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Dist rib u t ion
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FAL L 2 00 9 October 2 & 3 BOLD Men’s Conference
December 11-20 Scrooge the Musical performances
October 9 Fred Hammond in Concert (Tacoma Campus)
December 19 & 20 Family Christmas services
October 31 Scrooge the Musical tickets on sale
December 24 Christmas Eve services (Tacoma & Bellevue)
November 26 Thanksgiving
December 25 Christmas Day
November 28 & 29 Operation Blessing kick-off
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F E AT U R E S 4 God is NOT Everywhere by Kevin Gerald
1 0 Relational Realities
“Some Christians are so caught up in culture that they abandon
by Ed Young
God's word in order to fit in with
1 6 More than Music
popular thinking.”
by Brandon Stewart & Tim Tolliver
- Kevin Gerald
IN EVERY ISSUE 3 Let’s Talk 8 Champions Foundation Update 1 2 Champion Finds 2 2 Real Life Champions
ABOUT US Champion Life Magazine purposes to equip people to live successful Christian lives.
2 4 K. Wise
Fall 2009
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Let’s talk Let’s talk Life is good. We are moving ahead to great things in the upcoming season, while most people just get back to "real life" when autumn rolls around. But even with school buses back on the road and cloudy days potentially ahead, we can choose to live life to the fullest! Living the good life doesn’t always include blending into culture so much that we lose ourselves. I think some Christians are so caught up in culture that they abandon God’s Word in order to fit in with popular thinking. Let’s be people of God who embrace culture but never shrink back from bringing out God’s truth in our everyday lives. That is what being relevant in today’s society is all about – being in the world, but not of it. I want to challenge your thinking a bit when it comes to a simple phrase that most people hear growing up that "God is everywhere." I have begun to realize that while I believe in the omnipresence of God and the theology behind it, I also believe that there are some places where God is not (page 4). Knowing the difference will help us mingle with today’s culture, but always keep God’s plan and purpose in focus. One of the things I believe is crucial for people today is living a life of healthy relationships. I’m excited for you to hear from my friend, Pastor Ed Young Jr., about how great relationships are key if we are going to influence our communities (page 10). He and his wife, Lisa, will be with us this October over the entire BOLD weekend. Don’t miss out! When it comes to worshipping God, our team has put together some thoughts that you’ll find encouraging on why worship is “More than Music” (page 16). Also, you'll get to hear from a great man with an incredible heart of worship and about his Real Life Champion Story (page 22) and about how he ended up where he is today. Let's not forget the lessons we’ve learned so far this year. Take some time today to do a quick self evaluation. Am I going where I planned to go? How do I stay on track or get back on track with the goals I’ve set for this year? How can I apply some of the lessons I’ve learned this past season to my future? Choose to do life great!
Fall 2009
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NOT
by Kevin Gerald
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There is a story of a mother who asked her 10-year-old daughter to get a broom on the back porch one dark night. The girl, afraid of the dark, started to cry. “I don’t want to go out on the porch. Somebody will get me if I go out there.”
The mother, seeing a teachable moment, told her daughter that she was never alone, that God is everywhere. “He’s present in the daylight and the darkness, and He’s on the back porch right now. You don’t need to be afraid,” the mother said. “Now walk out there and get me the broom!” The girl slowly walked to the door, easing it open. “God if you’re out there,” she appealed, “would you please hand me the broom?” Maybe, at times, we have been a bit like that little girl. Maybe we have heard that God is everywhere, but sometimes we questioned whether He truly is where we are. Fall 2009
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Although this goes against everything most of us learned about God, I want to say that God is NOT everywhere. The idea that God is everywhere at the same time is what theologians refer to as the omnipresence of God. I believe in the omnipresence of God. The prophet Jeremiah said of the Lord, “Am I only a God nearby ... and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? ... Do I not fill heaven and earth?”1 And, King David wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”2 However, there’s a difference in where God is and where God is able to see and be. The eyes of God are always on us; His ears can always hear us. But, I believe God is not everywhere. A teacher once stepped out of her classroom, observing her students through a window while they took
“The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.” a test. When the students completed their work, she told them she would not be looking at the paper. The real test, she said, was on their character and what they did when she was out of the room. The teacher was not in the room, but she knew and saw everything that happened. 1. Jeremiah 23:23-24 NIV 2. Psalm 139:7-10 NIV 3. Proverbs 15:29 NIV 4. Proverbs 19:3 NIV and Message 5. I Kings 17 KJV 6. 1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV 7. Psalm 46:1 KJV 8. Acts 16:25-34 KJV
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In one sense, God is everywhere, but in a relational sense, God is not everywhere, and that’s the point I want to get across. The revealed, relational presence of God is in some places and not others. This is why scripture says, “the proud he knows from afar.” (Psalm 138:6).
