Church Requel Blog - Writings of Mark Pierce

Audio Podcast: Keeping My Eyes On The Ball

In this week's Church Requel audio podcast, Pastor Mark talks about

1. The NAMI Ohio Conference this past weekend with Mary Kay
2. Apple's quarterly earnings - what can we learn about reality and perception?
3. Facebook Loneliness - Online Social Networking is only one tool for connection
4. Cutting Room Floor - Using creativity, relevance, and ending twist for presentations
5. Sermon: "Keeping My Eyes On The Ball" - learning perseverance lessons from the Sower and the Seed AND baseball.

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

This Weekend at CR: Sower and the Seed - Baseball Style

Good morning everyone!  Mark Pierce here with your weekly Church Requel "What's Happening" blog post.  I hope this message finds you doing well and looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  Whatever your plans for Saturday and Sunday, I hope you'll end your Sunday with us.

We will continue our current sermon series, The God Life, with part 4: "Keeping My Eye On The Ball." Our primary Bible text will be the parable of the Sower and the Seeds, found in Luke 8:11-15.  I've had so much enjoyment preparing your talk for Sunday night.  We'll look at this most famous of Jesus' parables through a baseball lens.  It is baseball season after all.  (And it's still early enough in the season that there's still hope for the Indians!)  I have a humorous video lined up to introduce our talk. We'll also pull a song out of the 1995 archives as we listen to Geoff Moore and the Distance sing "Home Run."  

Our Sympathies To Diana. Dwight Miller, Diana Devolder's father, passed away Thursday morning.  We extend our condolences to Diana and her family.  Calling hours will be Sunday at Wappner in Ontario from 1pm - 3pm.  The funeral service, also at Wappner, will be held Monday morning at 10:30.  More info, including Dwight's obituary, may be found here.

New Members Class June 9th.  Several of you have mentioned that you would like to join the church.  We are letting you know about this June 9th class so that you can make sure you keep this Saturday free.  We'll start at 8:30am and will finish by 2:30pm.  A continental breakfast and lunch will be included.  If you come to the class you are not obligated to become a member.  This is the best way to learn everything you ever wanted to know about Church Requel!  There is no cost to attend.  Email me if you would like to reserve your seat.

Church Requel Podcast Every Monday!  Do you know about this?  Every Monday morning I put together the Church Requel podcast.  What's a podcast?  It's an audio program that you can download from the Internet.  It's like a radio show.  Every week I talk about the things going on at Church Requel.  Then we include the audio sermon from the Sunday night before. Here's a link to the podcast feed.  Listen to the podcast here.  

This is a great way to become a Church Requel insider. It's like sitting down and having a conversation with me every week. I love podcasts! I listen in the car when I'm driving and when I exercise.  There's never any hurry or time constraints because I'm usually doing something else at the same time.  

I'm putting together an email list of people who want to know when the podcast is actually up and ready to go every week.  If you would like to receive this Monday message, send me an email.  You also will have the chance to comment and share your comments with others who are on the podcast mailing list!

That will do it for this week.  Keep your prayers going for Dick Jourdan and Lincoln Bohnke.  Also pray for Diana.  This will be a tough weekend for her.  

Love you all much!  Pastor Mark

Video Sermon: Learning To Be My Own Boss

Self-control is another way of thinking about being my own boss. To serve Christ well, we need to be self-disciplined. In this video sermon from April 22nd,  we learn WHY and HOW to be our own boss.  Thanks so much to Dave Johnson for his video editing work!

Learning To Be My Own Boss from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120422OUTSIDE - this is the outside of the printed program
• Download 120422INSIDE - this is the inside of the printed program
  
• YouVersion Sermon Notes - this is the link to the Bible app notes for this sermon.
• Download 120422 Be Own Boss TEACHING NOTES - this is the manuscript I took into the pulpit.
  
• Download 120422 Be Own Boss NOTES SLIDES - this is the same manuscript, but with the graphics in the margin.  Used by our tech team
  
• Download 120422 Planning Sheet - this is our order of service for April 22nd.  Pastors and worship planners may find good ideas here to support the theme of self-control.

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.

