Dear Sugar Grove Church Family
It is with a great sadness that I share some important news with you. For the past year, God has been working in the lives of both Shari and I to help us understand his will. We were caught off guard at the resignation of Pastor Roger as were all of you. We knew that God had a plan and purpose for us here at Sugar Grove and we gladly accepted that opportunity and privilege to serve him and you.
It became abundantly clear this past week that God’s plan for us was to help this church and its teenagers struggle through this time of transition when the Elder Board, expressed to me that I am not a fit for the staff that they are trying to build here at Sugar Grove and that it would be a good idea for me to submit my resignation. In turn I tendered my resignation to the Board of Elders on Tuesday, September 25th.
I wanted to take some time and thank you for the wonderful support that you have given Shari and I as we desired to serve you the best way we know how. Thank you so much for all of the support that you have given us by your prayers, kind words, and volunteering to help with the Youth Ministry. Our time here has been a blessing on our hearts.
As we nervously, yet confidently, take the next step in our ministry please pray with us that God’s will for our lives will be made clear. We don’t know what God would have for us next, but as soon as we know we will let you know. Our final Sunday of ministry at Sugar Grove Church will be October 14th.
Thank you,
Joel Wolfgang
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Chris Patrick
So, Just found out that a guy that Jacob, Justin and I went to school with, and I played Football and basketball with just scored a spot on the Green Bay Packers Practice Squad. I'm a little surprised. Congrats Chris!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Vote 756!
What do you want to happen to Barry Bonds home run breaking ball! Marc Ecko bought the ball and is planning to do whatever the public decides. Vote Here.
I voted to brand the ball with an asterisk!
I voted to brand the ball with an asterisk!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Apparently I've been reading a lot on Evangelism...
I just finished reading Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittleburg. Hybles being the most senior pastor at Willow Creek and Mittleburg (when it was written in '95) the pastor of evangelism wanted to share their vision and personal stories of how they have become Christians who've discovered that the most invigorating feeling of leading people to Christ. They are trying to help people realize that is fun and exciting, scary and intimidating to lead people to Christ, but at the same time necessary. At one point they actually say that no one is excused when it comes to sharing the gospel.
When I was in Junior High because of our Sunday School curriculum we had a lesson on Evangelism. I remember asking the teacher whether or not they had the experience and if they could tell us about it. The teacher looked at their notes and then looked to the class and that they hadn't ever led anyone to Christ and that wasn't there goal. Their goal was to be a seed-planter. They meant that they didn't believe that all were called to be an "evangelizer" and that some people are and some aren't. They weren't doing what they were preaching. I knew then that they were wrong and I know now that we are all called to evangelize.
When I was in Junior High because of our Sunday School curriculum we had a lesson on Evangelism. I remember asking the teacher whether or not they had the experience and if they could tell us about it. The teacher looked at their notes and then looked to the class and that they hadn't ever led anyone to Christ and that wasn't there goal. Their goal was to be a seed-planter. They meant that they didn't believe that all were called to be an "evangelizer" and that some people are and some aren't. They weren't doing what they were preaching. I knew then that they were wrong and I know now that we are all called to evangelize.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Jesus in People's lives...
So I was preparing my lesson for this week and I always knew that Jesus was connected to so many different kinds of people, but I just wrote it out and it seemed to be shocking, so I thought that I'd share it with you...
The early church realized something. Everywhere Jesus went he talked to all sorts of people. The people who were well respected by the community, people who were called sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, cheaters, liars and thieves. He talked to the lame, blind, hearing and speech impaired, those with incurable diseases, and even people who were possessed by demons. He also showed that he cared for people who were Roman, Scythian, Samaritan and Greek. The early church realized that every single person is important to God!
This is just crazy to me!
The early church realized something. Everywhere Jesus went he talked to all sorts of people. The people who were well respected by the community, people who were called sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, cheaters, liars and thieves. He talked to the lame, blind, hearing and speech impaired, those with incurable diseases, and even people who were possessed by demons. He also showed that he cared for people who were Roman, Scythian, Samaritan and Greek. The early church realized that every single person is important to God!
This is just crazy to me!
The Missional Church: From Atrophy to Emerging...
