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Matthew Study #71 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
Jesus told us, "Blessed are the meek." What is meant by meekness? This morning we consider that "meek" is an "in between kind of word." Find out what I mean by that as we study Matthew 5:5 together. I you have any problems watching the video here, you can easily view it on Vimeo or on YouTube. Or, just make the audio version of the Bible study a daily habit by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast!
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Matthew Study #70 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
We continue our study of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Today we compare the concepts of poor in spirit, mourning, and meekness. If you have any problem viewing the video above you can also watch it on Vimeo or on YouTube. Or take the audio only version of the Bible Study with you by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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Matthew Study #69 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Does meek mean getting run over? You might be surprised. Join me as we study Matthew 5:4. If you have any problems watching the video above, you can see it on Vimeo or on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the audio version of the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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Matthew Study #68 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
Jesus said that the mourner would be comforted, and thus would be blessed. Join me as we continue our study of Matthew 5. If you have any difficulty with the video above, you can view it on Vimeo or on YouTube. The audio version of this Bible study is also available via subscription to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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Matthew Study #67 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
The first Beatitude Jesus talked about was the blessing of the poor in spirit. Was there a reason why this was the first one? Join me as we continue our study of Matthew 5. If you have any difficulty watching the video above, you can also watch it on Vimeo or on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the audio version of the study on the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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I am so excited because this past weekend I received my registration form for GOBA 21, scheduled to begin on June 20th. GOBA is an acronym for Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. Each year the Columbus Outdoor Pursuits along with Bob Evans Restaurants sponsor the family oriented, week long GOBA bike ride. The location of the ride changes every year; this year the ride begins and ends in Norwalk and goes through Elmore, Bowling Green, Defiance, and Fostoria. The minimum number of miles for riders will be 264 miles, assuming they take their two days off and rest. The more ambitious riders could ride as many as 415 miles.
You may be wondering if anyone would really want to do something like this, imagining that a 400 mile bike ride is the furthest thing from fun you could imagine. Wonder no more because GOBA attracts a large ridership every year, potentially as many as 3,000 riders this year! While most come from the great state of Ohio, they also include riders from 40 different states and several foreign countries. While the majority of riders are between 30 and 50 (leaves me out now), nearly 20% are under 18. GOBA reports that last year 10 riders were in their 80s!
I plan to ride GOBA again this year. It will be my seventh GOBA. (From a Biblical perspective, therefore, this GOBA should be perfect!) The reasons I come back year after year are as follows:
So what about you? Feel like going on a week long bike ride in June? Let me know. Maybe we can meet up on the trail and enjoy some conversation while we train.
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Matthew Study #66 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
The blessing comes not as a result of our circumstances, but as a result of our relationship with God. God is blessed and if we are in God, we too are blessed. Join me as we continues our study of Matthew 5:3-12. If you have any difficulty viewing the video above, you can also watch it on either Vimeo or on YouTube. Also you may take the audio version with you by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast. Blessings to you!
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Sundays should never be routine for the pastor, but especially not for the pastor of a new church. Today we held our 11th service since beginning Church Requel on December 14th. We were thrilled to have 29 people here today. I hesitate to give a number because I don't want to find myself in the trap of numbers, knowing full well that the attitude of our hearts to the Lord Jesus is much more important than the number. On the other hand I don't want to lose the memory of the joy I experience over 29 people. Over these last 11 weeks I have grown to appreciate the thrill of 29 people in church! And I thank God for that.
Our service today included several new elements. First we began today to include four readings from the Scriptures as a regular part of our worship service. I explained to our small church that we worship God in many ways - through music, through the preaching of the Word, through communion - but also by reading and listening to God's Word. We enjoyed this tradition of the past 2,000 years in a fresh, new way - the very definition of "Requel" - by having 4 different readers read the Scripture passages from their own Bibles in whatever version they possessed.
The second new element we enjoyed today was the music of Worship Leader Nate Williams. Nate is a young musician (singer and guitarist), who attends Mosaic - another new church in Mansfield. I ran into Nate at the hospital a few weeks ago. Both he and I were visiting my daughter-in-law, who had just delivered a baby boy. Nate asked me how the new church was going and I told him that we really needed someone to help us lead music. He didn't bat an eye and asked if he could help out! Both he and Mosaic have been so supportive of our new church - which is saying so much because I know that they are just getting started too. Anyway, having Nate here today was an incredible blessing. He was also amazed at how the Scripture passages flowed so well in between several of the praise and worship songs he had prepared. He also didn't hesitate to speak encouraging words to us and pray between songs. It surely seemed as if the Holy Spirit had orchestrated this worship service today.
