One of my friends at the gathering shared with me from an article he had recently read.  The article was specifically about the decline and death of the church in America.  The “obituary” cited three primary reasons for the church’s demise.

1.  The celebrity role of the Leader.  People are drawn more to the personality of the Pastor than to Jesus.

2.  The consumer mindset of the attenders.  People come to “get” rather than to “give.”

3.  The competition between churches.  Churches are more interested in building their own kingdom than they are in building God’s Kingdom.

I have to admit, I see all three reasons as serious viruses in the church across the country.

The answer . . .

1.  The leader must move from being a celebrity to being a humble servant.  It’s what Jesus did and it’s who we must be.

2.  We must all change our mindset from being consumers to being consumed by the things of God.  We are blessed to be a blessing.  We gather to give worship and encouragement.  We come together to be prepared to scatter for mission.

3.  There is only one Kingdom that matters . . . and it’s not mine.  All churches exist to join together in unity to bring God’s Kingdom now and forever.  It’s amazing what God can accomplish in and through us when we don’t care who gets the credit.

I, for one, believe the church in America is alive and well.  It certainly needs retooled, reinvented and, in some cases, rebirthed . . . but as Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, “Not even the gates of hell will stand against it!”

What compels already busy people to invest time, energy and resources in new church planting?  Let’s start with the fact that 77% of Americans are not attached to a local church in any meaningful way.  The fact that the church in the U.S. has been in decline for decades.  Or how about the fact that 21,000 children around the world die every 24 hours as a result of poverty or poverty related preventable diseases?  Maybe it’s because we watch our own children increasingly more at risk in a culture that is becoming more and more difficult to navigate.  Perhaps it’s the fact that world population recently crossed 7 billion people!  Seems reason enough.

If new church planting is the single most effective way to reach people for Jesus and 85% of the people who choose to follow Jesus do so between the ages of four and fourteen, then it seems that God’s heart would be for every new church plant to highly value children!  That’s what we’ll be dreaming about.  That’s what we’ll be praying for. It’s a blue sky.

Tabitha, Greg, Inti (sponsored child) and Wess Stafford

This past week was life-changing for me.  I spent five days in Ecuador with 9 other Pastors from across the U.S., leaders from Compassion International (including President Wess Stafford), leaders from Stadia and my 13 year old daughter, Tabitha.  Stadia and Compassion are making it possible for churches like RiverTree (Northern Ohio), The Crossing (Las Vegas), Mountain Christian (Joppa, Maryland), Parkview (Chicago), Shepherd of the Hills (Porter Ranch, CA) and MANY others to impact the world in an unprecedented way.  By combining new church planting with caring for children at risk, we are seeing thousands of people place their faith in Jesus Christ!

Village in Manta, Ecuador--now being transformed by a new church plant

In 2011, four new churches were planted in some of the most poverty stricken areas of Ecuador.  In 2012, 12 new churches will be planted.  In 2013, not only will we continue to plant churches in Ecuador, but we will also launch into several other countries that desperately need the hope of Jesus.  Each of these new churches will care for at least 250 children sponsored through Compassion International ministries.  For every child sponsored, 30 lives are touched within the community (family members, friends, neighbors), 30 to 1!  As a result of just 16 new church plants, 120,000 lives will be touched in a credible way with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  That’s why RiverTree partners with Stadia and Compassion!

Praying for new church planters

Global population recently surpassed the 7 billion mark.  Why do we partner with Stadia and Compassion to plant new churches and care for children at risk . . . I’ll give you 7 billion reasons!

It was a challenging year of transition.  Moving further down the missional path, growing in our generosity, maintaining fiscal stability in a deteriorating economy . . .

Here are a few of the things that God has allowed us to be part of:

Alex Absalom joined our staff.  Alex is a leading practitioner in the global missional movement and has brought much needed wisdom and leadership.

Chris Payne was brought on board to lead our tech team.  Chris brings incredible skill to our tech areas, but more importantly, models the character of Christ to everyone he leads.

Andrew Berg seamlessly transitioned into our lead role as Worship Leader.

Jon Tisevich became Lead Pastor at our Lake Campus.  Lake is “on the move!”

Toby Thomas became Lead Pastor at our Massillon Campus.  Toby loves Massillon, the people, the church and being Jesus in the community.

Through Kingdom Synergy Partnerships, we saw the vision of “making it hard to go to Hell in Ohio” march forward.  Pathways Church launched in Cincinnati.  City Edge Church launched in Cleveland.  Revolution 216 launched in Cleveland.  Mark Pratt began his missional movement in Cleveland.  Pulse Church launched in Columbus.

