Pastor Dave's Book Club

Coming Out Of The Cage Of Fear

2010-02-01T15:20:00.002-06:00

This post is from our Edge Ministries Director, Mike Reini

In the final chapter of Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson stresses that our fear of failure must not stagnate the Church’s resolve to boldly pursue everything God has for us. To emphasize this point Batterson tells the story of Jonathan fighting the Philistines (1 Samuel 14). Jonathan was not afraid to fail, and because of his willingness to step out, Israel was rescued. Rev. Batterson further explains that many Christians contradictorily live under the assumption that the Lord may not intervene in their behalf, and that keeps them from doing anything.

“We live out of fear instead of faith. And that lack of faith results in a lack of guts. Jonathan did not wait for something to happen. He made something happen.” WGC Chapter 7, page 147

Personally, I know I have missed opportunities to be used of God. I did not know the outcome, and therefore, I felt I would look foolish. Boil that down and I simply have an issue of pride. Jonathan could have looked mighty ridiculous trying to take on an army with only himself and his armor bearer. The Philistines certainly thought so; however, God intervened, and Jonathan was made a hero. God has already called us to go and forcefully advance his kingdom (Matthew 11:12, 28:19), so perhaps the next time the Holy Spirit prompts us to lay hands on the sick or raise the dead we will not focus on our appearance but realize the authority we have been given and stand firm on the truth of his Word. As it says in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up,” Our pride must not stand in the way of the adventure the Wild Goose is leading us to chase. Dream big dreams and see out extravagant visions. Loose yourself for the sake of Christ because he has promised that is when you will truly find life (Matthew 10:39).

Mike Reini

Chapter 7 “Good Old-Fashioned Guts”

2010-01-25T10:27:00.001-06:00

This post is from Jeff Benson

Ok, so we are on Chapter 7 of Mark Batterson’s Wild Goose Chase. If you’re not excited by now on what the Holy Spirit can do in your life, better check your pulse. The title alone Good Old Fashioned Guts’ sounds like it could be the title to any of John Wayne’s old movies. Remember how ‘The Duke’ would swagger down main street, gun in hand, not afraid of anybody, looking for a fight against a bunch of bandits. As a kid, I would watch in amazement as he would spin and shoot bad guys ready to trap him from a balcony. Then he would proceed to grit his teeth and fist fight the rest until he whooped every last one.

We may not carry a six-shooters and wear a cowboy hat to our fights. However, taking that example, we need to swagger in confidence in who we are in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Walking through our daily lives in the knowledge that our enemies have been defeated and that our Savior is victorious.

I absolutely love the paragraph on page 149…”There is nothing remotely passive about being part of the kingdom of God. We are called to forcefully advance the cause of Christ. Faithfulness is not holding the fort. Faithfulness is storming the gates of hell.”

I used to travel to Montana once a year just to experience ‘cowboy life’. Living and working with guys who the real western deal, riding horses to work, wearing boots and chaps, dusty cowboy hast great for every season, and yes actually carrying six-shooters. These guys wore everything they needed to work and survive the day and I could always see a look of confidence on their weathered faces. Not in an arrogant way, they knew there purpose for the day and knew they were good at what they did. We as Christians need to know our purpose for today, equipped ourselves and get out there. No more, just holding the fort. May God bless your life richly.

Jeff Benson

His Ways Are Higher

2010-01-18T16:15:00.001-06:00

This post is from Abby Dietrich

Chapter 6 of Wild Goose Chase Pg. 128 & 129 Mark Batterson writes,
"We put so much pressure on ourselves. As if the eternal plans of the almighty God are contingent on our ability to decipher them. The truth is, God wants to reveal them more then we want to know them. And if we think that one misstep can frustrate the providential plan of the Omnipotent One, then our God is way too small…….He may not always reveal His plan how or when we want Him to. But when we chase the Wild Goose, our future becomes His responsibility".

As I read and this book it brings me back time and again to this truth, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Prov.16:9

I don't know about you but I like to have a plan, follow the plan, do the plan in the short term. But when you chase the Wild Goose it almost never goes the way you plan. I've learned that waiting and trusting in Him is the way I need to live. If I trust in my own plans or abilities I'll fail. Mark Batterson wrote, "When you chase the wild Goose, our future becomes His responsibility". It is a challenge to keep my ears open to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We need to set aside the things in life that can drown out His voice, and tune our ears to the Wild Goose. He is always speaking and guiding if we're willing to listen.

I desire to daily learn to hear and respond to the Wild Goose when and where He leads, that I may get where He wants me to go!

Abby Dietrich

Coming out of the cage of failure

2010-01-12T11:22:00.001-06:00

This post is from Byron Niemi

Mark Batterson in chapter 6 comes out early on Page 118 and says, “Failure handled improperly can be devastating, but failaure handled properly is the best thing that can happen to us.” We use our God given freedom of choice to make many decisions each day concerning life. So when failure happens, what if I have a standard reply like, “okay God, I’m falling apart right now, but based on my past experience and the testimonies of many fellow believers, you will meet with me and somehow take this mess and put me back on Your life’s course.” This kind of response fits in with the importance of faith and our attitude in dealing with life.

