It was a lesson I learned right away:  if you’re going to start a church, at least know how to pronounce the name of the state.

“It’s Ory-GUN.  Not Ore-GON.  Got it?”

Got it!

Five years ago last month, our family moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Portland, Oregon to start Westport Church.  Teaming up with a family from Dallas, Texas, we set out to launch a values-driven, Jesus centered gathering committed to impacting a region.  And what a ride God gave us.  What started with seven individuals (the grand total of our two families) has now grown to a gathering of several hundred Jesus followers passionate about helping people in the western-region of Portland see the beauty of Jesus, his words, and his church so they can experience forgiveness, restoration and joy. Yep – I still have the mission statement memorized. :)

I fell in love with Portland.  Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens; Multnomah Falls; the Willamette Valley; wine country; the MAX train system; Lance Armstrong wannabees and bike paths everywhere; the eclectic, tree-hugging, urban culture (“keep Portland weird!”).  Shoot, I even started to cheer for the Trailblazers.

And I loved the risk-taking, faith-bending adventure of planting a church.  We were right in the thick of the battle.  We knew it, and the enemy knew it.  And he attacked from all angles.  Was it tough? Heck ya.  Worth it?  Absolutely.  And in spite of battles and blemishes, God birthed an amazing church!

The thing I loved the most? No doubt:  the people.  The people we shared transformational community with left a lasting mark on our lives. Leslee and I still have a deep love for the people God connected us with there.

I haven’t made a footprint on Oregon soil in three years. But tomorrow that changes. Our family is thrilled to head out there for a week of vacation!  We’re excited to visit with friends we love, celebrate what God is continuing to do at Westport, and enjoy the beauty of the northwest.

Orygun, here we come!

Love a good movie?  Ya, me too.

We love a good story. Stories thrill us, inspire us and keep us coming back to the movies again and again. Often, they also reveal more.  More about our search for significance and our search for answers.  This summer you’ll want to hold on to your seats because we’re launching a blockbuster quest for God’s Truth in some of Hollywood’s biggest movies.

Watch the trailer below.  Invite your friends.  See some great stories from a fresh perspective.

.July 10/11:  Bourne Identity | Do you know who you are?

July 17/18:  The Blind Side | Are you willing to let someone in?

July 24/25:  Avatar | Who will set you free?

July 31/August 1:  Robin Hood | What are you fighting for?

We heard a great message on Unstoppable Love over the weekend. Dino Rizzo reminded us that the unstoppable love of Jesus is the greatest force on the planet to a person’s heart.

Here’s a real way we can express it to our community.

Green Lockers is an organization started by Ted Bryant (professor at Bethel College, member of GCC) centered around a fantastic idea: at the end of each school year, new and slightly used school supplies are collected, sorted, and re-distributed to children and students in need throughout the Michiana area.  And it’s having a big impact!  Last year alone, over 9000 pounds of supplies were collected and given to students at local schools – students who not only need these supplies, but through this process find they aren’t alone. They matter, they’re loved. That’s unstoppable love!

This Thursday night is a critical sort night – and Green Lockers needs all hands on deck.  Drop what you’re doing, bring the family and join in for a couple hours!

What:      School Supplies Sort Night

When:     Thursday, June 24 – 6:00pm

Where:    2600 Marina Drive (just west of CR6 and CR15 intersection in Elkhart)

Want more info on Green Lockers?  Click here.

Want more info on Ted Bryant?  Click here.

Want to order a pizza? Click here.

Want to help express Unstoppable Love to our community? Be there Thursday night. :)

New Service Times! 9:00am and 10:30am

Our new service time slots go into effect THIS Sunday!  Set the alarms and be ready to join us! We’re launching an impacting new series called “Unstoppable”, with Craig Groeschel speaking on Unstoppable Courage.  Great teaching, great worship – see you there!

The Gathering! Sunday Night – 6:00pm

The Gathering is our quarterly celebration where we come together for worship, to share communion and launch into a new season of group life.  Be early and be ready for a night of high energy and life-giving joy!

Looking forward to a great weekend with you!

We made a BIG announcement this weekend at our Elkhart Campus:  We’re changing our Sunday morning service times!

For several months we’ve explored the idea of changing the service times, feeling that a different option would serve our campus better.  Much thought and process has gone into this, and we’re now ready to pull the trigger!  

New Service Times:

9:00am and 10:30am.

Begins NEXT Sunday, June 6th!