It is why David repeatedly asked God, “Do not be far from me.” (Ps. 22:11, Ps. 35:22, Ps. 38:21, Ps. 71:12). In Proverbs, we see that “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”3 Have you ever walked into a place and felt that there is no way that God would be there, that He was not invited there, not worshipped there, not honored there? And, when you walked in, did you sensed that He was saying to you, “Let's not stay here!”? At times, I see people doing all the wrong things and then asking, “Where is God?” Here are a few examples of where God is NOT. GOD IS NOT IN OUR STUPID, HE IS IN OUR WISDOM. God is NOT in our stupid, He is in our wisdom. Have you noticed that intelligent, professional, educated, and church-going people sometimes do stupid things? Stupid behavior, not God, ruins lives. The Bible talks about it plainly when it says: "A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD. Or put this way, people ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?4 I hear people ask, “If God is good, why don’t I experience God being good?” The answer may be they are not experiencing God, but consequences of their own life choices. If people thumb their nose at His instruction for life, they experience stupid. God may not be in stupid, but He is in wisdom. GOD IS NOT IN OUR DOUBTS, HE IS IN OUR FAITH. In First Kings 17 is the story of Elijah, he was told by the Lord to go to Zarephath, where a widow was to supply his food. Upon his arrival, the prophet asked the poor woman for a drink and some food. She replied that she had no bread, only a bit of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug with which to make a meal for her and her son. Elijah commanded her to not be afraid. The story goes on to describe how
the widow’s needs were met continually during a time of shortage.5 God is in the place where hope and faith rise up and doubts and fears are set aside—where men and women choose to pray for the best, hope for the best, and work for the best. GOD IS NOT IN OUR STRIFE, HE IS IN OUR UNITY. One day I prayed with a couple in financial trouble. As I started to pray, I felt like I needed to stop and ask them whether or not they tithed. The wife looked at her husband as if to say, “I told you so!” I knew there had been resistance, so I told them they could not pray their way out of something they behaved themselves into. When we have been taught something and then we don’t do it, we walk in disobedience. Disobedience hinders our prayers. The good news is that this couple received my word, made some changes in their life, and ended up with a fantastic turnaround story. God is in the place of agreement— where individuals set aside differences, pettiness, and smallmindedness to unite around a higher purpose, to accomplish a worthwhile goal.
advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." The truth is, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble7. Instead of living in confusion or drama in our lives, let’s look to the promises in God’s Word. GOD IS NOT IN OUR WORRY, HE IS IN OUR WORSHIP. In Acts, we read about how Paul and Silas took a unique approach to a tough situation. They were harassed, beaten, wrongly accused, and thrown into jail. Rather than wallowing in the injustice, we read that they burst into prayer and robust singing.8 The other prisoners could not believe what they were hearing, and their jailer asked what he had to do to be saved, to really live life. The jailer asked the men into his house, the whole family put their trust in God, and they celebrated. Don't let what's wrong about life keep you from worshiping what's right about God.
I’m convinced the eyes of God are
Dont' let what's wrong about life keep you from worshipping what's right about God. GOD IS NOT IN OUR CONFUSION, HE IS IN OUR PEACE.
Kevin Gerald is the lead pastor of Champions Centre in Tacoma and Bellevue, WA. For great resources from Kevin, visit kevingerald.tv.
