I have been asked by several people--who do not come to Triumph--why we are announcing a Grand Opening. This is a good question. It is a curious event seeing that we have been Triumph for over 5 years. It also makes it a curious event seeing that a church has been on the property since 1993 with me pastoring there since 1995.
So why a grand opening event? Well, in a nut shell, because Triumph has never had one! Let me explain further. When God began to deal with me about Triumph I had no idea the implications of the vision. Did I know there would be a new church? No! Did I know the church would be out of a denominational affiliation? No. Did I have any clue that we'd break fellowship with many people we loved dearly? No.
What a turbulent time that was! To shift into the new vision required death! Death of an old dream and even of an old church--it is now clear! Wow, that was painful!! It meant death of relationships and the end of an era! But this death produced life! And today Triumph stands in the fullness of life!
So, when do you celebrate the opening of this new church when it comes at the price of closing a old one? Well, we certainly didn't celebrate it when we first hung the sign out front or changed the name in our corporate papers. Nope, there wasn't a whole lot to celebrate then. There were the pains of change and the pains of breaking relationships and the pains of birthing a new vision! Certainly you understand that during labor there is little room for celebration!
Matter of fact, you really don't make much noise at all concerning this new church plant with so much tension going on! Why? As Phil Brassfield said, "You don't want to spend $10,000 on an advertising campaign convincing 100 people to never come back!" They will feel the tension of birthing a new thing and feel the uncomfortable pains of labor.
So, we didn't have a grand opening. It was quiet, except for the noise of reformation that was taking place inside! And time marched on! One year, two, three, turned into five and beyond. But now, eighteen months since the casting of a God given, God breathed vision--Love God, Connect with Others, and Serve with Excellence--and over five years since beginning the journey of establishing Triumph, we have finally arrived at our Grand Opening!
Triumph!! It is time for us to be the church that people see! It is time for us to build on the foundation laid! It is time to declare ourselves open for business! The business of the Kingdom! A new church has been born into the Kingdom of God--Triumph Worship Center! Come celebrate the birth on Saturday and Sunday!
Always blessed,
Pastor Rob
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
A Good Place
Days like today make me reflect not only on the moment of the day and the implications it brings to my future, but on the past--in regards to where I have been and where I am now. Let me explain. We had great church today. There was superb worship led by a group of dedicated people. There was time for prayer and ministry. The sermon was delivered to open minds and willing hearts. And our time of fellowship afterward was blessed with kindness, friendship, love, and happy people!
Then we were off to lunch with a great family who have been in pastoral ministry and have decided to make Triumph their church. It is just awesome to rub shoulders, eat lunch with, and have genuine fellowship with people of like faith and vision. Then it was off to our house to prepare to welcome our youth, some of the youth staff, and parents to this years back to school splash party in our pool! Here comes the reflection part.....
I am in a good place. I have a God that loves me, a church that is moving forward, and a blessed family! I have a good looking wife, two handsome and talented boys, and just a whole lot of blessing going on! I am thankful for where we stand emotionally, relationally, financially, and spiritually!
It's here that I reflect even further. I am glad to be where I am religiously. To be able to raise my kids in a church environment that is not judgmental and does not place all of these rules and regulations in order to "please" God is a blessing in itself! Our youth had a swim party at my house--boys and girls! This would have never been tolerated in my religious background!
But you know what? Nothing ungodly or sinful took place! It was just a bunch of kids having summer fun--getting to swim, laugh, and eat hot dogs outside and celebrate the fact that summer is not quite over!! All of this while knowing that Jesus loves us and we love him! These same kids were worshipping together in a move of God just 5 hours before at church. Just think, God was pleased with them then and He was pleased to join in on the fun later!
That is a good place to be!
Blessings always and don't be so hard on yourself!
Pastor Rob
Then we were off to lunch with a great family who have been in pastoral ministry and have decided to make Triumph their church. It is just awesome to rub shoulders, eat lunch with, and have genuine fellowship with people of like faith and vision. Then it was off to our house to prepare to welcome our youth, some of the youth staff, and parents to this years back to school splash party in our pool! Here comes the reflection part.....
I am in a good place. I have a God that loves me, a church that is moving forward, and a blessed family! I have a good looking wife, two handsome and talented boys, and just a whole lot of blessing going on! I am thankful for where we stand emotionally, relationally, financially, and spiritually!
It's here that I reflect even further. I am glad to be where I am religiously. To be able to raise my kids in a church environment that is not judgmental and does not place all of these rules and regulations in order to "please" God is a blessing in itself! Our youth had a swim party at my house--boys and girls! This would have never been tolerated in my religious background!
But you know what? Nothing ungodly or sinful took place! It was just a bunch of kids having summer fun--getting to swim, laugh, and eat hot dogs outside and celebrate the fact that summer is not quite over!! All of this while knowing that Jesus loves us and we love him! These same kids were worshipping together in a move of God just 5 hours before at church. Just think, God was pleased with them then and He was pleased to join in on the fun later!