Why this is a good move for us:

·    It makes our second service more attractive to attend – for you AND your friends!  All surveys done show the 10:30 time slot as the most optimal time to have a service.  Now it will be even easier to invite friends to join you!

·    It makes our second service more attractive to serve.  Many have mentioned that their struggle with serving on a volunteer team is how late they need to stay after the second service.  This new service format will get people home an hour earlier, allowing more personal time on Sunday afternoon.

·    It helps both service crowds become more aware.  Pushing the services closer together will allow greater interaction between the two crowds.  I love that!  The “in-between-the-services” time will be a buzz as we all become more aware of just how many people call GCC-Elkhart their church!

This will be a big win for our Elkhart Campus.  In fact, most people I talked to over the weekend are not only ready for it, but really excited about it!  I hope you are too, and I hope you’ll help us spread the word!

I love what God is doing at our church, and I love being on this journey with you.

Great days!

This tweet from Pete Wilson has been messing with me this week:

Earlier today I had a phone call with my good friend Justin Maust. I love Justin – no matter what a conversation is supposed to be about, God always uses his words to challenge me.  Justin shared that his passion right now is to be in the flow of the Spirit, to have right priorities and focus in their proper place.  Pressures from everywhere can cause us to get this all wrong.  Being in the flow of the Spirit at all times and in all situations helps us know His desires and how to keep our priorities in the order He wants.

First things first.

Good is the enemy of best.

Drifting in this area is one of the easiest things to do.  Ultimately we sacrifice what’s primary for what’s secondary. Both are good, but they aren’t equal.

A tweet, a phone conversation, a dinner conversation with my wife, some Brennen Manning messages, some Alan Hirsch reading, and some big reflection this week have created a desire in me to recalibrate things and ensure that my priorities and passions are in their right order.

I want first things first in my life.  In this order, I want to be obsessed:

• with loving, knowing and experiencing my Abba Father on an ever-deepening level.
• with loving my wife in a way that honors her and communicates what a gift she is to me – she is my bride, she completes me.  She has my heart, my thoughts, my eyes.
• with loving my wife and children in a way that makes it clear that they are my first congregation.  That my time and energy communicate that they are more important to me than any other human relationship I have.
• with loving friends, those I work with, and those I lead for who they are, not for what they do or what I can get from them – or conditional on my ability to change them.  To intentionally give and add value to those I share live with and influence.
• with loving our city, our community, our world in a way that causes them to give God glory and praise because of what they see in me (Matthew 5:16).

And if God grows a great church in that process, that’s awesome.

But it’s not my primary goal.

And I don’t believe it’s his primary goal either.

My mom forwarded me the video below.

I don’t know Zac, but I know the church he’s worked at. Great church. Sounds like a great man.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a story of faith stronger than his.

Since this video was produce, Zac has entered hospice care.

“If God chooses not to heal me, God is still God…and God is still good.”

I’m amazed and inspired by Zac’s faith. And I’m praying for him and his family.

Washington Gardens. One of the neediest, low income/no income communities in Elkhart.

Just the neighborhood we were looking for.

The Elkhart Campus has been working in Washington Gardens for over a year now – building trust, investing in lives.  And we’re already seeing impact!  Between our Block Party last fall, our annual Food Drop in January, and a dynamic team now serving dozens of children each month through Son City Kids, our church is making a difference in this community!

And we’re increasing our serve!

Want to be a part of making it happen?  On May 8th we’re planning a special “Second Saturday” event (8:30am – noon). We’re calling on everyone to help serve our neighbors in Washington Gardens through:

• Spring Clean-Up Teams. Enjoy the outdoors and make a difference!  These teams will be raking leaves, removing trash, trimming hedges, and sweeping sidewalks.  Great option to include the kids on – so bring the whole family!

• Car Wash Team. Who doesn’t enjoy a clean car?  This team will help the residents of Washington Gardens experience that.

• Oil Change Team. Skilled at changing oil?  We’ll provide the supplies, you help make an impact.

• Tire Pressure/Windshield Washer Fluid Team. If you can check the air pressure on tires and refill washer fluid, this is for you!

Pick a Team!  Then click here to register and let us know you’re coming. Be a part of helping this community know that they matter to God, and us!

Secluded. A cabin in northern Michigan.

Alone. Just me and God.

Unplugged. No phone, no internet, no email, no television.

Four days. Just rest, worship, journal, hiking, reading.

Ahh…

Been looking forward to this for a long time.

See you next week.