Confusion comes to all of us at times. It can appear in the options of choices we have to make, the variety of voices we listen to, or in a rushing, unconcentrated approach to life.
always on us, His ears can always hear us. But, I believe God is not everywhere. Let’s make a decision to live the majority of our lives in the places where God is welcomed and worshipped. Choose to live in the place of God’s promises!
God is not the author of confusion but of peace.6 Psalm 27:1-3 says this: “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men Fall 2009
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"God is still doing miracles."
Forever Home Update Warren (12) and Glen (10) have known a life growing up in Zimbabwe that most of us cannot even begin to imagine. Zimbabwe, once known as the "bread basket" of Africa, has endured decades of deprivation and starvation due to corrupt government policies.
Their mother, named Blessing, was forced to flee to South Africa to find a job to support her family.
struggle just to stay alive, the boys are flourishing in school and are active in sports.
Mama Blessing ended up as the house parent in our Champions Forever Home and has provided incredible love and stability since the home opened. However, not having her own children with her was heart breaking. It would take a miracle to bring a solution that would allow the boys to come to South Africa.
The Champions Forever Home continues to make a difference in this AIDS ravaged area of the world. Mama Blessing said, shortly after the boys arrived, “God is still doing miracles. I prayed so hard, because my heart was torn between the Forever Home family here and my children in Zimbabwe. Now I have both, and I thank God for the Champions Foundation, and everyone who has given to help this miracle take place.�
In December 2008, that miracle took place as the boys were admitted to South Africa and approved to attend school locally. Warren and Glen are now part of our Champions Forever Home family and have become brothers to the other children. When the boys first arrived from Zimbabwe, the only thing they wanted to do was eat all the time. They could not believe that food was going to be available every day. No longer having to
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Justice Project 2009 "My life has been a series of tragedies, sufferings, and injustices that have kept me limping along and never really being able to create or have a "home"—ever. I am alone and physically limited. It used to be a wish that one day I would have a home. Now it is today!
Thank you, again, for all you have done and are doing. I appreciate the team so much! You guys are not only helping me, but you are also doing so with kindness rather than judgment or criticism. It is difficult to allow strangers to rifle through your belongings, but if I were to choose a team to do it, The Justice Project would be my first choice. The team has come along side my situation and me and asked, rather than told; supported, rather than demanded. It brings joy to me to know that there is a group out in the community that is truly an example of the love and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ – His Heart extended to the world. I pray that God will send each one of you rich reward, far beyond what I could ever give! Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU! I really like it here. There is an atmosphere of peace at this location. It's starting to feel like I
Join the Justice Project at
ChampionsFoundation.com
belong here or something. I have sun, fresh air, I am not SICK like I was at the old place! God has blessed me so much. I honestly think this is the first place I have ever lived that allows me peace. I can come home after work and actually rest. It used to be that I would escape to work and return to conflict. I am so blessed to be here and grateful to God every day that I get to drink this in. I owe The Justice Project a HUGE thank you! Please know from these words, and the little tears welling up in my eyes, that I am so grateful to you all for saying yes to the Lord to get me moved into this new place. I may not be a family or a crowd, but I am one person that is changed because of your willingness to demonstrate God's love to me through the works of your hands." — Anonymous letter from a Justice Project recipient
a healthy place Fall 2009
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an excerpt from Outrageous, Contagious Joy (Berkley Praise) by Ed Young
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while “When he arrived at the
I pray.’ He took Peter,
house of Jairus, he did
James, and John along
not let anyone go in
with Him, and He began
and James with him
follow him except Peter,
with him except Peter,
to be deeply distressed
and went up onto a
James, and John …”
John, and James …”
and troubled.”
mountain to pray.”
Notice a trend here? Those were all accounts from the Gospels related to the interaction Jesus had with his closest companions. Jesus needed friends too.
Peter, John, and James were the posse of Jesus. They were his buddies, his homeboys, his friends. It’s hard for us to imagine that the Son of God had human relationships. It’s even harder for us to imagine that he needed them. But since Jesus
was as a man who was made in the image of God, he too was wired for relationships. He craved friends with whom he could share the highest highs. And also the burdens that weighed him down. The friends of Jesus comforted him.
They made him laugh. And cry. Life was better with them. Jesus loved his friends. And if Jesus, the second person in the Trinity needed friends, we do too.
