9 Ways To Ruin Your Child

Raising our kids is one of the greatest joys and biggest responsibilities Francene and I get to share together as parents.  We believe that "children are a gift from the Lord" (Ps. 127:3). We understand that it's our responsibility to steer our kids away from foolish paths that end in destruction (Prov. 7).  The following is a list of things to do if you want to ruin your children and send them down the wrong path:

Here's 9 ways to ruin your child:

1. Encourage your daughter to always depend on you to make all her decisions for her, so she won't have to learn how to think for herself.
2. Spoil her; always let her get her way, especially if she pouts and cries.
3. Lie to yourself a lot, so your daughter can learn to become a master of denial like you.  
4. Always praise her for her good looks, and never praise her for her character.  Put a mirror on every wall, so she can continually admire herself.
5. Encourage her to become a movie star. By now she is so dramatic that acting is natural to her.
6. Don't love your spouse.  In fact, get divorced and remarried a few times to show your daughter that men are all worthless, but that she might as well live with one anyway.
7. Don't invest time in your daughter.  Keep her busy with her friends so she's out of your hair.
8. Encourage her to wear the most seductive clothing, which will be something she'll actually want to do.
9. Reward her whenever she plays sick. Then she'll learn to become ill rather than face up to her emotional conflicts.

In case you're slow...DO NOT DO THESE THINGS WHEN RAISING YOUR KIDS!

Until next time, hug your kids and encourage their character today!

Jeremy

Four Services, 823 People in Attendance, & 29 Salvations: How?

This past week, we've had four services totaling 823 people and 29 confirmed salvations.  Praise God!  How did we do it?

      1. Jesus
I know this seems simple, but it really is true for us.  This is Jesus' church. He must be central in ALL we do.  The moment He's not central, we cease to be a church, and we begin to be a crowd. We believe that church isn't merely a part of our lives, but that every life should be a part of the Church. That means, we don't do church for sport, hobby or out of habit. We are the church, and Jesus spilled His very blood to start it!  This is Jesus' church, and He is faithful (Matt. 16:18)!

     2.  Vision

There are 1,000 things I could say about vision, but what was most helpful to me personally was reading a book by Shannon O'dell called, Transforming Church in rural America.  If you divorce your vision, or lack God-given vision, you'll be dead in your tracks.  Get the book today!

    3. Coaching

It's pointless to make all the mistakes on your own!  Save time, heartache, headache and money and hire a coach TODAY!  Why not put a guy on your staff that has done what you're trying to do? Trust me, it's worth the small investment! I currently have 2 spaces available if you're interested in breaking the 100+ barrier in weekly attendance.  Just send an email to Marsha@MovementChurch.com today.  Other coaches whom I love and trust are as follows: Charles Hill and Chad Hunt. I don't know their availability, but it would be worth your effort to look them up!

Please don't spend another second in the land of unfruitful ministry.  God's Kingdom, His people and your time are too important to waste!

Blessings,

Jeremy Schweyer

www.MovementChurch.com
@JeremySchweyer

3 Steps To Becoming Debt Free

For most of us, the concept of getting out of debt is like capturing Bigfoot and keeping him as a pet in the backyard.  However, according to the Bible, it's not good to be indebted to anyone financially.

 

 Romans 13:8 (NIV1984)

  ^"Let no debt remain outstanding..."

 

Truthfully, it's easier said than done. But, if you want something different, you have to be willing to do something differently.  Here's your chance to do an Extreme Makeover on your money. I admit, for most of us, this is completely foreign, but then again, so is being debt free!

 

3 Steps To Becoming Debt Free:

1. Give - Mal. 3:8-10

• Don't rob God of His 10% (tithe).
• There's no financial blessing without financial giving (Gal. 6:7).
• You can do more with 90% that's blessed by God than 100% cursed by God.
• Test Him.

