Dale Borgen - New Song Church

The one with the trip to Apple Hill...

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:39:00 +0000

On Sunday, October 4th our church family made our annual trek up to Apple Hill. We gathered at Honey Bear Ranch because it's quieter than High Hill and a lot of fun for the kids. It was surprisingly cold when the clouds were overhead as it had just snowed at 4500 feet. Every time the sun came out from behind the clouds we would all rush out into the sunlight to get warmed up.

Our family had a great time as we spent most of the afternoon eating, playing, and talking with all of our friends from church. We took home a couple of pieces of fresh apple pie and kept praising God for the beauty of the Sierras.

My kids had a great time too. They spent the afternoon having duels with balloon swords, getting their face painted, and bouncing around in potato sack races.

These kinds of church gatherings came about because we realized many people make annual trip to places like Apple Hill. So why not go together and multiply the fun. Our next gathering is coming up Sunday, November 1st when we go roller skating. My kids love roller skating and so I am sure it will be another fun afternoon.

Here are a couple of photos from the Apple Hill Gathering. You can find more on our website in our media section... http://www.newsongchristian.org/media

The one with the men's camping trip...

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:23:00 +0000

This last weekend, the guys of New Song and some friends went camping at the Sunset Camp Grounds at Union Valley Reservoir. About 40 guys gathered together this year for the annual event.

The weekend started for me on Friday afternoon/evening as we headed up Highway 50 to Icehouse. I rode up with Ben Brown and Kevin Cohen. The highlight of Friday night for me was playing hearts with Chris and Joshua Dunlap, Jonathan Small, and Doug Radford. We laughed and enjoyed the perfect weather. Clark Shu brought smores ingredients and we had fun cooking them around the fire. There is nothing as good as real smores cooked over a camp fire. The other highlight of Friday night was getting locked in the bathroom. The door handle was broken to the wooden building and like many others I shut the door and regretted it. I had my cell phone on me and was able to call for help. Another guy wasn't so lucky and had to spend about 45 minutes trapped in there until someone else came along.

Saturday morning a group of guys went hiking in search of an old WW2 bomber that had crashed in the hills. I stayed at the campsite and was able to spend some quality time sitting by the lake reading the Bible and writing in my journal. One of my favorite things is being able to sit by water to read the Bible and pray. I understand why Psalm 23 says, "He leads me beside still waters..."
.

Saturday afternoon we set up a shooting range and had a great time knocking clay pigeons out of the sky. I was able to shoot several times and we all had fun knocking down targets and blowing up water bottles.

I headed back down the hill on Saturday night to prep for Sunday morning. I heard from several guys that Kingsley Chigbu did a great job presenting the devotional thought and that everyone had a great discussion around the camp fire. Most of the guys got up early enough to make it back in time for our 10:30 AM service. The weekend was a lot of fun and definitely a highlight for me!

Thank you to Dennis Wycoff and Matt Lavezzo who did a great job of organizing the trip and the food!

Also, mark your calendar's now, next year's men's camping trip is September 24-26, 2010.

"The one with the church trailer..."

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:50:00 +0000

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I'm posting the details of our trailer adventure so that everyone gets the complete story.

Sunday 9/20/09

6:00 AM The trailer is stolen! We know it was this morning because the sprinklers in the landscaping sprayed water onto the parking lot and there was a large dry spot where the trailer usually sits. Our second smaller trailer was left untouched.

7:00 AM Our trailer/set-up team shows up and discovers the trailer is gone. Matt calls me and apologizes for waking me up. (I was actually up for a while since I have three little kids who are like roosters in the morning when the sun rises - but I digress).

7:01 AM I call everyone who has keys to our truck and trailer to see if anyone else moved it. Nope! Just woke up a whole bunch of people who like to sleep in on Sunday AM.

7:10 AM I call the Folsom Police Department to report it stolen. The dispatcher is so angry that someone would steal from a church that she dispatches a police car to our offices immediately. Last week, the Sacramento Bee listed Folsom as the safest city in California as we have the lowest crime rate per ca pita. So, I am guessing not much else was happening on a Sunday morning in Folsom.

7:30 AM Officer Knudsen from the Folsom Police Department takes our report and agrees to look for the trailer behind buildings, gas stations, etc. between our office and the freeway. Officer Knudsen was a huge help! Thank you Folsom Police Department!

8:10 AM A man named Kevin calls our emergency cell phone and asks me why someone just unloaded our A-frame parking signs in a dumpster in Sacramento. Kevin thought it was strange to see someone with a trailer dumping things like children's toys and church signs at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning. Kevin reacted quickly, looked our church up on the Internet and took pictures of the people dumping our equipment. He got a good picture of the man and also of his truck, which happens to be a work truck with the name of our thiefs employer listed in big letters on a logo on the side. (Kevin is now my new best friend and an honorary member of our church).

8:11 AM I pass Kevin's information on to the Folsom Police Department and they drive to Sacramento to get more information and collect the photos.

9:00 AM & 10:30 AM We had a great church service in spite of the technical difficulties. The band brought equipment from home and everyone pitched in with children's toys and snacks.

While we didn't have our normal equipment, everything went great. It was the first time in a long time that I spoke without a microphone, so that was different. Thank you to everyone who pitched in and made Sunday a great success!

10:15 AM Officer Knudsen recovers some of our signs and children's toys that were dumped at Kevin's house in Sacramento. He explains that Kevin took a clear photo of the thief, his work truck, and the name of the company that he works for. Since it is Sunday, the business is closed and so they have not been able to reach anyone there yet.

2:15 PM Officer Knudsen comes by my house so that I can sign some paperwork and he shows Susan and I the photos. First thing Monday morning Officer Knudsen promises to visit the business and find out the name of our thief.

Monday 9/21/09

9:00 AM Officer Knudsen visits the business listed on the side of the truck and it's a dead end. It's a nationwide company that employs a lot of independent contractors. The sign on the truck was a magnet and they don't have anyone currently employed that looks like the guy in the picture. They are helpful and give more information to Officer Knudsen, but the trail goes cold.

11:00 AM Officer Knudsen shows the picture of the truck to the fleet manager of the Folsom police department vehicles to better identify the make and model. They go to the Folsom auto mall and confirm the year and type of truck.