I have been perusing the site Friend of Missional for some time now. The articles, definitions and discussions have been quite interesting to me. About half-way down the homepage there is a section explaining the missional church movement that was taken from the book Breaking the Missional Code by Ed Stetzer and David Putman (which is in my ever growing stack of books to read). This is an interesting piece of work that I would like to share with you and also maybe add to the conversation just a little. Apparently they argue that the missional church movement is a shift in thinking here are their categories:
From programs to processes
From demographics to discernment
From models to missions
From attractional to incarnational
From uniformity to diversity
From professional to passionate
From seating to sending
From decisions to disciples
From additional to exponential
From monuments to movements
A lot of this isn't new information. Many of us have been preaching these shifts for years what I would like to argue is another shift in thinking:
From atrophic to emerging
When I use the word emerging I am not talking about the emergent conversation - I'm talking about life itself. Please understand that in the beginning God created everything very good. This word good is interesting - I find it interesting that God didn't make everything perfect. The word perfect implies an ultimate end; something that is perfect can get no better. It is the ultimate. Many people may argue that God did make everything perfect (in fact I used to teach this), but when you read the first two chapters of the bible and you read the last two chapters of the bible you will skip all of sin and repercussions and - I believe - get a good look at what God had in mind all along. God moves from untouched creation to global city. Some how this city is completely unlike cities as we know them today. Somehow this city is the unique combination of creation and massive amounts of people. Therefore, Creation can become better than it was originally.
Since Genesis 3 the world has atrophied, so bad in fact that not two chapters later God decides to destroy it with water - save one family. From that day there has been glimmers of hope and light, but ultimately creation has been depleting. It is as if creation is on a collision course with destruction!
Then something interesting happens - Jesus. He is the second Adam - and doesn't fall to temptation. He defeats death - creation's ultimate end of atrophy. He becomes the goal for humanity to follow and become. He is the light to follow and through him Christianity emerges. Christianity becomes a group of people who are passionately pursuing the life of Jesus Christ. They realize quickly that he is a better way to live. They also realize that following Jesus can somehow stop the collision course.
Christianity has always been about moving from an atrophic to an emerging creation. We strive to see God's kingdom come "on earth as it is in heaven." The original creation didn't know death or destruction. It didn't know starving children, or AIDS. It is the church's responsibility to show Christ to this atrophied creation. A missional church helps other understand and be a part of that mission. A missional church stands in the way of creation's atrophy. A missional church strives to become more and more the way God originally created life to be.
From programs to processes
From demographics to discernment
From models to missions
From attractional to incarnational
From uniformity to diversity
From professional to passionate
From seating to sending
From decisions to disciples
From additional to exponential
From monuments to movements
A lot of this isn't new information. Many of us have been preaching these shifts for years what I would like to argue is another shift in thinking:
From atrophic to emerging
When I use the word emerging I am not talking about the emergent conversation - I'm talking about life itself. Please understand that in the beginning God created everything very good. This word good is interesting - I find it interesting that God didn't make everything perfect. The word perfect implies an ultimate end; something that is perfect can get no better. It is the ultimate. Many people may argue that God did make everything perfect (in fact I used to teach this), but when you read the first two chapters of the bible and you read the last two chapters of the bible you will skip all of sin and repercussions and - I believe - get a good look at what God had in mind all along. God moves from untouched creation to global city. Some how this city is completely unlike cities as we know them today. Somehow this city is the unique combination of creation and massive amounts of people. Therefore, Creation can become better than it was originally.
Since Genesis 3 the world has atrophied, so bad in fact that not two chapters later God decides to destroy it with water - save one family. From that day there has been glimmers of hope and light, but ultimately creation has been depleting. It is as if creation is on a collision course with destruction!
Then something interesting happens - Jesus. He is the second Adam - and doesn't fall to temptation. He defeats death - creation's ultimate end of atrophy. He becomes the goal for humanity to follow and become. He is the light to follow and through him Christianity emerges. Christianity becomes a group of people who are passionately pursuing the life of Jesus Christ. They realize quickly that he is a better way to live. They also realize that following Jesus can somehow stop the collision course.
Christianity has always been about moving from an atrophic to an emerging creation. We strive to see God's kingdom come "on earth as it is in heaven." The original creation didn't know death or destruction. It didn't know starving children, or AIDS. It is the church's responsibility to show Christ to this atrophied creation. A missional church helps other understand and be a part of that mission. A missional church stands in the way of creation's atrophy. A missional church strives to become more and more the way God originally created life to be.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
They Like Jesus But Not The Church
I just finished They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball. Thanks Robb for the recommendation. This book adds so much to my internal conversation about evangelism. How do we share Jesus with people today? Is it different for just a few years ago? What do people think about the church, and why? These are all valid questions, that most pastors and church leaders - myself included - have neglected.After reading this book I have to ask myself two questions, how many non-Christians do I know? and how many of them am I developing relationships with? I am challenged with these questions because I ask students and lay people of the church to constantly be a missionary in our community and I wont or haven't done it myself. I have led by example.