As a result of our partnership with Stadia, Compassion International and our 2010 Christmas Eve offering, we were able to launch four new churches in Ecuador.  More than 1,000 people are now part of those churches and 1,500 children are sponsored through Compassion International.

Today, more than 2,500 people gather in new church plants that God has enabled us to be part of!

In May we led a discipleship trip to Israel with 20 church planters from Ohio.

We launched SYNERGY.  SYNERGY is our partnership with Stadia and Love Canton, committed to research and development, training and peer learning as the missional movement moves forward.

Our first ever SYNERGY Ignite exploration experience was held.  32 churches from across the country attended!

SYNERGY University held its first learning modules.  Leading theologians taught more than 100 students Biblical principles and worldview.

RiverTree celebrated Easter with 1st Christian.

In September, 32 GoCommunities launched!

We reduced our debt load by $800,000. We continue on our journey to be debt free.

We finished the year in the black!

Three Child Survival Programs were started in Ecuador.  305 RiverTree families stepped up to the plate to care for these moms and children.

Climbing4Kids raised $100,000 for children at risk in Ecuador.  An additional $10,000 was raised for the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio.

3,700 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes were collected and distributed.

37 people went on international missions trips.  122 people traveled on domestic missions trips.

66 families were “adopted” for Christmas.

More than 200 water filtration systems were purchased and distributed.

1500 Thanksgiving meals were prepared and shared.

350 Project Care Christmas stockings were filled for foster children in Stark County.

More than 400 people per month were fed from the Food Pantry.

More than $10,000 was collected for the Pregnancy Support Center through the baby bottle initiative.

9 children were adopted into their Forever Families.

1,476 Compassion sponsorships!

182 children became followers of Jesus via these Compassion sponsorships.

192 baptisms at RiverTree!

More than 1.5 million dollars was invested “outside the walls” of RiverTree into God’s Kingdom!

Once again, I share all of this with you, not to pridefully say “look what we have done,”  but to humbly celebrate what God has done through us.  To say “Thank-you for allowing us to be part of Your church.”

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?” –2 Chronicles 29:14

What did we learn?  How has God changed us?  What would we do differently?  What do we want to remember?  What do we want to forget?

Here are the questions I use to reflect on the year.  I read through my journal to remember.  I discuss my answers with close friends to learn.

New Year’s Reflection Questions

1.            Overall, was this past year a good year or bad year for you personally? Professionally?  Spiritually?

2.            What was your greatest accomplishment this past year?

3.            What are your 3 best memories of this past year?

4.            What are your 3 worst memories of this past year?

5.            What did you learn this past year?

6.            What one new fun thing did you do this past year?

7.            Best book you read this past year?

8.            What book would you like to read this next year?

9.            Biggest challenge of the past year?

10.            Biggest roadblock you overcame this past year?

11.            What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?

12.            What are you least looking forward to in the coming year?

13.            What do you like most about yourself?

14.            What about yourself would you most like to change in the coming year?

15.            What is the best CD you purchased this past year?

16.            What was one of the best movies you watched this past year?

17.            If you could live one day over from this past year, because it was a good day, what day would it be?

18.            If you could live one day over from this past year, because it was a bad day, what day would it be?

19.            If you could do one thing this next year, what would it be?

20.            What one thing could you do to improve your relationship with God this next year?

My 12 all-time favorite Christmas recordings

“The Christmas Song” by Maren Ord, from Christmas Songs.

“Silent Night” by Sixpence None The Richer, from The Dawn Of Grace.

“Little Town” by Over The Rhine, from Snow Angels.

“Christmas Day” by Dido, from Christmas Songs.

“The Little Drummer Boy” by White Heart, from Christmas.

“All I Really Want” by Steven Curtis Chapman, from All I Really Want For Christmas.

“Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” by The Alarm, from The Coolest Christmas.

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan, from Barenaked For The Holidays.

“Light Of The Stable” by Selah, from Rose Of Bethlehem.

“Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth” by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, from Now That’s What I Call Christmas.

“How Many Kings” by Downhere, from Songs For Christmas.

“O Holy Night” by Mercy Me, from The Christmas Sessions.

What’s your favorite?

1.  Hold a baby and think of God’s love for me.

2.  Bake sugar cookies with my kids–use star cutouts–and read the story of the wise men following the star from the East.  (Matthew 2:1-12)

3.  Take communion and remember that Bethlehem means “House of Bread” and that Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life.”

4.  Stand outside on a quiet night and sing “Silent Night.”

5.  On Christmas Eve, before going to bed, read the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20) with my family.

