Southwood Lutheran Church

Tom Osborne makes fruit!

If you are a Nebraskan, you can't help but be aware of the recent events and changes within the University of Nebraska Athletic Department.  Tom Osborne, Coach, Author, Congressman and Christian has taken on the task of righting a rocking ship.  As he stood behind the podium on Tuesday, accepting this huge challenge, the citizens of Nebraska felt a sense of peace that things were in good hands.  What did he do or say that gave us that feeling?  Nothing on that day.  Absolutely nothing.  But in the many years before that, Tom Osborne has done plenty.  He has been making fruit.

Now before you think I lost it, let me explain.  In the book of Galatians, St. Paul talks about the "Fruit of the Spirit.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) 

As Nebraskans watched Tom Osborne accept the position of Interim Athletic Director at UNL we felt that things were in good hands because for years Tom Osborne has been making fruit!  This fruit has come in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  It has been seen and witnessed by thousands. The fruits of the Spirit have been a constant in his life, and a testimony to his faith and the power of the Spirit working in his life.  What we witnessed on Tuesday was the power of the fruit of the Spirit in a person's life.  And it was powerful! Think of it; an entire state senses that things are in good hands.  That wasn't because Tom Osborne said any eloquent things at that press conference.  it was because we have watched him over many years and know the kind of spirit-led leader that he is.  We have seen the core of his being, and at that core is a faith that produces this kind of fruit.

I find this incredibly powerful.  A follower of Christ, producing the fruit of the Spirit can have such an impact on so many.  In fact, this is what makes Teammates such a powerful, life changing program.  It matches young kids with a mentor who wants to share the fruit of the Spirit with them.  WOW.  Just think of the lives that are being changed.

This is powerful stuff!  And the good news in all of this is that you don't need to be Tom Osborne to make fruit.  When you are a follower of Christ, and enable the Spirit to work within your heart, you can make fruit too!.  And you can have the same kind of impact upon people! 

And think about this...Tom Osborne comes out of retirement to take on a task that will be anything but easy, and will have incredible challenges.  But despite the challenges, I bet he will still make fruit!  Remember that today as you face the challenges in your life.  Despite the challenges, you can still make fruit!

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

Make some fruit today!

Pastor Greg

Are you Giving today?

Of the 5 Spiritual Disciplines that define CrossWalk, Giving is probably the one that gets the blood pressure to elevate.  When you talk about giving, it goes right to the heart (or should we say checkbook).  I think that is why Jesus' words on the subject are so prophetic:  "Where your treasure is, that is where you heart is also."

I think that one reason why people get so upset about giving is because they have so much guilt about it.  When we surveyed the congregation in September, we found that of the 850 surveys completed, only 6% of the respondents were tithing.  Another 13% were growing toward tithing.  But that leaves a lot of folks who are "wandering" in their giving. 

Guilt can certainly be a motivator for giving, but probably not for long term giving.  Authentic Christian giving has to come from a heart that is soft toward God.  It has to be generous, heartfelt, full of love and off the top.  It is an expression of gratitude for what God has given and done for us.  I have realized that I, as a pastor, can't do anything about the condition of a person's heart.  It has to be changed by faith and grace.  I can only share what scriptures illumine for us regarding God's heart for our giving.  If that makes folks feel guilty or angry, so be it.  But I do hope that if people have that kind of reaction, they would use it as a signal that something is not right in their walk with God.  It is a warning sign that their heart isn't where it should be yet.

Personally, I know my own giving has transformed me.  I am more generous than ever before.  I feel more blessed than ever before.  I feel more grateful than ever before.  All of this is an expression of the spiritual benefits of giving. 

Most important of all, I have grown in my love for God and for others as a result of my giving.  That is why I continue to give and desire to grow my giving even more.  The spiritual benefits are simply life-changing.

So, how's your giving?  Give it some thought.  Pray about it.  Be ruthless in examining your own heart and faith on the subject. Then do something about it...GIVE!

Pastor Greg

Are you Serving Today?

This past Sunday I talked about Serving.  Serving is key in our CrossWalk.  In fact, we have found that when people serve from their hearts, expecting nothing in return, their faith life blossoms.  When we serve, we feel closer to God and our love for God grows.  And when our love for God grows, it just makes sense that our love for others will grow as well.  All of that happens when we give of ourselves to serve.

This past Sunday I talked about serving in these three ways:

• Putting our self (our time, energy and talents) at the disposal of God so that he might use us.
• Putting our income at the disposal of God so he might leverage it.
• Putting our influence and power at the disposal of God so he might access it.

