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How Do We Count Success?

How do we count success?

At some point, while suffering through the frigid weather last week – I think it might have been in the middle of Steve’s sermon on the abundance of creation – I wondered “How many snowflakes does it take to make a snowman?”

Google said it takes 10,000 but that sounds like way too few. Of course, it depends on the size of the snowman, doesn’t it? Snowflakes in a snowman seem like a tough thing to count.

It can also be tough to count “success in ministry.” Traditionally we count three “b’s” – bucks, buildings, and backsides. (ABC’s – attendance, buildings, cash.) That doesn’t really get to it because we are actually interested in fruit. We might invest a lot of money, steward fine buildings, and involve a lot of people, and not see any fruit.

I’ve been thinking about how we might count fruitfulness at Cedar Hills. (Things traditionally never on anyone’s radar.) What if we counted:

  • Shopping carts…
  • Butt cans (for cigarette butts)…
  • Pizzas consumed (or donuts)…
  • French reporters asking about our politics…
  • Intergenerational conversations…
  • Prayers (and pray-ers)…
  • Meals shared with one another…
  • Hugs…

These may or may not be things expected in ministry, but they are all part of ours – and part of our success in the past year! We like to count and we like to measure success. What would you count as a measure of our success? (Let me know!)

The Lord be with you,

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

    Cedar Blog, Uncategorized

    How Resilient Are You?

    How Resilient Are You?

    As one year rolls into another I like to do a review. How did I fair in the past year? How did our congregation fair?

    We are on a mission to make disciples who flourish. I recently learned that some people call flourishing disciples “resilient disciples.” Resilient disciples…

    • …attend church at least monthly and engage with their church more than just attending worship services.
    • …trust firmly in the authority of the Bible.
    • …commit to Jesus personally and affirm that he was crucified and raised from the dead to conquer sin and death.
    • …express a desire to transform the broader society as an outcome of their faith.

    Does this describe you? If not you might be a “habitual churchgoer.” (You have attended church at least once in the past month, but do not have foundational core beliefs or behaviors associated with being a resilient disciple.) Or you might be a nomad. (You have not attended church during the past month and have not been involved with a faith community for six months or more.)

    If you are taking stock – this matters. Those who claim to be Christian but do not have resilience do not flourish. To see the data on why this matters, look at what the Barna researchers discovered.

    How resilient are you? Right now is the best time to re-engage and find flourishing by following Jesus!

    May the Lord be with you,

    Pastor Kent

     

    Kent Landhuis
    Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

    Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

      Cedar Blog

      The Word Became Flesh

      The Word Became Flesh

      I mostly take my body for granted even though most of my daily rhythms involve taking care of my body. Waking and sleeping, dressing and undressing, eating and drinking, working out and avoiding a workout – these things I do (or don’t do) mostly without much thought.

      As I’m prepping for the Christmas season, I’ve focused more on the significance of our bodies. The wonders of our flesh and blood complexity and the frustrations of our physical Iimitations. We are more than our bodies, certainly, but not less. Our bodies matter.

      Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” I recently noticed that God made Adam’s body first and then God breathed life into it. The body was not an afterthought created to hold the disembodied person that was Adam. Adam’s body mattered.

      And now – the Incarnation. God made flesh and blood. (John 1:14) Jesus became a man. His body is not merely a container designed to hold God for a while. Jesus is fully divine AND fully human. Always. We celebrate Jesus made flesh at Christmas. Made flesh – of all things – as a baby. Jesus’ body matters.

      Merry Christmas,

      Kent

      P.S. 2023 Advent Season

      December 3 – Word Made Flesh – resurrection and return.

      December 10 – Word Made Flesh – life and death sorrow.

      December 17 – Word Made Flesh – water into wine feasting.

      December 24 – Word Made Flesh – the flesh is weak…temptation.

      Christmas Eve – Candlelight Services @ 3 and 5 – Word Made Flesh – Baby.

      December 31 – Word Made Flesh – massacre of innocents and sympathy.

      Kent Landhuis
      Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

      Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

        Cedar Blog

        Giving Season

        Giving Season

        It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the time of year when every day I receive mail, emails, and texts from various organizations requesting donations. Charities, ministries, animal shelters, foundations, humanitarian causes, nonprofit institutions – they are all asking for gifts.