Tuesday 9/22/09

9:00 AM The fleet manager from the Folsom Police Department (same guy from above) drives to work from Fair Oaks. On his way to Folsom he just happens to drive by the white truck from Kevin's photos. It's the same make and model with the company logo magnet still on the side. He follows the truck and gets the license plate number. Wow!

12:30 PM Officer Knudsen contacts me to let me know that they have the address of the owner of the truck and that they have confirmed that there is a white trailer in the driveway. It's in Fair Oaks. The owner of the truck has warrants out for his arrest and since he is not home they send out an undercover team to surround the house.

2:00 PM Steve and I are invited to drive by the house with Officer Knudsen in a silver van and identify if it is our trailer. We slowly sneak by it a couple of times and yep it's our trailer!

Wednesday 9/23/09

9:00 AM Officer Knudsen calls me to let me know that they moved in this morning as someone attempted to move the trailer. I think that they were hoping to catch someone "in the act" so they waited until our thieves were on site.

10:00 AM Officer Knudsen lets me know that most of the contents appear to be inside the trailer. There are four of our five wooden carts there and our stage video monitor. It looks like our ushering cart is missing with communion supplies, table clothes, Bibles, etc.

2:30 PM Our trailer is at the Folsom Police Station being processed as evidence. We expect to have it and the contents back right away.

Thank you to everyone at the Folsom Police Department, especially Officer Knudsen. We were able to recover the trailer because of his hard work and the quick thinking of Kevin and the fleet manager who saw the truck and trailer. Our next step as a church family is to pray for and forgive those who stole our stuff. Let's pray that they experience God's grace through this incident.

Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:32:00 +0000

This week I finally broke down and signed up for Facebook. My close friend Mel McGowan told me that it was the only way we could consistently keep in touch. Mel travels a lot and he's been urging me to join facebook for about six months now. Here's what I've learned in the my 24 hours on Facebook:

1. It's scary how they are able to connect you with people you haven't seen in years. When I signed up they suggested potential friends and it automatically listed acquaintances, friends, people from churches I have worked at, and people I went to High School with. This was even before I entered my personal information. How do they know to suggest parents from my son's soccer team? Maybe I am paranoid, but that was amazing.

2. It's a great way to connect with people and encourage them. In the past 24 hours I've already heard several prayer requests and details about friends here at New Song that I otherwise would not have known about. What a cool way to hear about people that I care about.

3. Some of my "friends" are competing for the most "facebook friends" on their list. I have a couple of people on my list who have well over a thousand "friends" of their own. One even has over 2,000 facebook friends. How do you have that many close friends?

4. Last night, I prayed about who God might want me to connect with and encourage. God put the name of someone I have been trying to reach for awhile and sure enough, they are on Facebook. I wrote a note and I am praying that God uses the connection to encourage them in their walk with Christ.

5. The ads are weird! We are advertising for New Song on Facebook and I had heard about the ads being strange, but wow! Right now on my facebook page are ads titled, "Want Six Pack Abs?" and "Animate Yourself." I bet if I got a cartoon animation of myself, they could draw six pack abs on me and make it like a two for one deal.

6. Facebook is addicting. I had fun looking for friends last night and several sent me warning messages like, "Beware, you have to be able to walk away from facebook," and "Watch out it's addicting." Is there a group called Facebook Anonymous? Maybe I could start one, write a self help book, and make a lot of money.

7. Some people are very transparent and post every little detail of their day. (I think they call that TMI)? Do we need to know every (and I mean every) detail of someones life? I think they have Twitter for that, but since I am new maybe I am just getting warmed up and I'll be posting more details by next weekend.

8. Susan has more friends than me, but who is counting? :)

Broken People

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:01:00 +0000

This week at our Ministry Leadership Team meeting we prayed that we would be a church that reaches broken people. We talked about the blessing of God bringing people to New Song who were seriously struggling and who are now living a new life in Christ! I get so excited watching miracles happen in the lives of people who were broken and then restored in Jesus.

When we think of broken people we often have a stereotype in our mind. When I think of broken people in our area I think of people who...

> Are in pain because of a divorce or marriage struggles.
> Are stressed out financially because of circumstances, poor choices, or the economy.
> Are frustrated with how to raise their children in a successful way.
> Are struggling with addictions like alcohol, pornography, or drugs.
> Are lonely and need support.
> Are confused because it feels like something is missing and there should be more to life.

God loves people who are broken and hurting like this. Psalm 34:18 tells us, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Jesus came to comfort the brokenhearted and He calls us as His church to do the same.

How do we care for broken people? One way is to pray for them. I have found that if I offer to pray for people who are struggling they always say yes. If someone you know shares a struggle or stress in their life, ask them if it is OK if you pray for them? Everyone appreciates prayer and it usually opens a door to talk with them about Jesus. The old saying is that, "People don't care what you know until they know that you care." Prayer is a great way to show that you care.

Here's one exciting example that I recently received in an email from Joanna Thomas, "God answered the prayer you asked us to pray on Sunday for an opportunity to talk to folks and share our stories of how God has loved us. I had listed a couple of my staff in my notes, and this morning, my boss mentioned that one of those gals looked really upset. I called her in, and she ended up sharing a laundry list of personal and professional challenges she's facing, all the while crying and using phrases like, "I just feel so lost." So, I shared with her about how God had laid her on my heart on Sunday, and that I had prayed for just such a chance for us to talk. Turns out she used to go to church in Folsom for a number of years, and said she used to have a strong relationship with God. She was grateful for the talk and the prayers (and we even prayed together before she left my office), and will think about joining me at church sometime."

A second way to reach broken people is to be a broken person yourself. Sharing our story of pain and then the healing, freedom, and love found in Jesus often opens the door for people to relate and understand the Gospel. In his book, The Monkey and the Fish, Christian author Dave Gibbons writes about the pain principle. Dave writes, "The pain principle grows out of two axioms: (1) ...pain in life has a way of deconstructing us to our most genuine, humble, authentic selves...(2) For most people, regardless of culture, it's easier to connect with [someone's] pain and shortcomings and mistakes than their success and triumphs."

In order to be comfortable sharing our brokeness with others we first have to bring our pain and sin to the surface and let Jesus heal us. When that happens it gives us freedom to love and care for others who are hurting. My prayer is that we welcome broken people into New Song because we know what they are going through (we've been there) and like God we care.