In 1995 the morale in our department hit an all time low and I felt trapped with little chance of serving God in a meaningful way and in a position that didn’t even exist in the company. But in 2003 this new job posting came up that could only have been filled by me, but coming from God. I rejoiced and wept before Him. I later came to know and understand what this author writes about now and that my God, our God uses divine delays, divine detours and divine appointments to bring us into His divine plan. That time I waited, I also needed to mature and be prepared for such an abrupt change of service to God and my employer. My last 4 years before retiring, though trying at times, was to me an adventure only the Wild Goose of God could have orchestrated. And to think I had been a failure to God in my work.

We can beat ourselves up, tell God all the reasons we’re unfit to be anywhere near the front lines in His army, let the enemy rip us, isolate ourselves and wait for the end or we can allow God to say perhaps something like this, “your sins are forgiven, my righteousness is upon you, now draw close to me and I will make your life an adventure if you will just follow and learn of me. It’s your choice.”
Byron Niemi

Sometimes it Takes a Shipwreck

2010-01-08T11:32:00.000-06:00

This post is from Linda Taylor

Chapter 5 of Mark Batterson’s book Wild Goose Chase is a chapter I hope you will all read and let God speak to you. It is titled Sometimes “It Takes a Shipwreck” and I felt it was about surrendering your life and plans to God and let Him write and direct the story of my life.

It reinforced a place of trust and surrender, even when the winds of my life blow in a different direction than I thought or when I meet with a shipwreck or difficulty….God is still in control and is bringing me where He wants me to be. He is not limited to the circumstances I see so my response is to continue to pursue Him and His will.

On Page 126 Mark said ”when you give Jesus complete editorial control over your life He begins writing His story through your life.” So my pursuit is for His story to come through my life and it takes a lot of the pressure off of me.

Hebrews 12:2 Keeping our eyes on Jesus, Author and Finisher of our faith.

Linda Taylor

Eight Foot Ceilings

2009-12-21T11:59:00.001-06:00

This Post is from Margie Pearson

In Chapter 4 titled “Eight Foot Ceilings”, Mark Batterson talks about faith, and our assumptions that limit God. He says, “Faith is not logical. But it isn’t illogical either. Faith is theological. It does not ignore reality; it just adds God into the equation…. Faith is not mindless ignorance; it simply refuses to limit God to the logical constraints of the left brain.”

These thoughts meant one thing to me at the time of initially reading them; but now, during the Christmas season, they mean something else. God entered our humanity through His son Jesus. He was born of a virgin, in accordance with prophecies spoken centuries earlier. He grew up as a perfect child in an imperfect world. He chose the cross, in order to be the sacrifice for our sin, so that our sin would no longer separate us from God. In truth, I find this hard to wrap my mind around, but in faith, I embrace this reality.

I embrace the fact the Jesus came to redeem me, and gave His life to set me free from my sin. “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),”- Luke 1:68-70

During this holiday season, and everyday, I want to choose to say thank you God for adding yourself into the equation, for being Emmanuel.

Margie Pearson

Questioning Our Assumptions

2009-12-14T13:53:00.002-06:00

This Post is from our board member Dave McCormack.

Chapter 4 of Mark Batterson's book Wild Goose Chase revolves around assumptions, and coming out of the cage of assumptions. Mark demonstrates his premise by saying "What I'm getting at is this: we make far too many assumptions about what is and what is not possible in the physical universe. We do the same thing spiritually. And those assumptions become eight-foot ceilings that limit our lives. One of the most dangerous assumptions we can make is assuming we know more than we really do." Mark adds "…the smartest people are the people who make the fewest assumptions." I truly believe he is right. Instead of making assumptions we should investigate with child-like curiosity by asking why.

Children truly are wondrous creatures. I for one can learn from God's design to the way children approach life. Children do not make assumptions. Instead, they rely on their curiosity and questioning to determine truth. After reading this chapter self-discovery revealed that I rely more on my assumptions than thorough discovery through asking why. I live in my comfortable box created by my assumptions. In reality, I could remove the eight-foot ceilings, and be free to wonder at the immense universe that God created by simply looking at life as a child would. Mark Batterson said "The bottom line is this: the more faith you have, the fewer assumptions you will make. Why? Because with God all things are possible."
Relying on our assumptions, which are based upon what our logic tells us what is true, can get us into trouble. Instead, we need to trust God more than our assumptions, be available for God to use us, and expect that He will reveal the actual truth to us. God is the author of truth. We need to always remember that and have faith.

Mark Batterson sums up this chapter when he says “If you want more adventure in your life, come out of the cage of assumptions. Don't assume that you cannot start the business or write the book or overcome the addiction or get the job or save the marriage. Quit assuming and start believing.” If we do that, the Holy Spirit can use us for what we were called to do. I for one want the adventure that chasing the Holy Spirit can bring. I want to live the life that God has planned for me and my family. To do this, I need to discipline myself not to rely on my own assumptions and question why with the faith that God will reveal the truth. Good advice?

Dave McCormack

Breaking the Cage of Routine

2009-12-07T10:25:00.000-06:00

This Post is from Pastor Jake

One of the most interesting features in my life is that my routine is shaken after only a quick period of time. From place and scenery, to something as small as not truly knowing what will happen in the day. Most are challenging, but more often times then not, it has been for the better even if not seen at the moment that the routine is shifted. Chapter 3 in Mark Batterson’s book Wild Goose Chase, the deliberate change in routine to keep us from being caged in a monotonous life and losing the joys of life along with our joy and awe of Christ’s power.

