I’ve been convicted this week of my selfishness.  Without consciously choosing to be, I’ve been selfish about all the stuff that has to be done at ICC.  And my selfishness has not just affected me, but all of the people who have been working their tails off to make things happen each week.  We have done a lot of generic things to let people know about opportunities to help out, but I have failed to lead by inviting people personally to come along and serve with us. And after yesterday it’s obvious to me that A LOT of our regulars are chomping at the bit to get more involved. 

I just mentioned in passing before dismissing everyone that hanging out and helping is a great way to get to know some folks and that we were short a couple of our normal breakdown people for the day.  No hard sell.  No big promotional push.  No “the sky is going to fall if you don’t stay and help pack the trailer” speech.  Just a mention and an open invitation.

We had 11 people stick around for the first time and help break everything down and pack up the trailer!  By just mentioning it in the service…. Unbelievable.  A word to each of two different groups who might read this:

To Iron City Church: I ask your forgiveness and I repent of not asking each of you to come and serve.  It’s going to take ALL of us working hard to move this church towards turning the Pittsburgh metro area on it’s head and acheiving the vision that God has laid out for us: to be a dynamic movement of Christ followers: building bridges and changing the world.

To other church planters/pastors out there: I encourage you to be bold (not obnoxious, bold) about inviting people to step up and serve.  One of our guys told me yesterday after the service, “thanks for asking me to help – it lets me feel like I’m an important part of this thing.”  The truth is that he’s always been an important part of this thing, but by me not giving him a clear invite to serve he didn’t feel like he was.  Don’t let this happen to you….

Have a great week!

Yesterday afternoon we had a vision meeting for people who have been attending ICC and wanted to hear more about the vision.  It was also a good forum for them to ask questions that have been on their mind.

We held the meeting at the local library and had a total of 11 people there.  We enjoyed some lunch and then had what was probably my favorite part of the whole meeting — everyone got to tell who they are and what brought them to Iron City Church.  Awesome stuff — what a great reminder of why we do what we do!  Most people showed because of the “More Jesus, Less Crap” signs and have stayed because of the authenticity, based on their comments yesterday.

I got to share how we got here (the backstory), where we’re heading (the vision), and what we’re about (our values).  I just love connecting the dots for people.  The meeting went very well and I think most – if not all – of the people that were there are in it for the long haul.  We did have some good, spirited conversation about some of what we do and what we believe, but it was all in good taste and I think we all left on good standing and encouraged.

It is awesome to be so close while God does so much for so many! 

I shared yesterday that it’s my dream that in 5, 10, or 20 years if we were to mention something about closing the doors of Iron City Church, that members and leaders of all the communities of the Pittsburgh metro area would rise up in opposition because we have made and we are making such a difference in the lives of their people that they couldn’t bear to do without us.  Only God can do that — and that’s why I dream it!!!

Thank you God for all you have done, are doing, and are yet to do!

Yesterday we had our second week of our “Building Blocks” series.  I’ll have to post some photos (maybe after next week) of the stage layout.  It’s not hugely elaborate, but it is big for us. 

More than that, I really feel like the messages are connecting with some folks.  The idea of this series is that our lives are like an ongoing building project.  We’re preaching through 2 Peter 1:3-9 and talking about the building blocks to a productive and effective life.  I’ve known a lot of churches in my life where we “got people saved” and just left them there.  In time that leads to an unproductive and ineffective church. 

We don’t want to be that kind of church.  We want to make disciples of Jesus that make disciples of Jesus.

Incidently, the numbers were back up a little (37 total) and the vibe in the place was good.  We’ve got to find some local musicians to be a part of what’s happening at ICC.  This was the second week in a row without a drummer and there’s a noticeable difference in the atmosphere without that driving rhythm.  Pray with us about this and – better yet – if you’re a good drummer in the North Hills (or willing to drive) and want to be a part of something bigger than yourself, let me know…

Here’s the audio of Sunday’s message: http://www.ironcitychurch.com/messages/2007_03-BuildingBlocks/102807_BB02.mp3

General message downloads page: http://www.ironcitychurch.com/downloads.html

I got to spend a few hours yesterday with some church planters and pastors from Morgantown, WV, Washington, PA, and Mercer, PA.  What a great group of guys.  It’s amazing how many good connections can be made if we focus on our calling to expand God’s Kingdom.  That’s what I loved about the meeting – just a bunch of real men who are trying to follow Jesus sharing stories, insights, laughs and food.

Then today I got the chance to spend lunch time with Chris Marshall from New Life Christian Ministries in Butler County.  Again, he’s just another one of us who has been called to share the love of Jesus Christ and His Gospel with people who are disconnected from God.  It’s exciting what’s happening all over this region of the country.  It seems God is up to something.