Sunday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Two thoughts on yesterday that I have to share...

1. Thank you to everyone who helped set-up and tear down. You worked so hard and did so much! Thank you for your participation and willingness to serve the Lord in this way! You were such an encouragement to me. Each Sunday our tear down team usually consists of Kingsley Chigbu and whomever happens to be on hand to pitch in. As they say, many hands make a light load and this Sunday that was true! We were done cleaning up in record time!

2. Worship was amazing on Sunday! Brad and the team did a great job leading us as we celebrated God. I was so encouraged to see everyone take to heart the message on worship and respond to God's love in such a powerful way. For years I have prayed that as we sing, those of us in the chairs would actually be louder in our praise than the band on stage. This Sunday, as I was singing I closed my eyes realized that the people behind me were louder than the people on stage! I have been praying that our church would take a step forward in our spiritual enthusiasm and passion for worship and this Sunday we did! Way to go!

In-N-Out Burger

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:48:00 +0000

While I was on my Sabbatical I picked up a copy of "In-N-Out Burger," which was a fascinating history of the burger chain. When I worked in San Dimas at Christ's Church of the Valley the church was built on the old Snyder family homestead. The Snyder family owns In-N-Out burger. Esther Snyder (one of the founders of In-N-Out) even came by the church to see the development. The old Snyder house was our church office. My office was the pool house out back where I had a 1000 square foot office and my own swimming pool and jaquzi. I picked up the book because I heard a lot of rumors over the years about our church property. It turns out the rumors just scratched the surface. For a season, the house itself was the headquarters of In-N-Out and the kids names scratched into the concrete outside my office were the Presidents of In-N-Out (Guy & Ritchie). It was a fascinating book that got me thinking about how In-N-Out is a success by doing a few things well. Did you know that in 50 years they have only added one item to their menu? It was Sprite soda.

God has shown me recently that he really only calls us to do a few things well. Lift up Jesus and help people become complete in Him. As a church we will always have limited resources, but not limited opportunities. So, in order to have a quality church with spiritual enthusiasm I believe we have to focus our resources into the few things that we can do well. With that in mind, this fall we are going to be slimming down and focusing on four key areas: 1) Sunday Mornings, 2) Children's Ministry, 3) Life Groups, and 4) Youth. We are planning on postponing activities in some other ministry areas in order to focus our attention on these four ministry programs.

Within each of these four programs we'll emphasize our C2 goal by highlighting 1) Personal Growth, 2) Community, 3) Serving, and 4) Reaching Out. If you have trouble remembering this strategy think of a 4x4 truck. Four programs (Sunday Mornings, Children, Life Groups, Youth) and four emphasis (Growth, Community, Serving, and Reaching Out).

My prayer is that by focusing our prayers, energy, and passion into these four ministries that this fall we can lift up Jesus and reach more people for Him than ever before!

How Was Your Sabbatical?

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:55:00 +0000

As my Sabbatical comes to an end this week I anticipate being asked about how it went. Here are a couple of highlights. To recharge my batteries I had a lot of fun, did some learning, and took some time to rest and reflect. I can't wait to get back to church on Sunday, August 2nd though because I miss so many of the people in our church family.

Here's a list of some of the great experiences I had on my Sabbatical...

1. My Sabbatical started out with a few days in Tahoe. I was able to ride my bike a couple of times and it was great being outside and seeing God's creation. I rode from Stateline, through Camp Richardson, and up to Inspiration Point overlooking Emerald Bay and then up Fall Leaf Lake Road. The scenery was incredible and it gave me a chance to rest. I also spent a lot of time praying and reading the Bible near the waterfalls at Emerald Bay. I couldn't have asked for a better place to be alone with God!

2. A second highlight was the Wednesday night Generate service at Crossroads Church in Corona. Generate is Crossroads youth/young adult group and it blew me away. There were about 3,000 people in the auditorium and the worship was incredible. Tony Wood, the pastor, spoke on baptism and described it like a wedding ring in our relationship with Jesus. At the end of the message they had three baptisteries set up in the front and Tony invited anyone who wanted to get baptized to come up. They hadn't announced ahead of time that they were going to have baptistries, but for the next 40 minutes they baptized 3-4 people at a time.

We sang in worship and a crowd of people moved to the front to get baptized. They estimate that about 300 people got baptized that night. It was like a traditional altar call where people come forward to pray and receive Christ, except this time they all got baptized on the spot in whatever they wore to church that night. I was blown away and reminded again how incredible it is to watch people publicly commit their lives to Jesus by getting baptized! It was a really inspiring moment.

3. I was away from Susan and the kids for about three weeks of the Sabbatical, but while I was home we had some great moments together. We celebrated both mine and Meg's birthday. I turned 40 and she turned 4! We had a fun time at both parties. We also attended a family camp in Yucaipa together where we had fun playing and learning. I was also able to visit the Folsom Aquatic Center with the kids and we swam and played there one afternoon. While in Southern California we visited our families in Murrieta and Cerritos and spent a few days at Legoland again this summer. As many of you know, Legoland is our favorite spot for the kids because they are tall enough to go on most of the rides and it's never crowded. Our family tradition at Legoland is to get a swirled ice cream and take fun pictures (you'll see them on our refrigerator). This last week, Susan and I were also able to get a chance to clean our garage. Cleaning our garage is annual project (that we missed last year), but now I am the proud owner of an organized and spotless garage. Maybe I should called HGTV so they can put us on one of their organizing shows.

4. While I was in Southern California I was also able to visit with some friends from Crossroads Church in Corona. I had a great lunch with Chuck Booher (Crossroad's Senior Pastor). Chuck gave me some great insights and encouragement. I was also able to go to Miguel's Jr. with the Husens. I spent several hours hanging out with Doug and Maureen catching up and hearing about their experiences in Corona. Kai, Keanu, and Kanaan, Doug's and Maureen's sons, also joined us at Miguel's and it was amazing to see them growing up. Kanaan is as tall as me now and still growing. I really had a great time laughing and enjoying time with Doug and Maureen.

