.Real.Greg.Lee.

This picture is the Rivera family worshiping together at our Hobart campus right after they got baptized (see the wet hair?)  Easter this year was full of powerful stories like this.

It doesn’t happen without God doing what only he can do — changing the human heart.  It also doesn’t happen without our INCREDIBLE teams of staff and volunteers.  This is the email I sent our staff on Monday…If you know a Suncrest staffer, I hope you’ll give them a word of encouragement too.

Staff,

An email is never enough, but I can’t get past last week without acknowledging the incredible effort, creativity, and time-investment you made to make a great week for our church.  We’ll get to celebrate a little at all-staff tomorrow, but I thought this was worth sending out, with a few notes for exceptional extra effort.

1. Support staff (office staff/custodians) –  We love you!!  Could not do this without you.  You shined over the last week with an enormous number of things to process.
2. Bobby Jackson and the Arts teams – the teaching role can’t compare to what the arts staff and volunteers go through this week to prepare, rehearse, and execute Passion and Easter Services.  GREAT stuff!
3. Debby Albrecht and the Children’s teams – we keep doing more and more with Children’s ministry at these experiences and I know Easter/Spring break is a hard time to recruit the most volunteers you ever need!  Thanks!
4. Doug Gamble – What a way to go out, my friend!  One of the coolest things to me is that you have largely owned our Good Friday services from the time they started as one service in the round.  This year, 4 services, two campuses and 684 people!
5. Walkerton Campus – 4 SPONTANEOUS baptisms on Easter, giving us a total of 15 across all campuses for the day.

And, o ME of little faith, was sure our attendance would be down this year with Spring breaks still going strong all over the region, but over the weekend well over 2000 people heard the Easter story, more than ever have heard on a single weekend at Suncrest before.  And, 45 adults turned in a connection card to mark this as their day to “come home”.

I love serving with you, team.  Thanks for making it fun!

Greg

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As you know, Suncrest is supporting Doug Gamble as he takes the step of faith to launch a new church in Oklahoma City.  April 15 is his last Sunday as Hobart Campus Pastor.  We announced our next Campus Pastor at Hobart a couple weeks ago, but wanted to share the good news with everyone.

Jamie Ward and his family will be relocating here from Cincinnati, OH to begin this role on May 16.  I had more than one person I respect tell me Jamie was a person we needed to pursue and once I did it was easy to see why.  I couldn’t be more excited about his heart for people, his passion for embedding the church in its community, and his mix of confident leadership with a natural humility.  He has built a strong ministry background over the last 11 years.

Jamie and Jennifer have 3 children and are expecting their 4th in July so they have a lot of transition ahead!  I couldn’t be more excited for the Hobart Campus and can’t wait to share this ministry with him.

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The most intense conversations I had during “The Vow” series were with people in deeply troubled marriages.  If you were around, you know I cast a (Biblical) vision for us to take our vows very seriously, not consider divorce an option, and to remain committed to your part of loving and respecting even if your spouse didn’t seem to be keeping up his/hers.  I’ll preach those kind of messages over and over and over again.

So, three questions have come up since then that I can appreciate.

1. What if I’m in REALLY bad situation?

The Bible speaks to this, all in the context of what I described above, so let me outline both the tensions and the clear principles at work here.  First, God says “I hate Divorce…” (Malachi 2:16).  Very strong language.  Jesus said, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:9)  Those have to give context to any decisions.  Having said that, there are two particular situations where divorce is acceptable, even if it is regrettable. I’m not suggesting you should get divorced in these circumstances, only that is acceptable if the marriage cannot go forward.  Reconciling all of this is why these are agonizing situations.

First, if there is infidelity/adultery (Matthew 5:32 & 19:9) involved.  This is the ultimate breach of trust and I HAVE seen marriages re-built many times after unfaithfulness – a beautiful expression of God’s grace.  Still, this is a reason that may not be overcome and it does give you the freedom to release from your vow.  There have been times I have recommended divorce in these circumstances.

Second, if there is abandonment by one spouse, particularly a spouse who does not share your faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 7:15).  This is clear for a particular circumstance in this passage, but it is also a “reason” that I have seen twisted and turned in an effort to justify getting out of a tough marriage.  Given God’s other references about keeping your vow, I would be slow to make broad application of this.

2.  What about Separation?

Again, it is not God’s ideal, but there are circumstances where I have recommended it.  First, if there is fear of abuse to you (or children), get out of the immediate situation.  You will need to create a safe environment and get some wise, strong counsel before re-engaging under the same roof with someone who has made you feel this way.  Additionally, I have seen separation as a short-term tool to rebuild a marriage.  Don’t hurry to this.  It is rare and often doesn’t work.  This is only wise and useful if there is a commitment to restoring the marriage from both husband & wife, generally with a good counselor involved.  Separation does nothing to change the vow you have made…you are still committed to the marriage.

3. What if I’m already divorced?  (I’ll answer this with a post in the next few days.)

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One of the most helpful new resources I used in my prep for “The Vow” series was a new book by Tim (and Kathy )Keller:

The Meaning of Marriage:  Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

I shared a short quote today in some of our services , but wanted to provide the full quote here with a little more context.  How could you read these two paragraphs and not go get this book?

In other words, some people in our culture want too much out of a marriage partner. They do not see marriage as two flawed people coming together to create a space of stability, love and consolation, a “haven in a heartless world,” as Christopher Lasch describes it. Rather, they are looking for someone who will accept them as they are, complement their abilities and fulfill their sexual and emotional desires. This will indeed require a woman who is “a novelist/astronaut with a background in fashion modeling,” and the equivalent in a man. A marriage based not on self-denial but on self-fulfillment will require a low- or no-maintenance partner who meets your needs while making almost no claims on you. Simply put—today people are asking far too much in the marriage partner. . . .

Any two people who enter into marriage are spiritually broken by sin, which among other things means to be self-centered—living life incurvatus in se. As author Denis de Rougemont said, “Why should neurotic, selfish, immature people suddenly become angels when they fall in love … ?” That is why a good marriage is more painfully hard to achieve than athletic or artistic prowess. Raw, natural talent does not enable you to play baseball as a pro or write great literature without enduring discipline and enormous work. Why would it be easy to live lovingly and well with another human being in light of what is profoundly wrong within our human nature? Indeed, many people who have mastered athletics and art have failed miserably at marriage. So the biblical doctrine of sin explains why marriage—more than anything else that is good and important in this fallen world—is so painful and hard.

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Sunday’s message about pursuing our spouses apparently struck more than I imagined.  I shouldn’t be surprised since by our nature we really do stop pursuing what we already have!

I’ve run into people from our church this week getting texts from their husbands, wives changing the tone they take with their husbands, and a guy who was getting his “one point” for stopping by Panera to pick up something for his wife!

We said…Pursuit = Intentions + Actions

But I’ve had some people talk to me about a gap.  They have GOOD intentions and they want to act, but they are looking for fresh ideas of what to actually do in pursuing their spouse.

So, here is a great resource from Married Life Online.  There are 12 ideas for “Great Dates”.  Some are seasonal.  Some may fit you and some won’t, but it’s a great resource and idea starter, even if you modify it for yourself.  Just go to:  http://marriedlifeonline.com/greatdate/

Enjoy!

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Three weeks down and one to go on this message series called “The Vow”.   Teaching on Marriage is always fun..and taxing.  I talked and prayed with more people after our services today than I think I ever have before.

I think I got more requests than ever for this video clip I showed too.  Here is it…Two minutes from Robert McQuilken as he stepped aside early as a college president to care for his wife.

“It’s not that I have to.  It’s that I get to.”

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