Light the Darkness

Warren McCain and Obama

Have you listened to the interview Rick Warren held with Senators John McCain and Barack Obama?  You can follow this link and listen to what I believe is a very strategic interview in preparation for the upcoming Presidential election.  Rick began by saying that although we believe in the separation of church and state we don't believe in the separation of faith and politics.  He want on to say that that faith is basically a world-view and we all have one.  So we need to bring our faith to very decision in life. 

On Saturday at our training for our fall launch Matt Saunders led us in a ice breaker exercise where we went to one of four poles for a variety of questions.  Most were light hearted and fun.  One question was about the political arena.  He asked us to go to one of four poles where we could choose from John McCain, Barack Obama, Ross Perot and Micky Mouse.  About 8-10 chose McCain about the same chose Obama.  Two chose Perot and about 30+ chose Micky Mouse.  I know the question caught people by surprise and I know that not every felt comfortable revealing their choice in that setting.  However it was revealing to me that Micky Mouse won hands down.  I say that not to be critical but to This debate will help you as you prepare for November because I've heard Micky Mouse isn't on the ballot.

What if you could See Inside?

Olathe Snow Day

Who would've thunk it!  Our Spring Fest was moved inside because of snow and cold.  Then today we worked outside in 30 something degree weather with 15 mile per hour wind and snow.  But we had a great time and built four houses.  Well our little team of the Murguias, Burrells, Sturmans, Brad Harvey and the Kendalls only built 8 walls but that's the beauty of this deal.  Together we can accomplish exponentially more than we can do alone.  It was fun--did you know that once you get cold enough you really don't feel your extremities and then you don't feel as cold!  Here is the deal, people do about whatever they want to do and today we wanted to help someone get in a home they couldn't afford on their own and it felt good to serve.

First Serve with Heart to Heart International

This Saturday we get to assist one of the best not-for-profit charities in the world, Heart to Heart International, and it is right around the corner!  I have a special interest because when Belinda and I moved to Olathe Dr. Gary Morsch, the Founder, was our family doctor.  Fifteen years ago he founded Heart to Heart and serves as the President today. He gave up his practice to follow the dream in his heart to found a ministry that would assist disaster relief around the world. It is super that we at Indian Creek can partner to serve and meet global humanitarian needs from Olathe.  You can play a valuable part by being in the supply lines to those on the front lines who become the hands and feet of Jesus.

This weekend join hands with Heart to Heart by participating in the First Serve on Saturday, January 26. Meet in the Indian Creek café at 8:30.  First we will have coffee and donuts, get some brief instructions and travel together to work at the Heart to Heart (H2H) warehouse.  There we will sort, clean, box, and assemble care kits.  They have asked that if any of our volunteers would be willing to donate items for Care Kits. They especially need hand towels, gallon Ziploc bags and small bottles of shampoo.  Volunteers should wear clothing that is conducive to a warehouse environment. The plan is to serve there until 12:00.

This is our sixth opportunity to work directly with Heart to Heart in the past 12 months.  We have been to their warehouse twice, and have partnered with them three other times for collections of products for Care Kits, Hurricane Relief, and Tornado Relief.  You may recall that H2H is the organization that brought 10 pallets of supplies into our Activity Center for sorting during the Church Has Left the Building, Aug 5.  Thank you for being a church that puts your effort where your heart is.

Video from The Church has left the Building

Here is video from last Sunday.  Tim Stout and Dave Albright shot some video from every site.  Actually there is about 15 seconds of video for each one--imagine what was accomplished the other 3 hours you didn't see in the thirty sites.  The groundskeeper at Olathe Memorial Gardens told us we saved his crew six weeks of work! 

Jesus said as often as you do this to those who are hungry, thirsty, etc, you've done it unto me.  Many Sundays we are the ones who are served.  Last Sunday we served our community and we served Jesus. Can't you just feel the love!  Indian Creek I'm so thankful for you and proud in a God honoring way!

I'm reminded of a church that had a sign at the end of their driveway that said, The worship is over, the service is just beginning.  While I like the idea perhaps a better understanding of Romans 12:1, 2 is that presenting our bodies as living sacrifices IS our worship.  Worship is therefore a lifestyle.  We worship by what we do not just what we sing.  You have to ask the reverse of that too, if we don't serve are we really worshipping.  I'm interested in what you think.