“He did not let anyone
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“Jesus took Peter, John,
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” — Albert Einstein
developing quality friends is intentional, not accidental
God graciously cured one of our deepest emotional problems. He cured the problem of inner-core loneliness when God sent His son Jesus to die on a cross and then rise again for all of us. He rebuilt the God-man relationship that was fractured by Adam and Eve. However, loneliness is still an ongoing issue for many of us. Even those who follow Jesus still have another hole that can only be filled through human relationships. Even if Christ filled the God-gap in their lives, we are incomplete without a close friend and a community where we belong. God truly wants the best for us relationally. He has some incredible people in store for us that will help us along the journey toward joy.
We don’t just fall into a friendship. We don’t develop friends in a vacuum. Building quality friendships requires intentionality. The good news is that we have the freedom to choose our friends. We step out and meet new people and we’ll often find people on a similar track. Careless choices will yield big trouble because our friends influence us in a huge way. So as we make decisions about the people we want in our inner circle, we need to discern whether a person is going to help us along our journey or hinder us. If I could just talk to your best friends, I’d know all about you. And that’s without ever even meeting you. The friends you choose says a lot about the kind of person you are. Choosing friends is like looking in a mirror. I would guess that you looked in the mirror this morning before you started your
day. You wouldn’t want any parsley hanging between your teeth or to miss a button on your shirt. A mirror reflects your face. A mirror is limited though; it is meant to reflect physical reality. You can still choose to leave a mirror and say, “Okay, I look alright.” Your friends, on the other hand, do not let you off the hook quite so easily. Your character, your true nature, is revealed by the friends you choose. Do you ever wonder, “Who am I? I mean, who am I really?” Do you want to see who you are and where your life is headed? All you have to do is take a look at your friends. When you examine your relationships, you’ll see your character plainly just as if you were looking into a mirror. A mirror is one dimensional, but friends take you to a much deeper level. There’s depth and richness to that kind of self-examination. We can know who we really are by the friends we choose. We have choices when it comes to your friends, and God wants us to choose the best relationally. Parents, one of the greatest opportunities we have is the ability to help our children select great friends. I believe we have the responsibility of monitoring Continued on page 14 ...
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CHaMPION Finds finds champion
Resource Yourself
books With topics ranging from leadership to daily living, Kevin Gerald’s books offer solid biblical learning and practical takeaway. These books are sure to motivate and inspire you in your day-to-day life. Books include: Pardon Me, I’m Prospering, Forces that Form Your Future, Mind Monsters, By Design or Default, The Proving Ground, Developing Confidence, and Raising Champion Children.
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Visit kevingerald.tv to find a wealth of resources, including MP3s of messages and free wisdom tips from Kevin Gerald.
Podcasting Check out Kevin Gerald’s FREE Podcast now available through iTunes. Search for “Kevin Gerald” or “Champions Centre” in the iTunes Store. Video streaming and MP3 downloads are also available on kevingerald.tv.
Champion Life Magazine Get a FREE subscription! Champion Life Magazine is a quarterly publication by Kevin Gerald Communications and will equip you to live a successful Christian life! Look for the online version of CLM online at kevingerald.tv.
253.475.6454 ext. 361 888.935.6914 kevingerald.tv
I Heart USA 1 CD; DVD Live a life that pleases God while being surrounded by a culture that approaches life differently than we do as Christians. We are not here by accident. We are here on purpose, on assignment, here to stand firm in love, and to enjoy and love our nation!
Fueling Your Future 3 CDs; DVD God wants us to live a full life, a FUELED life, so why is it that many of us still feel like we are running on empty? Learn to Fire up your spirit, Upgrade your thinking, Exercise self control, and how to Lift the people around you. It’s not just about starting well, it’s about staying full, strong, and making the whole journey!
God is NOT Everywhere 1 CD; DVD Where is God? Some people assume that because God is omnipresent, that he is everywhere. The truth is that God is NOT everywhere. He is not in our stupid, our confusion, or strife. He is not in our doubts. God is in wisdom, peace, unity, and faith … If you look in the right places you can find him there.