Sermon Notes: "Living The Good Life"

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

The God Life Part 3: "Learning To Be My Own Boss" 04.22.12

Scripture:  Luke 12:35-40 / 2 Peter 1:5-6 NIV 

Follow the YouVersion LIVE Event Notes

Listen to this week's CR Sermon & Podcast (fast forward to minute 45 to listen to sermon):

Intro:  I have ambitious plans for tonight’s sermon.  I’d like to share with you one of the most important lessons I have ever learned - a lesson that has made a dramatic difference in the way I’ve lived my life... a lesson that I believe can also make a dramatic difference in the way you live your life.  That lesson is this.  Learn to be your own boss.  Take charge of your life.  Learn how to be self-controlled.  Learn the art of alert discipline.  My dad taught me from an early age that if I would be tough on myself, I would never have to worry about anyone else being tough with me.  It’s true.  And, I believe, it’s Biblical.  Peter tells us:

 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control...” 2 Peter 1:5-6a NIV

“So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with ... alert discipline.”2 Peter 1:5-6a MSG

Today I have a big job in front of me.  In 30 minutes I’d like to share with you six reasons - 6 motivations - for WHY you should be your own boss. We learn these six reasons for self-discipline from Jesus in Luke 12.  Then, before we finish, I’d like to share 3 prompts for being your own boss.  Three HOWs to get you started down the right path.

6 Reasons for “Alert Discipline”

1st Reason:  __I AM A SERVANT__.

The first thing we learn about being your own boss - as a Christian - is that the reason you want to be your own boss is that you really aren’t your own boss.  You serve someone else!  You are not the master.  You are the servant.  Jesus taught...

 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet.” Luke 12:35-36a NIV

It may seem like I’m being contradictory here.  The truth is that the best way that you can be the best servant for Christ is that you are in control of yourself.  That you in charge of yourself.  The best servant is the one who is intentionally the best servant, who works to serve well... 

2nd Reason:  __I WANT TO SERVE WELL__.

Jesus tells us that the excellent servant is the one who is ready to open the door for the master when he comes.  

"So that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him." Luke 12:36b NIV

So, you may ask, what does this have to do with being your own boss.  The servant who serves well is the one who says to himself: “This is my priority.  I’m going to do what I have to do to serve well.  In this case he stays awake.  He remains alert.  He keeps the lamps burning - which in those days involved a lot more than turning on a light switch.  He had to keep the fuel in the lights.  He had to keep himself awake.  One of the best ways to be a good servant is to WANT to be a good servant - to prepare yourself to serve well.

3rd Reason:  __I WILL BE REWARDED__.

Another motivation to remain in charge of yourself so you can serve well is that there will be a great reward for you!

"It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come wait on them.” Luke 12:37 NIV

Some people struggle with the idea of serving Christ as well as possible so that they might be rewarded.  There’s one person who didn’t have a problem with this concept.  Jesus!  In fact, he said that the reward for serving well would be that the master would, in turn, serve you!  This may be one of the hardest things for us to accept. It doesn’t happen because we demand it. God does not act on our wishes.  What we see here is that it is God’s delight to wait on those who dedicate their lives to Him!  But this dedication does not come cheaply or easily. It involves...  

4th Reason:  __I NEED TO BE PREPARED__.

To be prepared is to think through what you must do to serve well.  What are the sacrifices that you will need to make? How can you be ready?

"It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready,
even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.” Luke 12:38 NIV

This is a big reason WHY you want to be self-controlled.  Because otherwise you cannot serve as well.  You cannot be ready when God calls you.  The truth is many of us are not sensitive enough to even hear God, let alone act upon his call.  The self-controlled, self-disciplined servant is ever tuned to hear and act, always prepared.

5th Reason:  __I MUST BE DEFENSIVE__.

It’s also the best way we have of being prepared for the enemy of our soul.  Jesus slips this into the story.  There is a thief in the night...

"But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” Luke 12:39 NIV

In this story it’s not just a matter of the servants being prepared for the master to come, but also prepared for the enemy - the thief - to come.  This is an interesting insertion into the story.  Jesus had been talking about the servant of the master’s house.  Now he’s talking about the owner of the house.  Why?  Because each servant is the owner of his house - his body, his soul, his existence.  God never takes from us what we are unwilling to offer.  This is why it is so important for you to “be your own boss.”  If you are not in charge of yourself, how could you possibly “give yourself away?”  It’s for this reason why many of us serve so poorly. Because we don’t think through that the best way to protect myself is the same best way to serve God - to be purposeful in my alertness. To be disciplined in my commitment.  There’s one more reward... 