It's a Wrap!

Here is the summary from last Sunday, The Church left the building! You did a great job leaving worship service to SERVE! We took the love of Jesus Christ to the streets of Olathe and it was awesome! Did you know that 690 served at 28 different sites?  Way to go Indian Creek!  We are living out the love of Jesus!

One of the sites served was the home of a single mom whose home received some TLC from volunteers. Here is her response:

God’s love was at my house today. Well, ok, His love is at my house every day, but today His love was especially apparent. It came in the form of 13 people that I didn’t know showing up on my doorstep and going to work on projects that I have neglected or just didn’t know how to accomplish on my own. They came willing to work; expecting nothing in return, completely satisfied that they could help someone out today. Everyone was so friendly and willing to help. They were there not for me, but just to help someone who needed it… free from judgment, working only in love of God and for God. I couldn’t help but be filled with gratitude.  Today was even better than a worship service. Today was the kind of day that teaches you exactly what life should be about. Thank you God for today!

Nancy Govero

Others shared their thoughts and feelings:

Wow! What an exciting day we had yesterday. I could feel the anticipation throughout the morning. In all my years of serving in ministry, I don't think I've ever experienced anything of this magnitude. What a joy it was to work along side those that were more than willing to serve. I'm excited too, that I worked in the air conditioning. Kudos to those who worked in the heat and got the job done!

Pat Estelle

Words can't describe what LIVING OUT TODAY FELT!  But here are the words that come to mind:

Young kids working hard

Teamwork

Sweat

Thank you God for the Breeze in this heat

Teamwork again

Look how much we've done in 1 Hour

HUGGING

Young kids still working hard

Families working together

I am proud of my wife and son

We've done it and it looks great!

Jon DeWit

Props are indeed in order to all but especially to Margaret Outler, Project Manager; to 28 site managers; New Journey Church and Pastor Ron Fisher; Bread of Life Church and Pastor LeRoy Sullivan; Tom Bassford, Outreach consultant with Significant Matters; staff liaisons and Jim Davey, Executive Pastor.

Numerous projects were served: Six Olathe Schools, Seven Parks, Via De Esparanza, Three Heart to Heart site projects, Eight Home Sites, Three Administrative Team sites including registration, lunch team and delivery team.  So shall we say that there were multiple services at multiple sites!!!  Perhaps this was our first multi-site services!

Belinda and I had the unique privilege of being the encouragers.  We were joined by daughter-in-law and chief navigator, Jesi Kendall! Someone had to tell us where to go! We were so excited to get to as many sites as possible during the morning. We made it to 17 sites and thanked people as profusely as possible. It was a joy to see smiles everywhere.  Indian Creek, you made a huge difference! One of the Olathe Memorial Cemetary groundskeepers said it would have taken them six weeks to do what we did in a day!  The name and honor of Jesus Christ was lifted high this weekend.  I commend you, Indian Creek! Let’s do it again!

Helping Someone Else

Today I had a chance to redeem myself.  It's been five years coming.  We sailed to the Cayman Islands today and they are...well I'm running out of superlatives.  Each Island looks better than the rest.  The water around Grand Cayman was very still which was ideal for our excursion.  We chose to kayak and snorkel.  The kayak was great fun.  It is amazing to be out there where there is only ocean around.  After some refreshment we swam out to a reef where we could snorkel.

Five years ago Belinda had a difficult time pushing through her fear to snorkel.  She's been afraid of the water ever since I've known her.  She froze on the ladder getting into the water and I wasn't very sensitive.  I thought if I just pushed her in she would be fine once she got in the water.  I know, it's that gift of mercy working again!  Anyway, I pushed her but she didn't go in.  She was terrified.  Luke helped her calm down and eventually he helped her in the water.  I've never heard the end of it.

This time when we started to swim out into the ocean Belinda had a similar experience.  But I reacted differently.  I told her that I would stay with her even if it meant that I didn't get to go.  We could go at her pace and she could tell me when she was ready.  Eventually she pushed through the fear.  I coached her some and she swam out to the reef.  She had the best time.  I think she was the last one to leave.  Honestly, that was as much fun as I've had.  Seeing her experience the coral and fish was delightful.  It was as much fun to see her succeed as to do it myself.  I'm so proud of her for pushing through her fear.  I'm thankful for second chances.