Approved 1 CD; DVD Even when heaven doesn’t approve of what you’ve done, heaven still approves of you. Something big happens when we stop seeking God’s approval and start accepting God’s approval in our lives!
High Immunity Households 1 CD; DVD There is a serious virus that is plaguing our communities, neighborhoods, and households. By applying wisdom, you will protect your house and make it a high immunity household growing healthy, strong, and positive.
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our children’s relationships. We can guide them and help them set relational patterns today that will influence them for a lifetime. We can do this whether our kids are 5, 15, or even 25. Do you know what your kids are doing and who they’re with? Let me challenge you to keep your parental radar on high alert when it comes to your child’s friends. You have tremendous power to shape the future of your kids' lives just by helping them to choose great friends who will build them up and help them in this game called life. And don’t ignore the fact that your kids will examine the kind of friends you choose. They’ll test you at times to make sure you practice what you preach. So parents, who do you run with? Who are your best friends? How are you guiding your children by example? My
oldest daughter is 18. And I know that LeeBeth’s best friends will mirror my best friends. When it gets down to the rugged plains of reality, this reality can hit you pretty heavy. But, while you are developing those friendships, beware the strong forces of negative peer pressure. It can bring down even the best of us. You might wonder, what does a pastor know about peer pressure? What do you know about real relationships? That brings us to the second statement about friendships.
the friend you are is the friend you’ll attract Who are you? What kind of person are you? It’s important to know because you’re going to attract that same kind of person as a friend. You want to attract highquality people? Be a high-quality person. Real friends support, help, and encourage you when times are tough. They’ve got your back. What kind of friend are you? Do you have your friend’s back? Are you there when they need you most? The kind of friend you are is the kind of friend you’ll attract.
"Don’t ignore the fact that your kids will examine the kind of friends you choose. They’ll test you at times to make sure you practice what you preach."
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"the kind of friend you are is the kind of friend you'll attract."
Ed Young is a straightforward communicator who uniquely connects God’s unchanging truth with a diverse culture through compelling and creative teaching methods. He is the founding and Senior Pastor of Fellowship Church.
He and his wife Lisa have been married for twenty-five years and have four children. More information about Ed and his various ministries can be found online at EdYoung.com.
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music
more than
Brandon Stewart & Tim Tolliver
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Worship is the activity of the human soul. Everyone worships something. Every person you have met on the planet (Christian or not) is a worshipper ‌ whether they realize it or not.
public
worship
Worship is a statement of value. It is a response to what we value most. As Louie Giglio says in his book “WIRED for a Life of Worship”: “Some of the purest forms of worship are found outside the walls of the Church and have no reference at all to the God of all creation. All you have to do is drop in on a concert at the local arena or go to a sporting event at a nearby stadium to see amazing worship. People going for it, lifting their hands, shouting like crazy, staking their claim, standing in awe, declaring their allegiance.” What is interesting is that these forms of worship are the same as those written about in scripture … the worship that God Himself desires. Worship is the activity of the human soul— and we were designed first and foremost to come together to worship the Living God. What many people forget is that worship is both an individual and team sport. In other words, worship is something that God’s people do corporately together in Church, as well as individually throughout each day. Individual worship is not more important than corporate worship, and worshipping together isn’t more significant than worshipping alone. In fact, both are incomplete without each other.
worship is a response to what we value most
BRANDON: We cannot live in the full power of God’s presence without times of intimacy with the Father, one on one. And we can’t experience the strength of Christ’s body together in any greater way than corporate worship. Ephesians 1:22-23 in the Message is one of my favorite passages of scripture. It reads: “At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”
Tim Tolliver is the owner of T3 Performance Fitness and is a strength and conditioning skills specialist in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Tim is an active member and volunteer at Champions Centre.
worship: to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
We come together for corporate worship because it is the highest form of worship. It is the Body of Christ together as one, in strength and unity. It is the greatest picture of heaven we can give to this earth. When we’ve been together, it sends us into our various spheres of influence, armed and ready to make impact for the Cause of Christ. TIM: The Bible says, “O’ magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3). The time we share in worship when we come together during our weekend services is far more than an opening act or the soundtrack to Pastor Kevin’s message.