Service is action oriented! Service is other centered! Service is not always glamorous, but always grace-filled.

So, how are you serving today?  Is there someone in need of your service?

Pastor Greg

Are you Growing today?

Pastor Sara reminded us on Sunday that in order to grow, we must expose ourselves to the Word of God and then implement it into our daily lives.  Often times, that requires a change, or risk, or leap of faith (or all of the above).  So, how are you doing?

Have you sensed an urge within you to do something that you know in your heart is right, but have just been too afraid to do it?

Have you sensed a need that God is nudging you to address, but you've been hesitant?

Is there someone in your life that needs you to reach out to them right now, and you know in your heart that they really need you, but you have been just "too busy."?

If we are to grow, we need to heed the 'still small voice of the Holy Spirit' and respond.  What is that still small voice telling you to do today?  Are you growing today?

Pastor Greg

Are you Worshipping today?

This past Sunday I talked about worship.  I talked about our corporate worship---our gathering together on the Sabbath to bring praise and thanks to God. I also talked about our personal worship...our day to day worship of God.  And so I thought it would be good to have a check in...are you worshiping today?

Worship is giving pleasure to God.  So, anything we do or say that gives pleasure and glory to God is an act of worship.  It may mean just sharing a kind word with someone.  It may mean listening to someone who needs to be listened to.  It may mean serving your spouse or child in a certain way that will help them in their own faith and life journey.  It may mean pitching in and doing some work that isn't necessarily in your job description, but you do it because someone needs help. So, how are you doing so far?

If you are like me, it doesn't come naturally.  I need to make a daily (if not moment by moment) recalibration of my heart.  My general tendency is to turn in on myself and serve my own needs and desires.  It takes a reorientation of sorts to get my mind and heart aimed toward bringing pleasure to God.  I am working on it, and getting better. But as I said on Sunday, it does take work.

So, back to my original question...are you worshiping today?  If you are thinking, feeling, and acting in ways that bring pleasure to God, you are worshiping!  And I'm convinced if we worship together on Sundays, and individually during the week, we are going to grow in our love for God and for others.  And when a whole lot of us do that, the world starts to change, and lives are touched, and God's grace is shared with people who are really in need of it. Glory be to God!

Worship the Lord with gladness!

Pastor Greg

Where's your heart?

The vision for CrossWalk is to help Christ followers grow in their love for God and in their love for others.  When I think about it in those terms, I realize that CrossWalk is all about our hearts.  That is what Jesus wants...our hearts.  Jesus knows that if he gets our hearts he will get our worship, our service, our giving, our inviting, and we will grow.  So, how's your heart?

Maybe a better way of asking the question is this;  how's your love for God?  If someone you know, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, were to be asked to describe you, would they describe you as someone who loves God?  Is your love for God so obvious that others would bring it up in describing you?  And if it isn't, why not? That makes you think, doesn't it?  I know it really makes me think. 

Do our lives, in the way we live them, give evidence to the fact that we love God?  As I see it, to love God, you have to let God do some heart surgery on you and as a result, you are changed.  Your priorities change.  Your values change. Your understanding of how you use your time and resources in life changes.  Your sense of purpose changes. When Jesus gets your heart and love, he changes you from the inside out. 

That is really the question.  Has our love for God changed us inside...so people see it on the outside?  This is really tough stuff to reflect upon because we quickly see that we all have a long way to go.  But that is why we call it CrossWalk.  It is a walk, a journey, and we grow along the way. It takes time.  It takes faith. And it takes an ever-increasing commitment to grow our love for God.

I hope and pray that as a congregation we will have a lot of people that take CrossWalk to heart and get serious about using it as an opportunity to grow their love for God and for others.  And I look forward to walking the journey with others committed to that vision. 

Pastor Greg

What I learned on Sunday Morning

If you have been reading the blog lately, you know that I have been pumped up about the beginning of another program/ministry year.  This past Sunday I could feel the energy in the church.  Here are some of my impressions:

1. The Men's Chorus really gets my feet moving.
2. Denise is uncanny as to how she can pick hymns and songs that fit so well with my message, even though she has never heard the message before she picks them.
3. The folks at Southwood really like their coffee.  We ran out after the 11:00 service.
4. The new parking lot system works really well.
5. Baptizing an adult woman will result in a bad-hair day.
6. There are a lot of people I have never seen before visiting our church.
7. Chip somehow thinks that youth trying to break an egg on someone's head with a dead fish relates to the feeding of 5,000 story in the gospel.  I don't think it does, but it sure was entertaining to watch for those in the Cafe.