6.  Give Starbucks gift cards to people who need to experience holiday cheer while I’m out running errands.  (This reminds me of the surprise of God’s love.)

7.  Pack two backpacks full of Christmas gifts for our sponsored children in Ecuador (Inte and Samantha).  Tabitha and I will be traveling to visit on January 2nd!

8.  While listening to Tabitha’s choir concert, think about the angels singing the announcement of the birth of Jesus.

9.  On Christmas day, sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus with those gathered around our dining table.

10.  Listen to Shawn McDonald sing “O Holy Night.”  (Unexpected Gifts album.)

What’s on your “Christmas bucket list?”

      *That my children love and actually “like” one another.

     *Big mountains to climb.

    *RiverTree and the beautiful bride she is.

*Stadia and the amazing churches that have been/are being planted.

*Compassion International–Caring for children in Jesus’ name.

*Hot peppers.

*Potatoes:  chips, mashed, baked, fried . . .  (Yes, I know, very unhealthy.)

*Smoothies–preferably chocolate banana.  (Very healthy!)

*Rainy mornings.

*Adoption.

*Movies with a redemptive storyline.

*The Stinklings.

*Really good new music.

*Cook Forest, PA.

*Books that took me to another time and place.

*Books that brought me back to reality.

*Books that I’m glad I finished.

*Cake Boss.

*Fire in the fireplace.

*Inte.

*Canada with dad.

*Ipad2  (Yes, very superficial–but I like it a lot.)

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  –Ephesians 5:20

*Before eating, stand around your dinner table in a circle.  Take turns sharing something you are thankful for from the past year. (Even small children can participate in this one.)

*On Thanksgiving morning, call people who are in your life and tell them you are thankful for them (each call should be only 1-3 minutes–or hey, talk as long as you like!).

*Read a Psalm about giving thanks.  You can do this alone or with friends and family.  Psalm 100 is a great start.

*Invite someone over.  You will be amazed at how many people have no plans for Thanksgiving.

*Bake an extra pie and deliver it to a neighbor, a shut-in, a co-worker.

*Help your children or grandchildren or neighbor children make hand print turkeys on construction paper.  Write a thankful note on the back of each handprint and give them to neighbors, family and friends.

*Cover your dinner table with a white paper table cloth.  Have lots of crayons on the table as well.  Encourage everyone to draw a picture of something for which they are thankful.

*Lots of churches deliver Thanksgiving meals on Thanksgiving Day.  Be a “deliverer.”

*Sit down at some time on Thanksgiving Day and make a list of things for which you are thankful.  Thank God.

What Thanksgiving ideas or traditions, can you share with the rest of us?

Late one night, shortly after you were born, I held you in front of our Christmas tree.  I prayed, “God, please help Tabitha grow up to be a woman who is deeply in love with you.”  I knew at the time what that prayer meant . . . deep love always brings great joy but is most often accompanied by great pain.

Over the next several years, you will experience moments that will be some of the deepest joys in your life.  You will also experience some moments that will be filled with pain . . . Good choices and bad choices, boys who treat you well and others who I’ll want to go after with a gun, friends who will last forever and others who will break your heart.  Please know that God and dad will always be there to celebrate with you and to hold you when you need to cry.  ALWAYS.

So my prayer today is that you will take the joy with the pain, and that the two together will make you more and more like Jesus.  That seeing children in poverty will cause you great pain and that as you alleviate that poverty you will find deep joy.  That your wrong choices will cause you great pain so that you will find deep joy in your right ones.  That a recognition of your own sinfulness will cause you great pain that will lead you into the joyful experience of falling into the arms of God’s grace.  That you will always choose the joy of deep friendships in spite of the fear of a broken heart.

Over the next several years you will experience many amazing adventures.  Perhaps your first kiss? (Not until you are 18.)  Your first mountain summit (you and dad at the top!).  More trips to third world countries to care for those in need.  Musicals, recitals, exhibits.  Enjoy, have fun, laugh!

You are beautiful.  Be who God created you to be.  You are an artist, a pianist, a baker, a creator.  You are a doer of good deeds with a heart bigger than the ocean.  Delight in your uniqueness.  Wear vibrantly colored socks that don’t match.  Make your own birthday cakes.  Paint purple trees.  Find new ways to bless people all over the world!

So, on your 13^th birthday, I will probably cry a bit.  You’re moving from a little girl to a teenager.  I couldn’t be more proud of you.  I will never love you more and I will never love you less.  More than my heart can hold . . .

You are my sunshine.  Always have been.  Always will be.

Dad