Brandon Stewart is passionate about building the local church. He is the Director of Champion Life Groups and serves on the worship team and teaching team at Champions Centre.
When I think of public worship, I envision an army preparing for battle. I see warriors preparing their armor and sharpening their swords. I see focused Fall 2009
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private
worship
minds and full hearts getting ready to give everything. I see people caught in the grip of a common cause and drawn into a shared vision. Our public worship is much the same way, and it’s in this powerful atmosphere of worship that we build one another up in our faith, encourage each other, and draw fresh strength for the battles in our life. It’s more than just for individual’s sake; it’s about moving forward together with one heart. I think sometimes we discount the value of this time together and either come late or completely avoid the musical worship of our services altogether. I wish I could begin to explain how much I believe we give up in our walk with God and in our relationship with others when we choose not to show up, connect with other believers, and participate in this kind of worship. Public worship in the corporate setting serves as a reminder that we, together, are the children of God. We are what the Bible calls the “community” or the “household of faith.” In other words, our public worship reminds us that we are the church. We are the people of God and we are deeply connected to one another in our house and as believers around the world.
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BRANDON: Many people consider the Church as a place they attend or a part of their week. In reality, the Church is intended to be HOME BASE from which we are sent into our world! We take the fuel we get from weekend services and apply it to our daily lives. Additionally, we can refuel on a daily basis through personal times of worship and connection to God. As we take a look at the life of David in the Bible, we see he was not only a leader that brought the people of God together to worship but he also had an incredible heart of worship. In fact, David established a new form of worship that would usher in greater intimacy with God. There are countless times in the book of Psalm alone that David is worshipping God through song or prayer on a personal and intimate level. What a great example for us to look to today.
When we stop and think about all that Christ has done in each of our lives, I believe the only logical response is extravagant worship! TIM: Times of personal worship build deep intimacy and a heartto-heart connection with God. It’s been my experience that my private times of worship and connection with God provide the fuel for my times of public worship. It’s in these times that I’ve found my relationship with God has been built up and deepened. I think of these times as our chance to be “unplugged” with God. No time limits, always our favorite worship songs, we have a front row seat, and we have a private audience with our Creator. I really believe that these private sessions with God create a space where we can be in His presence without distraction and build our worship muscles. It’s in times like these that I’ve been able to reconnect to God’s strength and His peace, receive direction, and find rest in His presence. They also allow me to be with God in a way that is real, raw, and true.
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REAL LIFElife CHaMPIONs Real champions
Scot Nicholson & His Family
"My heart had grown hard, and I had become indifferent toward the Lord." I grew up in a Christian home, and my family attended an extremely conservative Evangelical Baptist Church. I am so thankful for my Christian upbringing and being brought up in that environment, as it gave me a very solid foundation in my fundamental belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. When I was about nine years old, I formally gave my life to the Lord. I continued to mature and grow in my relationship with Him over the years, I stayed very actively involved in my youth group. It was a wonderful time in my life. I went away to attend college at WSU after high school. The particular group of Christians that I sought to get connected with upon arrival were not exactly “my cup of tea” personality wise. I began to spend time with people who were merely pleasant to be around and fun to hang out with. Unfortunately, my
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new friends did not love and honor God. Slowly, I began changing to adopt the value system and ideals that they possessed. This was the beginning of an eight-year period in my life when I did not serve God; my heart had grown hard, and I had become indifferent toward the Lord. Over time, I took on the values of the world, and soon I was no different than the rest of the pack. I began to date a woman named Liz. After a couple of years, Liz began to bring up the topic of marriage. The idea of marriage made me sick; I was frightened of the commitment. I told her before I could ever consider marriage I would have to start going to church again, that I needed to get my life right with God. Well, even though my words to Liz were true, I had an ulterior motive. I lacked the courage to break off my relationship to avoid marriage, so I told Liz I wanted to go to church and serve the Lord, in hopes she would disagree.
My plan backfired. Liz responded favorably towards attending church. The following Sunday we went to the local Peoples Church. At the end of the service, Liz went forward when they gave the invitation to invite Jesus into your life. She became a born again Christian that day.
