Filed under: MISC Posts
Well…this is my last post from Ohio (as we’re headed to Missouri this Friday)…and I’ve gotta say that this has been one of the greatest seasons of my life.
Alot of people have asked me recently what I’ll miss and what I won’t miss about Ohio after we leave this weekend. What were your favorite memories of your time here and what were your worst?
When I think back on Ohio, I’ll use one word to describe it’s purpose for my life – preparation.
I’ve included alot of different ‘polaroid’ shots of some of my favorite memories…but the one at the very ‘top left’ is why I used that word just a second ago.
World Harvest Church prepared me for the next and most important step of my life and calling as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It installed a tremendous work-ethic in me and equipped me with the tools needed to administrate the vision that God has put in my life for Journey Church.
I want to take this last Ohio post and give a big thank you to Pastor Rod Parsley and the staff and congregation of World Harvest Church, they truly are one of the most magnificent congregations on the planet…and it was truly an honor to be with them for the last 2 years. My kids loved the church and most of all Harvest Preparatory School where they had great friendships and amazing teachers.
I pray God’s greatest blessings on Pastor Parsley and World Harvest Church and they continue to make an impact on Columbus, our nation, and our world. Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime, we’ll miss everyone.
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
P.S.
We’ll also miss Ohio camping and hiking and the opportunity to experience a blizzard or two! Also, we became HUGE Ohio State Buckeye Fans – Scarlet and Gray BABY! (Don’t worry – we’re still Tiger fans at heart).
Filed under: MISC Posts
This image pretty much captures what our house looks like right about now – BOXES EVERYWHERE! We’re experiencing what many do when you move – in any move – you are always forced to decide what stays and what gets tossed, you look at items you’ve had forever and it compels you to go down memory lane or throw them in the dumpster.
My wife and I were talking yesterday about how many times we’ve moved in our 12 years of marriage. It blew our minds when we actually thought about it!
In 12 years of marriage we have lived in 3 different states and have lived in 10 different homes! Some would say that is not healthy for a family to experience that much transition in that amount of time…but after really thinking about it, I would beg to differ.
I have loved our life thus far and so has my family.
In fact, we’ve never been closer than we are now and I beleive part of it is BECAUSE of our transitions.
My son Micah woke up this morning (wearing his infamous Mario Kart Wii pajamas – hair sticking up and eyes half-open) and walked into the living room where we slammed a couple bowls of cereal (Raisin Nut Bran for me and Cinnamon Toast Crunch for him), read a spongebob book, and talked for nearly an hour on what his dreams are and what he wants to become when he gets older (from a video game designer to a racecar driver – from being a firefighter to working for his dad in the church – something I told him he needs to do – 
) .
It was so interesting to hear him talk – because I realized that his dreams have been formed from things he picked up or experienced living in Arizona as a youth pastor’s kid, or going to school here in Ohio, or from his family in Missouri. They are memories that have stuck with him and are creating his desires for his future.
Wow. What a lesson coming from an 8 year old boy. It made me think about all that I have experienced in the last 12 years…it has been preparation (if you will) for what God is calling my family to do in the coming months with Journey Church. Those years have trained us, equipped us, and imparted into all of us the tools neccesary to pastor a truly great church.
So as I pack up (or as my wife would say) as she packs up all of the boxes in our house – the greatest things we’ll be taking with us are the memories we’ve had in the past days, weeks, months, and years that have led us to where we’re going next.
They’ve helped formed what has now become our dream – Journey Church. I know I said in my first blog – but it just seems so appropriate – LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
Filed under: MISC Posts
The American Heritage Dictionary defines ‘hero’ as:
“a man who is idealized for having superior qualities in any field”
I want to take this blog and throw out some thanks to one of my personal ‘heroes’. His name is Steve Lummer (that’s Lummer – just like summer, but with an ‘L’) and I owe him my life.