5. One weekend I was able to go to an event called, Boundaries Boot Camp, in Huntington Beach. It was a very small conference put on by John Cloud and Henry Townsend. They are the best selling authors of the book, Boundaries. The conference was designed to be a boot camp in that the focus was on applying the concept of boundaries in the various relationships that we all have (family, coworkers, church, etc.). I learned a lot at the conference about myself and how to relate to others in a healthier way.

6. I visited about eight churches and had lunch with several pastors on my Sabbatical in order to gather new ideas and get some wisdom. I had a great lunch with Barry Smith the Senior Pastor at Impact Church in Elk Grove and heard about their journey as a church. God also opened a door for both Susan and I to meet John and Ann Hansen from Lamb's Fellowship church in Murrieta. I had a great time with John while I was in Murrieta and I was able to visit their Saturday night service. I also had a great time visiting churches like Mariner's Church and New Song in Irvine.

7. I got to ride PCH! Each Sunday afternoon after church I ride my bike for a couple of hours to decompress and reflect on the day. While I was in LA I was able to do two Sunday afternoon rides up and down Pacific Coast Highway. I had a blast riding through Seal, Huntington, and Newport Beach. I grew up going to those beaches every summer and it brought back a lot of fun memories. The weather was perfect!

Those are just a few of the highlights of my Sabbatical. I am anxious to come back to New Song next week (I'll be in the Ministry Center on Monday 7/27). I miss seeing so many people from our church and I am really looking forward to what God is going to do next at New Song. With our C2 focus, I feel like we are in a better place than ever to reach people for Jesus!

C2 - Moving Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:10:00 +0000

As some of you probably sensed, I have been worn down by the events of the last few years. The good news (actually great news) is that my Sabbatical has been a gift of encouragement and refreshment as I was able to relfect and just focus on Jesus.

I am now looking forward more than ever to what God is going to do at New Song. I believe that God wants us to reach more people for Jesus than ever before as we focus on our C2 goal of growing complete in Christ. In the spring of this year, we were in a neutral gear as God healed and transformed us.

Now, I believe that God is calling us to move forward in a BIG WAY. The key verse that I mediated on while I was in Southern California is Isaiah 43:18-19, which says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

In this verse, God is describing his desire for Israel to stop going over their history in their minds. God wants them to be alert and present because he is about to do something brand new. God is telling them to forget the past, because it is nothing compared to what he is about to do in their future. In a sense, God is calling them to have hope!

In recent months, I have dwelled a lot on painful memories of the past. I have thought a lot about how things used to be at our church. I was hurt by the response of some to our struggles in 2008 and also felt a spirit of discouragement. As this verse describes, I believe that God is calling me (and our church) to set aside the past and let him do a new thing. If I continue to dwell on the past I'll miss the good thing that God wants to do today. In a sense, this is how hope works. We take our focus off of the past and put it on God who wants to do a new and better work in our future.

Because of this passage I have stopped dweling on some painful memories and I am now moving forward. Now, I am moving forward as I believe God is making a way in the wilderness and a stream in the desert for us.

What about you? Do you have a painful memory that God is calling you to stop dwelling on so that you can see him work in your life today? Maybe a friendship at New Song that is gone or an expectation of how things are supposed to be? Maybe a wound from your past that is keeping you from seeing the miraculous thing that God wants to do in your life today.

On Sunday, August 2nd, I'll be returning to New Song and I look forward to sharing with you some of the exciting ways we are moving forward as a church. We'll be starting our new series, "Disciple: No Christians Allowed." I guarantee that you will be challenged and equipped to grow in your faith and personal relationship with Jesus. I look forward to seeing you then!

Turn Around Churches

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Over the last few weeks I've got to participate in a couple of great and encouraging experiences. First, our family attended a Family Camp at Oak Glen Christian Conference center in Yucaipa. It was a conference for the whole family put on by the Free Methodist Church. Susan's family has friends who invited us to join them even though we aren't a part of their denomination. We had fun swimming, climbing the ropes course, and worshipping together.

At family camp we also met a great couple from Murrieta. John and Ann Hansen minister at a church in Murrieta called "Lamb's Fellowship." John became the pastor of the church five years ago when it was about to shut it's doors. The church had declined from about 500 to 50 people when John and Ann first came to the church. In the past five years though the church has experienced a complete turn around. They were able to build their first permanent building and had over 1000 people in attendance for the first time in May. Meeting John and Ann was a big encouragement to Susan and I. We thought of it as a God thing because their church is about 1/2 mile from my sister's home in Murrieta. I'll be staying in Murrieta all next week for some solitude time so I'll be connecting with John and his church again soon.

Susan and I also visited Crossroads Church in Corona for their Sunday night service on Sunday, 6/28. Chuck Booher, the senior pastor, is an old friend of mine (When I was in Junior High School I delivered his newspaper every morning. Yes, I was once a "paper boy"). Crossroads is also the church were I became a Christian, so it was great to be there to worship and hear Chuck speak. Crossroads is also going through a turn around. Chuck came to Crossroads in 2007 when the church was going through a huge financial collapse. At the time, the church had huge financial problems and they were unable to meet their debt obligations. Chuck shared with Susan and I that when he first became the pastor of the church, they were less than three weeks away from going bankrupt and having to close the doors. In the last two years, they have seen an amazing turn around. God took their huge problem and turned it into a huge miracle. They are seeing many people come to Christ and grow in their faith. Since January 1st of this year they have already baptized over 1,000 people into Christ. Susan and I were once again amazed by what God is doing.

This last Sunday, 7/5, I heard from many that Bryce Jessup delivered an incredible message. If you missed it, make sure to check it out on the media page of our church web site. I visited Bayside Church in Granite Bay and heard a great message on the life of Abraham and discipleship by Neil Josephson. Neil shared three stages of discipleship in our relationship with God. I'll be describing them in detail on Sunday, August 3rd, when we start our next series "Disciple (No Christians Allowed)."

This week I am back in Folsom until Thursday when I am headed to Huntington Beach for a conference called, "Boundaries Bootcamp" with Henry Cloud. I am looking forward to it. To prep for the conference I have been reading "Boundaries" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. It's a classic book that I believe all Christians should read for two reasons: 1) It addresses emotional and spiritual maturity in a way that breaks us free from sinful patterns many of us learned from our families growing up. Whether you grew up in a Christian home or not you may have picked up some immature ways of relating to people that aren't compatible with following Jesus. Boundaries addresses some of these deeper issues and has given me a lot to think about. 2) It's a great book on parenting. I think every parent should read the chapter in this book called, "Parenting and Boundaries." Trust me, if you apply 10% of what they describe in the book as a parent you'll save yourself a lot of headache and heartache. If you've never read Boundaries I'd really recommend it!