2.  Save - Prov. 6:6-8

• Consumerism is fueled by the lie that says, if you had X, then you'd be happy.
• Saving is future focused. Debt is past focused.
• Saving involves putting away something for tomorrow. Debt involves paying for yesterday.
• Saving 10% on each paycheck is not a good idea, it's a necessity.

3. Spend - Lk. 12:15-21

• Spend money based on your needs first (food, clothing, shelter).
• Roughly 41,096 children die everyday from hunger related causes. Don't tell me you aren't blessed!
• If you don't put your needs before your wants, you'll likely end up losing your needs at the expense of your wants.

Most Americans reverse this order, which is why we are in debt!  We need an Extreme Makeover financially!  If you begin to faithfully put these 3 steps into practice today (in this order), you'll be on the road to becoming debt free!

 

 

3 Very Important Things For Everyone At Movement Church

1. I'm loving our new series Extreme Makeover: Life Edition.  Here's a brief review of last Sunday:

• Satan has come to destroy us. Jesus has come to fulfill us (Jn. 10:10).
• Desires shape our priorities, priorities shape our choices, choices shape our lives. Do we desire God's blessing over our lives, or our own agenda?
• Priority # 2 of a Blessed Life: Family/Relationships. To be human is to be in relationship, because we were created in God's image & likeness (Gen. 1:26).  Therefore, our relationships matter.
• 3 Things Jesus Came to Restore: 1) Our relationship to God; 2) Our view of self (healthy identity); 3) Our relationship with each other
• Main point: If we love God and have a healthy view of self, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), then we can rightly love others.  If we don't, our relationships will suffer.  We'll either depend on others too much (dependance), seek to use people rather than love them (independence), play the victim card (victim mentality), have trust issues (insecurity), or  isolate ourselves from others (isolation). All of which leads to destructive relationships, rather than relationships blessed by God.
• Challenge: Choose to live from our identity in Christ, not for our identity in others. If we do this, our relationships will be the BLESSED EVER!  Don't waste your life!!!
2. Owners: This is your time to shine! We've begun a new year, and we want to continue moving in the blessing we've experienced in December.  That means, as owners, we're called to 4 things:
1. Serve - If you're an owner and you're not serving somewhere, please email pastor Jeff today: Jeff@movementchurch.com.  We would be glad to get you plugged in.  There's no better way to both grow in your faith and make an eternal impact than through serving! Let's go!!!
2. Bring - You have the great privilege of belonging to a church where it's okay to bring people who are far from God.  We want you to be excited to invite your sister, friend, co-worker, mom, etc.  We promise that we'll do everything we can to love and lead them to Christ!  So, do your part as owners and get them here!!!
3. Grow - Regardless of your past, it's not normal to backslide or fall into the same sin pattern as you always have. To be in Christ means to constantly be growing into the person God created you to be!  At Movement, we take this very seriously. We understand that sin always ends down the same dead-end path.  Because Jesus is alive, we have new hope, new life, and new purpose to walk in everyday. God saved us to reach others for Him. The best way to do that is to live differently! No other way leads to joy, peace, and purpose! Choose growth today!!!
4. Give - Why should we give? So we can continue reaching people for Christ, period.  The more we give, the more we reach. Our vision is to grow into our own established worship space, so we can maximize our reach for Christ. This will happen when we as a church get fired up about reaching those far from God.  If the Bible is true, then Hell is real and people we know and love are headed there, unless we do something about it.  God's plan? His church!  Let's be the church and reach people for Christ! Give and give BIG!!!
3. Team Intense is coming next week!  Here's what we need you to do:
1. Share every video, picture, or promo we put out on Facebook. Help us get the word out church!!!
2. Invite every family you know with kids!  This event really is for the kids. This is our way of loving and reaching them for Christ! So, please do your part and invite, invite, invite to this FREE EVENT!
3. Serve - We need MVP's to help set up/clean up on Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday evenings next week!  If you'd love to be apart of the Team Intense Crew, please email Pastor Jeff TODAY: Jeff@movementchurch.com

I love you Movement Church! I'm more excited about our church than I ever have been before.  Join me in charging Hell with some SUPER SOAKERS!  Let's make 2013 the BLESSED YEAR OF OUR LIVES!