To (2) kids, he’s the most amazing DAD in the world. To (1) wife, he’s the greatest husband she could ever ask for. To a church congregation nestled in the mountains of central Arizona, he’s a dynamic shepard that leads his ‘flock’. I however see him as a hero…not only to me, but to the church I will soon be planting in Lincoln County this summer…because if it wasn’t for him…(and I couln’t mean this any more than I do) I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I had the privilege to serve the vision God placed in his heart for nearly 10 years (as his youth pastor, his associate pastor, his worship leader, his church janitor, his friend, or as Mel Holmquist would say – his cohort – insert breathing noise here)…and in that time was shown a list of things that would take too much of your time to describe, but most of all I was shown what it means to (now, I’m gonna use three words here that alot of us still need to learn how to do):
GENUINELY LOVE PEOPLE.
He’s someone that can relate to anyone- no matter if you’re a prestigous business man who can bring great financial impact to a church or if you’re a construction worker making minimum wage – just trying to make it. He treats everyone the same and has no favorites…he just loves people.
I could say alot about him, and probably will in later posts, but I just wanted to take this post and say to him personally – THANKS FOR INVESTING IN ME – I look forward to using the tools you have given me in ministry as I pastor this church. It has changed me forever and will soon change many people. You’re truly a hero.
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
Filed under: Journey Church
Hmmm…politcs.
We hear about it everday…it’s what glued us to our living room couches on November 4th, 2008 as we watched Barrack Obama proudly shatter over 200 years of history in becoming the first African American elected to the highest office in the land.
Politcs…It’s something we can be proud of in the context of American democracy because it gives everyone a voice that can be heard whether it’s a demonstration of our rights as Americans or a vote cast for a state senator. It makes you appreciate our beloved United States, I mean just look at the many residing in middle eastern countries right now who are bound by tyranny and demonized dictators. God bless the U.S.A.!
But, when we look at ‘church politcs’, it just doesn’t give you that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you think about the land of the free and the home of the brave. As a matter of fact, church politics actually give you that ‘I need some Pepto’ feeling and turn many people off from church completely. Why is that?
I beleive a big majority of it is created out of distrust. In other words ‘Because I (distrustful church person) don’t trust you (pastor or church leader)…I’m going to ensure that I have a voice in the decisions that you will attempt to make.”
Therefore, controlling boards (don’t get me wrong…there are many good boards out there) are created and monthly meetings are held, gavels slam down at church business meetings and committees form committees to see who’s going to head up the committee to see what color carpet will go in the vestibule. When I was a teenager, I remember our church business meetings – it was like a WWE wrestling event (without the cameras and ringside hosts). I remember seeing Sister SoandSo (who was always so sweet on Sunday mornings) turn into a completely differnt person as she would argue with great passion and zeal against Brother SuchandSuch who would throw his arms up and declare loudly and proudly his thoughts on the church budget. And what was the arguement for you may ask? Whether or not we should install a water fountain in the basement! HAHA!
In all seriousness, I would sit there and wonder – Does God really care what is going on in this room right now? Why are we not discussing how we are going to reach the unchurched in our city and compel them to the cross of Jesus?
Friends, I place a promise to you right now – there will be no place for ‘church politics’ at Journey…and at the same time there will be ample opportunity for you to trust in your leadership.
We will focus ONLY on things that matter to Jesus and Jesus alone…and that is reaching out to people with a love that carries with it no judgement, no pride, and no preference….that no matter what point you’re at in life’s journey…We’re gonna love you! And that love (according to 1 Corinthians 13:7) ‘always brings trust’.
I’m reading a book called ‘Organic Church’ by Neil Cole (thanks Zach!). In the preface of that book it reads:
“When you look at the conventional church in America and all that it offers, you are left gazing down an old soggy street. It does not compel you to go further down that road. More vision statements, more Christian concerts, more sermons, and more blueprints for bigger auditoriums are not enough.”
He goes on to say:
“You will be amazed what people will do for Jesus that they will not do for our vision statement. THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER.”
That ’something’ again, is a genuine love for people powered in us by the power of the Holy Spirit and our love for God. Or should I say – a church that makes YOU our top priority! Because at the end of the day…all that really matters – is family. And if we can become a ‘family’, everything else will fall into place…I just know it.
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
Filed under: Family
Only people in my youth ministry would know what this picture means.