FYI - Photos are 1) Our family photo at Family Camp; 2) Liam on the ropes course at Family Camp; 3) Meg at Seal Beach where we played for a day.

Church Visit - Impact

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:12:00 +0000

This last Sunday, June 21st, I was able to visit the first church on my Sabbatical schedule: Impact Church in Elk Grove. Susan and I first visited Impact when they were meeting at a local college in 2001. At the time, the church was meeting in the college theater and the children's ministry was in the lobby. From those humble beginnings Impact has grown into a positive and powerful church in Elk Grove. They have had their bumps along the way. Barry Smith, the pastor of Impact, even wrote a book about their struggles called "Full Disclosure." I read the book last month as it described the ups and downs that Barry has experienced at Impact.

I visited Impact church with the hope of being encouraged and hopefully learn something from observing the way they do ministry. I wasn't disappointed. Here's a part of what I gleaned from visiting Impact...

1. My heart's focus has to stay on Jesus, not the success or growth of New Song. As I drove away from New Song on Sunday (after dropping off our kids) I was shaken by how much I rely upon myself for what's happening at New Song. It kind of scared me to think that New Song was happening without me there. Roger Gibson spoke at New Song and from what I heard everything went great, but it reminded me once again that it's all about Jesus I am just his servant! My visit to Impact reminded me once again that following Jesus means fulfilling God's goals, with God's strength, for his glory!

2. Impact is a great church with a great spirit that comes from Barry's faithfulness in following Jesus. As I looked around the church I quickly saw how Barry's personality and personal growth has helped Impact grow into what it is today. I was reminded how much the personality and spiritual maturity of the pastor influences the personality of the congregation. Barry was fun and casual while being very serious about what God calls us to from the Bible. I saw the same attitude in the people I talked with at the church.

Here's one example. As Barry started his message his microphone was going out, he tried a hand held microphone, then another wireless mic, and eventually went back to the handheld. Through the first ten minutes of his message Barry had to change microphones four times. For most pastor's that would be a very frustrating experience, I know it would have been for me. The great part was that Barry was very light hearted about the whole thing, which helped the church really connect with him and the message. So, the technical difficulties turned out to be a great addition in making the message personal and practical.

Overall, I was reminded once again how God has called me to follow Jesus. Anything that I do as a pastor or in leadership is a reflection of that calling. As I lead I can only ask people to follow me as I am following Jesus. It's all about him. This is part of the reason this Sabbatical is so important for me right now. It gives me a chance to focus on Jesus and my relationship with him above all else.

Tahoe Update

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:52:00 +0000

My Sabbatical is starting out great. On Sunday night, my sons learned how to ride bikes. We had a ball watching them ride up and down our cul-de-sac. Kyle Thomas suggested taking the pedals off so that they could learn to balance and it worked great. I have been trying to get them on a bike for months, but Kyle's method only took 15 minutes and away they went.

So far my week in Tahoe has been all about decompressing and recharging my batteries. On Tuesday afternooon, I also got to do one of my favorite things - ride my bike. I had a great ride from the state line (where my hotel is) to Inspiration Point at Emerald Bay and then back along Fallen Leaf Road and the Pioneer Trail. It was one of the best rides I've ever been on. The views were amazing and worth the climb.

I headed back to Emerald Bay (in my car) on Wednesday and found a an amazing secluded place next to Eagle Falls (photo below) to mediate and pray over Revelation 3:1-6. This passage will be the theme verse for our series in August – “Disciple: No Christians Allowed.” As I read over the verses I couldn't help but think about how easy it is to call myself a Christian and yet make everything in my life about me and not Jesus. Spent some time praying and repenting about that one.
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I also spent some time listening to a couple of great messages by Mark Driscoll. They are from the Desiring God Advance 09 Conference held in early June (you can download and listen to the conference for free here). Mark Driscoll's messages on idolatry and the church were some of the best sermons I've heard in a long time. Mark Driscoll's tone is tough for some to listen to (think the polar opposite of Joel Osteen), but underneath the yelling there is some really great content.
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I am also reading an interesting book called, "Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe" by Larry Osborne. The book reviews urban legends that most Christians believe but aren't in the Bible. "Dumb Ideas" found in the book include..."A godly home guarantees godly kids...Everything happens for a reason...A valley means a wrong turn...Faith can fix anything." I am thinking that these urban legends might make a good sermon series in 2010.

This week I also finished a biography of Franklin Roosevelt that was a great story of a great man. Before reading the book I had no idea how much he changed the world and how his influence is still being felt today. For example, did you know he created the SEC, the FDIC, Social Security, the United Nations. He also created a foundation that found the cure for polio. He did all this while fighting WW2 and the Great Depression and being paralyzed in his legs. Really inspirational stuff.

Right now, I am watching the sun go down over Lake Tahoe from my hotel room. I just had Baja Fresh for dinner and so now my day is complete. Baja Fresh is still open in Tahoe (unlike Folsom) and so I am getting it while I can.

The Discipline of Solitude

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Today I am beginning my Sabbatical with a trip to Tahoe for a week of solitude. To be honest, not being at New Song for the next couple of weeks is freaking me out. I want to be there to keep up our momentum and try to hold everything together. This is exactly why I need to get away for a few days and be reminded that New Song is Jesus church not mine. I have to remember that Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18).

I am going to Tahoe until Friday without Susan or the kids so that I can practice the spiritual discipline of solitude. Richard Foster, in his book, Celebration of Discipline describes the importance of solitude by saying “…the seeking out of solitary places was a regular practice for Jesus. So it should be for us...One reason we can hardly bear to remain silent is that it makes us feel so helpless. We are so accustomed to relying upon words to manage and control others. If we are silent, who will take control? God will take control, but we will never let him take control until we trust him. Silence is intimately related to trust.”

