“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

I was in my early 20′s when someone first asked me “Are you planning on being a youth pastor forever?” My response was typically “Well, I think before it’s all said and done, I’ll end up doing a little bit of everything.”  I always thought that was an odd question to ask.  Not because  people don’t stay in student ministry for life, but because following Jesus and belonging to Him means that I didn’t just surrender to an area of ministry, I surrendered to Jesus Christ.  At some point He may call us to something that doesn’t look like student ministry.  I didn’t realize in my early 20′s how true that would be.  I’ve had the privilege of serving in student ministry, church media and a whole lot of different experiences that run the whole gamut of ministry.  And now, we’re about to take another turn in the road.

In May of this year, I sat down with Phillip, my pastor, and told him that our season of ministry at Cedar Creek has come to an end.  I asked him if he would be willing to work with us through a transition period, and he very graciously agreed.  So, that transition period is almost up as my last day as Creative Director at Cedar Creek Church will be August 31st.  This wasn’t an easy decision for us, and it came after much prayer, counsel and A LOT of soul searching.

Now, let me just say a few things: Jesus and I are good.  My wife and I are good.  Cedar Creek and I are good.  This has been a process in me that has been developing over the last several years.  So, if you’re looking for some juicy details, I got nothing for ya   While the last several years have been really difficult at times, I think that is the process that God often uses to move us on.  If we were always comfortable and content, none of us would change or move.

Here’s what’s up next for us:
Over the last decade plus, I’ve developed 2 businesses that I have operated in addition to my work at Cedar Creek.  Alive Media is my web, graphic and video production company that caters to businesses, churches and non profits.  4Thought Media is my company where i develop media (sermon illustrations, video countdowns, motion backgrounds, powerpoint games, and still images) for churches to use in varying ministry settings. I will be launching these businesses into a full time capacity.  We will also begin expanding our video production for businesses as well as partnering with churches to serve as a “Creative Team” for churches that may not have that or even to be a creative resource for those that do.

Also, as I’ve been praying over our next steps, the words “leave margin” keep coming to mind.  I believe that there is another piece to the puzzle that isn’t fully in focus yet, but as we go along, we are trusting that the Lord will make that clear.  I do plan on doing some fill in speaking for pastors and churches that need a break or need a fill in guy, maybe some speaking at student ministry events if that opens up. I’m not sure exactly what that looks like, either, but it sounds fun to me.

I did want to publicly say thanks to some people at Cedar Creek that have been a part of my 13 years of ministry there and have made an impact in my life:

• Richard Swift – I want to thank you for taking a chance on this really young student pastor way back in the day.  Thank you for stepping out in faith in starting Cedar Creek and for being a leader that others would want to imitate.  You are a giant in my book.
• Phillip Lee – Thank you for your friendship through the years and for working with me as God worked IN me.  I’m excited for you as God continues to lead Cedar Creek through you.
• Wes Holbrook – You were a brother to me in some very dark days.  In the desert, you were God’s mouthpiece saying, “Don’t setup camp…Keep walking.”  Love you bro.
• Danny Neu – You were the first Student Ministry staff that we had in addition to me.  Multi-talented and a servant’s heart.  I’m so thankful to have you as my friend.  Many adventures we’ve had, many more to come I’m sure.
• Kay Stanley aka K-Bird – Still remember those days in the “Old Post Office” downtown where it was Richard, you, Travis and me.  I think you will end up outlasting all of us   Thank you for going above and beyond and being the face of Jesus to so many.
• Susan Reck – I’ll never look at a green piece of paper the same way again.  Thank you for going to bat for my family and for keeping the church’s books on target all of these years.
• Walter Ray – I leave the creative department at CCC in very capable hands.  While I love seeing how God is using you in ministry, the real joy to me is watching you follow Jesus and grow into the man of God you are becoming.
• Kidz Creek and Centerpoint – Thank you for investing in my kids for all of these years.  Thank you that you not only shared with my kids the Gospel, but also “your very lives as well”. (1 Thess. 2:8)
• Samantha Thames, Tiffany Stewart, Terry Lee and the GRACE Kidz Staff and Volunteers – I have no evidence of this from Scripture, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if in Heaven there is a place of honor for those that minister to and care for children and people with special needs.  Thank you that you saw a need, that your heart was broken for that need, that you listened to Jesus and made it possible for my son and other children with special needs to know and experience Christ. I don’t have enough words to thank you.