My biggest prayer since giving in to God’s call to be a church leader has been and continues to be that I would be able to play some tiny part in a MOVE OF GOD that changes lives and is beyond ANY OTHER EXPLANATION.  I believe He is able to do more than we ask or imagine . . .

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.                         Ephesians 3:20-21

What an amazing day yesterday was at ICC!  While we were setting up, Amber (my wife) came up and whispered in my ear that she really felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in the place.  Not being the most discerning soul, I found a little time to get quiet and began to feel that same presence.  We had a few more folks serving for the first time yesterday and had 2 more go through our orientation, to see what goes on and how they can get involved.

Brandon was back leading worship after Neil leading for the last two weeks.  I don’t feel like we miss a beat with either one of them in place.  It was good to be with Brandon again, though.  The music was good and people really seemed to be getting into worshiping a little bit more each week.

It was an historic day in the life of ICC (and me), as I gave up the stage to let our Catalytic Pastor (my dad) share the 4th message in our “Thank God It’s Monday” series: “Confessions of a Workaholic.”  It was equal parts sermon and testimony.  I could tell it was tough for him to talk about it all at times, but his honesty and transparency was refreshingly painful.  I got to experience some of the aftermath of his workaholism growing up and it was emotionally tense for me to process yesterday.  When I scanned the room it was obvious that God was working in people’s hearts about this issue.

We had a grand total of 48 people there yesterday.  That’s our highest attendance yet (not counting Kick-Off Sunday) and we’re seeing some serious buy-in.  People are stepping up to serve, they’re inviting their friends, and just coming on Sunday mornings excited about church!

ON A SIDE NOTE: All three of us pastors were out of town from Wednesday early morning until Saturday around noon and we had our highest attendance yet and God worked in some big ways on Sunday.  I’m trying to figure out how to best accept this fact: 1) We need to take off 3-4 days every week because all this stuff we’re doing isn’t important, or 2) We always have to be mindful (even as we work hard on His behalf) that Jesus builds His church and the gates of hell will not overcome it!

What a week!  It’s been a while since I posted anything, but it’s been a busy week.  First the short week (trying to fit everything into Monday and Tuesday of last week), then Catalyst.  Amazing.  We all go to different conferences for different reasons, but for me, God has used Catalyst as, well, a catalyst in my life.

I first attended back in 2003 and it was my first exposure to such a large group of young(ish) leaders together in one place.  God spoke to me through so many things that year, but especially through Rob Bell’s testimony about finding a healthy life pattern.  At the time I was running my own web design company, working with a local sign company, and working with an auto racing team traveling all over the country.  The question that broke me was, “stop for a second and think about this: where will I be in 5 years if I don’t change something in my routine?  Now what do I need to change?”  The next day I retired from racing and within a month I proposed to Amber (the second best decision of my life, behind committing my life to Christ).  Three months later, I was able to hear and submit to God calling me into vocational ministry.

Then last year I was able to attend again.  This time it wasn’t any one speaker in particular, rather the entire experience, that spoke to me.  I think it was just observing how God was at work in and through so many varied people/groups/areas from all over the country and the world that motivated me to get serious about trying to figure out the next steps for Amber, TJ, and me.  Within two months after Catalyst ended, I had resigned my current position and moved to Pittsburgh.  Another month later, God had confirmed our call to plant Iron City Church and invest our lives in seeing the Pittsburgh metro area transformed with the love of Jesus Christ.

This year, the experience was again refreshing and challenging.  I am not going to list all the things that I heard from everyone.  I had some serious issues trying to get online at Catalyst (not sure if I was the only one), so I was forced to actually sit still and listen and let some of what was being said sink in.  I will say that Francis Chan’s message toward the end of Thursday’s sessions rocked my world.  He broke out some real, honest to goodness, authenticity, and said that it’s entirely possible to grow a massive church and have a “successful” ministry without loving the people you are serving OR loving Jesus like we are called to.  He challenged us to realize that – like Paul and Jeremiah each record in scripture – God selected us to be used for His mission in the world before we were even born.  So much good stuff.  So little time to process. . . .

Wonder what God’s going to do in my life through all this information and inspiration.  Will it provoke some continued transformation?  I like to think so.

It’s been a couple of pretty busy days around the office yesterday and today.  We’ve got to have everything ready for Sunday by the end of the day today.

That’s because all (3) of the ICC pastors are heading out early in the morning to Atlanta for the Catalyst Conference.  We’re going to the church planters lab sessions and trying to suck up whatever good stuff we can while we’re down there.  It should be a good one, with Ed Stetzer, Dave Ferguson, and Darrin Patrick, among others. 