Batterson makes an interesting statement when he says “When God wants us to experience a change in perspective, He often does it via a change in scenery” (50). When you have a change of scenery, may it be career change or even up rooting and moving, it puts us in a reliant or dependant state. You are no longer able to rely on yourself (routine) to get you through. Our perspectives are changed on just how much our reliance needs to be, and is, on our Jehovah Jireh. For me, this is so true. During my travels, I have had to rely on my Yahweh to provide the friends, housing, and now my future in Him.

The author makes a statement that helps my sleepy eyes to open and shakes my routine when he writes “Don’t wait to worship God till you get to the Promise Land; you’ve got to worship along the way” (47). Many times we wait to worship God until we get to church or when we are not as busy. I remember stating that I couldn’t wait to get to work in the church because worship and devotional would be so easy. It is great, except it becomes routine and you end up having to fight to make sure to guard that time. It is not easier. Don’t wait to worship; bring the Promise Land to your office or car. Let us, I long to be, a worshiper at all times. Bring His Kingdom to this Earth.

Pastor Jake

The Cage of Routine

2009-11-30T15:03:00.004-06:00

This post is from Leroy Mackey

Mark Batterson wrote: "the sacred becomes routine, and we not only forfeit spiritual adventure but we also start losing the joy of our salvation. Chasing the Wild Goose is a way to get it back. But that means coming out of the cage of the routine. We need to change our routine, take some risks, and try new things." This paragraph really sums up Chapter 3.

Reading Chapter 3 on routines made me realize what I go through at times in my life. I don't want to loose that adventure. It makes sense to me in changing my routines, changing time of prayer, reading different translations, sitting up front in church (so Pastor can keep an eye on me), buying a puppy (not recommended), reading instead of TV. I do not want to get caught up in just going through the motions in my Christian walk. I want to worship always along the way to the Promised Land.

The poem in the beginning of Chapter 3, the one part says, "But only he who sees takes off his shoes". Now that speaks to me, to say so sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Leroy Mackey

Coming out of the cage of responsibility

2009-11-23T09:36:00.003-06:00

This post is from Pastor Dan Scally

Chapter two challenged me to stop getting caged in my day-to-day responsibilities and begin to passionately live out big dreams that are God-ordained. Batterson shows how important it is for us to come out of the cage of responsibility. Let’s first take a look at what it means to be responsible; it means to be accountable to someone for an action or for the successful carrying out of a duty. I am responsible to pay rent every month, show up to work, and pay my student loans. These are certain responsibilities that I must carry out or I will get into deep trouble. However, the problem is that these daily responsibilities can become distractions and excuses for us to stop focusing on our Kingdom responsibilities.

Batterson is not saying that we need to quit paying our bills, mowing the law, or planning for retirement. He is challenging the reader to stop being so consumed by daily responsibilities and to begin dreaming big things and let God give us new passions. The point is that we need to stop being so boring and concerned about all the little things in life. We need to live with a Kingdom perspective. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I believe that we need to begin to seek first God-ordained dreams and passions and stop worrying about our own responsibilities. We need to stop getting trapped by the little things of life and begin to allow God to give us new passions. For example, my family and I have a passion to do a ministry called the Production of Life. This is a drama ministry that we have preformed in the past which was a success. However, lately my family and I have all been so wrapped up in day-to-day responsibilities like college and work which have caused this ministry to get pushed aside. My prayer is to stop letting God-ordained passions get buried by daily projects and tasks. Let us all strive to do whatever it takes to rediscover those passions which God has placed within each of us and will serve as our motivation to make an impact for His Kingdom.

Dan Scally

Chapter 2 “Goose Bumps” – Coming Out of the Cage of Responsibility

2009-11-16T13:43:00.001-06:00

Comments by Ron Wilcox, Board Member

In chapter two of Wild Goose Chase the author, Mark Batterson, writes “Most of us want God to provide miraculous signs before we come out of the cage”. It is always easier to go forward and embark on something new when we know before we start that we are doing God’s will. Conversely, even if we feel that we are being called in a new direction, it is often difficult for me to get started because of my lack of faith. Now before you start to think that I have lost my faith in God, let me assure you that is not the case. My lacking in faith is a lack of faith in me and my ability to understand who God is and what my role is in Him.
During her Wednesday night study on prayer, Barb Skoff asked people to share miracles that they have experienced in their lives. Many people spoke of healings they have had or have witnessed as the result of prayer. Lately God has laid on my heart to write down the miracles and answers to prayer that He has given in my life. The truth is that we need to remind ourselves at times that God does answer prayers. He is still in the business of doing miracles. As a matter of fact, why are we surprised when we get our prayers answered? Sometimes we get answers in three minutes, or three hours or three days. The fact is we will get answers if we have faith.
About 10 years ago I had the opportunity to go to Washington DC to attend a day of prayer with Promise Keepers at the Mall. For 40 days, I fasted and prayed. Let me assure you that fasting is not one of my regular habits. The first 30 days I would spend my noon lunch at the church in prayer. Days 31 through 37 I spent fasting all but one meal a day. Days 38 to 40 were water/juice only days. I have never spent more time in God’s word and in prayer. The theme of the gathering was “Stand in the Gap”. Ezekiel 22:30 states “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one”. Our goal as a group was to be that man. So after a day of praise, worship, prayer and fabulous speakers, the event ended. At that time God spoke to me and said “So, what did you expect, fireworks? You did what you were called to do. Now go back and live your life for me.” I am still not sure if this was what I wanted to hear, but I know that it is what I needed to hear and still need to hear today.
Mark 16:20 states “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs, Amen”. They went out and signs followed. The signs do not come first. It has been said that the primary reason most of us don’t see God moving is simply because we aren’t moving. If you want to see God move, you need to make a move. If you want to know where God wants you to move, spend time reading his word and praying (fasting is also wonderful). Then you can go forth and signs will follow. Some signs will be seen immediately, while others will follow later. But, if you go, signs will follow in faith.