We had three new guests today and I was so appreciative to see and talk to each of them. They were all an incredible surprise and an encouragement to Mary Kay and me. Thank you for coming!
As I've written before, but again experienced today, the best two parts of the Church Requel services are the prayer time and communion time. The prayers were rich and personal with multiple people lifting up both petitions and praises. The communion enriched us so much as well. I'll share one humorous moment: I leaned over to Mary Kay and told her that she and I would need to share a communion cup - I hadn't put enough out, an embarrassing lack of faith on my part. What makes it doubly humorous is that Mary had put out enough cups, but I put some back thinking we wouldn't need that many. From now on, I'll be listening and following Mary's faith!
When the morning service was finished and the last person left the house, my day was not close to being finished. I had two more Bible studies to work on. Monday morning's study needed to be uploaded. Tuesday's study needed to be researched, recorded, and edited. Why do Tuesday's study on Sunday? Because I want to honor the Sabbath for myself on Monday. Some people might be surprised to consider the fact that pastors work on Sunday. It would be easy for me to work 7 days a week, especially right now with the new church. But I believe in the Sabbath - it is one of the BIG TEN, after all. And I believe in modeling leadership to my church. So I work through today in preparation for the day off tomorrow.
The other study I had to prepare was for the Spon Bible study this evening. The Spons invited us to be a part of their study this winter. Several of them take turns in leading the study and they had invited me to lead tonight. So I invested a couple hours this afternoon studying 2 Peter 3:1-9. I greatly enjoyed leading tonight's study. They had 19 people in their home, from many different churches. My task was not to teach as much as it was to lead them in a discussion. I think I accomplished the task as everyone participated in some way or another. Once again the prayer time at the end was simply wonderful and heartfelt.
So today was a long day of singing, leading, teaching, studying, recording, editing, researching, reading, praying, and encouraging. In other words, a typical Sunday in the life of a pastor... a day for which I am most thankful.
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Today we continue our sermon series: Mad Church Disease with a talk on "Five Principles of Recovery." (Many thanks to Anne Jackson for her book, Mad Church Disease!) The video of the talk is below. (If you have any problems watching it here, you can see it on Vimeo.) You can also take the audio version of the talk with you by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast. I have also provided additional resources for this sermon if you would like to use them:
Mad Church Disease: Five Principles for Recovery from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
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Hello my friends. Thanks for stopping by. I'm sitting at Panera Bread with a premium seat by the fireplace. My work is prepared for tomorrow's church service so I have a bit more of a relaxing Saturday in store than normal.
Simply Christian. I've been enjoying Simply Christian by N. T. Wright. I'll be sad when I'm finished with it. The book is divided up into 3 sections: the first an apologetic for God; the second an apologetic for the Christian God; and the third, and thus far my favorite, an apologetic for the Christian faith. The most recent two chapters on worship and prayer have been profound for me. The chapter on worship discussed, among other things, incorporating Scripture readings into the worship service as a normal part of the Christian worship, so...
More Scripture Reading at Church Requel. I discussed this idea with our leadership team Thursday night. Friday, I did some research on the lectionary - a traditional schedule of Bible readings that covers the major sections of the Scriptures over a two year period of time. I found a great site: www.textweek.com. I included the readings for this Sunday in our weekend service at Church Requel. I called different people who make Church Requel a weekly habit and asked them if they would be willing to read tomorrow. Each person said, "yes." Most sounded excited about it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out for us.
Tomorrow's sermon is "Five Principles for Recovery." We have been examining the concept of Church Burnout from Anne Jackson's Mad Church Disease. These five principles were my favorite part of the book. I reached deep within myself in preparation for this week's talk, spending more time in preparation than I normally do. As a result, I'm really looking forward to sharing with our small, new congregation.