6th Reason:  __I DON’T WANT TO MISS OUT__.

Jesus tells us that He will be coming back and that we need to be ready.

"You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:40 NIV

I don’t want to miss out.  And neither do you.  How can we be prepared.  How can we best make ourselves in charge of ourselves so that we can best serve and be ready for Christ - our ultimate Master?  3 Prompts!

3 Prompts For “Alert Discipline”

 #1 The Power of ___PURPOSE___.

We do not live just for ourselves.  We find our purpose in Christ!  He has designed each one of us for a specific purpose.

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living.” Ephesians 1:11 MSG

We never come across this unique purpose by being selfish.  It’s never about what is my purpose for me... It’s always about “What is my purpose for Christ?” Interestingly this is the best way to find my true self!

"Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.  What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself?” Matthew 16:25-26a MSG

#2 The Power of ___PATTERN___.

The power of purpose is amazing.  Once I know what I’m all about, what my true self is all about, then I can address my habits.  Are my habits - what I do over and over again - leading me toward my purpose?  If there is any question about what kinds of habits - or patterns - we should be following, we need only look to the examples given us in Scripture:

Jesus: "I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.” John 13:15 MSG

Paul: “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me - a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 1:13 NLT

 #3 The Power of ___PRACTICE___.

And now we come to the crux of the matter - HOW we work within ourselves to become our own boss - to become self-controlled and self-disciplined enough to live out the patterns and habits that we see in Christ Jesus.  We have the POWER to do this supernaturally - God’s Spirit in us!  But there is nothing supernatural about the reality of making these habits - or patterns - in our lives.  They come THROUGH PRACTICE!  This is what the early Christ-followers always taught!

 Paul: "Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.”  1 Timothy 4:15 ESV

Peter: “If you practice these qualities you will never fail.”  2 Peter 1:10b  ESV

Conclusion: We have given you much to think about.  We are not our own.  We are Christ’s servants.  Christ is our Master... our ultimate boss!  But to be the very best servants we can be - we have to discipline ourselves - we have to put ourselves in charge of ourselves.  We have to be committed to being prepared, to being ready.  And this never comes without intention, without sacrifice.  We never completely arrive.  But we should be seeing progress - as Paul wrote to Timothy.  Are you seeing progress?  Are you more in charge of yourself today than you were a year ago?  Are you more of a prepared and ready servant than you were one year ago?  What practice do you need to be working on today?

Purpose and Self Control:  When Trish Vickers lost her sight, she poured her energies into writing a novel in longhand.  But at the end of a  26-page writing session, she was devastated to discover that her pen had been dry and all the pages were blank.  In desperation, Vickers, of Lyme Regis in the U.K., turned to her local police force’s fingerprinting department for help.  To her relief, the officers were able to use special lighting techniques to recover the writing from impressions on the pages.  “It was nice to do something for somebody,” said forensic specialist Kerry Savage, who completed the task during her lunch hours.”

Application #1 - Find your purpose and don’t allow your limitations to keep you from doing what God has called you to do.  Become what He has made you to be.  Focus on what you have, not on what you lack.

Application #2 - We are not in this alone.  Sometimes God will bring others alongside to help you achieve what you cannot achieve by yourself.  Find community around your purpose.

Application #3 - Don’t view your calling, your talents, and your special abilities too narrowly.  You’d be amazed at how God can use you and your talents in ways you never dreamed of!

Audio Podcast: Learning To Be My Own Boss

In this week's podcast:

1. Reflections on death of Chuck Colson; 
2. Management Lessons from Secret Service Scandal; 
3. Six Reasons Young People Leave Church; 
4. Writing Talks with an Early Ending Clause; 
5. Handy Habits - the Children's sermon; 
6. Sermon - "How To Be My Own Boss" from Luke 12. (The sermon starts at about the 45-minute mark.)

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

This Weekend at CR: 4PM POTLUCK!!!

Hey everyone!  Pastor Mark here with your weekly Church Requel update! Hope this Friday morning finds you up and at 'em, full of vim and vinegar! As my dad often reminded me: "The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the bees are making honey!"