Pastor Jeremy

16 Things I Look for in a Preacher | Mark Driscoll

Pastor Mark Driscoll is one of the planet's best communicators.  He planted Mars Hill Church in 1996.  Since then, it has grown to over 10,000 people with multiple locations in multiple states.  As a perpetual student of preaching, I found Driscoll's list insightful, practical, and helpful.  If you're a preacher, or you desire to preach, this is a great resource to read and reflect upon.

Mars Hill had a Preachers' Qualifying Day where each potential preacher was given one text to preach, one week to prepare, and 30 minutes to preach it - with a shot clock and buzzer.  They could only bring a Bible with them on stage.  Read, Reflect, Comment:

Pastor Mark wrote:
This will be fun…for some of us. For our Mars Hill version of American Idol for preachers, I’ll play the part of Simon Cowell, minus the deep v-neck and British accent. Joining me on the judging panel will be Dr. Justin Holcomb who runs Resurgence, Pastor Scott Thomas who runs Acts 29, and Pastor Dave Bruskas, the executive elder who oversees all our churches.

In anticipation of this event, I made a list of 16 things that I’m looking for in a preacher or teacher’s sermon:

1. Tell me about Jesus. Connect it all to Jesus. If you don’t mention Jesus a lot, you need to do something other than preach. And tell me that Jesus is a person, not just an idea. Help me to not only know him but to also like him. 
2. Have one big idea. Hang all your other ideas on the one big idea. Otherwise, you will lose me or bore me. 
3. Get my attention in the first 30 seconds without being gimmicky. Get to work. Don’t “blah blah blah” around, chitchat, or do announcements. That will make me start checking my phone. Get my attention, and let’s get to work. 
4. Bring me along theologically and emotionally. Preaching is not a commentary. Commentaries are boring for even nerds to read. Your job is to do the nerd work and bring it to life. Raise your voice, grab my affections, and bring the living Word. 
5. Make me like you, trust you, and respect you so that I can't dismiss you. If you want me to follow you, you have to get me to that point. 
6. Avoid Christian jargon and explain your terms. The average person has no idea what fellowship means, or even God for that matter. So, tell us what you’re talking about and don’t assume we have your vocabulary. 
7. Don't have points as much as a direction and destination. Take me somewhere. Take me to a place of conviction, compassion, conversion, etc. 
8. Don't show me how smart you are, because it makes me feel dumb. I assume you’re smart since you’re standing up talking and we’re all sitting down listening. If you quote words in some language I don’t know, or quote dead guys to show you’re a genius, that makes me feel dumb, which doesn’t serve me well. Don’t come off like that kid in school that the rest of us wanted to give a wedgie to every time they raised their hand. 
9. Invite lost people to salvation. Some people in the seats aren’t Christians. So, tell them how to become one. Talk about sin, Jesus, and repentance. At some point in every sermon just do that. If you do, people will bring lost friends. Don’t be a coward. 
10. Whether it feels like a wedding or a funeral, be emotionally engaging and compelling. Some sermons are a funeral—convicting, deep, hard hitting, and life shattering. Other sermons are a wedding—exciting, compelling, encouraging, and motivating. Pick an emotional path. Have an emotional trajectory to the sermon, not just a theological point. If you pass the audition and get to preach publicly, have the entire service flow emotionally. If we do wedding songs after a funeral sermon, I’m emotionally confused. Likewise, if we’re singing melancholy hymns after a big motivational sermon, I’m also emotionally confused. So, you and the guy in skinny jeans with the guitar have got to get this figured out together. 
11. Look like someone who has it together from clothes to haircut to overall presentation. You don’t need to be a model, but you should look presentable. If you have bed-head, your fly open, keep losing your place in your notes, your shoe is untied, your mic battery dies, and you say, “Um,” a lot because you’re unprepared, I may feel sorry for you but I’m not following you because you don’t seem to have a clue where you are going. 
12. Tell the truth and don't be a coward. Look me in the eye and don't flinch. Don’t apologize for what God’s Word says—just say it. Say it like you mean it. Say it like it’s true. Sure, I may despise you, but at least I’ll know what God said. Get over your fear of man and assume that I may just hate you. 
13. If you get lost or mess up, make a joke about yourself and keep me interested. I know at some point you’re going to mess up. The Bible is perfect, you aren’t. If I can laugh at you while laughing with you, I’ll trust you. 
14. Don’t just preach repentance but also practice it. Don’t talk about everyone else’s sin and never your own. Don’t tell me all the victories you’ve had or that your sin was a long time ago. Jesus is the hero, not you. I don’t trust smug, religious folks who preach how great they are and how I can become like them. It’s smarmy. 
15. Answer some objections. You know how most of us are going to push back, question, disagree, or wiggle off the conviction hook. So, anticipate those objections and answer some. Brawl with me a bit, show me you can go a few rounds, get me in a corner, and work me over until I give in and obey God. But, you have to work at it. 
16. "It" is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in you and through you. I’m looking to see if you have it. I can’t explain it, but I know it when I see it. 

