Archive - December, 2009

What will you do next year? Part 3

December 31, 2009 in change with 2 Comments

Well, this is the very last day of the year 2009. I hope you have taken the time to look back over the last year and evaluate how you are different this year compared to last year at this time. That could be good or bad depending on the changes you made in your life. If you are different, it is because you chose to be different in one area or another. If you chose to do good in your life, you reaped good results. If you chose to do bad things, you had to face the consequences of that.

We are the product of our choices, good and bad. We should not try to blame shift or point fingers for our actions. We did them, and we have to face the consequences of those choices. When we choose a path, that path will lead us where it goes. If we want to end up in a good spot, we have to choose a good path to follow. (Of course, I believe the right path to take is clearly outlined in the Bible, and is found in being a Christ follower)

The path we choose to take is based on the priorities we set up in our life. If you want to have a great family, you cannot constantly ignore them and not invest time into them. If you want to be successful at work, you have to be a diligent and ethical worker. If you want to be a Godly, spiritual individual, you have to spend time with God by doing the spiritual disciplines (reading your Bible, praying, attending church, serving others, etc.).

Choose the path that will take you where you want to go, not a path that seems most convenient, more fun or just is plain easy to choose. If you want to grow spiritually this year, you have to choose to do so, and then walk the path that will get you there. We all have next steps towards God. They are different from one another, and no one else can make you take that next step. It has to be a priority in your life. So this year, will you live a life that is lived on purpose, or will you live a life that just happens along the way. The path you take is up to you and the priorities you set in life. Choose wisely!

A Little Winter Fun

December 30, 2009 in family, funny with 0 Comments

Two of my girls decided to go out and have a little fun in the snow (for me snow and fun do not go together!) They thought that our lab Riley must have been a sled dog in a former life as she pulled them along…

What will you do next year? Part 2

December 30, 2009 in change, serving with 0 Comments

Yesterday I said that I think the single most important thing you can do to change your life is to read your Bible.  I believe that with all of my being, so if you only make one change, read your Bible. When you read your Bible, it will change you.  It will motivate you to take next steps in your relationship with Christ and with others.  Others is what I want to talk about today.

If you want to see your life change, get involved in serving others. Volunteer to serve in a ministry through your church or at a local shelter or food bank. Make it a priority in your life to be Jesus to someone.  It is so easy to get wrapped up in the things that are going on in our life that we start to think that everything is about us… well guess what, it isn’t!  There are so many people that are out there hurting and just longing for someone to love them with the love of God.  It will be uncomfortable and inconvenient at first. Giving part of yourself away always is.  The rewards though far exceed the temporary inconvenience.

This is part of what being in a local church is all about.  Serving together, meeting the needs of one another and reaching out to those outside of the church are all ways for us to communicate the love of God to others. If we want to be fulfilled in our own life, it has to include serving others.  Our 41st President, George Bush, said,

“…any definition of a successful life must include serving others.”

May we make it a priority in the next year to take time out for others.

Philippians 2:3 “Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.”

What will you do next year?

December 29, 2009 in change with 3 Comments

At this time of year, most people are thinking a lot about changes they will make next year.  I always love the start of a new year.  The new challenges and opportunities excite me and allow me to grow and hopefully do things better. There are all kinds of changes to be made, whether it be physically, emotionally, relationally or spiritually. I think every one of those areas needs a good evaluation so that we are not fooled into thinking we are better off than what we are. That brings me to the biggest and most life-changing thing you can do to make changes in your life, and really, the reason for this post.

It is easy to have a desire to change.  We all have good intentions.  But, good intentions are at best, good intentions unless acted upon.  Do you want to change your life?  Do you want to make changes that will stick? Then here is the single biggest thing you can do: read your Bible. It holds the answers to life.  It is the road map that God has given us to make great change… change that will last. Do you want to know God better?  Read His Word!  There is nothing  that will change you more than that!

To help you, Lifechurch.tv has a great web-based Bible reader that has many versions to choose from, called YouVersion.com.  They also have several different reading plans that will help you to keep on track for the next year.  You can choose plans that will last an entire year, a few months or customize your own plan.  It is a great tool to help you as get into God’s Word.  There are other options on the web, in book stores and even likely at your church that you can get a hold of and get started.  It doesn’t matter what you use, just do something!

If you could only make one change for the year, this would be the one: read God’s Word!  More tomorrow…

Worship Confessional: December 27th, 2009

December 27, 2009 in Service schedules, Worship, Worship Confessional with 1 Comment

I am actually on vacation this weekend, so I am not leading at G’ville.  I have a very capable team that can lead (better than I can really) in my absence.  I appreciate them so much, and am thankful God has gifted them as worship leaders!  Here is the setlist that they are leading this weekend.  I am sure that all went well, and I look forward to being back in the sale next weekend!

  • Living For You – Moore
  • Came To My Rescue – Davies/Sampson/Thomas
  • God You Reign – Brewster/Fieldes
  • Come Thou Fount – Crowder

Special: Be Thou My Vision (Thanks Justin!)