If you’re also going to be there, look me up (I’ll be the big bald guy with glasses and a – hopefully – healing scratch across my forehead).

I love Jeff Mousa.  He is my good friend and our new executive pastor.  I’m a big picture guy who paints with big, broad, sweeping strokes.  Jeff is the detail guy who comes behind me and helps to fill in the blanks.  I love seeking God and casting the huge-o-mongous vision that He gives.  Jeff loves getting elbows-deep in the miniscule, vitally important, mind-numbing (my description) details of strategizing that vision.

We’re currently sitting in the office working on organizational charts and job descriptions “together.”  “Together” because I’m sitting in the same room with Jeff and periodically grunting responses to his very specific questions.  To be completely honest, he’s crafting these items while I nod in approval and post to this blog.  I am loving having him around.  With him here to help with the details and administration of ICC, I am free to focus more on seeking God, preparing and preaching the messages each week, and developing relationships with all sorts of people in this church and community.

I’ve known and spent a lot of time with other pastors and church planters who are trying to do it all.  Here’s my word to anyone in that category (a church leader trying to do it all): STOP IT.  God makes a pretty good point about this in 1 Corinthians 12.  You’re not 47,000 different parts of the body.  You may not have a Jeff, but I can guarantee you that there are some people in your church with gifts, talents, and abilities that you don’t have.

By hogging it all (with a chip on your shoulder in most cases – been there), not only are you failing to be as effective and fruitful in your ministry as you could be, but you’re also keeping someone else from experiencing the joy of serving.  REPENT!

Yesterday marked our second weekly service at ICC.  We’re going through a series called “Thank God It’s Monday: Why Going to Work Doesn’t Have to Suck,” and yesterday’s topic was dealing with authority.  Good stuff.  I really enjoyed it and I’m definitely loving the weekly opportunity to preach to this ever-changing flock that God has entrusted/is entrusting to me as a pastor.

We launched ICC with a team of folks made up of locals who we’re trying to connect with (unchurched/dechurched from the North Hills area) AND like-minded believers from other churches who all committed to helping us get started.  After last Sunday’s Kick-Off Service, we sent the vast majority of the latter group back to their church homes.  That meant that yesterday was our real baseline as to where we’re starting on this journey.  And the state of the church is pretty good after week #2.

Our total attendance was 33 for our first weekly service minus the training wheels.  Our systems are still in their infancy, but the people who are stepping up to serve are amazing.  With just our own ICC folks working, setup went smooth, all areas were handled with excellence and grace, and God honored all of that by bringing out 6 first time families.  Each of those families indicated that they enjoyed themselves and most stated that they plan to come back next week. 

Incidently, one of the big reminders I’m getting already is that when you plant a church for people who don’t do church, the weekly church attendance habit is not natural.  We’ll be spending much of this week trying to determine what else we can do to get those fired up first timers back a second, third, and fourth time…

All in all, God is at work!  The atmosphere yesterday was charged, people were challenged (me included), and my prayer is that even as we speak people are being used as agents of life-change in their workplaces, schools, and communities!

Let me set up a scene for you: Last September (just about a year ago) I was on staff at this church, just outside Savannah, Georgia.  Having had a passion for church planting since I was 18 (when my parents planted the above church), I had felt for a while that God was transitioning that passion into a calling.  So I started to take every opportunity I had to read about church planting, meet with current church planters, and to explore opportunities in that area.

So back to last September — I showed up to a denominational information meeting in Macon, GA and sat next to a lovely young couple who weren’t exactly sure why they were at said meeting.  It was not the most exciting material I’ve ever been taught, but during the day I was able to spend a little time talking with this guy and his wife.  In our conversation he mentioned that he was very gifted in the area of administration.  I told him that was a gift set that is often missing in church planter types.

The following weekend, this fellow and I started attending the West Ridge Church School of Church Planting in Dallas, GA.  In fact, I stayed at their apartment the night before the first meeting.  During the time that we were both attending WRC’s monthly classes, I move to Pittsburgh, clarify God’s calling to start a church here, and begin working on Iron City Church.  This other guy continues to wrestle with what his next steps will be.  One day, during lunch at class (after much prayer on my part), I slyly mention that if I had any sense I’d get this guy to come on board to help me with administration (not one of my strong suits).  He responds that “he hasn’t been asked.”  To which I say, “Now I’m asking.”

Long story short, here we are, less than a year after first meeting and Jeff and Leslie Mousa have moved up from Georgia to serve with us on staff at ICC.  They’re passionate for God, passionate about the vision for ICC, immensely talented, and – good for me and Amber – they’re really good friends.  Please join me in thanking God for sending Jeff and Leslie to be a part of this movement called Iron City Church!