Catch the original post here:  16 Things I look for in a Preacher | Pastor Mark.

Comments?

My Biggest Sin Issue

Last week I was visiting with a friend, and we were discussing some of the things he's struggling with spiritually. At one point, he looked at me and said, "What about you? What are you struggling with?"

My mind began to file through possible sin issues...

Then it struck me.  My greatest spiritual struggle is over-eating.

I know this may not sound like a big deal, but I assure you it is. The bible recognizes it as a sin and calls it gluttony:

Proverbs 23:20-21
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Philippians 3:19

Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame...

Chances are, if you are over-eating, you are worshiping the god of your stomach rather than the God of the Cosmos. This is a serious issue, because it relates directly to idolatry.

 Here's 5 ways you can tell if your god is your stomach:

1. Do you run to food when you feel sad? Angry? In times of celebration? 
2. Do you find yourself eating when you feel bored and not necessarily hungry?
3. Do you spend a large amount of money on fast food during the week, just to feed yourself?
4. Do you feel real anxiety if you don't finish all the fries in your McDonald's # 2 Combo Meal? 
5. Is your definition of "satisfied" when your stomach hurts because of over consumption of food?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, chances are you struggle with this sin as well. It may be helpful to understand that food should be used as a means to glorify God, not satisfy your cravings. When Jesus was tempted with food worship by Satan in Matt. 4:4, he responded with, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

BREAKING FOOD ADDICTION:

1. Recognize that over-eating is a sin/idol issue (See Romans 1). 
2. Repent and beg Jesus for freedom from this vice through prayer. 
3. Resolve to fast at least one meal for dinner once per week. I believe that fasting breaks spiritual addictions, and particularly food addiction. When your belly grumbles for food, allow that to take your heart and mind to Matt. 4:4, and watch how God liberates you!

When your hunger for God begins to out-weigh your hunger for food, you are well on your way to having a healthy relationship with food. Food is not the enemy, eating too much of it is.

 Please leave a comment below.

12 Reasons Why 2012 Has Been Our Best Year So Far

As Francene and I have reflected on 2012, we’ve realized this year has been the best year of our lives, thus far. In light of that, we want to share 12 reasons why.  But before we do...

We understand that for many, 2012 has been bitterly difficult to endure.  That's why this has been painfully beautiful to write.  We want you to know that we mourn with you.  We've shed tears for you.  We've hurt for you.  Paul's words from a prison cell couldn't be more timely: For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  

So, as we share, please understand that our heart is one of gratitude not boasting, humility, not pride. As we mourn with you, we ask that you try to rejoice with us.