Video Intro to message

Message – Pastor Al spoke this morning (our discipleship pastor)

Time of response

Offering

I am looking forward to the new year and all that God has in store for us!  I hope you have a great week of celebration, and that your new year is blessed!  This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Christianity is a verb…

December 26, 2009 in leadership, passion with 2 Comments

I am reading Mark Batterson’s “Wild Goose Chase,” and I came across a paragraph that I just had to share.  I am sure there will be more that I will glean from this book, but for now, chew on this with me:

“Some of us live as if we expect to  hear God say, ‘Well thought, good and faithful servant!’ or “Well said, good and faithful servant!’ God isn’t going to say any of those things. There is only one commendation, and it is the by-product  of pursuing God-ordained passion: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

To introduce this, Mark said “When Christianity turns into a noun, it becomes a turnoff.  Christianity was always intended to be a verb.”

In other words, good intentions are at best, good intentions.  Good thoughts are at best good thoughts, and good speech is at best good speech.  What matters is not what is intended, thought or spoken about for Jesus.  What matters it what is done for Jesus.

What are your thoughts?

Merry Christmas from the Petermanns!

December 25, 2009 in family, holiday with 0 Comments

Merry Christmas from the Petermanns! from Jason Petermann on Vimeo.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we did not send out Christmas Cards this year.  We will be sending out a New Year’s letter though, so if we are on your list, please don’t delete us! We will be sending something, just a little late!  For now, know that we love you all and we hope you have a very Merry and Christ-Centered Christmas!

PS. Don’t read in to that, Jennifer is NOT pregnant!  ;-P

Book Review: The Principle of the Path

December 22, 2009 in books, leadership with 0 Comments

As a pastor, I can say that some of my most discouraging moments come when people come to you for guidance in their life, listen to all you have to say (that is based on God’s Word), and yet decide to continue down the same path that they were headed.  It is hard to see that.  It breaks my heart to see people suffer things that they did not have to suffer. Andy Stanley’s book, “The Principle Of The Path” is all about this idea that people think they can end up where they want to go by going down any path they choose.  Andy puts it this way:

“It breaks my heart how many people I speak with  who don’t connect the dots between the choices they make and the outcomes they experience.  They’ve come to believe the popular notion that as long as their intentions are good, as long as their hearts are in the right place (whatever that means), as long s they do their best and try their hardest, it doesn’t really matter which path they take. They believe somehow they will end up in a good place. But life does not work that way.”

No matter how simple and elementary that may seem, there are so many people that do not get.  I would actually venture to say that all of us at one time or another have thought this way.  I know I have.

Andy uses real-life stories (that will relate to every one who picks up this book) to drive home his point that “direction trumps intention every time.”  I wish everyone could read this book, capture the truth and then act on it.

“Your final destination is determined by the path you choose and where it leads, regardless of your intentions.”

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing the book for review.

Worship Confessional: December 20th, 2009

December 20, 2009 in Service schedules, Worship, Worship Confessional with 0 Comments

This was our last week of our message series called “The Gift.”  There is not much that I can say to brag on my teams other than “awesome.”  Everyone did a great job!  The choir was enthusiastic, the solists and cast did super!  There was nothing that could have been done any better.  We actually had a day with NO congregational singing.  That is the first time I have ever done that, but with the timing of everything else we just did not have time.  Anyways, here is the order of the day:

Video announcements from our pastor

Baptism (how cool is it to get baptized at Christmas time!  Never gets old to see people do this)

Christmas Video Setup for drama

Drama w/Choir – Songs used:

Video Intro for message

Message – Pastor did a great job!

Time of response/Offering

Dismiss

I am excited to start the new year!  The next two weeks will be nice as we celebrate the holidays!  I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!  This post is also part of Sunday Setlists at Fred McKinnon [dot] com.

Links Worth Reading

December 18, 2009 in leadership, links with 0 Comments

I really enjoyed some blog posts that I read this week.  So much so that I thought I would share them with you.  So, as you have time, go to these blogs and take a look!

  • I am sick of all the media surrounding Tiger Woods.  I do not condone his lifestyle, nor am I saying it is no big deal.  I am just tired of hearing from the media about it.  Mike Foster summed it up great in his blog post on the subject this week.
  • This is my favorite time of year.  I get to spend more time than usual with my family, which I love to do.  I like being in all the hustle and bustle as long as I do not have to be.  Pete wrote a great post this week on it.  The line that grabbed me the most was, “You tend to forget that you simply cannot love like Jesus and live in constant hurry.” Ouch!  Go read the rest.
  • It is the end of the year and everyone will be doing some type of evaluation of their life.  Leadership teams in churches need to ddo the same thing.  Perry talks about this in his post titled, “Seven Leadership Questions Teams Should Be Asking.”  Good stuff!
  • I really appreciate what Tony had to say in his post titled, “Why I Have A Boring Blog.”  I get tired of seeing all the fighting when we should be pointing people to Jesus.  Thanks Tony!
  • Awesome post by Kem Meyer on learning from the mistakes that we have made.  At the end of the post she quotes something from Mark Waltz that rocked my world back a few months when I first heard it.

Have a great weekend!  May the Christ of Christmas be made BIG in your life and church!

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