Allow me to explain, every year I would do a ‘dating’ series in our youth services that seemed to go over really well with the students. I found that the best way I could communicate the point of keeping GOD at the front of your relationship (instead of each other – which in the life of a teenager – we all know where that would lead) and keeping your relationship inside of a ‘GOD VIEW’ was using this very stupid, but seeimingly very hilarious COIN illustration. This was the last PPT. slide I would throw up on the screen and say “If you (the two quarters) keep God first – this is how God feels (extremely pleased)…and the benefit results in a Godly marriage and family (the pennies obviously being a bunch of kids) – which really is and should be the only purpose of dating – however – you could have – THE PERFECT FAMILY!
I don’t know if that made much sense to you or not, but I said all that to say that I have the PERFECT FAMILY.
…and that I couldn’t have wished/prayed/hoped for anything better than what God has given me in my family. Missy – you’re the greatest Christian I’ve ever met, there is not a day that passes that I don’t look at you and think how beautiful you are, how amazing you are, and how truly blessed we are to have you in our lives. And then there’s those two boys. Micah and Javan – Daddy loves you and promises to give you two ‘preacher’s kids’ the father and pastor you’ll need to live the life God is going to call you to live.
Happy Valentines Day family!
Jesse (Husband and Father)
Filed under: Journey Church
Wow, the thought NEVER gets old (it has woken me up in the middle of the night – every night for the last 3 and 1/2 weeks – seriously, ask my wife)…I’m gonna be a Pastor! I’m gonna start a church!
Immediately following those two mind-blowing statements I then begin to ask these kind of questions: What will this church be like? How will the ’services’ go? How long will it take before we feel like a family? What will people say about ‘Journey’? Will we truly make a difference in people and not make a religion in people?
I think I may finally have some answers to those questions.
I was having a lunch a few days ago with some pastors who told me with great excitment that I have the “opportunity of a lifetime” when we began discussing ’Journey Church’ (opening its doors June 7 – little plug there…had to, sorry). They went on to say things like “…if I could do it all over again, I would: (insert new idea here or take out something that they feel has hindered growth in their church)…and then I know my church would grow.”
It’s kind of saddening actually when I hear them say that…because those kind of statements in my opinion admit defeat, as if God has somehow given up on their call, their church, and their purpose, or somehow cannot breakthrough what they’re currently doing to see their church grow.
Now I don’t mean to be demeaning or prideful in any way when I make those statements about those pastors (because we have enough ‘know it alls’ and when it comes to knowledge, strategies, and stats on church growth, I consider myself in the ignorant lower thirds of that class) but…I think God doesn’t really care much for statements like that.
I beleive that if we could all just realize one very important thing…HE (talkin’ about Jesus now) is all that really matters, not our church boards, not our sound systems, not our church buildings, or our marketing approaches. It all comes down to Jesus. We’ve somehow blended the two and the results have been nasty to say the least. Instead of making Jesus real to our world…we’ve turned Him into a concept that fails our falsified expectations all the time.
So in a way I thank those pastors for those statements and for lunch…because their right…I do have the “opportunity of a lifetime” right in front me…and I vow to everyone that as I take these next few steps in creating a church that will eternally change lives, that I will carefully take each step and ensure that it is where Jesus has pointed for my foot to plant. Because let’s just get real here – it’s not about me…and it’s about you either…or our concepts of how church ’should go’…IT’S ABOUT JESUS!
I’m gonna hit church politics and the role it will play at Journey in my next post. Thanks so much for readin’.
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
Filed under: Journey Church
WELL…I want to be the first to welcome you to what I believe to be the start of something that will literally bring a ‘GOD’ impact to the St. Louis area.
‘Journey Church’ is a Non-Denominational church-plant that will open its doors on June 7 of this year in Lincoln County, and know the doors are open to ANYONE. If you hate church…just wait. If your experiences with people that go to church are ‘negative’ (and that’s a nice word to insert) to say the least…hang on…or if you’re just not too sure about the whole ‘God-thing’…you are what we want.
…and trust me, you’ll have never seen a church quite like this one.
I’ll be checkin’ in quite a bit…stay tuned.
Jesse (Pastor – Journey Church)