This week I'll be praying, reading, and having extended times of being still with God (Psalm 46:10). I am going to really seek God's wisdom about what he wants me to learn and the questions he wants me to ask over the next few weeks. My hope is that my passion for Him will be renewed. I am also going to be praying for our church family and that God would do amazing things this fall at New Song as we move forward with some exciting new programs.

What a Great Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0000

This last Sunday, five time Olympic Medal winner Josh Davis joined us for a great day at church. Josh was in town doing a swim clinic with local teams and had Sunday morning free, so he came to New Song. Everyone I have spoken with has said that Josh was the best guest speaker that we have ever had at New Song. We are already talking about asking Josh back next May or June when he may return to Folsom again for another clinic. If you missed Sunday's message make sure to listen to it at our church website in the media section.

http://www.newsongchristian.org/Media.aspx

Letter from MLT - Dale's Sabbatical

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Our church Ministry Leadership Team recently sent out this letter by snail mail that I thought you might like to read...

Dear Church Family,

As New Song’s Ministry Leadership Team (MLT) we are writing to share with you about Dale’s upcoming sabbatical. We recognize that the rate of burnout for pastors in America is very high. It is estimated that about 1,500 pastors leave their ministry each month because of exhaustion. With that in mind, Dale has requested and we have agreed that Dale take a short Sabbatical.

One of Dale’s life goals is to pastor New Song church for the rest of his life. Since pastoral ministry is a high stress, high commitment, and time consuming role, fulfilling Dale’s goal requires seasons of rest and renewal. This was modeled by Jesus in his ministry as Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

A sabbatical is a purposeful time away from the day-to-day demands of ministry. It is different from a vacation in that it is an extended time with a focused plan that brings renewal. A sabbatical is a learning opportunity that includes extensive reading, prayer times, visits to other churches, and ministry learning opportunities.

As a church, we have gone through a positive season of rebuilding and stabilizing our foundation. Starting in August, we will be launching several new and exciting programs for our adults, youth, and children that help us fulfill our C2 goals. Great things are coming this fall!
To prepare for our fall launch, we feel now is a good time for Dale to recharge spiritually. We see a great benefit to you in having Dale at his best when we move forward with our new C2 ministry programs in the fall.

Dale’s desire for spiritual renewal began in January when he and Susan traveled to Colorado to visit Blessing Ranch, a pastoral retreat center. This sabbatical will be for several weeks this summer in June and July (June 15th-July 26th). During this time Dale will be traveling to other churches and retreat centers. While he is away we’ll have some great guest speakers at New Song including Roger Gibson, Bryce Jessup, and Joe Grana.

While Dale is away he’ll be checking in each Monday with Steve Caler and updating his blog weekly to keep us informed of his journey. In addition, Steve Caler’s role at the church will remain the same and he will be available at the Ministry Center during the week. To help support our children’s ministry we have also hired a part time assistant, Teri Murray, who will work with Steve in the weeks leading up to Kid’s Camp. Our Ministry Leadership Team will also be participating in our weekly staff meetings and serving on Sunday mornings to carry out some of the ministry roles normally assumed by Dale.

You might be wondering, “Is there anything wrong?” Not at all. Many pastors take Sabbaticals after five or six years of ministry. Dale has been working to start New Song since August 2000, so he is overdue. (The church officially began in February of 2002, but Dale and Susan moved to Northern California in August 2000 to work with Adventure church in Roseville to do the prep work to start New Song).

You might also be wondering, “Is the church going to be OK?” Absolutely! We have a solid leadership team in place and many of you serve so faithfully that our church will continue to function as normal. We also want to encourage you to make it a priority to join us each Sunday this summer when you are in town. The church has never been about Dale. It’s about Jesus and He will be at New Song every Sunday this summer!

If you have any additional questions regarding Dale’s Sabbatical please feel free to contact us. We’d also ask that you please pray for Dale’s renewal, encouragement, and growth during this upcoming stage of his sabbatical.

Sincerely,

Your Ministry Leadership Team: Brent Christierson, Scott Haaland, and Rick Kraemer

P.S.S. - If you’d like to read New Song’s formal Sabbatical Policy you can find it on our church web site in the media - file cabinet section under “Sabbatical Policy.”

Operation Christmas Child Update

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:24:00 +0000

This is an email I received this week from Mike Downs our Operation Christmas Child Coordinator...

"People often wonder where their shoe boxes ended up. I used an EZ Give Boy/Girl label and one of my shoe boxes went to the Philippines. I’d encourage others from our church who used the EZ Give option to let the congregation know where their shoe boxes went. I also pray that our congregation feels the joy, compassion and excitement of being able to do something in the lives of Children around the world.

Here is a brief story about how shoe-boxes delivered in the Philippines changes the life of a few children:

Reerose was 14 when she received her first Christmas present. She was overjoyed to get a shoe box containing a variety of school supplies—exactly what she needed for her course work.

“It is exciting to know that people like you from the other parts of the world are concerned about our situation here,” Reerose said. “Even my parents were very happy because what I prayed for was granted.”

Jeric received something even more valuable than the gifts inside his box. After enrolling in the follow-up discipleship program, he learned more about the real meaning of Christmas and accepted Jesus as his Savior.

“Before I came to know to know the Lord, I was very bad, disobedient to my parents, and caused much trouble to my brothers and sisters,” he said. “When I came to know Him, I was changed. I learned pray and thank Jesus. I am also not lying to parents anymore.”

Like Reerose, 12-year-old Jeric lives in a poor community. Last year God provided an answer to one of his prayers when a line of electricity was connected to their house. With the addition of electric lights, Jeric spends more time in the evening studying.

“I believe that nothing is impossible to God,” he said. “I believe Jesus loves me and poverty is not a hindrance to my dreams. Jesus is with me! He will guide me as I grow up.”

For millions of children, Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes are tangible expressions of God’s love and constant presence. They are reassured that they have a heavenly Father who cares. And that’s a gift that endures forever!"

Dog Playing In The Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Every Christmas people send me videos of fun things for Christmas. This one is from Janet Mercer who sent this over and made our staff chuckle. Make sure to watch the second half because it gets funnier as it goes along, especially when he runs into the tree.

Ice Skating in Old Town

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:17:00 +0000

This Wednesday night we had our all church gathering at the Folsom Ice Skating Rink. We had one of the best church gatherings ever. Our family had so much fun skating, laughing, and hanging out with everyone from church. Here's a bunch of photos from Wednesday night. You can click them for a larger view.