Here’s how you can help:
Pray – We really would appreciate your prayers for our family, especially over the next several months.  This is a HUGE transition, and we’re leaning in to Christ as much as we know how.  Here are some things that we’re praying about that we would invite you to join us in:

1. Clients and the right projects – Obviously we need clients on an ongoing basis (business, church and non profit) to pay the bills, so pray that we would make connections with clients that are a good fit.  Also, pray that the Lord would bring out the creativity in us as we develop new scripts, projects and ideas.
2. Partnership – I really see working with a group of people (2 or 3…maybe more) with Alive Media and 4Thought Media to move them both toward becoming a studio of sorts.  These people would have to be the right mix of talent, heart and we’d have to work well together.  Pray that God would help me make those connections and raise up the right people.
3. House to sell – Right now our house is for sale…a tall order in this market.  Pray that we would get a good offer, preferably from a pre-approved buyer.
4. Transition – Pray for each of us the next several months will be a lot of transition.  Pray that we will all transition well.

Help us get the word out – The most effective marketing in my opinion is word-of-mouth.  If you know someone that is looking for a new website, video production, graphics help, etc., pass my name on to them.

While this is a big step of faith for us, we’re definitely excited about the road ahead.  Here we go.

” I was called to full time ministry.” “I was called to go be a missionary.” “I was called to work with students.” You know how it goes right: sitting in a worship service of some sort and the speaker begins to tell their story of when they were called by God to some sort of specific ministry, maybe that first step to trust Jesus, to be a missionary perhaps or to enter full time vocational ministry.  Often these stories challenge and encourage me as I see where God has taken them from where they were to where they are now.

Now imagine this: Abraham steps up on the stage at your church and as he begins his story, you hear this: “God called me to wander, to go astray.“  Do what?  Now, I’ve gone astray in my life, I’ve wandered at times, too.  But I gotta admit, that was my own doing though.  Tonight I was reading in Genesis and this phrase grabbed me: “And when God had me wander from my father’s household…” (20:13)  The original Hebrew actually means to stray, stagger, reeling or lead me astray.

Earlier God did call him to leave his home, his father’s house and go to a place to that God would show him.  God didn’t tell him where his destination was, either.  In essence, God was saying to Abraham to “start wandering”, and I’ll let you know when you’re there.  Yeah, that would totally throw off any “must be in control” tendencies I have.  Think about it.  From the outside looking in when Abraham got his “Call To Wander” most people must have thought he was loopy, unwise, not using good judgement, etc.  How could he just do that when he had a family to provide for and all?  So what’s your point, Jonesy?

My point is this:

If you choose to follow Christ fully, there is a possibility, maybe even a certainty, that at some point God will call you to wander.

That’s not comfortable, that doesn’t go down easy, but I believe it to be true.  I’m not talking about God leading you to sin or leading you away from Him to pursue an idol.  What I mean is that there will be a time where God will call you to wander in pursuit of Him, along with Him, through some places that won’t be fun and at times will be downright hell. I’m not talking about “I’m just feeling kinda spiritually dry”.  I’m talking about “I’ve been at this for months, years…when will this season end?” kind of wander.

I don’t have “3 simple happy hops to a better you” to give you on how to deal with it either.  Here’s what I do know from experience and from others that have been there: Choose to keep walking and don’t setup camp there.  Do whatever it takes to keep feeding on the truth of God from His word, lean in to those that are trustworthy at times and keep walking until He leads you out.

“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect…” 1 Cor 15:9-10 NIV 2011

You are who you are.  Paul says that he doesn’t feel like he is worthy to be called an apostle.  He’s saying, “I am not deserving to be who I am.”  He knows his own thoughts (sinful and treacherous as ours are at times), he knows his past (that he was a murderer, a hypocrite, a stumbling block for many to know the true Messiah), and He knows his own limitations – the thorn in the flesh, what he can’t do because he doesn’t have the skills…and yet he comes to this conclusion: “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
He doesn’t deserve to be an apostle, he doesn’t deserve to be counted among the giants of the early faith, those that were part of the 12…and yet, God made him an apostle.  God said, “Paul, in spite of all your reasons for not being worthy or capable of being an apostle…you ARE one of the apostles.”  You are this.