POTLUCK THIS SUNDAY!!!  Mention the word "potluck" to a requeler and his or her mouth will automatically start watering! People come from miles around to be part of the Church Requel potluck.  I've already been receiving messages from some of the things you all have cooking up - and it sounds so fantastic.  Bryan (pictured here) complained at our last potluck that we scheduled it on a weekend when he had to work. This time we checked first with Bryan's schedule (back in February!) so that he could again lead the line.  Don't worry - even with Bryan getting first dibs, there will be plenty to eat for everyone! 

Plan on arriving at the church by 4pm - two hours earlier than usual.  We'll meet in the fellowship hall directly beneath the chapel area where we hold our services.  Families should bring one main dish and one side dish or dessert.  Single folks bring one dish of any kind to share with others.  The church will provide plates, napkins, eating utensils and noncarbonated beverages.

A special message to some of our new families.  I know coming to something like this can be intimidating.  Trust me when I tell you there is no better way to get to know other folks at Church Requel.  It's a fun, low-key, enjoyable event where you can make new friends and catch up with old friends.

Learn To Be Your Own Boss.  That's sounds like an odd title for a Christian message.  However that's the theme for our 6pm Church Requel service.  We will meet in the chapel at 6pm like always. (Folks who come to the potluck will have to hike themselves up the stairs - no small challenge!)  Part 3 of our God Life sermon series will help us with our self-discipline.  We'll talk about our habits and the connections between our purpose, patterns and practices.  

I have a wonderfully simple (and I hope memorable) special sermon planned for our elementary children.  So make sure they come too!  They will come up front with Pastor Mark before the regular sermon.  If I do my job well enough, everyone will wish they were back in grade school!

One more piece of GREAT NEWS!  We have a new nursery volunteer!  Shannon Melton is "Mom" to Dylan, Drew, Lila, and Addie. Shannon contacted me this week and volunteered to serve once a month in the Nursery!  She'll also be bringing snacks and a craft for the lucky pre-schoolers!  If you have preschoolers at home - don't leave them behind... Bring them with you! With Shannon they will have a great church experience.  If you see Shannon, let her know how much we appreciate her being a part of the Church Requel team.

Women's Bible Study Wednesday at 6:30pm. This study from the epistle of James includes a great video teaching from Beth Moore.  Topics in this study include: joy, hardship, faith, reversal of fortunes for rich and poor, wisdom, gifts from above, single-mindedness, the dangers of the tongue, humility, and prayer. If you are a woman at Church Requel, you won't want to miss this chance to meet and know new friends and learn important, faith-building lessons.  The group meets every other Wednesday at 6:30pm at Mary Kay's home. (It happens to be the same place where I hang out!)

 New Members Class June 2nd. This is our first announcement for the new membership class.  You may wonder why we are sharing this so early.  Several of you have mentioned that you would like to join the church.  We are letting you know about this June 2nd class so that you can make sure you keep this Saturday free.  We'll start at 8:30am and will finish by 2:30pm.  A continental breakfast and lunch will be included.  If you come to the class you are not obligated to become a member.  This is the best way to learn everything you ever wanted to know about Church Requel!  There is no cost to attend.  Email me if you would like to reserve your seat.

Church Requel Podcast Every Monday!  Do you know about this?  Every Monday morning I put together the Church Requel podcast.  What's a podcast?  It's an audio program that you can download from the Internet.  It's like a radio show.  Every week I talk about the things going on at Church Requel.  Then we include the audio sermon from the Sunday night before. Here's a link to the podcast feed.  Listen to the podcast here.  

This is a great way to become a Church Requel insider. It's like sitting down and having a conversation with me every week. I love podcasts! I listen in the car when I'm driving and when I exercise.  There's never any hurry or time constraints because I'm usually doing something else at the same time.  

I'm putting together an email list of people who want to know when the podcast is actually up and ready to go every week.  If you would like to receive this Monday message, send me an email.  You also will have the chance to comment and share your comments with others who are on the podcast mailing list!

