St Patrick Part 3- Living the best life possible

Check out the video trailer for the sermon:



Listen to the message here.

Too often, we see rules and laws as stealing the best in life- telling us what we can't eat and all the fun we can't have. AND in the Name of God...

The Bible seems a like a mountain of laws, rules, civil codes, from hygiene, food care, clothing, home care, medical practices, what foods to eat, not eat, sexual practice and morality. These seem so legalistic!

Jesus actually said the same thing about the religiously leaders who added to God's Law...

Read Matthew 23:25-28 (NIV)

Jesus was challenging these religious leaders that God's Law was not about religious observance but total moral renewal. The Law wasn't about appearances (what can be seen) but the heart.

The goal wasn’t to “cover up” rottenness OR to look religious, but something deeper.

God wants to clean deep parts of our lives. Then, why all the civil law and commands to be holy? How does this apply to my life TODAY?

Read Leviticus 11:43-44 (NIV). The word "consecrate" is to chose an ordinary thing, and set it apart for special purpose.

We are called to Be Set Apart

Read Deuteronomy 26:16, 19, (NIV). God's Law comes from His desire to set apart this nation as His special, chosen people to show all people what is best. His Law is from His love and relationships with Israel.

Be Set Apart for Your Well-Being


Read Deuteronomy 26:17-18, (NIV).

Law of God was for their best- to enjoy, embrace life NOT to prevent them from best. God gave the Law for their well-bring, to instruct them how to live healthy lives and have honorable relationships. This civil law prevented wide spread disease, outbreaks of plagues, sickness.

Observance of law made them different and distinguishable.

SO? God's Law is for OUR well-being. The Bible is not restricting us, but teaching us how to live for our own well-being. We think we know what’s best, but we must be willing to trust that God knows best, then obey Him by FAITH.

When we obey God's Law, we are noticeably different and distinguishable without the devastation and destruction that comes from sin.

Be Set Apart for Your Wholeness

Read Deuteronomy 26:16, (NIV).
The Law is about heart issues not appearance issues. Jesus corrected Pharisees since they missed point.
The Bible is not about behaviors- trying to make people look holy. BUT to lead people to wholeness in their BODY, SOUL, HEART- whole being.

However, the Law cannot make someone whole, anymore than a traffic sign can make someone drive safely. it can only exposes disobedience.

Therefore, the Bible is not about conformity but consecration.
Read Romans 7:19-8:3 (NIV). The Law isn’t bad. It actually is a reflection of God and His character.
BUT the Law does reveal that we cannot live up to it to experience the best wholeness God offers.

Jesus taught that wholeness doesn’t come from being perfect in the law (impossible), but by having a whole heart. Only God can make the heart whole- restore life and offer true wholeness.

Thus, faith in Jesus is an inner-work: see 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).

When we give God full access and invite Him to clean up our insides rather than just change some of our behavior, an amazing transformation occurs. What we once were gives way to the new life that God intended for us to have. We are cleansed from the inside.

Not only are we cleansed but the inner wholeness begins to spring out of us, just like the filth and vile once did.

We can’t keep anything hidden- whether evil or good. It will come out. When we allow Jesus to transform our hidden shame, the new joy, life, and hope that begins exists will emerge.

Father's Day Tribute

Great Song and Video in honor of my Dad and all great, God-fearing dads out there:



I've been very blessed to have amazing men in my life who taught me, model godly values to me, and show me hard work, sacrifice, and how to live a life fully surrendered to God.

BUT NONE have blessed me as much as my own father. I am who I am because of him. This is my personal tribute to Pa (as we grew up calling my dad).

There is no one I know who is more selfless and hardworking. He willing did without so that we could eat, have warm clothes, and enjoy the little things in life. He did it all without one word of complaint. He went without the warmest coat in winter even though he'd work out in the cold, so we could have coats. He traveled a ridiculously long commute- either from Oregon to NY then from the suburbs to NYC- to make sure he was putting food on the table for us 4 boys.

There are moments growing up with my Dad that are priceless and left an indelible impression on my life:

• watching my Dad pray- whether he privately withdrew to pray at home or knelt at the altar at church, I know my Dad loved and loves God. He fears God more than man and cares more about what God thinks than what anyone else thinks. He has always been willing to express his love for God through humility and worship. He isn't the loudest or most visible in expression, but certainly the most consistent. There has never been any doubt that my dad is completely sold-out to God.
• I can only remember about 3 times when my dad yelled when I was growing up, and one of them was at me. I was in the formative 15-16 year-old stage, when boys think they're men. I had ignored him several times, and he finally yelled at me, picked me up off the ground and let me know he was still much stronger than I was. Then, he teared up and apologized. I felt horrible. I had so exasperated my dad that I had driven him to tears, and yet when he was completely justified in thrashing me soundly, he gently let me know that he was sorry for his rough treatment but expressed his disappointment at my disobedience. Oh, that I would someday be that kind of father.
• my dad is faithful, as faithful as anyone I know. When he gives his word he'll keep it no matter what. He's been faithful in marriage to my mom for nearly 42 years. He has been a faithful employee, friend, father, and Christ-follower. That's a pretty good track record!