Ron Wilcox

TIME TO CHASE THE GOOSE!!!

2009-11-09T15:25:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone, here we go for round two of the bookclub. I am going to get things started by sharing my thoughts from reading the first chapter. Always feel free to leave comments, thoughts, questions, etc.

It is very obvious to me that the majority of the Christian Church today has lost the sense of adventure that following Christ should produce. Mark Batterson is trying to help us get out of the cages that keep us back from pursuing God’s best for our lives. The problem is that we do not realize we are in a cage at times.

There has got to be something more than just acknowledging that God’s Son, Jesus, died on the cross for us and now we attend a church service every week. If that is the highlight reel of my faith, I am missing something. The Holy Spirit is constantly challenging me to not settle for routine so that I can avoid the comfort ruts in life. I like my routine because I get to insert all the variables which makes things go really smooth. However, if I will allow the Holy Spirit to set my routine, I might run into variables that will cause some adrenaline, cause me to face fear, and force me to deepen in my faith.

Look at the church today versus the church centuries ago. The swine flu has us unwilling to shake someone’s hand in greeting. We want to stay as far away from the afflicted as possible. Five hundred years ago, ancient Goose chasing Christians would plot out trips to visit leprous islands to minister to the sick and afflicted. I am a huge J.R. Tolken fan. In his book, Return of the King, the main characters are facing a challenge where there was only a fool’s hope of survival unless there was a divine intervention. Despite the odds, one of main characters (a dwarf), says, “Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?”
What are we waiting for? The best days are ahead for any Goose Chaser. Let’s not stand around idle. Maybe a small change of your routine or a different perspective on your life will be the catalyst for you to experience an adventurous life of faith. Let’s do something different in our expression of faith that forces us to trust God more than we ever have before. I am excited to get to learn to chase the goose with you.

Coming out of the cage,
Pastor Dave

Make Me A Fool For YOU

2009-08-31T12:39:00.001-05:00

This post is from Abby Dietrich

“I Believe that somewhere deep down inside all of us there is a primal longing to do something crazy for God. We want to chase a loin like Benaiah. But our fear of looking foolish keeps us hog-tied and locked in the basement.”

Also: “Can tell you why some people have never killed a giant or walked on water or seen the walls come tumbling down? It's because they weren't willing to look foolish.”

I can tell you I used to be the first one to do anything to keep from looking foolish. I remember 5 or 6 years ago when I first began to lead worship for the youth, I had a rule on the platform called "No awkward pauses." I never wanted to look foolish or that I didn't know what I was doing. So I meticulously made sure that everyone knew their part. But the problem with that attitude is that you don't allow the Holy Spirit to be a guide. We can be so focused on making it happen that we shut out the voice of the Holy spirit and what He may be asking us.

Sometimes what He may be asking of us looks Foolish. For me that means sometimes I have to let those "Awkward Pauses" Happen( and they do). But the Lord has shown me so much though them, like how to trust Him and wait on Him. And He moves in those times. 1 Cor. 1:27 says:
God deliberately chose the things the world considers foolish, in order to shame those who think they are wise. Don't be afraid to look foolish in the eyes of the world, so He may be glorified in your life.

Abby Dietrich

Looking Foolish For Jesus

2009-08-24T13:50:00.002-05:00

This Post is from Linda Taylor

I am sure God had me in mind when it came time to write about chapter 8. The title of this chapter is The Importance of Looking Foolish. On page 149 Mark Batterson wrote that polls have found most people’s number one fear is speaking in public, death being number two.

I’m not sure how fearful of death I am but I know when I was in high school I wouldn’t take speech because I wasn’t about to speak in front of people. Fast forward about 15 years later and I am now on a journey to follow Jesus and little by little He began stretching me in places of leadership I never thought I would go. Several years ago I was asked to be the speaker at a Women’s Aglow meeting and the closer the time go came the more nervous I became. The day before I was to go (you can be sure I was praying) God brought a statement to my attention and I knew when I read it was for me “You must do the thing you think you cannot do”. I did, He blessed my obedience and it strengthened me.

So what could be my reason for concern, but the fear of looking foolish? The author states that faith is the willingness to look foolish. If David wasn’t willing to seize his God ordained opportunity, he would never have killed a giant, Noah would never have built an ark, and Peter would not have walked on water. As it is, David killed the giant, Noah was saved from the flood, Peter walked on water, etc.

Each one of us can write our own story. I want to be with the ones that are not afraid to “chase a lion into a pit on a snowy day”. I believe you are too or you wouldn’t be reading this challenging book.