Good News About Lincoln. I know many of you have been praying for Lincoln Bohnke every day.  Lincoln was born prematurely on March 2nd.  He was only 25 weeks along. At the time he weighed only 2 pounds and 1 ounce.  Now he is up to 3 pounds.  The news this week has been good and we are grateful.  However, he is still on a ventilator.  His original due date was not until June 11th.  I know Dan (pictured on the right) and Katie would really appreciate your prayers and encouragement.  I encourage you to go to their Caring Bridge site and let them know you are thinking of them. (Click here to connect to the Caring Bridge site.)

One more prayer request - keep Dick Jourdan in your prayers.  He is still in a great deal of pain from the shingles.  And this is keeping him from having a needed surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his nose.  I know Dick would love your prayers and encouragement too.

Thank you for your faithfulness.  I would be remiss if I didn't also share with you that several of our small congregation have really taken our finances to heart and have been incredibly supportive.  I only mentioned this once at a public worship service three weeks ago, but you have responded so beautifully.  One man recently started a new, full-time job.  His first response was to show up at Pastor Steve's home to sign up for online giving.  Another woman met with me this week.  She's working a new part-time job and wanted to donate her first paycheck.  I can't begin to tell you how humbling this is for me as your pastor.  We still have a ways to go to catch up with our budget for the year.  However, I know two things.  First, I know you love your church and are praying and sacrificing to make Church Requel possible.  Second, I know that our God is good and will take us through this faith journey.  I just want you to know that I LOVE going through this journey with you!

Ok.  I think this long Friday message needs to come to an end.  If you actually read this far I congratulate you!  Why not share this with someone else?  Forward this to a friend or family member along with your invitation to Church Requel this weekend.  They will thank you.  And so will I!

God bless!  Pastor Mark

Video Sermon: Living The Good Life

In part 2 of the new God Life sermon series, I discuss what the good life looks like - from God's point of view. We want to avoid wrong assumptions, misdirected gumptions, and false presumptions if we want to live the good life!  These videos wouldn't be possible without the editing talents of Dave Johnson. Thanks Dave!

Living The Good Life from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120415OUTSIDE - the outside of our weekly printed program.
• Download 120415INSIDE - the inside of our weekly printed program.
  
• YouVersion Sermon Notes - this is the online LIVE event we published for the Bible app.
• Download 120415 Good Life TEACHING NOTES - this is the manuscript I used in the pulpit.
  
• Download 120415 Good Life NOTES SLIDES - same manuscript but with graphics in the margins.  Used by our tech team.
  
• Download 120415 Planning Sheet - this is the order of worship we followed on April 15th.  It might contain good ideas to support the theme of living the good life.
  

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.

Sermon Notes: "Living The Good Life"

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

The God Life Part 2: "The Good Life" 04.15.12

Scripture:  Luke 12:13-31 / 2 Peter 1:5 NIV 

Follow the YouVersion LIVE Event Notes

Listen to this week's CR Sermon & Podcast (fast forward to minute 26 to only listen to Sunday's sermon):

Intro:  We have begun a new sermon series!  “Living The Good Life.”  We started last week and we learned one basic truth that will be the central lesson of our series: “If you want to live the good life, you must live the God life!”  We learn these lessons from Peter, who writes to us in 2 Peter from a unique perspective. A) He followed Jesus and heard him teach for 3 years. B) Now he is at the end of his ministry (and life) and reflecting on how to live out what Jesus taught.   Peter writes:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  2 Peter 1:3-4

(Review details of verse.) We might suspect that God does everything for us.  But then Peter writes a surprising thing to us in verse 5:

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness;”

This is the truth that will carry us through the rest of the series....

God makes the good life possible. But I must also ___MAKE EVERY EFFORT___!

Audio Podcast: Living The Good Life

In this week's podcast, Pastor Mark reflects on the April 15th CR service.  Then we hear a clip from this past week's episode of The Middle, where the family talks about changing churches.  Pastor Mark then considers why some people change churches - and why most people don't. We then consider different preaching styles and why Mark has adopted a conversational approach.  Then we visit the sermon "cutting room floor," where we find what didn't make it into last week's talk.  Finally we hear the sermon from Sunday, April 15th, Part 2 of the God Life series: "Living The Good Life."

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

This Weekend: Living The Good Life

Hey everyone! Pastor Mark here with your weekly blog post about what's happening at Church Requel this weekend.  This week I will update you on what's happening with Mary Kay's family, this weekend's CR worship service, next weekend's potluck, the weekly podcast and the great job Diana is doing on the online CR photo albums.