        This annual barrage of requests for my money used to annoy the heck out of me. But I’ve been rethinking this in two ways. First, I give thanks that so many organizations commit to making our world a better place. Nonprofit organizations do so much good! Second, I give thanks that so many generous people give to support these important causes. Did you know that individuals donated $319.04 billion in 2022? That’s billion!

        Did you also know that December giving accounts for roughly one-fourth (26%) of annual nonprofit revenue? That includes the church and we are a 100% donor-funded organization. We have no trusts or endowments or corporate sponsorships. We depend on the generosity of God’s people for all of our resources.

        We are making the world a better place. We offer hope to a world in need of hope. We feed the hungry and encourage the outcast. We help every generation flourish in faith. We make a difference and we depend on your generosity to make that happen. Your giving to Cedar Hills matters.

        I am so thankful to be part of a congregation committed to making the world a better place. And I am so thankful to be part of a congregation of generous people. And I am so thankful it is giving season.

        But wait there’s more. God promises blessings to those who give generously. Consider this great promise in 2 Corinthians 9:6 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

        The Lord be with you,

        Pastor Kent

        P.S. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).

        Kent Landhuis
        Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

        Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

          Cedar Blog

          Peacemakers

          Peacemakers

          Just now I couldn’t stop myself from clicking on a post entitled, “The Most Controversial Foods in America.” While waiting for the blog to open, I wondered if there was any issue that people don’t divide over. In case you are wondering, the most polarizing food in America is anchovies (followed closely by black licorice, oysters, beets, blue cheese, and okra).

          Every year at this time I say something about the state of the church and I am proud to say that we, the church known as Cedar Hills Community, are growing as peacemakers. Peacemakers seek peace – especially by reconciling adversaries. Peacemakers don’t avoid controversy but instead, enter difficult spaces with the hope of building bridges.

          The place I’ve seen the most peacemaking has been in intergenerational relationships. Many of you sought out people of another generation – not to argue with – but to pray for and pray with. It has been a beautiful bridge-building season. Uniting, not polarizing.

          Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” The goal of our intergenerational focus was to tell each other about God’s mighty deeds. We did this and one of the fruits of this – which I did not see coming – was the fruit of unity. One generation loved another.

          What a great place to be!

          Kent Landhuis
          Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

          Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

            Cedar Blog

            Will You Be 38?

            Will You Be 38?

            On our recent fall retreat, at Lake View Camp, our middle schoolers were challenged to contemplate the miracles of Jesus. There are 37 recorded miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. The most poignant may be when four friends bring a paralytic to Jesus for healing in Mark 2.

            4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

            Jesus healed the paralytic when he saw the faith of his friends. Wow! Can we be like those friends? Can we be a part of the miracle God wants to do in someone else’s life? Ultimately, we were challenged to invite God to do miracle 38 in our lives. The miracle of new life, salvation, and sanctification talked about in Ephesians 2.

            4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

            As I reflected on the retreat worship time I wrote a series of Haiku. I’d like to share them all with you.

             

            Thirty-seven times

            Jesus showed His godly might

            Are you thirty-eight?

            He demonstrated

            Power over creation

            Health, and even life

            Jairus’ daughter

            Jesus wept, Lazarus lived

            Widows only son

            Dead in sin, BUT GOD!

            Children under wrath, BUT GOD!

            But God’s rich mercy

             

            Steve Poole
            Pastor of Youth & Young Adults

            What did you think of this article? Did you laugh? Cry? Learn something new? Let Steve know below.

              Cedar Blog

              Pointless Prayer?

              Pointless Prayer?

              This past Sunday I mentioned that one path into prayer might be bird watching. This thought emerged from Jesus’ suggestion to watch ravens and sparrows. “Consider the birds: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:24).

              I’d like to say I landed on this idea without any help but – as with almost every good idea – it came when someone interrupted my train of thought. The guy’s name was Sam Bush who wrote an essay with this intriguing title: The Greatest Things in Life are Pointless. 

              If that doesn’t make you want to read on, I don’t know what will. So I read on.