Linda Taylor

Living In Prayer Mode

2009-08-15T03:53:00.003-05:00

This post is from one of our board members, Craig Baron.

The part in Chapter 7 that hit me the most was when Batterson wrote about living a pinball existence. “There are only two ways to live your life: survival mode or prayer mode. Survival mode is simply reacting to the circumstances around you. It is a pinball existence.” He goes on to say, “Prayer mode is the exact opposite. Your spiritual antenna is up and your radar is on.”

I tend to live my life like a pinball, bouncing from this to that, living in survival mode instead of focusing on the opportunities God gives me. That convicts me. I do, many times, exist in survival mode. My own thought life becomes pinballed from one thought to the next. For example, I was going to play a game with my son recently but there was a game piece missing. I spent the next hour looking for the piece and being upset about it rather than staying focused on the task at hand which was connecting with my son by playing a game. I easily get sidetracked. I never found the game piece and by the time I gave up looking for it, he needed to go to bed so we didn’t play anything. I wonder if I missed out on something that God had for us that night. I wonder if I miss out on stuff like that all the time.

Another area I think about with the pinball existence is faith. Sometimes I don’t have the faith to even look at opportunities. I don’t see my life the way God sees my life. My problems and my issues seem much bigger than they really are. For me, when my spiritual antenna is not up, my fear antenna is up. When I live in fear, there’s no way I can see any opportunity that comes my way. When living in this state of fear, not only could a person miss the big God-ordained opportunities like starting a business, you could also miss opportunities in the small, day to day activities of being a father, being a husband, or interacting with friends and neighbors.

I like the meaning of the Aramaic word for prayer, slotha: “to set a trap.” Batterson says, “Prayer helps us catch the opportunities God throws our way.” I love that. It’s the opposite of pinball mode. Being ready, watchful, strategic. Not being surprised by the enemy. Being proactive and not reactive. Prepared and ready.

Grap Opportunity By The Mane

2009-08-08T06:53:00.001-05:00

This post is from Pastor Jake

Chapter seven, from the book “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson, is rightfully titled Grab Opportunity by the Mane and it makes divine sense that this chapter was given to me to reflect on.

As Chapter seven is read, a man named John is introduced. To you or I, he is just a lawyer, but to the author he is a man seizing a God size opportunity. I say that to follow up with a quote that Batterson states about these opportunities and it is this: “But God is in the business of making sure we cross paths with the right people at the right time (127)”. I read this and the words jumped out at me with such truth and understanding from my own experiences. One in particular would be the current location I am at here in Hibbing. As a few months ago, I was in the Florida panhandle enjoying, some may say, the warm late winter air when I decided at 0730 one Saturday morning to go to a Christian Education seminar at the district. The only catch, it started at 0800 and I was forty-five minutes away. Of course, if you spend even a minute getting to know me, that this is no problem, so I saddled up on my steal horse and rode out to Marianna, FL to the district grounds. I had the pleasure of sitting in a CE conference for children and meeting Jason Noble our National Children’s Director. We started to talk, as I am apparently gifted at, and started to connect the lines between us and making the world smaller by the people we had in common. By the end of the conversation he had wanted to place me as Children’s Pastor in one of forty churches that needed one.

So the God size moment was in front of me. Batterson states “Think of every opportunity a gift from God. What you do with it is your gift to God (132)”. My ultimate goal was to become an effective pastor somewhere. I was becoming discouraged by my surroundings because of simple things like being single and not “fully qualified” that I figured I was just always going to be working on becoming a staff pastor, yet here was the Gift of an Opportunity. Walking through the door and becoming the best I can be at being an effective Children’s Pastor, will be my gift back to my Father.

This book is all about opportunity and grabbing it by the Mane. I would like to sum up my short version of the experience I have had with God’s gift with a true statement from Batterson: “Dreams are still achieved one opportunity at a time (130)”. My dream for the last three or four years was to be where I am. God brought me here ordained encounter by ordained encounter. Dreams are still coming true in the Kingdom of God. The only question we can ask ourselves when the moments come is: are we gonna let the lion walk on by, or are we gonna get two big fists full of his mane and hang on for the ride of our lives!

Pastor Jake

Wearing Your Sunday Best Should Include a Crash Helmet

2009-08-06T05:34:00.002-05:00

This post is from one of our board members, Ron Wilcox

Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, one of the things we did was wear our “Sunday Best” to church. We were taught that this was a sign of respect and honor to God and His church. That is why I often wear a coat and tie to Sunday morning church today.

In his book, Batterson quotes Annie Dillard saying “It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return.”
Why is it that most of us take a “prevent defense” approach when it comes to our Christianity. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s’ feelings or step on any toes. And of course society wants us to be politically correct. By doing this who are we hurting? Ourselves! God has given us a commission to evangelize the world. How do we do that without stepping out of our shell?

For years one of my favorite sayings is “preach always and speak only when necessary”. There is a huge problem with that philosophy. We don’t get much done. We will never be lion chasers. We may occasionally defend ourselves if a lion was to chase us, a friend or a family member. We may have to scare the lion away, slay it, or have the head mounted to show our accomplishments.