This, of course, screwed up everything. Now, I had a girlfriend who was a Christian. Before I knew it, Liz had fallen head over heels in love with Jesus. She chased after the Lord with all her might. All I ever did was eat and breathe the cloud of dust that trailed behind Liz as she chased after our Living God. About a year later, Liz and I got married. Married life was good for a few minutes, but then reality began to set in. Liz had insecurities she was dealing with, and I was an inconsiderate clod who didn’t know how to live under the same
roof with a wife. Arguments, frustration, and yelling quickly became commonplace. However, I was still going to church every week simply because I had married someone who was completely in love with God. Whether I liked it or not, good things had been getting inside of me. God’s principles and attitudes were infiltrating my mind and spirit. As a result of all the good stuff in me, eventually, when the yelling and arguing would occur, I immediately would go to God in prayer and ask for help. I began to insist on holding my wife’s hand to pray with her about what had just happened. We would ask God to bless us, help us to choose to love each other, and to have a wonderful marriage on purpose. We grew stronger together in our marriage.
About 14 months into our marriage, Liz and I were on our way home from playing golf, when a truck did not see a stop sign at an intersection that we were passing through. His vehicle struck our family car on the passenger side, where Liz was sitting. Emergency surgeons desperately tried to save her life once we arrived at the hospital, but the internal injuries proved too severe. Four hours after the accident, Liz died. I could write for a long time here and still not correctly describe the feelings which I experienced during that time in my life. It felt like half of me was gone; I was numb and in shock. That terrible accident happened on a Thursday. By Saturday, I knew that I wanted to be with my church family the next day. So, I kept going to church.
"I experienced a storm. I was not blown away! I am still here!"
My story continues from here, and it gets better and better. I stayed in church over the years, met and married a gorgeous girl who loved and lived for God. Jeri and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary next year. We have three beautiful children (Chelsea - 20, Haley - 18, Chase 16); the five of us serve and honor God and remain deeply rooted in His house! Pastors Kevin and Sheila Gerald are always encouraging our church family to get planted in the House of the Lord; that way, when the storms of life come at you, you will not be uprooted or blown away. Well it turns out, they are right. I experienced a storm. And I can stand here today and say with boldness and thanksgiving: “I was not blown away! I’m still here!”
Fall 2009
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k.WISE Back in August 2003, a dream vacation to Europe and Bermuda to celebrate 25 years of marriage ended in tragedy when Sheila and I were in a motorbike accident on a major thoroughway in Bermuda. Sheila walked away with only a few minor scrapes, but I was glued to the pavement with a fractured pelvis. In life things just happen. Not every bad thing in life that happens is caused by the devil. The devil didn’t cause my accident in Bermuda. The combination of inexperienced riders, narrow roads, left-side-of-the-road driving, fast-moving traffic, and bad judgment equaled a disaster waiting to happen. Sometimes the recipes of life include some not-so-good things. However, in those times, if you train your eyes to look for God, you will see that He is still at work. Here is how we found God working on our behalf: • We didn’t go over the edge of the road or under the guardrail. • There was a group of police officers in training jogging right at that instant and place of the accident. They had the accident scene under control within a minutes and a couple of them joined us in prayer. • The guy behind us had a cell phone for an officer to use. • The only hospital in the area was only a couple miles away (people bleed to death from pelvis fractures). • At the hospital in Bermuda, I had a private room with a view of the ocean. • One of the nurses who transported me back to Seattle had a daughter who attended our church and was praying for her
“And we know that in all
mother to come to know God. • Without surgery my pelvis healed with no long-term damage.
things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
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Champion Life Magazine
Sometimes seasons of our lives don’t look good. There were some scary moments throughout that season for our family, but we kept looking for God at work; and in the end, we saw that He really did work all things together for the good. I’ve learned sometimes as experiences touch the taste buds of our lives it doesn’t taste good. It’s not until it gets mixed into the recipe of God’s plan for our lives that we can realize … it’s all good.
What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance. Blending in so well that people can’t see the difference - and it’s the difference that sets the world free. Casting Crowns