This is what I was designed for. Each new day convinces me more that the events of the past three months (losing my job at Crossroads and the aftermath) have been a supreme blessing to me. I have nothing but the greatest respect for the hard working, servant minded folks at Crossroads - staff and volunteers alike. When I was there I could never have contemplated a life away from there. But now that I'm here, I'm thankful for each opportunity that God is giving me. I'm meeting new friends, making new connections, thinking and praying in new ways, and watching God work on, in, and through my faith. (That's a lot of prepositions, but it's the only way I know to describe the faith I'm experiencing without at the same time taking any credit for it. As Paul said long before me, it is the Spirit of Christ who is working in and through me.)
Mixed joy. I know that when I write things like I do above that there are those who read this and feel like I am completely over the break in relationships with friends at Crossroads. I don't think this will ever be true. While I was there, my life was so immersed in friendships and relationships, so filled with love for people and passion for work, that I think I will forever grieve the parting. However, as already stated, I believe God is at work with me and was not, nor is not surprised at what has developed - so I trust in Him. Also I think it is probably best for Crossroads and its leadership for me to remain apart so that they can also move forward with their ministry. God is at work and, I think, will be pleased by multiple ministries and expressions of His love and grace in Mansfield.
Celebrating my Dad. To get back to earth just for a moment, I am also celebrating my earthly father. He is in the final stages of preparation for a cross-country - and by country I do mean the U.S. of A. - tricycle trip from Pacific to Atantic. He is doing a great job blogging about his preparations and plans to keep a blog going of his journey as well. You may want to bookmark his site to read about his progress: www.walsinepierce.com.
Let's Get Physical. Some of you have been following the "pushups" log on the Twitter feed. I'm now into the fourth week of the routine found at www.hundredpushups.com. According to the author of this site it should be possible for someone to get to the place where they can do one hundred pushups in a row, without a break, in about a six week period of time. I was doing well until this week. While I have been fully dedicated to doing the work, I'm finding my 51 year old body had not been quite able to do it. So I may have to repeat this week - maybe several times. So what if it actually takes more than six weeks. It is a great routine and has been helpful to me.
Some friends of mine have come to join me at Panera so I'll sign off for now. May you have a blessed weekend. Mark.
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Matthew Study #65 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
We continue our overview of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. Join me in our study of Matthew 5:3-12. If you have any problems watching the video above, you can view it on Vimeo or on YouTube. And, of course, you can take the audio with you wherever you go by subscribing to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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Matthew Study #64 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
When Jesus said, "Blessed," Matthew wrote, "Makarios" in Greek. What is the significance of Makarios in the life of a Christ follower? Join me as we continue our study of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. If you have any problems watching the video above, you can also watch it over on Vimeo or on YouTube. And, of course, you may also subscribe to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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I'm proud to share with you that my partner, best friend and spouse of 30 years was honored today by the Visiting Nurse Association of Mid-Ohio. Mary Kay received the "Distinguished Community Advocate" award for her work as Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Richland County.
When Mary was called up to the front of the room to be honored, she gave a great two minute talk. She reminded everyone of the stigma that is often associated with people who suffer from mental illness. With great passion she implored the professional nurses present to extend compassionate care both to the mentally ill as well as to their families. She also gave much credit and love to her brother, John, who suffers with schizophrenia. And, a surprise to me, she mentioned me and how understanding she says I am with her calling and work. Honestly, I'm just lucky to be able to share life with this remarkable woman!
Congratulations Mary Kay! I've watched you advocate tirelessly on behalf of so many who could not fight for themselves. Richland County families are fortunate to have you on their side. And so am I!
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Good morning gentle reader. I have a few minutes this morning before I'm off to my next appointment and thought I would write a bit about what's going on in my life these past few days. I suppose it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that life as a church planter is more full than I could ever have imagined. So I don't always have the time to give to this blog that I would like.
Matthew Bible Studies. I suppose if there is any one thing that I'm truly enjoying out of all proportion to anything else, it would be the time and energy I'm giving to producing the daily Bible study. This week we have moved to Matthew chapter 5 and are beginning to talk about the Beatitudes or the "blessings" as we say it in English. These verses have had a profound impact upon my thinking. I find myself dwelling upon these teachings by Jesus at the oddest moments - in the car, in bed at night, during my prayer life. I've had some fun too by going outside. This week I am doing the studies out at Johnny Appleseed Park. If you haven't had a chance to "tune in" lately, this would be a good week to do so.
