does receive a portion of it. These funds will be used to offset cost for network luncheons and workshops.

NCAA Group Winner

My longtime friend, Tom Sipling, has won our NCAA Tournament group on ESPN. I came in third and my wife (Renee) beat me with her second place finish.

Here are the final results:

Why I am Fasting

I am hearing so many people from SpringWell talk about how our church-wide fast is affecting them.

Several have shared how they are being stretched by the discipline and encouraged by prayers being answered.

During the first week of our fast, I wrote down several things where I am praying for a breakthrough.

• Teddy (our son) to find a job - He lost his in the fall and like many have struggled replacing it.
• Conquered Addictions – I desire every personal impulsive choice I make be disciplined and for our church to reach as many as we can through Celebrate Recovery. We will be launching this ministry in the fall or early 2011.
• Financial Breakthrough for SpringWell – We are seeking God on behalf of those who are not tithing and asking Him to stretch their faith and give them consistency in giving. This would radically influence our effectiveness as a church to reach our community.
• Expand Legacy Coaching – I am asking God to open up doors locally for churches and pastors to partner with our Leadership Coaching and Church Health Consulting ministry. Local clients would help decrease my travel and expand our networking. This would also empower us to give more to the Kingdom.
• Greater Physical Discipline – I have personally struggled with my physical weight and health more over the last 2 years then I ever have. I am learning that I really need God's help to renew this discipline in my life.

If you were at SpringWell on Sunday, you certainly experienced how prayer and fasting produced an incredible sense of expectation during the service. God showed up in a big way. Lives were changed! We also received our biggest weekend offering in over a year.

You tell me….does prayer and fasting work?

This is just the beginning….get ready for your breakthrough!

Why are you fasting?