Light the Darkness

The Little Match Girl

 We are so glad to have a relationship with The Culture House. Belinda and I look forward to another great production. We always leave inspired and challenged by these I hope you will join us!  

ONE NIGHT ONLY !!!

Friday, November 6, 2009

7:30pm

Indian Creek Community Church Theater

 

12480 Black Bob Road

Olathe, KS  66062

Tickets:  $15 & $25

Call 913-393-3141 or

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS 

 

Best seats will go fast so book early !!

 

Gary Kendall

A Morning at Gardner Campus

If you haven't been to Indian Creek's Gardner campus you got to go soon! I was struck immediately, even as I turned right on Mulberry street at the Indian Creek yard sign, at how well prepared the Gardner team is for guests. The signage was easy to find and follow. The lunch room at Wheatridge Middle School is set up so well it looks like an atrium. It looks and feels like Indian Creek south. The team there is friendly and outgoing. It was fun to reconnect with so many I've come to love and respect through the years.

The service was great. Lindsey Phillips did a super job leading the worship team. I enjoyed the passionate, well prepared songs and I felt the presence of God. Ben and Sarah are providing excellent leadership to the Gardner campus. They were connecting and encouraging their team and welcoming guests. Belinda Kendall spoke yesterday as part of the Warrior/Beautiful series. I thought she did as good of a job as I've ever heard her share. I was proud of my wife! I think she helped women and guys too understand what God was up to when He put the desire for beauty and goodness in our hearts. And the best part about it is that we get our beauty, identity and fulfillment in Him!

As I was leaving a new attendee stopped me with these words, I don't know if you know how much Gardner needed this church. I asked her to tell me more. I'll paraphrase her words but this is essentially what she said. I used to attend Indian Creek in Olathe but we live in Gardner so I looked for a church here. I visited nearly evey one but when I came to this campus I felt the immediate love and acceptance I felt in Olathe. I knew I was home. I asked her to tell me more about why she felt that. She said there is a welcoming spirit, we teach the Word, we have a contemporary worship and we meet needs in our community. She teared up as she described how life giving this is for her family.

If you haven't been to the Gardner campus arrange your schedule to participate. Support and encourage our team there. Pray for them and help out on service projects like Trunk or Treat. This week on Thursday they are meeting to canvas the neighborhoods inviting people to Trunk or Treat this coming Saturday, Oct 31, at 6:30 p.m. in the Wheatridge parking lot. For more details contact Judy Sturman at judy.sturman@indiancreek.org

Praise God for what is happening at Gardner! 

Gary Kendall

Fully Human

Yesterday Belinda and I went to a talk by Mako Fujimura, the leader of the International Arts Movement. He is a facinating speaker. I could listen to him for hours. His faith is robust and his character is Christlike. He lives in New York City and works with artists of every ethnicity. He spoke about walking the line where Christians condemn you for being too secular and nonbelievers in Christ think you are too Christian. It is the space where the message of creation, fall, redemption and glory can get a hearing.

He used a phrase that really caught my attention, he said it is only when we are in Christ that we can be fully human. Every person experiences joy, sorrow, fun, disappoint and meaning.  And all of us have moments of transcendance, like when a dancer leaps and seems to defy gravity or a singer sings in such a way that he/she is raptured beyond the moment. So we all taste transcendance but only in Christ can we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit who makes what seems abnormal and unusual possible on a regular basis. This is when we become "fully human." Anythings less is settling for a life that is short of that which is all that we were meant to be.

I want to be fully human, how about you?

Gary Kendall

Dancing with God

Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word  Guidance,

I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.

I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.

The movement doesn't flow with the music,

and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,

both bodies begin to flow with the music.

One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back

or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.

It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.

The dance takes surrender, willingness,

and attentiveness from one person

and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word  Guidance.

When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".

"God, "u" and "i" dance."

God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust

that I would get  guidance about my life.

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings

and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.

May you abide in God, as God abides in you.

Dance together with God, trusting God to lead

and to guide you through each season of your life.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.

If God has done anything for  you in your life,

please share this message with someone else.