And the results? Of his 4 sons- none of us are star athletes, multi-millionaires, or in political office. BUT each of us without exception is a faithful husband, loving father (my parents have 11 grandkids), hardworking, and deeply committed to following Jesus and serving His Church. My dad may be the richest man I know. That's legacy!

I admire, love, respect, and look up to my father. May I, and the fathers I influence, grow to be something like my dad. I know that he would say he's imperfect, but he's truly following Jesus, and that's the best example anyone man can ask for.

What do you admire about your father? What moments with your father changed you?

Exciting Volunteer Opportunity THIS Saturday

Convoy of Hope is coming to Frederick, MD. We (local churches) have partnered to bring Convoy to Hagerstown for going on 4 years now. Our first coordinator, Matt Thompson, is now on staff at a church in Frederick and has coordinated to bring Convoy to their city.

Please check out their Facebook page, and check out their website. Exciting things are coming to Frederick this weekend- we will be providing many services and opportunities for the community, and we NEED volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer, clear your schedule for Saturday from 6am until 3pm.

We will be gathering at Bethel (515 E Wilson Blvd, Hagerstown, MD) and carpooling or caravanning down from the church parking lot. We will be leaving the lot at 6:00 pm on Friday (for Volunteer Rally) and 6:00 am on Saturday. We will leave promptly!

On Saturday, you can volunteer in one of many areas- kids' fun area, food services, grocery hand-out, security, hospitality... For more info, go to their website.

Here's the latest on St. Patrick

YOU get to VOTE on what happens to St. Patrick...

Vote on what should happen to St. Patrick at the end of Season 3: Law & Order at Lifehouse FB page (I suggest writing in that "he" should be arrested by real police for impersonating a police detective).

Check out part 2 video and message and discover how the Law of God is actually FOR our justice. We don't define right and wrong, or just throw it out the window. God establishes right and wrong.



Listen to the message here.

SHARE these links and resources!

Testosterone Sunday

Here's the deal guys: Besides the Superbowl, there's ONE SUNDAY out of the year when it's finally ALL ABOUT THE MEN.  That Sunday is called FATHER'S DAY.  Or a Lifehouse, we prefer to call it...

TESOSTERONE SUNDAY.

What does that mean for the men?

1.) Sport your favorite team apparel.  Hats, jerseys- you name it.

2.) Come hungry.  Cafe is preparing breakfast fit for a MAN.

3.) Be ready to compete.  We'll be having 3 contests to test the fella's STRENGTH OF BODY, STRENGTH OF APPETITE, and STRENGTH OF CHARACTER.  Winners will choose from gift cards to places like Dicks Sporting Goods, Home Depot or Best Buy.

4. ) Come with your family.  This is the best time show the kids what it means to be a man.

Testosterone Sunday...you're gonna wanna be there.

Please PRAY

Too often we turn to prayer as a last resort, kinda the "Hail Mary Pass" in moments of crisis.

But prayer is our primary source of strength, help, hope, power, and protection. Prayer builds and maintains our relationship with God at a vibrant level. Prayer advances God's purposes and builds His Church.

I am specifically asking you to take time from now through Sunday to PRAY for LIFEHOUSE CHURCH meeting at Leitersburg Cinemas! We need your intercession and focus in deep, heartfelt, faith-filled prayer.

The enemy of the Church, Satan, has always devised strategies to destroy or at least limit the impact of the Church. We are in a moment where we can clearly see the strategies of the enemy at work to hinder and distract Lifehouse from our mission and the Cause of Christ. Our antidote? PRAYER.

How to pray?

Please pray for me, our pastoral leadership team, for our elders and staff- for encouragment, wisdom, peace, and that we are not distracted from the great Cause of sharing and showing God's love.

Pray for protection over the gathering of and unity of Lifehouse. We are presently facing some challenges that can certainly be both annoying and distracting. God will protect His Church and His people.

Pray for God's purposes to prevail. We know that Lifehouse's story is simply a part of God's story. May His plans (not our desires) and Cause be accomplished.

I'm reposting a note that I think passionately communicates how I feel in this moment. Listen to how a missionary in the jungles of New Guinea explained his situation in a letter to John Yates:

Man, it's great to be in the thick of the fight, to draw the old Devil's heaviest guns, to have him at you with depression and discouragement, slander, disease! He doesn't waste time. He hits good and hard when a fellow is hitting him.