That is a good place to be!
Blessings always and don't be so hard on yourself!
Pastor Rob
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
God Cares
An interesting memory came up tonight during the Food Bank ministry time here at Triumph. Mary, Betty Jo, and I were talking and I somehow lapsed into talking about Bon Wier, Texas. My uncle pastored there for like 35 years. Now Bon Wier is country! Literally. The biggest thing in town is a closed down saw mill, three churches in a huddle, and a post office about the size of my living room. In Bon Wier, people eat country style! Sometimes even strange things--like black bird stew (Crow) and squirrel dumplings (head and all).
Now on to the story. One Thanksgiving all of us preachers (about 7 or 8 of us) were sitting around the table when my uncle started talking about his sick hog (one being raised for next year's dinner) and how it had not eaten in days. All of this led to the idea that God heals with laying on of hands--and if we could pray for people and it work, why not a HOG! At that every preacher stood up, with a bottle of oil in hand, and we went out to pray for that hog! My brother Vernon and myself reluctantly followed along grumbling and complaining about this "dadgum" idea (you'd have to know Vernon)! We--being the city preachers--had no value system for this hog I would suppose.
I know you are thinking just like we did, "Prayer for a hog in the laying on of hands and oil fashion!?!" Yes! We ( mostly they) did pray, and yes, that hog ate at that very moment! That hog lived healthy until the appointed time to become next years dinner! God healed that hog I tell you! My brother mumbled something like, "You would know that God would heal that 'John Brown' hog just to show me a lesson!" (you'd have to know Vernon) I guess God really did care about that hog because my uncle cared about that hog!
With that said, can I attest that God does care--even about your hog! What bothers you, bothers God! He is highly interested in what you have going on! This memory stands out to me as a testimony of God's care for our cares! We may look at our circumstance as not important enough for a God as big as ours to bother with! We may have the impression that this King of kings is too busy to mess with our mess! But the reality of the God that I serve is that He cares about our cares! If you are carrying a concern, he is concerned--no matter what! The bible tells us to "cast our cares on Him." Instead, many times we cast away our confidence and carry all of our cares!
Perhaps we can reverse that order! Let's learn to cast our cares and carry our confidence! Hey, God healed my uncles pig! What do you need him to do for you?
Go for it!!
Pastor Rob
Now on to the story. One Thanksgiving all of us preachers (about 7 or 8 of us) were sitting around the table when my uncle started talking about his sick hog (one being raised for next year's dinner) and how it had not eaten in days. All of this led to the idea that God heals with laying on of hands--and if we could pray for people and it work, why not a HOG! At that every preacher stood up, with a bottle of oil in hand, and we went out to pray for that hog! My brother Vernon and myself reluctantly followed along grumbling and complaining about this "dadgum" idea (you'd have to know Vernon)! We--being the city preachers--had no value system for this hog I would suppose.
I know you are thinking just like we did, "Prayer for a hog in the laying on of hands and oil fashion!?!" Yes! We ( mostly they) did pray, and yes, that hog ate at that very moment! That hog lived healthy until the appointed time to become next years dinner! God healed that hog I tell you! My brother mumbled something like, "You would know that God would heal that 'John Brown' hog just to show me a lesson!" (you'd have to know Vernon) I guess God really did care about that hog because my uncle cared about that hog!
With that said, can I attest that God does care--even about your hog! What bothers you, bothers God! He is highly interested in what you have going on! This memory stands out to me as a testimony of God's care for our cares! We may look at our circumstance as not important enough for a God as big as ours to bother with! We may have the impression that this King of kings is too busy to mess with our mess! But the reality of the God that I serve is that He cares about our cares! If you are carrying a concern, he is concerned--no matter what! The bible tells us to "cast our cares on Him." Instead, many times we cast away our confidence and carry all of our cares!
Perhaps we can reverse that order! Let's learn to cast our cares and carry our confidence! Hey, God healed my uncles pig! What do you need him to do for you?
Go for it!!
Pastor Rob
Monday, August 3, 2009
Living Large
Life is too short to live small! You know, where you are content to the point of lethargy just to exist as presently demonstrated in your life. Where you no longer strive to gain new territory. Where you just go along with the flow of life--one day at a time--just wasting away. When you live small you tend to take too much caution and you tend to worry too much about what other people think. Living small traps you in a state somewhere between not caring enough to move forward and not moving forward because of fear.
I think the mold should be broken! How many of yesterday's dreams have died--never to be resurrected--because of living too small? Are you satisfied with that? I for one am not. I want to pull the curtain back and look at a larger picture! That's what I feel God speaking to me right now! What would I be doing right now if I were to realize God's fullest destiny in my life? I can see something far different than where I am at this moment! So what to do? I start living larger than my present reality!
Now I don't mean go out and spend money through credit or make some outlandish change that neither I, my family, or the church is ready for. But I do mean start making those incremental changes that begin to turn my present reality into tomorrow's destiny! Start acting in a way that demonstrates what I want to be, rather than what I presently am! Start living large by demonstrating the behavior of a dream captured rather than the behavior of a dream no longer alive!