The phrase “by the grace of God I am what I am” stopped me in my tracks this morning.  I think I struggle at times like others in believing “I am that?”  It’s almost like, God made a mistake in putting me in this position, by giving me this dream, that vision and purpose, or God ran out of the best qualified people for this place in life so he had to go with the b team of which I am 3rd string on.

At some point, we have to choose, I believe, to be “what I am” by the grace of God.  It’s a confidence that says, “I’m going to be who and what God has made me to be” by His grace.  You are a dad, an accountant, a leader, a school teacher, an administrative assistant, a coach, a friend, an entrepreneur, a pastor, a mechanic, a stay at home mom, a maintenance worker, a counselor, a single mom or dad, a construction contractor, an artist, a small group leader, a politician, a writer, a dreamer….by the Grace of God.  Be who He made you to be and NOT who He made someone else to be.  Be what you are by the Grace of God for the Glory of God.

“How many does your church run on Sundays?” “So, what size student ministry do you have?” “How big is your church?”  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked this question in my ministry years and even how many times I have probably asked this of others.  Here’s the rub on asking this question: If your church is running less than theirs, you end up feeling inadequate; if your church is running more than theirs you end up feeling self-righteous.  Heard a speaker say one time “There is not a whole lot that can tell you less about what’s going on in a church than that question”.  I think there is some truth in that statement.

Now, don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not wanting to get into a discussion on church growth.  Anyone can read the book of Acts and see that the early church GREW.  A church that is not growing is in decline, imo….and that’s really the point of asking a different question.

No, the thought that struck me was what if we flipped that script on the question “how many are you running?” and started asking different questions, maybe additional questions.  We’ve been going through a message series at Cedar Creek called Chairs.  It’s been a vision series with a focus on the idea that the empty chairs that we see around us on Sundays and at HOME group should serve as a visual reminder of who is missing.  This past Sunday during Wes‘ message at the West Campus, this thought hit me:

What if we started asking:

“How many empty chairs did we have at our church Sunday?”

How would that shift our focus of what we do?  We recently put together some numbers that showed there are approx. 80,000 people in Aiken County that are unreached, that are unchurched and probably don’t know Jesus.  How would asking that question shift our focus in reaching them?

“What should I do for a living?  Should I marry her?  Should I move to that town?  Should I take that job?  Which school should I go to?  What is my destiny?  God, what is your plan for my life?  Just show me.” Ever prayed any of those?  God’s will, God’s plan.

This has been on my radar over the last several weeks through conversations, blogs, tweets and such.  I think these questions are normal.  I’ve actually been digging through some of this over the last several months on my own.  I think at the heart of it all, it boils down to these questions:

1. Does God have a specific plan/will for my life?
2. What is God’s plan/will for my life?
3. Will God show me what his will/plan is for my life?

Here are my thoughts:
Does God have a specific plan and purpose for your life? I believe so.  Does He mean for you to discover this ahead of time? No, I don’t believe so.

There is a teaching that has been around for a while.  It’s this idea of discovering God’s will like it is this nebulous, entity floating around and it is our job to track it down, to find it and embrace it.  It’s what I call “The Disney Blueprint”: we’re waiting on the fairytale.  My experience is that just leads to doubt, inaction, confusion and pain.  Or like one speaker I heard put it, “we treat it like a choose your own adventure” book: If you choose option A, “congrats you’re in God’s will”.  Choose option B, and “Oh, so sorry, you missed the will of Gob by choosing b.  You chose the nose dive off a cliff for your life.  You’re toast and are done”.

So, the question remains: How do I live in the will of God?  That’s a long answer, but in short, you do what you know is God’s will.  God’s will is for you and I to grow in the likeness of Jesus and He promises to work all things for your good. Seek to live in obedience to Jesus and develop the heart and mind of Christ.(Matthew 6:33, Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:3).  As we do that, He promises to be with us.  I’m not saying that I don’t believe in Providence.  I’m saying that if we knew the whole story ahead of time, it would not be a life of faith, trust and holiness.

Some Must Reads/Listens
Couple of resources that I came across that are food for thought:

• Just Do Something – If I had a student or friend that came up to me and asked, “How do I discover God’s will for my life?”, I would immediately point them toward to a message entitled “Just Do Something” by Kevin DeYoung.  One of the best messages that I’ve heard on God’s will/plan, bar none.  Highly recommend it.  A great listen.  He also has a book entitled the same.
• Donald Miller’s post “Does God Have a Specific Plan For Your Life? Probably Not” While I don’t agree with premise that God doesn’t have a specific plan for our life, there are some really good thoughts in his post.  I think for some we get so focused on God’s plan and purpose that we are scared or even forget to dream, take a chance and live.  Particularly love this quote: “But if He is setting a box of crayons down in front of you (a box of crayons called life) then by all means draw.”