Hope this message finds you all doing well.  Mary Kay and I are traveling to Celina tomorrow to join her six siblings as they spread their mother's ashes in a private burial ceremony.   Please remember Mary Kay and her family in your thoughts and prayers.  I know this will be a tough weekend for her.

We'll return in plenty of time for the Church Requel worship service Sunday night at 6pm.  We have some great things planned for this weekend's worship service.  Sheri Pryor will tell us about the Easter dinner donations.  Lisa Gilbert will teach our elementary children. Steve Thoman will catch us up on all the cool things happening at CR - including details of next Sunday's potluck meal (see below). Nancy Roop will read our Scripture from Luke's gospel.

I've worked all week on our new sermon series.  The name of this seven-part series is The God Life. Each weekend we'll start with a verse from 2nd Peter 1.  Then we'll study a parable or teaching from Jesus in one of the gospels.  This weekend we learn about living the good life.  Peter tells us to add to our faith goodness (2 Peter 1:5 NIV).  We'll talk about how we do this.  From Jesus' parable of the rich fool we'll discover the three fugitives of assumption, gumption, and presumption we must guard against if we want to live the good life.  I think it's good, but then I'm biased.  Guess you'll have to come to find out! (Want a preview? Here are the YouVersion sermon notes.)

Potluck Next Sunday! Start planning now for next weekend's potluck. Church Requel folks love their potlucks.  As the picture on the left shows, Bryan plans to be back at the front of the line.  I actually called Bryan two months ago when I scheduled the fellowship hall for next weekend's potluck.  He told me he never wants to miss another potluck because of a work conflict! We're talking priorities here!  

Families should plan on bringing two dishes, including one main dish. Single folks can bring one dish of any variety.  Plates, silverware, napkins and a non-carbonated drink will be provided by Church Requel.  You bring everything else.  Plan on being at the church by 4pm next Sunday.  We'll enjoy our regular service upstairs at 6pm.  Our potlucks are a great opportunity to get to know new people - and there are quite a number of new families this year.  So plan on coming to church early next week... and bring a large appetite!

Listen to the Church Requel Podcast.  Do you know about this new opportunity?  Each Monday morning I publish an audio podcast and make it available for free on the Internet.  What's in the podcast?  For the first 20 to 30 minutes I talk about whatever is on my mind - usually things happening behind the scenes at Church Requel.  For example, last week I talked about the Easter weekend.  ...What it was like to preach the Good Friday message. ...How the Easter CR service almost didn't happen (as we planned it) because the projector died 15 minutes before the service.  ...About how cool it was to hear my children practicing their music for last weekend's service.  

The last half of the podcast is always a repeat of the Sunday evening message so you can hear it again and let it soak into your brain!  Think of this weekly podcast as your ability to take a conversation with your pastor with you wherever you go.  You can listen in your car, while you're exercising, or at home in the easy chair. Set your computer, tablet or smart phone to automatically download the podcast each Monday afternoon.  You can find the podcast in any of three places online: 1) from the iTunes Music store; 2) from the CR Audio blog feed; or 3) from the CR website.

Church Requel Photos. Have you checked out the Church Requel online photo album yet? Diana Devolder is doing an AMAZING job for us with her photography talents.  The picture on the left is just one of 28 photos she uploaded to our Easter album just this past week!  This album is just one of eleven photo albums she has made available for us in the past few months! Each album has a theme and is carefully edited and uploaded by Diana.  The next time you see Diana, let her know how much we appreciate her pictures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... so far Diana has told the story of Church Requel with hundreds of thousands of words worth!  

That will wrap up this week's blog entry of what's happening.  I always say that for such a little church we sure have a lot of things going on!  Hope to see you all Sunday evening!  Love you much!  Pastor Mark

Video Sermon: Easter - Sharing The Divine Nature

One of the greatest things about Christianity is that God lives within the Christ follower. Join me for this Easter 2012 video talk about "Sharing The Divine Nature."  Many thanks to Dave Johnson for editing this video!

Easter: "Sharing The Divine Nature" from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120408OUTSIDE - This is the outside of our printed Easter program.
• Download 120408INSIDE - This is the inside of our printed Easter program.
  