A friend recently told me of a situation that God laid before her. Through an acquaintance of hers, she recently met a group of ladies who get together one night a week to listen to music for something to do. God gave her a vision to reach out to these ladies with a bible study. She senses that they would be open to the study just for something to do. Could you imagine an opportunity to share the gospel with people just because they wanted something to do? My guess is that God has given each one of us in the past and will again in the near future that very opportunity. My friend’s prayer is that as she knocks and pushes to open this door, that God will open it for her.

I remember the time my son went down hill skiing for the first time. At age 6 or 7 he was force to go down the bunny hill to begin with. As soon as he could he was down the bigger hills. My wife was looking for him and asked the ski patrol if they knew where he was. When she described our son, the patrol said, “Oh, the Kamikaze Kid”. He explained that Trevor would go to the top of the hill and come down as fast as he could.

Maybe that is the way we should be with our faith. Maybe we should charge ahead full speed after we have gone down the bunny hill a couple of times. Maybe we should put on our crash helmets and charge forward with our faith. Maybe our “Sunday best” should include a crash helmet.

Ron Wilcox

Playing it safe is risky.

2009-07-26T08:30:00.001-05:00

This post is from Jeff Benson (Facility Manager)

What separates us Christians from non-believers? If you are only looking at the exterior of many people, probably not a lot.

Look at how so many of us live our nice and cozy safe lives, just like our non-believing neighbors. Now I do understand that we live in a country of peace and safety and I truly thank God for that privilege. With that understood, how do others identify us as Christians?

In Chapter 6, Mark Batterson states “There are basically two approaches to life: playing to win and playing not to lose….too many of us are tentatively playing the game of life as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death”.

Everyday (most times) I thank God for all I have, including family, health and daily bread. But even most of the unbelievers have these things as well. We are suppose to be the light of the world, right, yet we live our lives at a dull 40watts, just like our non-saved neighbors.

Chapter six directly addresses that the Holy Spirit desires to crank up the wattage in our lives. Let’s be 1000watt bulbs that shine throughout our community.

If you’re like me, I read a book like this, get all pumped up having visions of selling my possessions, quitting my job, packing up the family and sailing around the globe spreading God’s word. Then after a few days my ‘reality’ sets back in and I actually feel worse because I’m still living exactly as I did before. In appearance, it’s living life all or nothing, or is it? How about instead, let’s turn up the wattage in our lives bit by bit. You want to try something really radical and crazy. I mean this is adrenaline packed, sweaty palms type of living. Try spending ten minutes today introducing yourself to a neighbor and tell them what Jesus has done for you. Wow, crazy high octane living! These are the small type of Butterfly Effect moments that help prepare us for the next more challenging opportunity. It allows living a content happy life today and yet shows God we are willing vessels for tomorrow’s new adventure.

May God bless you richly,
Jeffrey Benson

Life's Uncertainties

2009-07-20T13:07:00.001-05:00

This post is from Dave McCormack

The main theme of Chapter 5 of Mark Batterson’s book In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day revolves around uncertainty, and the inescapable fact that life is filled with it. I truly believe that God has a plan for my life. What I don’t know is what that plan is and when God will change my direction to accomplish His plan. Enter the element of surprise (and hence, uncertainty).

Life would be so easy if I knew what/when every occurrence would happen for the rest of my life. I would feel safe and secure. On the other hand, that would make life rather boring. The element of surprise adds a little “zip”. Personally, I look forward to a little uncertainty, as long as I don’t forget that “…God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Maybe that makes me a lion chaser (amateur status).

On page 88, Mark says “…the greatest moments in life are unscripted. They are unrehearsed and unplanned and unpredictable, and that is precisely what makes them unforgettable.” Looking back, the most significant events that drastically changed my life are the ones most easily remembered. I went from living in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Virginia, Minnesota because God gave me a change in jobs. Upon arriving in Virginia, my first thought was “What am I doing here?” I didn’t know anyone, so I was starting over completely from square one. I never dreamed God would use that circumstance to further my career, meet my future wife, and bring me closer to Him. I even became a Board Member at my church. Go figure!

Chapter 5 made me take stock of my life and I realized that the uncertainties (and resulting outcomes) prove that God exists and that He is definitely on my side. The events that have taken place could never have happened by random chance. They had to be carefully orchestrated by design. My faith has increased tremendously because of this realization. On page 89, Mark Batterson says “Faith is embracing the uncertainties of life. It is chasing the lions that cross our paths. It is recognizing a divine appointment when you see one.” Thank God for life’s uncertainties.

Mark Batterson sums up this chapter on page 89 by saying “Embrace relational uncertainty. It’s called romance. Embrace spiritual uncertainty. It’s called mystery. Embrace occupational uncertainty. It’s called destiny. Embrace emotional uncertainty. It’s called joy. Embrace intellectual uncertainty. It’s called revelation.” If I can discipline myself to embrace uncertainty like Mark outlines in the above statements, I know that I will truly live life the way that God intended for me to.