Operation Christmas Child

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Just a quick note to celebrate that we had 80 boxes brought in for Operation Christmas Child! I am so excited to be a part of a church that loves children around the world in this way! Way to go everybody!
I'd also like to say a special thank you to Mike Downs who organized this year's project! Thank you Mike!
On Wednesday, Mike and Steve Caler took our boxes to a church in Rancho Cordova where they will be put together with boxes from other churches in Sacramento and then sent around the world! This Christmas there will be children around the world who will hear about the love of Jesus because of your gifts!

Apple Hill Gathering

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:51:00 +0000

Last Saturday our church had a fantastic day gathering together at Apple Hill. The weather was perfect, the apple pie was delicious, and the kids had a great time too. My guess is that about 60 or 70 of us were there at some point. I am really glad our family skipped a make up soccer game so we could enjoy having lunch with so many people from our church. It reminded me of how much I love the people in our church and how encouraging everyone is. My son, Liam, and I also had a great time walking through the "maze." The maze was really just a bunch of trees and a trail, but we had fun walking and talking and sharing a moment together. I've already heard from several people that they want us to go up together again next year. We'll definitely do that!

Each month we are planning a fun activity for our church to gather together and invite friends to. Our next gathering is on Wednesday, December 10th, when we'll go ice skating together in Old Town Folsom. I am really looking forward to showing my sons how to ice skate. After Christmas, we are planning a snow day on Satruday, January 31st, when we'll gather together at snow park and lodge. It'll be a great chance to enjoy the snow together as a church family! Make sure and mark your calendar for this upcoming gatherings! If you have any good ideas for a church gathering please let me know! We are thinking of going bowling together sometime. Let me know if you think that sounds fun?

Below are some of the pictures I took at our Apple Hill Gathering. You can click on each picture to see it at full size.

Cool Video

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:49:00 +0000

In light of this week's election, here's a cool video that Janet Mercer emailed over to me. We probably can't show it at church because of our projectors and the small writing, but it's inspiring and worth the three minutes it takes to watch. Check it out!

Who Should I Vote For?

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:06:00 +0000

So, how and who should we vote for? Well, I am going to propose something a little different. Sometimes people want to separate faith and politics but they miss the connection between religion and ethics. Our ethics come from our religious beliefs and in turn lead to our political choices. With that in mind this is how I believe every Christian should vote.

1) Look at the issues and candidates and become informed. Most people have no idea what Proposition 4 says and it's an incredibly important issue. Prop 4 is all about parental notification for teenagers seeking an abortion through a local school district. Did you know that each year about a dozen girls in the Folsom-Cordova School district get an abortion without their parents being notified? That's right, school nurses/counselors helps about a dozen girls a year get an abortion in our local schools. Did you know that?

You can read more about Proposition Four here www.yeson4.net/ and here

www.noonprop4.org/

You can read more about Proposition Eight here www.protectmarriage.com/ and here www.noonprop8.com/

2) Look at what the Bible says about the issues and candidates. As Christians, we believe that God inspired the Bible and that it is the mannual for decision making. So, check out what it says about abortion and homosexuality and other important issues. These are complex issues, but here are some verses to consider.

Abortion: The Bible repeatedly identifies children in their mother's womb as "babies" (see Genesis 25:21-22 or Luke 1:41,44). To kill a baby in a mother's womb is therefore condsidered murder and a violation of Exodus 20:13 which says,"You shall not murder."

Homosexuality: The Bible clearly teaches about homosexuality in passages like Romans 1:24-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-12. In addition God defined marriage in Genesis 1:24 as being between a man and a woman.

3) Pray, pray, pray! Who and what should I vote for? Barrack Obama or John McCain? Ask God. It's that simple. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Who and what am I voting for? After taking the three steps above I believe that God wants me to vote yes on Prop 4 and Prop 8.

I love everyone and would never reject someone based upon their sexual orientation, yet I believe that the Bible is clear that the definition of marriage is one woman and one man. Prop 8 keeps our traditional definition of marriage, it's that simple. If Prop 8 fails, it opens the door for the definition of marriage to be redefined into whatever someone wants it to be. If two men can marry, why can't 4 women and 2 men get married to each other? If we redefine marriage, why can't a marriage be defined as 6 or 10 or 2000 people married to each other? Sounds crazy, but there are crazy people out there who would love to redefine marriage their way.

Homosexual groups are not advocating anything more than gay marriage between two people, but the reality of redefining marriage is that it has a lot of unintended consequences. For example, in Massachusetts (where gay marriage is already legal) churches are already being sued for refusing to perform gay marriages and parents can't exempt their children from education about gay marriage in public schools.

The Bible is also clear about abortion. God loves and wants to forgive everyone who has had this painful experience. As a pastor, everyone I have talked to who has had an abortion struggles with their decision. I can't imagine what it would be like for my daughter to get pregnant and then have a school counselor help her get an abortion without my knowledge. As a dad, I'd want to be there to help her in every way possible. Those against Prop 4 say that it might endanger a girl who got pregnant from an adult relative or lives in an abusive home. In those cases, I believe the answer would be to arrest the guy who got her pregnant, don't hide the abuse.

What about for President? Am I going to vote for Obama or McCain? I have friends who have told me they are voting for Obama and I have friends who have shared with me that they are voting for McCain. Together, we follow Jesus Christ and recognize that in Christ our party affiliation is secondary to our common love for Him! Galatians 3:26-29 says, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, or all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, [Republican or Democrat] for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

I added that last part, but I think Paul would agree that God is bigger than the Presidential election. With that in mind, I am choosing not to reveal who I am voting for in the Presidential election. I believe God calls me to share my opinions on moral issues like Prop 4 and Prop 8, but not on specific candidates. We have Republicans and Democrats at New Song and together we worship Jesus Christ!

So, my endorsement would be to take these three steps and let God show you how to vote!

Women's Gathering

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Last Sunday after church our women gathered for lunch and to hear about the development of our women's groups! Becky Kraemer has a terrific vision for connecting the women of our church with each other and the Lord. Becky's put it all together in a strategy centered around the words, Grow, Gather, and Give.