• YouVersion Sermon Notes - This is the live event available on the Bible app on Easter Sunday.
• Download 120408 Divine Nature TEACHING NOTES - This is the manuscript I took to the pulpit on Easter Sunday.
  
• Download 120408 Divine Nature NOTES SLIDES - This is the same manuscript, but with the graphics in the margins.  Used by our tech team.
  
• Download 120408 Planning Sheet - This was our order of worship on Easter Sunday, 2012.  Pastors and worship planners might find good ideas to support the theme.
  

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.

Photos From The Easter Service At Church Requel

Diana, our church photographer, was up until 1:45 last night posting our new Easter photo album online.  There are 28 photos altogether.  You can see the whole album online here.  All of these photos are available to download if you see something special you want to keep.

Here are a few of my favorites!

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Thanks Diana for posting such beautiful photos!

Sermon Notes: "Sharing The Divine Nature"

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

The God Life Part 1: "Sharing The Divine Nature” 04.08.12

Scripture:  Luke 24:36-49 / 2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV 

Follow the YouVersion LIVE Event Notes

Listen to this week's CR Sermon & Podcast (fast forward to minute 56 to only listen to Sunday's sermon):

Intro:  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  We come to this Resurrection Day celebrating the hope we all enjoy because of the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection.  The son of God died on the cross, was buried and on the third day He rose again.  Jesus’ life after death was witnessed by Mary, Peter, John, all the disciples, plus 500 other followers.  In fact, we discover that being a witness was the first order of business from Jesus.

#1. Christ's Resurrection: I am be His  ___WITNESS___.

"You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:48 ESV

Consider that Jesus spent another 40 days on the Planet Earth before He ascended into Heaven.  The “proof” of His resurrection rested on those who witnessed his post-resurrection life.  These same men, who scattered in fear when Jesus died, found the courage to change the world when Jesus was resurrected.

For us today we should realize that Jesus resurrection is the beginning of the story, not the end.  If we were reading a novel about our Christian lives, Jesus resurrection would not be the conclusion.  It would be the preface! Jesus’ resurrection is that change that changes everything!

Jesus instructions to his followers two millennia ago, “You are witnesses of these things,” are still his instructions to his followers now.  We are to be today’s witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.  How do we do this? You might think that those first 500 had an advantage.  They “saw” Jesus.  They could testify about the man once dead now walking.  But that was never the way of their witness; nor is it ours.

Audio Podcast: The Easter Weekend

In this week's podcast, I talk about the Easter weekend, including

• the Children's talk on Easter
• the projector busted 15 minutes before the service
• listening to my children sing in the praise team
• my talk for the Good Friday service at Ontario Christian Fellowship, 
• conversations with several CR folks, 
• my children home for the holidays, 
• and the Easter sermon, "The Divine Nature."  

If you'd like to follow along the with the Good Friday talk, "Betrayed By A Kiss," you can read the Good Friday YouVersion notes here.  And if you want to follow the notes for the Easter talk, "The Divine Nature," you can read those Easter YouVersion notes here.

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

Sermon Notes: "Betrayed By A Kiss"

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

"Betrayed By A Kiss” 04.06.12

Scripture:  Luke 22:47-48 / YouVersion LIVE Event

Listen to Good Friday sermon

Tonight on this Good Friday night we are going to talk about betrayal. You can't live very long on Planet Earth without experiencing betrayal first hand. The daddy you thought you could count on doesn't show up. That friend who said she wouldn't tell your secret, blabs to the very person who could hurt you the most. That employer for whom you sacrificed all the late hours suddenly decides he doesn't want to sacrifice for you at the first little financial bump in the road and hands you the pink slip. That spouse who promised "'til death do us part" exits early for "Better," "Richer," not to mention "Younger."

 So maybe you can understand that of all the pains Jesus would suffer over the next 24 hours, the stab of betrayal that started Good Friday Eve was the most painful. Doctor Luke gives us the details.

"While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:47-48 NIV)

The centuries since that moment have held speculation about why Judas did what he did. Maybe he really was nothing but a thief and was motivated by the 30 pieces of silver. Perhaps he was a zealot and wanted to hasten Jesus' kingship. Maybe he thought he was doing a good thing. Or maybe, after three years, this whole Jesus gig was turning toward a completely different direction than he thought, and he wanted Jesus on his own terms.