Shared Leadership. Tonight I meet with several of the new leaders from my new church. We will do some dreaming and mutual vision casting. I'm looking forward to what others have to say about Church Requel. What is God's Spirit doing and saying in their lives?
Seminary Learning. I am greatly enjoying my current class on The Pentateuch from Dr. Dan Hawk at Ashland Theological Seminary. I can't help but think that we, in the Evangelical community, have done a particularly poor job of teaching the Pentateuch in our churches. I leave class every Tuesday evening with amazement at the new things I have learned. I'm excited to begin sharing some of these thoughts with my church.
Simply Christian. I've been reading Simply Christian by N.T. Wright. Each chapter is so filled with great insight that a chapter or so a day seems about what I can handle. This morning I was impressed with the need to include more Scripture reading as part of our worship services at Church Requel. Certainly God's Word has an important role to play within the sermon, but it is clear to me that we should allow Scripture to speak for itself during worship.
Tech News. I have ordered a new Apple Macbook and hope to have it sometime next week. My Dell laptop is now 5 years old and doing things it was never designed to do. I plan to use both computers, using the Dell primarily as the tool to upload videos to the Internet, while I will use the Mac for design and editing. I've also been greatly coveting the new Kindle 2 from Amazon, a new ebook reader. I do so much reading that it would be great to have this new device. However, I'll not spend the $359 without the blessing of Mary Kay, and she rightly reminds me that we don't have as much cash coming in these days as we used to have. So I'll wait on that.
Mary Kay Honored. Speaking of Mary Kay, she is being honored today at the "Distinguished Leaders in Healthcare" Luncheon. This is put on by the Visiting Nurse Association of Mid-Ohio. Specifically, Mary Kay will be receiving an award for Distinguised Community Advocate for her work as the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Richland County. Increasingly, I have the opportunity to be Mark, the husband of Mary Kay. I value that role and will happily sit in Mary Kay's shadow today. I personally know of no other person who works as tirelessly for the overlooked needs of family members, when someone in their family suffers the devasting impact of mental illness. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful wife!
That's it for now. Thanks for reading Church Requel. I hope to have some pictures from the luncheon later today. Until next time, Mark.
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Matthew Study #63 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
We begin our study of the Beatitudes with a study of the word Blessing. What did it mean to those whom Jesus taught 2,000 years ago? Does it mean the same today. Join me as we study Matthew 5:2-12. (You can also watch Matthew Study #63 on Vimeo, on YouTube, and can listen via podcast.)
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Matthew Study #62 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
This morning we read the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:2-12. Rather than give answers, today we ask questions. What did Jesus mean by beginning his Sermon on the Mount with these "blessings"? Join me for our daily Bible study as we take a first look at the Beatitudes. More questions than answers today. If you have any difficulty watching the video here, you can view it over on Vimeo. You can also take this Bible study (and all the other ones) with you if you subscribe to the Church Requel Audio Podcast. This way you can listen wherever you are doing whatever you're doing!
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Matthew Study #61 from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.
We consider an outline of the Sermon on the Mount. Join me as we begin our study of Matthew 5. If you have any difficulty watching the video above, you can watch it on Vimeo. This study is also available via subscription to the Church Requel Audio Podcast.
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The following 3-minute video brings back great memories. Many a Saturday night was spent with my Mom and Dad watching Hee Haw in the early 1970's. Yes, it's korny. But why not? After all, it was Kornfield Kounty! (Thanks to Todd Rhodes at MMI for the link.)
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Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the megabestselling and bestselling Eat, Pray, Love, muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. (If you have any problems watching this video here, you can watch it on Ted.com.)
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Derek Cooper, who wrote the book, So You're Thinking About Going To Seminary: An Insider's Guide, was recently interviewed by Christianity Today. As in the past, poor economic times proves to be a boon for seminaries around the U.S. As the unemployment rate increases, so apparently, does the enrollment of seminaries. But are all these new seminarians planning on entering the ministry? Nope... this is one of two big misconceptions, according to Cooper, of seminaries. Speaking of the two misconceptions:
Second, those who do not attend seminary assume that only people called to the pastorate or some other full-time Christian ministry are encouraged or even eligible to attend seminary. The truth is, however, that seminaries are filled with students who will pursue a variety of professions after graduation.
I wonder if Ashland Thelological Seminary has seen any increase in enrollment lately. Anyone know?
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