              I imagined various birds winging their way into my backyard. Like the chatty sparrows who cluster at the feeder then swoop in mass to disappear in the pine tree when I arrive. Like the robins queued up for a bath – taking turns – one at a time. Like the goldfinch hanging upside down on a sunflower. Or my favorite, the owl who spins his head to see me and then floats away in silence.

              Then, without warning, I’m thinking about God’s watchful eye following the birds. And God watching me. How much more valuable am I than the birds? And I pray, “Wow!”

              Sam Bush draws this conclusion: Thus, the greatest things in life are pointless. They will not help you find yourself, but, rather, help you forget about yourself altogether. It is in losing yourself – in the wonder of creation, in riding an endless wave, in the learning and recognition of a bird’s call – where you become a new creation. No calendars, willpower or expertise needed.

              Kent Landhuis
              Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

              Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

                Cedar Blog

                What Prayer May Be

                What Prayer May Be

                After I preached on meeting God in creation, wilderness, and nature someone recommended the book, I Saw God Wash The World, by William Stidger. It is a book of nature and faith poetry.  I have enjoyed it so far and I really appreciate the perspective Dr. Stidger gives on prayer.  So, since our emphasis this year is prayer, I thought I might share it with you all, too.

                I THINK I KNOW WHAT PRAYER MAY BE

                I think I know what prayer may be

                In all its great simplicity;

                I saw its deeper meaning gleam

                Out of the wonder of a dream.

                 

                I was a god myself, with power

                To answer prayer for just one hour.

                It was a little world, it’s true,

                But all its simple laws I knew.

                 

                Each of its laws I could command

                With mind, and will, and heart and hand.

                Then, walking through this world I know

                I chanced upon a scene of woe:

                 

                A bird and bee caught in a room

                Condemned to almost certain doom;

                Till I came by, with sympathy

                And saw their plight, and set them free.

                 

                I have no doubt that bird and bee

                Believed it some great mystery;

                An intervention, filled with awe

                To baffle truth and time and law.

                 

                It did not seem so strange to me

                To liberate that bird and bee.

                I broke no laws, performed no feat

                I could not any day repeat.

                 

                Thus it must be with Him who cares

                To hear and answer human prayers;

                A simple, loving thing to do;

                Within His laws and Nature – true.

                 

                He has the strength, He has the way;

                He knows the higher laws that play

                Their simple parts in such affairs.

                That is the way God answers prayers.

                I love how simply this poem puts the wonder of an omnipotent God. His ways, understanding and resources are so much beyond my comprehension! To Him, answering my prayer is as simple as shooing a bird and bee from my house would be for me.  The picture painted in this poem helps me visually how easy it is for God to miraculously answer my prayers. It helps me trust in His good timing and providence.  I hope it encourages you too.

                Steve Poole
                Pastor of Youth & Young Adults

                What did you think of this article? Did you laugh? Cry? Learn something new? Let Steve know below.

                  Cedar Blog

                  Encountering Light

                  Encountering Light

                  This summer the theme at Lake View Camps is “Be the Light.” So I have been contemplating light and darkness a lot lately.  One scripture I have come to appreciate more deeply is Ephesians 5:8

                  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—”

                  It is not just that darkness was in us, or that now we have the light in us, it says we WERE darkness and now we ARE light in the Lord. Amen! What a transformation has occurred through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus says it this way in John 8:12,

                  ‘Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”’

                  I need to hear Jesus say this sometimes when I get down from battling self-doubt and sin, or from seeing how evil hurts so many people in our world. I need a light. We need a light. The whole world NEEDS a light. Jesus. Jesus is the light of the world and if we follow Him we can experience new life.

                  Another thing I have done this summer, ever since Pastor Kent taught the staff on his passion for poetry, is write some poetry of my own. I have written some about fishing.

                  Anticipation
                  Set the hook, you’ve got a bite
                  Adrenaline pumps

                  Another is remembering sitting with my dad on the porch or dock of a lake cabin we rented for the week for family vacation. We were up before everyone else, drinking coffee and telling stories.