This Weekend at CR: Good Friday and Easter!

Hi everyone!  Pastor Mark here to remind you about all the special things happening this weekend at Church Requel.  First, make it a priority to come to the Good Friday service this evening!  We will be combining our service with Ontario Christian Fellowship.  It should be a memorable experience for all of us.  There will be special worship events - songs, drama and worship choreography.  I've prepared a message that comes right from my own heart on the subject of betrayal.  I'll be asking if we are PRETENDER Christians, DEFENDER Christians, or SURRENDERED Christians?  We will celebrate the victory of Good Friday with a special communion service together with our fellow Christ followers from OCF.  I'm looking forward to spending time with all of you tonight at 7pm!

Sunday will be Easter - Resurrection Day!  We have some great events planned for our worship time together Sunday night at 6pm.  The entire service will be a celebration of worship, stories, videos, and special music.  Families will enjoy it together and children will be welcomed up front during part of this special Easter worship event.  I'm especially looking forward to following the worship lead of Jillian, Tim, Christy Anne, and Dave - all very special young people in my own life.  We'll hear music by Natalie Grant, Kari Jobe and Casting Crowns.  We'll watch special Easter videos from The Skit Guys and The Story.  And we'll kick off a brand new sermon series this Easter Sunday about the good life. The name of this new 7-part series is "The God Life!" I promise you that you will not want to miss this celebration with family and friends!

I'm sure everyone has great plans to enjoy family and friends over this special Christian holiday.  Don't miss the opportunity to also enjoy your Christian family at Church Requel.  I'm especially looking forward to seeing and celebrating with each one of you.  

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Love you all much, Pastor Mark

Video Sermon: When Heart Meets Mind

In this Palm Sunday video talk, I explore the role of emotions in the Christ-follower's life. Jesus had a wide range of emotions on the day of his victorious entry into Jerusalem. Thank you Dave Johnson for your dedication to editing our sermon videos!

Palm Sunday: "When Heart Meets Mind" from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120401OUTSIDE - this is the outside of our weekly printed program for Palm Sunday.
• Download 120401INSIDE - this is the inside of our weekly printed program for Palm Sunday.
  
• YouVersion Sermon Notes - this is the LIVE event that was available on the YouVersion Bible app on Palm Sunday.
• Download 120401 Heart Mind TEACHING NOTES - this is the manuscript I used in the pulpit.
  
• Download 120401 Heart Mind NOTES SLIDES - this is the same manuscript, but with the graphics in the margins.  Used by our tech team.
  
• Download 120401 Planning Sheet - this is our order of service for Palm Sunday, 2012.  It might contain good planning ideas for other pastors or worship planners.
  

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.

Sermon Notes: "When Heart Meets Mind"

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

"When Heart Meets Mind” 04.01.12

Scripture:  Luke 19:37-48 / YouVersion LIVE Event

Listen to this week's CR Sermon and Podcast:

Intro: This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday.  This is the day that Jesus and his followers triumphantly entered Jerusalem.  On the one hand it was a day of spontaneous celebration.  On top of all the other miracles of healing people and feeding people by the thousands, Jesus had just raised a man from the dead!  A man who had been dead for 4 days! You can imagine that word spread fast and people came from miles around to see Jesus.  On the other hand it was a day of planned activity.  Jesus purposefully re-entered Jerusalem even though he knew that the religious leaders there had it in for him and was planning on killing him. Jesus deliberately planned to ride on the back of a donkey to fulfill prophecy about him being the messiah.  There’s lots happening on this day we call Palm Sunday.

Yet as I read the account in Luke 19 this week in my study time, I discovered something new... at least for me.  I discovered an emotional Jesus.  That’s the first thing we learn today...

Audio Podcast: When Heart Meets Home

We serve God best with ALL of our hearts and ALL of our minds.  Join me for this peek at the emotional life of Jesus on Palm Sunday. Plus I talk about conversations with my brother Todd about church planting and also a behind the scenes look at the men's breakfast.  If you'd like to follow the sermon with the YouVersion Sermon Notes, click here.  If you want to only listen to the weekend's sermon, fast forward to the 17 minute 20 seconds. 

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.