I'm going somewhere great! I want to act, speak, and live as though I am already there. I'm going to start living large! You all had better watch out!!
How about you?
Pastor Rob
I think the mold should be broken! How many of yesterday's dreams have died--never to be resurrected--because of living too small? Are you satisfied with that? I for one am not. I want to pull the curtain back and look at a larger picture! That's what I feel God speaking to me right now! What would I be doing right now if I were to realize God's fullest destiny in my life? I can see something far different than where I am at this moment! So what to do? I start living larger than my present reality!
Now I don't mean go out and spend money through credit or make some outlandish change that neither I, my family, or the church is ready for. But I do mean start making those incremental changes that begin to turn my present reality into tomorrow's destiny! Start acting in a way that demonstrates what I want to be, rather than what I presently am! Start living large by demonstrating the behavior of a dream captured rather than the behavior of a dream no longer alive!
I'm going somewhere great! I want to act, speak, and live as though I am already there. I'm going to start living large! You all had better watch out!!
How about you?
Pastor Rob
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Press On
There are times when you just have to stop and remind yourself to move (or to press) on. Now, I am not having that kind of day today in a negative way. My life is good and things are great. But is that good enough to not say, "Press on?" I dare say no!! There are dreams to capture! There are promises to be realized! And by staying content in the present blessing--or by staying trapped in the past trouble--is to miss out on the next level blessing God has in store.
Paul said it like this is Philippians 3:12-14:
Phil 3:12 - 14 (NIV) 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
He knew the only way to achieve the ultimate was to press on! And that is how I feel today. It is "press on" time! Press on to higher heights! Press on to bigger dreams! Press on to the destiny God has already put in place! Yesterday is not good enough, today is my stepping stone, tomorrow holds the promises!
This truly goes for everything! Sing a new song and don't be trapped in yesterday's lyrics, style, or tune! Pray a new prayer and don't rest just because it's been prayed before! Worship in a new way and don't lock your praise in the box of how we've always done it! Walk with a new step! Think new thoughts! Say new things! And press on to your God ordained future! Share your thoughts with me! (Do something new and blog!!!)
Until next time,
Pastor Rob
Paul said it like this is Philippians 3:12-14:
Phil 3:12 - 14 (NIV) 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
He knew the only way to achieve the ultimate was to press on! And that is how I feel today. It is "press on" time! Press on to higher heights! Press on to bigger dreams! Press on to the destiny God has already put in place! Yesterday is not good enough, today is my stepping stone, tomorrow holds the promises!
This truly goes for everything! Sing a new song and don't be trapped in yesterday's lyrics, style, or tune! Pray a new prayer and don't rest just because it's been prayed before! Worship in a new way and don't lock your praise in the box of how we've always done it! Walk with a new step! Think new thoughts! Say new things! And press on to your God ordained future! Share your thoughts with me! (Do something new and blog!!!)
Until next time,
Pastor Rob
Saturday, July 25, 2009
This is the Day
Well, here I go. Today I enter into the land of blogs. I am excited about my chance to share with anyone who will listen and everyone who will care. So there you have it, this is the day. To start this blog out I'd like to simply say that I probably won't write every day. Sometimes I might not write every week. But I will write. And I will encourage dialog. I willl try to answer questions. But I WILL NOT debate.
I have never seen any benefit in a debate--especially when it pertains to personal interpretation of scripture and religion. People who want to debate every little thing simply want to argue their opinion with no real chance of learning something new or changing a particular stand. This drives me away from debate! I have come to know that with new information comes the probability of a new idea on an old subject! When armed with more information it is wise to reconsider what was once thought as rock solid.
Debates don't offer this as a option. I have never seen a debate where one of the people conceded that perhaps the other was right! Why? Because one who debates is not in it to learn--he or she is in it to win!
I will say right at the start that I have learned the value of allowing new information to change my mind about old subjects! And I am a blessed man today for being willing to allow my mind to be transformed into further truth. I reserve the right to change my mind when new information is given to me--and I will not debate that!
Blessings all!
Pastor Rob
I have never seen any benefit in a debate--especially when it pertains to personal interpretation of scripture and religion. People who want to debate every little thing simply want to argue their opinion with no real chance of learning something new or changing a particular stand. This drives me away from debate! I have come to know that with new information comes the probability of a new idea on an old subject! When armed with more information it is wise to reconsider what was once thought as rock solid.
Debates don't offer this as a option. I have never seen a debate where one of the people conceded that perhaps the other was right! Why? Because one who debates is not in it to learn--he or she is in it to win!
I will say right at the start that I have learned the value of allowing new information to change my mind about old subjects! And I am a blessed man today for being willing to allow my mind to be transformed into further truth. I reserve the right to change my mind when new information is given to me--and I will not debate that!
Blessings all!
Pastor Rob
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