You can always measure the effectiveness of your work, by how hard Satan hits back. When you're on your back with fever and at your last ounce of strength, when some of your converts backslide, when you learn that your most promising inquirers are only fooling, when your mail gets held up and some don't bother to answer your letters, is that the time to bail out?


"No Sir! That's the time to pull out the stops and shout 'Hallelujah'! Satan’s really getting it and he’s launching an all out attack. And all of heaven is watching and asking: 'Will he stick it out?'


And they see who is with us…and they see around us the unlimited reserves, the boundless resources, and they see the impossibility of failure with God on our side…how sad the angels must be when we run away from hard times. Glory to God! We're not going to run away. We're going to stand."

Listen to how Paul expresses all of this in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10.

Thank you for joining us in prayer!

Check it out- resources for part 1 of Law & Order: St Patrick Unit

Watch the trailer for the opening message in the series, "Law & Order: St Patrick Unit"



Listen to the message here.

Discover the principles behind the Law of God laid out in detail in Exodus and Deuteronomy. Come out THIS Sunday, June 12th to discover the 2nd principle that we'll be examining in these books.

Enjoy the journey

As Americans, as leaders- we're results-oriented. I'm guilty. Too often, I allow my emotions, attitude, and happiness to rise and fall based on the results that I get or see. I want instant results in church, in other people's lives, in ministry, in preaching, and even in myself.

But that's not how we were designed nor how ministry life works. I (and we) need to learn to enjoy the journey. It's not about arriving but embracing each moment. Wise elders have spoken these words into many parents, and Laura and I have taken it to heart,

"Don't wish away the moments when you're kids are young, even if it's difficult and you're tired."

"Don't complain about the fingerprints on the windows- someday they won't be there and you'll wish they were."

Similar sentiments can be share about ministry:

Enjoy the journey- the hardships, the difficulties, the moments without. They make us appreciate the moments of victory and laughter and enjoyment.

Enjoy the climb up, the view is more satisfying and meaningful if it costs you.

In pastoring and serving people:

Enjoy conversations, love people, embrace moments of prayer and meaningful leadership development. Don't wait for them to arrive at a destination, it's about the journey.

Don't live to arrive at a desired destination, trust me there are no summits.

Every summit just reveals the next. So, if you're living to reach a point in life or ministry, and don't enjoy the journey, you'll waste precious moments and loose valuable memories.

God has given you TODAY. Embrace it. Enjoy the journey- the views, every person, each challenge, every obstacle, valley, and mountaintop.

My early morning prayer

Sometimes it best for me to use psalms or songs as my personal prayer. Here was my prayer this morning, "Surrender" by Lincoln Brewster:

I'm giving You my heart/ All that is within
I lay it all down/ For the sake of You my King
I'm giving You my dreams/ Laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride/ For the promise of new life

And I Surrender/ All to You, all to You

I'm singing You this song/ I'm waiting at the Cross
All the world holds dear/ I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You/ For the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy/ Even sharing in Your pain

Newest ST PATRICK Series- Law & Order

Rules can seem so… restrictive, so… prudish.  Morals and regulations seem to limit all of our fun and freedom.  What’s more, Christianity seems to be the greatest offender of that freedom.  Many people view the Bible as nothing more than a list of do’s and don’ts.  In their estimate, it’s filled with rules designed to restrict and rob us of pleasure.  Could their assumptions be true?

Join Pastor Patrick Sundays 8:45, 10:00 or 11:15 AM as he dives into "LAW & ORDER: St. Patrick Unit," a new series that explains that God's laws were not meant to be burdensome but to be a blessing.  God's laws reveal his heart and his character, so as we turn our focus from the law to the Lawgiver, we discover the key to a free and fulfilled life!

Catch a sneak peak of the series by watching the trailer, and we hope to see you this Sunday!

How NOT to INVITE friends to Church

Friend Day is THIS Sunday! Follow these simple steps to avoid an awkward invitation situation...



DON'T FORGET- Invite friends, family, co-workers, classmates, fellow-graduates- pretty much ANYONE you know who does NOT currently go to church! See you and then on Sunday for Friend Day and the Kick-off of our latest sermon series. I'll post that next!

Great Moments in Life

This past Sunday, May 29th, we got a chance to CELEBRATE! First and foremost, it was Laura and I's 12th wedding Anniversary! So grateful to have such a loving, supportive, and amazing wife and helpmate. It's been an incredible 12 years. Excited for many more ahead.

Next, it was Memorial Day weekend, so we took an opportunity to remember and thank those who have honorably served the USA. Thank you for offering your lives in sacrificial service to protect our freedom! We owe you a debt of gratitude.