Dave McCormack

Learning To Worship

2009-07-13T12:49:00.001-05:00

This post is from our secretary Elaine Bray

This book has spoken volumes to me. I am going through it for the third time. Some things that stood out in chapter 4 was what Batterson wrote on page 67. "Reframing problems is about shifting focus. You stop focusing on what's wrong with your circumstances. And you start focusing on what's right with God." That grabbed my attention since I was focusing on a number of circumstances in my own family; over which I had no control. They seemed to be taking a downward spiral and I could do nothing to fix the problems. Batterson went on to talk about Paul and Silas and how they could have zoomed in and complained about their circumstance. After all, they were on a missions journey and they had cast out a demon. Was this what they got? But they chose to worship God in spite of their external circumstances. In my won circumstance, nothing much has changed, but I have a peace. I can worship forgetting about what's wrong in my family and remember what's right with God. Like Batterson said at the bottom of page 67. "Nothing is more difficult than praising God when nothing seems to be going right. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God even when you don't feel like it, because it proves that your worship isn't circumstantial."

Elaine Bray

Taking On A New View

2009-07-06T12:39:00.002-05:00

This post is from one of our Board Members, Byron Niemi

God knew chapter 4 was where my greatest life testimony other than my salvation was scattered among the pages, meant to be read, reviewed and shared with a reframed mind.
At the age of 37 my priorities in life were out of balance. Over commitment in the church, not fully counting the human cost of building a new home, long hours at work and not being able to say no to requests for help, I spiraled into fatigue, depression, despair and bewilderment. Afraid to share my plight because of my pride, I became mired in a pit facing the life sucking tentacles of the enemy.
What God allowed me to go through over the course of 6 years brought me to a new appreciation of my family, my work, time, my (His) church and God Himself. One of the most difficult things I experienced was when God started to show me who I was. God began to renew and reframe my mind and open my eyes to many spiritual realities. Page 64 sums up most of what was happening to me. I was looking for a scapegoat, someone or some circumstance to blame for all my problems. My problem however, was one of wrong perspective and that began to change as I viewed life in His expanding light toward me. The turnaround accelerated when I began to worship God more than just on Sunday and began giving Him thanks in all things, even my troubles (P. 65-70). The patience and time God took with me helped me survive and find the real born again life to live. He is why I am here to honor Him today.

Byron Niemi

Unlearning Your Fears

2009-06-29T10:11:00.003-05:00

This post is by our Administrative Assistant,
Margie Pearson

Mark Batterson speaks so clearly and directly to us, and this chapter speaks volumes to me. When I think that I allow irrational fears to keep me from fulfilling all that God has planned for me, it makes me want to recognize what those fears are, face them, and conquer them!

On page 45, Mark Batterson says, “Half of spiritual growth is learning what we don’t know. The other half is unlearning what we do know. And it is the failure to unlearn irrational fears and misconceptions that keeps us from becoming who God wants us to be.”

To be honest, when I think about praying and asking God to show me my irrational fears and misconception, I start to feel “afraid” that He might actually do it! God desires us to walk in faith (not fear), to trust Him, see His faithfulness, and walk in victory! So often we try to protect ourselves from the things we fear. But actually, we need to purposefully expose ourselves to these things, to realize what the truth is.

I want to pray each day for the Lord, who has proven Himself to be trustworthy and faithful, to show me areas of fear in my heart, and help me to walk through them. I want to be all that He wants me to be, and I want to do all He wants me to do.

Margie Pearson

Facing Your Fears

2009-06-22T09:19:00.003-05:00

This post is from Leroy Mackey

On page 43 it says, "the greatest breakthrough in your life will happen when you push through the fear." Pastor Dave, through the leading of the Lord, started this Book Club. The Book Club was fine and dandy to me, until I found out Pastor Dave put the Board on a schedule to write down what we thought about a certain chapter. Well, the Lord didn't tell Pastor Dave that I am not a writer, and fear things like this (or is it a fear of rejection). May God help whoever is going to proof read this.

It is great how the Lord works! After a meeting one night, another Board Member and I were chatting with Pastor Dave. I was trying all I could to get out of this writing. In my mind I was going to say, "I'm not doing this, it's not me!" Then it hit me, am I a lion chaser or not! Lion chasers don't hide from things they fear! Page 48: "the goal of love is fearlessness! As we grow in a love relationship with God, we unlearn the fears that paralyze us and neutralize us spiritually." We as the church need to grasp these thoughts, so we are no longer paralyzed to defeat the enemy of our souls. Remember we are all members of one body, we all have to do our jobs for the Kingdom, so the Church can march forward.

Reading this book I now realize how far God has brought me - through fear and rejection - and He is not done with me yet. The life I led before the Lord got a hold of me in 1980, well let's just say, you would not be impressed. After attending church at First Assembly for a few years, God put me on the Board of the church. Talk about fear! There have been many ups and down through the years at the church, but God told me to stay and do my part for His Kingdom.

Like Mark Batterson said - satan has two primary tactics when it comes to neutralizing you spiritually: discouragement and fear. Let's not focus on the past, but the future, and dare to see where God leads us.

Leroy Mackey

Having the Right View of our Father

2009-06-15T15:28:00.001-05:00

This post is from Pastor Ryan

Mark Batterson closes chapter 2 with a story about his son Parker. The context he tells this story in, reveals that the character of our God can be described as more than just the man behind the curtain calling all the shots, but He is also our Father. David records a prayer in the book of Psalms stating, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye.” Our Heavenly Father regards His people as intensely valuable to Him. He treats His children with a tremendous amount of care. Back to the story, Mark had been practicing free throws with his son since the beginning of the season. His son not only missed the majority of his attempts, but most of them were air balls. (For those who may not be fluent in basketball terms, that means his son didn’t hit anything on the goal.) His son had gotten fouled at the end of one of their games, and he was at the line to shoot free throws. Mark said that he prayed to God that his son would at least hit the rim. Parker not only got it to the rim, but he made the shot. Mark responded with weeping. He was so excited for his son. With having a son of my own, I can relate to that. I love it when my son Kason just goes for something daring, even though he might mess up. And it is so cool when he accomplishes his goal. But honestly, I find more pleasure in his trying rather than his accomplishments. I can imagine our Heavenly Father reacting in a similar way. On page 32, Mark writes, “I think this reveals something about God. He cares about the little things…God is great not just because nothing is too big for Him. God is great but because nothing is too small for Him either.”

