Why I love my church & chili cook-offs

Behold!

The Golden Chili Award!

The coveted prize in our church's Chili Cook-Off. For weeks I have been perfecting my chili recipe, tweaking things, adding secret ingredients and now was ready to take on the people in my church for this award. Finally the day came, 10 entries were tasted and in the end, I came up two votes short!

What's really frustrating is that I was almost beaten by as last minute submission just taken out of a freezer!

BUT, here's where I won... I had so much fun. WE, as a church, had so much fun. And that is why I love my church. This church can play, we can dream, we can encourage and we are a safe place. It has taken 5 years of praying and communicating the vision, but in the last few months it has become a reality.

Our church has opened it's doors to the community. Our Chili Cook-Off is actually for a community chess club that meets in our building. The 100+ people we served yesterday don't attend our church but have said many times how much they love working with us. Great relationships have been forged because of the partnership and many of our "guests" have donated time, money and resources when our church has a need. I love it! There was a long time when I struggled thinking we had to have a large wealthy congregation in order to be what others considered a success. Yesterday, watching so many have fun together, I realized we were a success! I pray it continues and that our church will be the little church that changed a city.

And now... on to eat more chili!

Christian Tele-marketers

As i sit in the office this morning, the first time all week, the phone continues to ring.  They are not friends of the church call to encourage me, they are not those needing prayer, they are simply those trying to get me to but their "God Ordained" ministry helps.  In essence, they are Christian Tele-marketers.  

Seriously!? 

My conundrum is how in the world do i handle them.  If i say "no thank you" they continue as if i have said nothing explaining to me how my church "needs" this and how God wants us to have it. My feeling is if God did want me to have it, He probably would have told me first.

Anyway, the worst are the organizations that need money.  They are good, worthy, Godly exploits who need money but our church is already involved in so many other worthy community organizations that we are hard pressed to give to yet another.  Somewhere i have to draw the line.  So I say no, hoping they will understand and they DON'T.  They start pressing me for whys and telling me why there organization needs this... what's a compassionate pastor to do but politely decline... then decline again... then hang up (in Jesus Name.)

Resolutions of "not"

This year, instead of a list of things to do, I have determined to try to make a list of things NOT to do.

Such as:

I will NOT assume I have all the answers and that I am always right.

I will NOT side with someone of a negative persuasion.

I will NOT forget to pay bills. (i hope)

I will NOT beat myself up if the house is not clean.

I will NOT waste any moment given to me nor will I say, "I can't wait till..." 

I will NOT allow myself to look at the circumstances, but always look to Papa.

I will NOT attempt perfection, therefore I will stop the NOT list now.

Looking forward to a great 2009!