This book opened my eyes to understanding our culture as a mission field all the time. We need to be prepared to have conversations with non-Christians in order to just build relationships with them even if they never come to Christ. It's not about notches in our evangelism belt, but about loving others the way that Christ loves us.
The "I don't want to Cluster Blog" Post!
Wow! What a crazy week it's been. Since my last post 3/4 of my biological family come to visit - not for more than 48 hours, but they came to visit. I had a birthday, and a brush with TB!
Jacob and Justin
My brothers breezed through town last week. They went to Michigan and spent some time with dad, they saw an amazing Tigers Game and went fishing. On their way back to Iowa they stopped by and spent some time with Shari and I. We stayed up 'till 3:30 and had a Taco Bell run sometime after 1:00. It was much fun!
Mom and Donny
Not 36 hours later my mom and my step-dad came for a visit. They came from Minneapolis early Saturday morning, 1:30, and we celebrated my b-day with them and had a great time. They they left early Sunday morning, 8:30!
Coughing Blood!
Well, Sunday morning I woke up with the taste of blood in my mouth. I'm not sure why. Even today I'm not sure why. The doctor said that he has ruled out most anything that it could be and expects that it will just go away. We'll see! I have blood work results that come back today!
Labor Day
I received some money for my birthday and there is only one logical thing to spend money on, books and Noomas!
Here's what I bought!
The Barbarian Way - McManus
Breaking the Missonal Code - Stetzer & Putman
Emergent Worship - Kimball
Nooma #1 - Rain
Nooma #10 - Lump
Nooma #11 - Rhythm
Birthday
Yesterday was my 25th birthday! Halfway to 50. I feel pretty good about that. It was funny because people tried to pick on me because of my age and it became funny because everyone who was picking on me was much older than I am. lol!
Shari treated me very well! Our day was absolutely packed with stuff. We had so much to do:
8:30 - Go in for blood work
9:00-12:00 - Get ready for Youth Group
1:00-4:00 - First aid Class
6:00-9:00 - Youth Group (prep. and clean up)
We ended up celebrating at dinner time. I got to get BW3, Shari got me a few presents (all of which I want and will return nothing - and use everyone of them!)
Well, I've caught you up!
Jacob and Justin
My brothers breezed through town last week. They went to Michigan and spent some time with dad, they saw an amazing Tigers Game and went fishing. On their way back to Iowa they stopped by and spent some time with Shari and I. We stayed up 'till 3:30 and had a Taco Bell run sometime after 1:00. It was much fun!
Mom and Donny
Not 36 hours later my mom and my step-dad came for a visit. They came from Minneapolis early Saturday morning, 1:30, and we celebrated my b-day with them and had a great time. They they left early Sunday morning, 8:30!
Coughing Blood!
Well, Sunday morning I woke up with the taste of blood in my mouth. I'm not sure why. Even today I'm not sure why. The doctor said that he has ruled out most anything that it could be and expects that it will just go away. We'll see! I have blood work results that come back today!
Labor Day
I received some money for my birthday and there is only one logical thing to spend money on, books and Noomas!
Here's what I bought!
The Barbarian Way - McManus
Breaking the Missonal Code - Stetzer & Putman
Emergent Worship - Kimball
Nooma #1 - Rain
Nooma #10 - Lump
Nooma #11 - Rhythm
Birthday
Yesterday was my 25th birthday! Halfway to 50. I feel pretty good about that. It was funny because people tried to pick on me because of my age and it became funny because everyone who was picking on me was much older than I am. lol!
Shari treated me very well! Our day was absolutely packed with stuff. We had so much to do:
8:30 - Go in for blood work
9:00-12:00 - Get ready for Youth Group
1:00-4:00 - First aid Class
6:00-9:00 - Youth Group (prep. and clean up)
We ended up celebrating at dinner time. I got to get BW3, Shari got me a few presents (all of which I want and will return nothing - and use everyone of them!)
Well, I've caught you up!
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