There is no cost but a lot of rewards;

so let's continue to pray for one another.

 

And I Pray We All Dance Today  

Author unknown. I found it through my friend Jon DeWitt. Thanks Jon. It is inspiring.

Be Still and Know

Jon DeWitt is a good friend and former neighbor of mine. He does two things are are innovative and helpful, well, I"m sure there are more than two but you know what I'm saying :)  He put together a bookmark that has favorite Bible scriptures alphabetized by subjects. You can look up anxious or courage or sleepless and find verses that will help. I'm sure he would be glad to tell you where you could pick up one if you contact him at Dewittj@live.com.

The second thing he does is publish a daily devotional. He wants you to know he doesn't write them all, he just passes them on to encourage people. I especially enjoyed today's on Psalm 46:10. If you want to sign up for the daily devo just write him. Even more importantly, press into God daily. Be still before Him and know He is God.

Hi friends, Attached are some encouraging devotionals that talk to "MARRIAGES".  Due to the demographics of people who are seeking HIS truth daily, I want to get these out but don't want to discourage those who are singles, divorced, teens etc.  If you are married, I pray with all my heart that you "READ THEM" if you know married friends etc, forward this to them, if you are NEITHER, they will come in handy for you some day as well.  Love to all who read this today.  IN HIS GRACE............Jon!

“Be still, and know that I am God.”   Psalm 46:10

Former CBS anchor, Dan Rather, found himself unprepared for a television interview with Mother Teresa.  Ron Mehl described the encounter this way: "All of Dan's standard approaches were inadequate.  And the little nun from Calcutta didn't seem inclined to make his task easier.  "When you pray," asked Dan, "what do you say to God?"  "I don't say anything," she replied.  "I listen."  Dan tried another tack.  "Well, okay… when God speaks to you, then, what does He say?"  "He doesn't say anything. He listens."  Dan looked bewildered.  For an instant, he didn't know what to say.  "And if you don't understand that," Mother Teresa added, "I can't explain it to you."

 

It's in the place of silence that the Holy Spirit boils the truth we receive from Scripture down to its essence, reveals specific insights that are pertinent, and then applies them to our most perplexing problems and our most stubborn misconceptions.  As He transforms our heart to beat in harmony with His, our decisions begin to accomplish His will and we begin to reflect His character.

 

Go ahead, try it.  Open the Word of God in a peaceful place and sit in quietness before Him.  In time, the Holy Spirit will illuminate a passage and it will come to life in your mind.  Before you know it, the knotty situation that drove you to distraction will unravel.  As you learn to "be still" in God's presence, your greatest problems will suddenly become more manageable.  He will reveal Himself to you.  He will calm your emotions and relieve your mind.  You'll discover new direction, freedom from worry, and a fresh sense of peace.

 

“I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.”  Proverbs 24:32-33 

 

Gary Kendall

Surprising "Thank You"s

I don't do what I do for "thanks" but every once in awhile it is sweet to hear heartfelt words of appreciation. Sometimes these come from unexpected sources. About two weeks ago I received a note from a student I had when I taught two weeks in Belarus nearly twenty years ago. He is a pastor now. For some reason he remembered me, looked me up on the internet and then wrote a really nice note. He invited me to come for a visit and to teach in his church. It is neat to realize afresh what a difference we make when we serve.

The second note came a week later from a lady who attended Indian Creek back in the early years. She was the first person I knew personally who was raised in the occult. I did my best as a young, inexperienced pastor, to serve, pray and deal with the devil but it was challenging for both of us. I learned a ton, some of which was what not to do! Belinda and my Assistant Judy loved the family and we gave all we had to give. The family eventually left and I always wondered whether we made a difference.  The note I received told me the rest of the story. I won't reveal the content but praise God, there was a tremendous turn-around. She thanked us and acknowledged that more was accomplished than we knew. Her healing was a process and it took time but now that she is free she has written a book tracing her journey from hell to healing.

I share this to encourage you and give praise to God. Don't give up! There is more at work behind the scenes than you know. When God is at work the story is never over. As Phil 1:6 says, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. Keep on keeping on!