#12.  Our New Home – We’ve been blessed with a spacious home close to the church and good friends.  The kids can run and play with room to spare. We can play tag and hide & seek with ease!  Thank you Jesus for this blessing!

#11.  Charles Hill and Tiffany Hill - It's rare to find people honest enough to tell you where you fall short in a loving way.  Charles was that person for me.  Jesus used him to open my eyes to countless things.  From Willow Creek to New Spring, this man saved me years of fruitless toil!  Thank you Charles Hill! I'm forever indebted to you and your family!

 #10.  New Friendships – We’ve experience several new and special friendships this year that have become precious to our family.  Ministry and friendship are two words that don't seem to go well together.  But God has brought us some amazing people to journey with.  To our friends, THANK YOU!

 #9.  Movement Church – We’re privileged to serve the greatest church on the planet (no offense).  Jesus has overwhelmingly blessed us this year by growing Movement Church deeper and wider on EVERY level possible.  Words can’t express what our church family means to us. Thank you for the great opportunity to serve you!  We hope to give you the next 40 years of our lives!  We love you all!

#8.  Movement Church Staff – My team is unlike any group of people I've ever met.  They're awesome!  Each one is so faithful, giving, teachable, and willing to take big risks for God's Kingdom!  Fran and I couldn't do this without you!  Jesus is building something special, and we’re grateful that He’s surrounded us with a team that shares our heartbeat for lost people.  Thank you team! We love you!

#7.  Life Change – We’ve had a front row seat to God’s mighty hand in the saving and changing of many lives this year. Our God is alive. He is able. He is good.  And He is MIGHTY TO SAVE!  To every person who has been born again into a living hope (1 Peter 1:3), we want you to know how grateful to God we are for each of you!  We love you all!

#6.  Quiet Nights – We’ve enjoyed predictable bedtime routines, and peaceful nights. We learned that quiet is good, and that uneventful is a blessing from God.

#5.  Good Health - We've been blessed with good health.  366 days of no stitches, broken bones, or bad reports is something I NEVER take for granted!  Thank you Jesus for my healthy family!

#4. California Vacation – We were so blessed to take our kids to the West Coast. We were privileged to experience everything we had hoped, and more. From Santa Monica Pier, to Laguna Beach, Hollywood Boulevard to Rodeo Drive, beautiful mountains to glorious sunsets, gorgeous coastal highways to the sweet smell of the desert, Joshua Tree to Palm Springs, lizards to jack rabbits, it was a tremendous blessing from God!  But the best part of all was getting to see my family in 29 Palms!

 

#3. Candelaria Family – Even more awesome than seeing the beauty of California was introducing our kids to their Grandpa. The way he took special individual interest in each of our kids was breathtaking.  He is a great man.  I love you Dad and I want to be like you!  We’ve never seen family like the Candelaria Family.  From Grandma and Grandpa, to all our Uncles and Aunts and cousins, this is what family should be. We love you all and hope to see you soon!

#2. Our Family – Emylie, Isabelle, Jeremy and Brooklin are our sweetest joy.  No matter what, we always have each other.  We consider everyday together a blessing from God.  Psalm 5:11-12 is a constant prayer for our family in our home.  Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

I'm grateful for my wife. She's my best friend!  I've actually spent more years on this planet with her than without her in my life.  We’ve grown up together.  Francene, without you, well...I'd be lost.  Thank you for sacrificing so much for our church, our family, and me.  I'm deeply in love with you!

#1. Our God – Jesus, you’re making all things new (Rev. 21:5).  Thank you for tasting the bitterness of death so we could taste the sweetness of life.  Thank you for our salvation, our family, church family, vacations, friendships, life change, quiet nights, our home, and health & wellness.  God...YOU ARE FAITHFUL!

Psalm 12:6 “I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me.”

MAY WE REJOICE EVEN MORE IN 2013! THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

-Jeremy and Francene Schweyer