Bringing Servin' Back

My son Luke showed me this video spoof of Justin Timberlake's "I'm Bringin' Sexy Back."  Get ready to laugh.  As a church we talk so much about "living out" and random acts of kindness that I thought you would enjoy this.  By the way, please circle Sunday, August 5th, on your calendar for a day that we are calling, The Church Has Left the Building.  We meet in our facility at 9:00 a.m. then go out to serve in our community.  We have about 30 locations where we will work.  I can hardly wait to hear the comments from our community about the church that broke out of its Sunday holy huddle and went to work to live out the love of Jesus.  Enjoy the video!

Thanks to you

This article is dedicated to those who work behind the scenes.  You are the ones who enable people like me to do what I'm called to do.  But without those who use their gifts to administrate, organize, film, record and publish--the spoken word is a one time application.  Let me tell you about how you recently made a difference.

A couple of months ago we did a series at Indian Creek entitled, What Keeps You Up at Night.  One of the messages I gave was The Fear of the Unknown.  People behind the scenes mixed the sound, recorded the service, transferred it to a podcast, filmed it and transfered it to dvd, etc.  It is part of what we do every week and it really matters.  I had a recent reminder of the value of the unseen volunteer.

I went to church Sunday at The Bridge, Anderson, IN.  When I saw the Pastor, Chris Mishler, before the service, he said, Hey, I'm preaching your message today!  He listened to the message on Podcast one day while running errands and it made such an impression they used the series title and the theme of the message.  He did a great job with it.  I think he improved it.  But he wouldn't have had it if the behind the scenes servants hadn't done their job.  That church of 800+ benefited because you were faithful.

The same day I ran into a church planter at the CMA Meet and Greet.  He said, I played your dvd of the same message in his church located just outside Toronto, Canada.  Here is what his wife wrote him after the service, Michelle invited people to come forward who were struggling with surrendering something to God and most of the room went forward and Kleenex passed around as the worship team sang "l Surrender All". I went forward with Va's situation heavy on my heart. Michelle asked Brian and Janet to pray with people and Ben joined in. She herself touched everyone and spoke a word of blessing to each, turned back to kneel on the steps and wept openly. Steve did a great job of keeping the keyboard going. It was a great service." So thanks again for sending us the dvd.  God is truly awesome!  David

When he shared that story I thought of you.  That message that reached two different congregations on the same day couldn't have left Olathe if it wasn't for you.  Thank you for doing what you do.  It matters!

When we use our gifts

It is Christmas in June at Indian Creek Community Church.  Our flower beds were in need of attention heading into this week.  We added mulch for our Grand Opening in November so by now they were looking quite bare.  John Bennie, our Business Manager, made the decision to buy some mulch and some teens needing some community service put it in one of the thirty plus islands.  It was a drop in the bucket.  It’s summer and nearly every church in America is under-resourced, Indian Creek included, so the landscaping would have to wait.

A day later everything changed.  Two crews of workers showed up and began spreading mulch in the front lot.  Just in time for Sunday.  This week they completed mulching all the beds and trees around the church.  Awesome! 

The inside story is that Jon Johnson along with his parents, Joe and Debbie Johnson, who own 4 Star Lawns in Olathe decided to bless our church family.  Jon has attended Indian Creek for about a year.  He’s heard the messages about living out.  He contemplated what to do with a surplus of mulch and decided he could meet our need.  Not only did this family supply the product they paid the crews to give it away!  I felt like saying, Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday and Hurray for the 4^th of July all at once!  I praised God in my heart and made a special point to thank the workers with the little Spanish I can speak.

I loved Jon’s parting thought to me last Sunday when I thanked him in person.  He said, maybe we could do this again some time but next time, if I tell you ahead of time, do you think we could have the church come together to have a big party where we worked to spread the mulch. Absolutely!  Any time we can combine service and community that is a definite win!  Jon, I love the way you think!

If you want to thank Jon, Joe and Debbie Johnson, you could drop them a note at 4 Star Lawns, 205 W. Dennis, Olathe, KS 66061.  Or you could call 913-782-1845.  If you need landscaping you have plenty of evidence to prove they do a great job.  When the church works together to use their gifts and resources it is amazing the good that we can do.  Thanks for being a church like this!