Finally, I got the privilege of blessing and sending my "spiritual father". We had Terry and Jo Ann Broadwater at Lifehouse for all 3 services. Why? Terry just accepted the lead pastor role at Grace Community Church in Centennial, CO. So, I wanted to return to him a small portion of what he gave me as we started planting Lifehouse nearly 8 years ago.

Here's what Terry gave me when he invited me to come to Hagerstown to plant a new church:

• Gave me a chance- I didn't need someone to hold my hand and do all the work for me, but just a chance, a God-ordained, significant opportunity to matter for eternity,
• Believed in me- at key moments when I felt very discouraged and wanted to give up, Terry said to me, "I believe in, and in this moment, I believe in you more than you believe in yourself."
• He saw God's purposes in my life- he would continue to share with me, "I see you pastoring a great church that will grow significantly to impact this entire Hagerstown-region for God's Kingdom."
• Invested in me both personally and in my destiny- Terry spent time with me, every Wednesday morning for 5 years alone, and another 2 years with the other church planters. He took me on missions trips, to conferences, and invited me to speak in leadership settings. He also rallied Bethel to start by investing in us financially on the front end, and offer office space, and copiers, and borrowed rooms for meetings, etc. Words are nice, but actions make a difference.
• Stayed the course with me- Terry endured through times of tension, hardship, and discouragement.
• Spoke life into me- Terry took time to pray over me and for me. At times, he shared prophetic words that he believed he had received from God for me. This was like breath in my lungs.
• Set a great example- Terry should me what a pastor- warrior was like. I appreciate his example and passion to follow God by faith. He spoke my language and understand my passion.

On Sunday, I got the privilege of returning a little bit of that!! We invited Terry and Jo Ann up so we could pray over, bless, and SEND them out from Lifehouse. It was great to have Pastor Curt from Lifehouse- Bethel at our 1st service, to join in praying over them.

We challenged Terry with a verse that he has spoken over us many times- Philippians 3:13-14!

Terry, we love you and will miss having you so close. Thanks for the investment of your life. I'm confident that there are many young people who need these same investments in CO.

Lifehouse is full of spiritual "grandchildren" of Terry, and Lifehouse- Hedgesville could be considered his "grand-church". It's a honor to honor him! The Bible says to give honor to whom honor is due!

Should the US President Golf on Memorial Day? A lesson in leadership

After laying a wreath at Arlington Cemetery, President Obama headed out to Ft. Belviore to play the 70th round of golf during his presidency (28-months).

Now, I try my best to avoid writing or speaking about partisan politics, but I feel the need to comment about LEADERSHIP. There is a profound leadership lesson in the decision of the POTUS to play golf on Memorial Day.

While nearly every other American citizen can take Memorial Day off to rest, relax, BBQ, go to the beach, and even golf, the President CANNOT! Neither can the Generals, Commanders, or any US military officer presently engaged in leading troops in the wars/ battles in Afghanistan, Iraq, or now, in Syria. Why?

1. Let me borrow a quote from Leadership by Rudy Giuliani, Weddings Optional, Funerals Mandatory! Leaders are less needed in good times and also least remembered. However, when people are hurting and at their time of greatest need, we will impact their life and make a friend for a lifetime.

• The greatest strength you have is meeting the needs of others.
• Their needs are less obvious at parties and during the good times, and magnified during crisis, loss, and hurt.
• Make yourself most available during times of great need.

2. Leaders Lead By Example! In other words, they model the behavior they want repeated by those most sacrificially following them.

• President Obama has the least rapport with and support from those in the military according to a recent poll. Why? He's not leading by example. He's critical of their sacrifice and war efforts, and is golfing while their offering their lives in sacrificial service to our nation and their families are home desperately waiting for their return.
• Leaders live in a fishbowl- if you don't like it, don't lead. When a person runs for president, they understand that they will be scrutinized and every detail of their life will be criticized and debated. If you can't handle the heat, get out. That's the life of a leader and the price of influence.
• Leaders have a responsibility to be in private what they appear to be in public. Those who follow hate hypocrisy and dishonestly.
• Leaders can only lead where they are willing to go. Duh! Think about it, it's not words but actions! Leaders, who call for great sacrifice must be willing to offer great sacrifice. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces. To ask brave men and women to offer their lives in sacrificial service, and then be unwilling to skip golfing on Memorial Day- this does NOT pass the sniff test. If our soldiers followed his example, there would have been a lot of duffing out of sand traps all over the Middle East.

This is not intended to be critical of our President but a lesson in leadership- one I learned the hard way. I will always be cautious to lead by example and never undermine through my personal life the sacrifice I call others to offer.

How much more passionate, committed, and sacrificial should ministry leaders be for the greatest Cause in all of history- the Cause of Christ! Souls are at stake. Eternity hangs in the balance. What wouldn't we be willing to give or sacrifice?