Leaving doubts and learning to chase

2009-06-08T16:33:00.002-05:00

This post comes from one of our board members Cliff Erickson

Ironically, faith is a difficult concept for me. As a teen and a young believer the idea of faith was easy. It was easy to understand that God was there, that He heard my prayers, that He desired to see ALL sinners surrender, and that He desired to heal all ailments. Somewhere through time, experience, and circumstance, I have lost that concrete black-and-white mentality. Unfortunately, I have allowed many of God’s lessons to harden and callous my heart; rather than receiving the lesson as Good News. Instead of taking on the character of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit, I am impatiently skeptical of the Lion In The Snowy Pit.

Thank God for water on the desert ground! He sees His children and understands each need. He really has met me where I was at with In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. I enjoy Mark Batterson’s insight and perspective. I understand is practical illustrations and applications. And it has really opened my eyes to some of the lethargic complacency that I have settled into.

I love the idea that we are to be proactive in our Christian walk. So often our tendency is to want the easy path or to ask God to remove the challenge. Where would Benaiah’s, Joseph’s, David’s, Paul’s, or Christ’s incredible illustrations of victory be if God would have removed the burden?

The author presents two ideas in chapter 2 that contest my view of faith. Mr. Batterson first states, “How you think about God will determine who you will become” (page 28). The height, depth, and breadth of my ability to conquer, overcome, and prosper are directly proportional to my faith in God. That really makes me want to make Him bigger in my life. In the practical sense, it’s like an investment that is 100% guaranteed. Invest in 10 shares today, and they will increase in value 100 fold by tomorrow. Not only will they appreciate in value, but they will hold that value for an eternity – no recession or depression will touch this stock!

Secondly, Mark rebuttals my “what if” doubt by saying that “lion chasers aren’t afraid of doing something that seems ridiculous to others – because they know anything is possible with God.” God will only limit Himself to the box I place Him in. If I can get myself to extend that box, or erase it all together, God will start to move mountains. The Bible is full of examples of individuals willing to risk it all to advance His cause. I’ve often thought that Elijah was really stepping out on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18). I wonder if he ever thought “man God, what if this doesn’t work – I’m really going to make myself/you look bad here.” Something tells me that he didn’t, not even for one second.

What an incredible God we serve! He is patient through our unbelief and triumphant in our belief. My challenge is placing all of my possessions, my family, my dreams, and my struggles into His hands. Then I can stand back and enjoy the show.

Cliff Erickson

Redefining Success

2009-06-02T07:33:00.003-05:00

When I sit back and think what it would look like for Dave Oler to be successful, I get some very specific expectations that flood into my thoughts. My thoughts of success are wrapped around family goals, ministry goals and hopes, and who I want to become on the inside.

I believe God put something in us that makes us want to be successful. We want to succeed in life and more importantly, God wants us to succeed. Say this with me three times and don't say it like a sissy, say it like you mean it. GOD WANTS ME TO SUCCEED (x3).

If God wants us to succeed, then I believe it is necessary to allow God to define what success is and what it looks like. I do not want to spend my life chasing false definitions of success. I want to align my thoughts, my heart, and my pursuit around what God says success is otherwise my efforts are in vain.

In our book on page 17, Mark Batterson tells us what he believes God's heart for success looks like. Mark says, "I have a simple definition of success: Do the best you can with what you have where you are. In essence, success is making the most of every opportunity. Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities. Think of every opportunity as God's gift to you. What you do with those opportunities is your gift to God."

I like simple and this definition is simple. Making the most of our daily opportunities will turn into a life that been successful for the Lord. What are the opportunities God will gift us with this week? I know each of us will have different opportunities but they all come from the same Lord, same Spirit, same Master. Let's make the most of them and be a success story for our King!!!

Learning to CHASE LIONS with you,

Pastor Dave

Welcome To The Club

2009-05-22T14:07:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone,
Great to have you on board with the book club. Our first book is "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day." You will surely be inspired to chase the lions in your life. Here's how we are going to get this party started. For the month of June, try to at least read chapters 1-3, for July chapters 4-6, and then August the final three chapters 7-9. Starting the first Monday in June, there will be a weekly post about something from the chapters we are currently reading. For instance, in June, the post will be regarding chapters 1-3, July 4-6, and August 7-9.

You will need to create a blogger account in order to comment on the weekly post. If you need help doing that you can either call the church office or contact me via email at doler@hibbingfirst.org

Starting mid August, our second book will be available for purchase so be checking the bulletin and this book club site for information.

My prayer is for all of us (myself including), to grow closer to Christ and one another as we get sharpened through this ministry.

Blessings on all of you!!!

Pastor Dave