Gary Kendall

Dangerous!?

Today Steve and Erin Southards shared the second message in the Warrior Beautiful message series at Indian Creek's Olathe campus . They did a super job talking about finding healing for the wounds warriors incur in the battles of life. One of the things Steve said that stood out to me was the comparison between the person who sets out to play football not to get hurt vs the one who goes out to play to win whatever it takes. I know the difference because when I played football I had to work through the reality that I could get hurt and it wasn't until I let that go that I could really enjoy the game and play all out.

It started me thinking about the Christian life. I realized there have been times in my life as a Christ follower where I played not to make a mistake which is similar to playing not to get hurt but slightly different.  Steve said the goal of Christianity is not to make us followers who are afraid to make a mistake but it is to make us dangerous.

That statement rang the bell for me because just this morning in a prayer time I told someone they could live all-out for God. They didn't need to go around worrying that they would miss God's will. God knows them so well that He knows how to communicate to them and He would do it quickly if they were out of step. Until or unless that happens they could just go for it as they felt led (assuming it was biblical of course).

I put two and two together from what Steve said and what I said in that  prayer time. God is pleased when we use the best of what He's given us and we are so dedicated to Him that we don't doubt ourselves every step of the way. Just like the ball player who is afraid to get hurt or afraid to make a mistake is playing not to lose so is the Christ follower who is second guessing every choice. It is a paralyzing place to live. And no doubt cuts down our fruitfulness.

I hope you will live to be dangerous to the devil. I pray you will go for it and know that yes, you could get hurt but you live for the One named the Healer. I challenge you to go all out! Don't be second guessing yourself--invite the Holy Spirit to lead you and to correct you and then give 110% confident that He will throw up the stop sign if necessary. We have enough Christ followers who are playing it safe. We need more who are willing to play to win the game! Steve, thanks for making me think tonight and inspiring me.

Gary Kendall

Reaching Internationals

It is a privilege to have Donna Thomas , founder of Project Partner in our home today. Donna asked me to take over Project Partner three years ago. I asked Kristen Levitt to become the Director. And this year we invited Donna to join the Project Partner board. It is a joy to learn from her. Last night she showed us an article that she recently had published in Leadership Journal. I love it when someone 80+ years old keeps fresh and lives on the cutting edge. Here is her article:

Have you been to a fast-food restaurant lately? I was out once ordering a Frosty. Looking at the name tag of the waiter, I noticed his name was Samish.

“Say friend,” I started out, “that’s an interesting name. Where are you from?” He looked directly at me and smiled broadly.

“I’m from Western Africa,” he replied. Not willing to let the conversation stop there, I asked what country.

“Senegal. My family is still over there. I have been here two years now, and I am learning your language.”

“I don’t know that much about Senegal, Samish. What are the religions there?”

“It is nearly all Muslim, and I’m a Muslim.”

Our conversation went on until there was a line behind me. That encounter was the beginning of a great relationship.

Get “Sidetracked” for the Kingdom

Are you in the habit of not paying attention to the opportunities to connect to those around you? We Americans have programmed ourselves to take care of our problems, look straight ahead, and not be sidetracked. But we have an amazing opportunity to meet the people of other nations right in the communities where we live and work. It is time to start looking at these people with eyes of compassion.

I went back to that restaurant, and each time I talked with Samish a little more. I wanted to know him and help him understand the love and grace of Jesus Christ. He had never been in an American home, and his concept of American culture was what he saw on TV, at the movies, and in the newspaper. It was time to invite him to my home for dinner.

His Questions, Not Mine

I prepared a special meal for Samish and another friend of mine who was there to help me with the conversation. We would have chicken, since Muslims don’t eat pork. I thought we would spend the evening as if we had all the time in the world, talking and enjoying ourselves. All the while, my friend and I would be praying that Samish would want to know Jesus. The warmth and comfort of my home and the pleasure of sharing a meal together would be the perfect opportunity to talk about the Lord.