                  Smell the coffee brew
                  Creaking dock, smell wormy morn
                  Tell stories; miss dad

                  The poetry brings me back to the light of Jesus because I have been trying to reflect on the Bible while writing poetry. I was thinking about the man born blind that was healed by Jesus and my own spiritual blindness when I wrote:

                  Useless, lightless eyes
                  Looking, seeking, desperate
                  Groping in the dark

                  I think that captures the helpless and hopeless feeling of despair I feel at times without God. Then when we first encounter light it can be overwhelming.

                  Bewildered, blinded
                  Caught off-guard, confusing light
                  Disorienting

                  Blinding, burning light
                  Too holy and pure for me
                  Exposed, pathetic

                  Light purifies, that is why sometimes the light of Jesus makes me feel exposed. However, His light is good and His work in me, though painful, brings health and healing.

                  Warm, comforting light
                  Melts a soul frozen in pain
                  Son’s heat like spring thaw

                  Jesus’ love is light that brings healing to my wounded soul.  I need Him to thaw me and make me warm enough to be able to love others in His name. Ezekiel 37 tells of a vision God gives the prophet of a valley of dry bones coming back to life. This is the meaning of the vision:

                  11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

                  This is the hope we have too! That through faith in Jesus Christ we can go from dead in our sins to ALIVE in Him! Just as the stone was rolled a way, and Jesus rose from the grave, we too are born again into the family of God.  While this is a beautiful truth my heart still ask God this question:

                  Purifying light,
                  Plumb this foul, festering corpse
                  Can these dry bones live?

                  God’s answer to me and you from Ezekiel 37 is a resounding, “YES”!

                  Steve Poole
                  Pastor of Youth & Young Adults

                  What did you think of this article? Did you laugh? Cry? Learn something new? Let Steve know below.

                    Cedar Blog

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    There are sometimes where the daily rhythms of life feel so mundane.  Like breakfast dishes.

                    Do you have a morning routine?

                    I wake up, turn on the coffee pot, and while the water is heating and that first cup is brewing, I empty the dishes on the drying rack from last night’s dinner clean-up.

                    I sit down to enjoy my coffee and open the Bible app on my phone and read until my kids slowly wake up and wander down into my quiet space.  Then, it’s time for breakfast, and more dishes.

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    We get everyone ready for the day—diapers, clothes, hair, teeth and shoes.

                    Sometime shortly after this, someone starts asking for a snack. It doesn’t take long for the word to spread that mom is dishing out the good stuff and everyone else becomes convinced they need a snack, too. More dishes. Only this time I let the dishes sit, because I know come lunch time, there’ll be other dishes to address.

                    Then lunch. Then dishes.  Then snacks. Then dishes. Then supper. Then final dishes and a grand cleaning swoop before bedtime.

                    It’s amazing how much of my day is spent addressing dish clean-up!  But there is a rhythm to it that if I stick to the rhythm, I don’t get overwhelmed.  If I let things pile up, the task feels too big, too time-consuming.

                    I heard recently from a preacher about his frequent and favorite daily prayer times.  They go something like this:

                    “Lord, help.”

                    That’s it.  His day is sprinkled with this short prayer.  About to write an email? “Lord, help.”  Making a phone call? “Lord, help.”  Losing patience with the kids? “Lord, help.”  It’s a rhythm of constant engagement with God.  It’s not a two-to-three hour time slot (though his prayer life contains those, too!) but a short prayer that reengages his heart back to God in the midst of the mundane.

                    Another prayer he uses is, “Holy Spirit, show me more.” Short and sweet and sprinkled throughout the day.

                    I love this approach. If I were to pile up all these little prayers into a giant prayer time, it feels a little like letting my dishes pile up —a giant task that I just don’t want to tackle. My brain says it’s too hard! But five seconds throughout the day? No problem.

                    While we should have goals to expand our spiritual lives and times of devotion, getting to that point can often feel like a giant mountain.  I genuinely WANT to be a person who prays for hours on end, but getting into that rhythm will take some practice. Can I start with a simplified rhythm? YES!

                    Rinse. Wash. Dry. Repeat.

                    Just because my musician brain is fully at work right now on ‘rhythm,’ here’s what I think my prayer life looks like and COULD look like:

                    Leah Carolan
                    Pasor of Worship & Media

                    Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry, or learn something new?  Let Leah know.