All in all, it was a great day.  I hope to have many more Sundays just like it.  See you Sunday!

Pastor Greg

Get Fit!

On this side of town there are a variety of places where you can go to work out.  The Racquet Club, Life Pointe, and Madonna Pro Active are just a few.  When you go to one of those places you have a lot of options as to how you might get your body in shape.  Of course there is the myriad of cardio-vascular options including treadmills, stair steppers, elipticals, etc.  And there are the various weight machines that can tone your muscles and bring strength to every muscle group in your body.  But there is one catch...you have to use them in order to get the benefit for your body.

On this side of town there are a variety of places where you can go to get spiritually fit.  Southwood, Sheridan, Horizons, Middle Cross.  When you go to one of these churches you will discover a lot of options as to how you might get your spiritual life in shape.  Of course there is the myriad of classes, small groups and worship experiences.  There are also various ways to serve that bring strength to your spiritual health.  But there is one catch...you have to use them in order to get the benefit for your spiritual life.

I hope that you will use what Southwood offers to help grow your spiritual life.  I hope that you and many others will want to grow in your love for God and in your love for others so much that you will overwhelm us with your excitment to "do something spiritual."  This is my hope and prayer.  Now, just like the trainers at the Racquet Club, Life Pointe and Pro Active, I wait to see if anyone shows up. 

As the people of God, it's time for us to "show up", "Get fit" and "do something great for God".  What's your vision of how you want to grow your love for God and your love for others?  I really would like to know. Share it on this blog and let's see what ideas people have for growing stronger spiritual lives.  Together we can support one another as we walk this CrossWalk together!

Pastor Greg

I'm Pumped!

I'm pumped!  The program year for 2007-2008 is about to begin and I can't wait.  You can almost feel the energy around the church.  In just a few short days 1300 people will gather for worship, over 600 children and youth will begin another Sunday School year, small groups will be forming, choirs will be singing, and this pastor will be really Pumped up!

Getting pumped up about church? Ok, it does sound a little wierd.  Most people are getting pumped up for the Husker/Wake Forest Game. I will certainly watch the Husker game. I love football.  But when it is over, I realize that it is just another game.  Who wins or loses doesn't really make much of a difference in the big picture of things.

So, what's so exciting about Sunday?  Let me tell you. 1300 people worshipping God.  600+ kids learning about Jesus.  Amongst the throng, people will be growing in faith, growing in relationship will the Lord, and eternities will be changed.  Who wins or loses makes a BIG Difference in the game of life.  And that is why I'm excited.  Because I get to be in the game with you all and can be a part of the biggest WIN of all...SALVATION.  Do you now understand why I am pumped!?

So I hope you will be there on Sunday...amidst the crowds, and kids, and a little chaos thrown in for good measure.  And if you have the time, just step to the side and think about what you are seeing...a glimpse of God's people who have won the race already, because their hearts have been touched by Jesus.

I'm pumped!

Pastor Greg

ARE YOU PREPARED?

On Sunday I preached about the end times.  I must admit, it is not a theological topic that I spend a lot of time thinking about.  The sermon forced me to reaquaint myself with the many and various beliefs on the topic.

Jesus' teaching on the end times are pretty succinct.  Be prepared.  In other words he is saying to us that he will come again, but we will never know the time or place, so be prepared.

What does being prepared mean?

It means that we are growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ as our Lord, Savior and Leader in life.  How do we do that?  (Get ready...you have heard this before but it bears repeating). Worship! Grow! Serve! Give! Invite!

I know, I sometimes sound like a broken record.  But this is really important stuff! Followers of Christ need to commit to weekly Worship, Growing in our understanding of God's Word, Serving the least of these in our midst, Giving of our time and money to help build God's Kingdom on earth, and Inviting others into the life saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  This is HOW we GROW our RELATIONSHIP with JESUS!

It is not rocket science.  It is rather a spiritual discipline that we have to decide whether we will practice or not.  However, If we decide to practice these disciplines, we don't have to worry about the end times because we will be prepared for whatever happens.  And if we practice these disciplines that grow our relationship with Jesus, we can be assured that we will KNOW him when he comes again.

As I said on Sunday, we are to live in faith, not fear.  But faith is not just something we say we believe, it is our heartfelt beliefs put into practice.  These 5 disciplines are the spiritual practices of a Christ follower.  At Southwood we call them our "CrossWalk".  I look forward to walking the walk with you!

Pastor Greg