I wasn't able to attend the lunch (for obvious reasons) but Susan and others have told me it was a lot of fun getting to know other women. Susan and Angie Caler both gave information for a trivia game that was a lot of fun. Who knew that Susan grew up riding dirt bikes or that Angie played volleyball, basketball, and ran track in school?

As a church, we are focusing on hospitality and gathering people together around meals. Our next fun event is Saturday, November 15th when we all head up to Apple Hill for lunch. In the meantime, here are some photos from Sunday's gathering...

What A Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:59:00 +0000

This last weekend was incredible at New Song! It started Friday with our men's camping trip up at Sunset Campground - Union Valley Resevoir. I have not gone camping since I was a kid in Boy Scouts and so I was somewhat unprepared for the adventure, but it was great! I slept on a rock without a mat and didn't bring a flash light so I had a rough night, but the food and fellowship were great!

Over two dozen guys went up for the weekend to spend quality time with God, hang out together, laugh at stories around the camp fire, and encourage each other. (The plan is to repeat this camping trip the last weekend in September every year, so mark your calendar now).

The highlights for me included being able to spend a couple of hours with God sitting by the lake. For the past few months, my devotional time has been spent reading through the Psalms. Sitting there at the lake, reading through the Psalms and listening to music helped me really connect with God and get break. There is something encouraging about getting away from my normal routine that gives me perspective and a chance to look at what's going on under the surface in my life. God really seems to encourage me the most when I can be still and just listen to his voice.

On Saturday afternoon, we all went shooting at a target range that we set up in a field near our campsite. For about four hours we shot clay pigeons, targets, Pepsi cans, and tree stumps. We had a collection of about a dozen different guns to shoot (pistols, shotguns, a ruger, a mauser, etc.) I don't get to go shooting very often and it was a blast! The best part was just sitting around talking with the guys and laughing together as we hit (or missed) targets. What a blast!

On Saturday night I had to drive back down the hill to prep for Sunday morning's message and so I missed the last campfire. It was encouraging to see all of the guys come down the hill and make it to church to join us. On the way down, Ben Brown and I stopped at In-N-Out Burger where Ben ate his first double double. Ben is from Michigan where such amazing things don't exist. Ben also shot a gun for the first time on Saturday at the range. We were pretty suspicious of that fact though after he hit 20 out of 25 clay pigeons with the shot gun. I only hit 12. Ben attributed his expert accuracy to playing video games. Guess they are good for something.

On Sunday, we got to celebrate with baptisms! God is good! I always get excited watching people make a public display of their faith and get baptized! One of the things I pray for our church is that someday we see people get baptized every single Sunday. The Bible says in Acts that "the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." I pray that would be true at New Song and we would see the results every week through baptisms. Take a minute today to pray with me that God uses us to make him famous and see people baptized every Sunday at New Song!

Random Things You Probably Don't Know About Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Borgen) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:13:00 +0000

1. I was once a “Rock Star” (Sort of)

When I was in my early twenties, I led a worship band at our church (Christ’s Church of the Valley) in San Dimas. I played guitar and sang and had a good time doing it. Our band got enough attention that we were invited to play at a big youth conference in Kentucky for a couple of weeks called Summer in the Son. We got to be wanna be rock stars and hang out with the guys from Audio Adrenaline and a couple of other Christian artists.

Music wasn’t really my main gift. I wasn't going to be Jimi Hendrix, though I tried to play my guitar with my teeth once (it hurt). So not long after that I hung up the guitar and don’t play much anymore. There won’t be any big reunion tour of our band coming soon, but I had fun and I got to see Kentucky for a few weeks.

2. I can’t smell.

Here’s a random one. I have a very poor sense of smell. This has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s come in handy with the kids when we’ve had a diaper explosion or one of them throws up. I can’t smell these joys of life and so it makes it much easier for me to clean them up. On the other hand, because I can't smell, I don’t think I taste food like everyone else. I actually don’t enjoy a good steak (even though I've heard they taste great). I’d prefer fish or chicken any day. I went to the doctor once to have my sense of smell checked. He diagnosed allergies as the probable cause so I’ve never done much to find a cure for my disability.

3. I am coaching soccer.

Each Saturday for the next two months I am coaching the Knights! The Knights are my son Michael’s soccer team. I had no idea coaching a bunch of six year olds could be so much fun! We’ve lost our first two games, but the kids are having fun and so am I.

I grew up playing soccer and want to give my kids the same chance to have fun. I started when I was six and played into High School. During those ten years I actually played about 20 seasons because I was on a competitive traveling team and we played spring, summer, and winter seasons every year. I had fun and I hope my kids do too.

4. I struggle with…

On Tuesday, I met with a small group of guys at Starbucks and we shared our struggles as Christians. One of the guys shared how he has confidence that he is saved by grace, but figuring out how to live life as a Christian is a struggle. There isn’t a formula or system or plan that makes everything fit. Since we have a relationship with Jesus, it’s more like a process or journey of sanctification.

On my journey I struggle with three big things right now: 1) Approval from people; 2) Achievement so that I have value; 3) Trusting God and finding security in him. I struggle with wanting approval from people because I don’t fully understand God’s approval of me. I struggle with achievement so that I have a sense of accomplishment and value. This is because I don’t fully understand how much God values me. I struggle with trusting God, because I try to control the things that I fear instead of letting God be my shepherd. These three things can become idols in my life if I feed them.

So, each morning when I wake up I go to my knees and pray. Instead of standing up, I kneel down and I ask God to help me find approval from him and to know how much he likes me. I also pray that I know how much God values me and I pray for the strength to trust him with every area of my life. I struggle with a lot of other things too. Like how to have a good marriage, be a good dad, and stay out of debt, but these three are the big ones I am dealing with right now.

5. I constantly think about making Jesus famous.

The thing that discourages me more than anything else is the fact that so many people around us don’t know Jesus. He’s not even on most people’s radar. I sometimes stay awake at night praying about the people I know who don’t have the gift of Jesus in their life. Think about it, there are thousands of people around us who are destined for an eternity separated from God in hell. That’s horrible.

The really sad part is that most Christians (myself included) often don’t care enough to have a spiritual conversation with someone or invite them to church. We’re too busy or too worried about offending someone. Since people really need the gift of Jesus I pray that God gives me his heart so that I have the boldness to talk to people about him.