Samish was late arriving, which was strange. He explained that he had taken the time to help another employee get home that evening because her car broke down. I called him a Good Samaritan and he wanted to know what that was. Great! My first opportunity to talk about Jesus.

Before we sat down to dinner, he looked at the artifacts around my house. He could see that I had been to several countries. He asked me questions about my life, what I did, where I had been, and what I had encountered. This was my chance to tell him how the Lord had directed my life. Over dinner, I answered his questions, sharing some of my story.

I could have told him about the good times and the blessings I’ve received from the Lord. Instead I chose to tell him about some of the hard times and how the Lord held my hand and took me through them. He wanted to know about dangerous times in some of my travels. I had those stories too. After a few stories, I was able to tell him how the Lord is my “Abba Father,” how he made me his child when I asked him, and about the love that he has for me.

He asked me just the questions I love to answer, and the great part was that he was doing the asking. It was a wonderful evening. As the evening progressed, we had more and more opportunities. Since he was among friends, he felt free to ask questions. They rolled off his tongue. “Aren’t all Americans Christian? Then how do you know who is and who isn’t? What is the difference in all these religious buildings (churches) with different names?”

As the conversation continued, I was thinking, How did I get myself into this anyway? This in itself is a miracle, considering how shy I used to be. That evening the seed of the gospel was planted, and I continue to pray for him.

God’s Appointments

Meeting Samish wasn’t a coincidence or luck. It was one of God’s divine appointments. He gives them to me and to you. It is up to us to make the most of them.

Another time, a young man at the eyeglass center was helping me pick out frames. I looked for a way to turn the conversation toward the topic of faith. It wasn’t difficult. I asked him his name. It was Joshua. I asked him why his parents chose that name. His answer?

“My parents are Christians.” He didn’t say he was. He did say, however, that he had recently moved to my town and was looking for some way to connect.

This morning I was at a car rental shop. Instantly I recognized that the proprietor was probably from another country. I simply asked him his name. His answer sounded like “Cmoe.” (I probably didn’t spell it correctly.)

“What country are you from?” I asked. It was Morocco. As our conversation continued, I found out that he came to the United States when he was 18. My friend who had gone in the shop with me was listening intently. When we left, we started talking about this process and how excited Cmoe was to have somebody interested in him. Once you see how easy it is to start a conversation like this, it becomes contagious and others want to try it too. Try it and see for yourself.

Name Badges Spell Opportunity

You don’t have to travel 8,000 miles to share the gospel with the world. You don’t even have to go to Mexico. Just look around. The world has come to you in Anytown, USA. Hispanics, Chinese, Thais, Nigerians, and Indians are right in front of you wherever you go.

Look at the clerk in the department store, the waiter at the restaurant, the owner of the specialty shop, the teller at the bank. Now look in the mirror. You are the missionary for this day, this time.

— Donna S. Thomas; © 2009 Christianity Today International/BuildingChurchLeaders.com.

Discuss

1.    How many people do you interact with every day from other countries?

2.    In what area of your city can you find a large population of immigrants? What needs do they have that your church could help meet?

3.    How can you initiate conversations with immigrants in your neighborhood?

 

Gary Kendall

 

City on our Knees

Toby Mac wrote a great song about the Church praying together. You got to hear this and then--let's practice it. I pray with a group of men on Fridays at 6 p.m. in the Indian Creek prayer room.  You are welcome. There were ten last week. Let's double that! Belinda and I lead a group on Saturday nights that meets in the prayer room at 6 p.m.

There is not a video on this yet so follow this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFL2NDxF-CA

Amazing Transformation

One of the things I love about Alpha at Indian Creek is the amazing transformation that happens in the lives of the participants. This week one of our table leaders made a prayer request during our closing circle of leaders. He requested prayer for his wife who is trying to make a difficult decision. The irony I celebrate here is that just last semester his wife was requesting prayer for him to accept Christ. Not only did that happen but he is now a leader in Alpha. Only God! I can hardly wait to see what happens to the many in our Alpha class who are seeking now--what will the future hold? And we get to have a front row seat to the work of God!

Gary Kendall