This morning I was reading in John and came across these verses that really stuck out to me.  It was early in Jesus’ ministry when these verses occurred:

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.25 He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man. John 2: 23-25

Placing your trust in someone else is a scary proposition.  It leaves you vulnerable when you do trust in someone.

It reminds me of a conversation that I had with one of my mentors early on in ministry.  To this day I can’t remember what exactly we were discussing, but I do remember it had something to do with talking to other people about your life, struggles and what all is going on on the inside.  I’m pretty easy to read as far as what’s going on in the inside so maybe that was it   What he said to me took me back: “Alan, don’t cast your pearls before swine.”  “What?!  Are you calling my friends pigs?”, I thought.  Now, of course he was quoting Matthew 7:6.  I had just never heard it in that context before.  The point he was making was a very good one and one that I’ve taken to heart to this day: Be careful who you trust the things that are deep inside and important to.

Personally, I really value when people are honest, real and authentic.  And being transparent has its time and place, too.  That said, it doesn’t mean that we should entrust ourselves to everyone.  Being “real” doesn’t mean being careless with what’s going on in our lives.  I think that’s what Jesus was saying here.  He understood that the same crowd that was believing in Him now would one day be the same crowd chanting “Crucify, Crucify!”  My take on it is if you have 2 or 3 people in your life that you can be transparent with, real and even accountable to about the good and the bad, you’re blessed.

This is the Smart’s brief story of how God stepped in and gave them a new direction.  The Smarts are a part of Cedar Creek On the Ridge Campus.  Phillip used this video during his message to help illustrate how Easter means that we have a new purpose in life.  If you didn’t get a chance to see the other two stories, you can find them here and here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is Michelle’s story.  If you missed the first story, then you can view it here.  We used this at the end of the Phillip’s message right before he presented the gospel.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This Easter at Cedar Creek we decided that one of the most effective ways to tell the story of Easter is to let people who have had their lives radically changed by Jesus tell their story.  So we asked some Cedar Creek people to share their stories.  You can watch the message in its entirety with the videos here.  One of the things I thought was great was that all 3 campuses were represented.  I’m going to post the stories over the next few days.

This is James’ story.  Phillip was talking about how Easter means that our past can be forgiven and used this video to help illustrate that.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This morning I was reading in my time with God about Horatio G. Spafford, the writer of the famous hymn It Is Well.  You’re probably familiar with his story, how he lost all four of his daughters in a wreck at sea, and how, when passing over the same spot where his daughters perished, he wrote that hymn.  By the way, this is a guy who was ruined financially and not only lost his four daughters, but also lost his only son.

This is a hymn we would sing growing up in my home church.  We would sing the song, most of it memorized and go on with the worship service.  Now, I don’t want to get into a debate of traditional vs contemporary, or hymns vs praise/worship songs.  That is not relevant here and I think the wrong questions anyway.  What struck me as I read the song lyrics today were two thoughts: 1. context 2. story.

Spafford wasn’t setting out when he wrote these lyrics to become debated by others on whether or not we should sing hymns vs songs.  In my opinion, he didn’t give a flip what you or I thought about his lyrics.  He was a man that was ruined, and in the darkness of his life, he was clinging to the only One worth clinging to.  He was telling his story…real, honest and raw. He was telling it in the context, in the language of his day to where people connected with it. He not only shared his story, he pointed them to Jesus and then to what awaits for those who believe and follow Jesus.  He shared the gospel in his story.  Imagine as the people in his day, knowing the story, knowing Spafford himself perhaps, would sing or read the lyrics in this song.  I’ll be honest, every time I hear or read the 3 and 4 stanza’s of this song, I get a lump in my throat and have to choke back tears of thankfulness, awe of God and hope.  It makes me want to do fist pumps and shout, “YES JESUS!!!”

So, where you live, in the context that God has placed you to breathe, work and relate, tell your story in your way.  Think about the people that may hear or see it.  Think about where they are at in their life.  Point them to Jesus.  Point them to the hope beyond that “this is not it”.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
it is well, it is well with my soul.

2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and hath shed his own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

4. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)