Tory Farina

Make Room For More Stewardship... pt 4

Neil Charpentier
Mary and I started tithing before ether of us had committed our lives to a relationship with Christ. We had a hunger for God and giving was one way we tried to grow spiritually.

My first Malachi 3 experience of testing God happened before I knew the scripture. We adopted our first child, David, and used our entire savings to pay the adoption fees. Shortly after, I got my first ever bonus at work and it was the exact amount of the adoption fees. God had worked to provide as He had said even though I was unaware of His promise!

I am now retired the Lord has blessed us with good health and enough money to continue supporting orphanages and other Christian works. We also have enough left over to take mission trips internationally. Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given to you.” God is good, and loves us beyond our comprehension!

Make Room For More Stewardship... pt 3

Brian and Jolene Kirchner
We married at 20.  My wife and I were both working, making typical entry level wages.  Jolene made more than I did at the time, but with our combined incomes we were able to live within our means, mobile home, old cars, and not much left over. At the age 23 we became believers.  We were very excited about our new found faith, attended church regularly, and were eager to learn God’s ways and His will for our lives.  We learned about how to care for our family, how to pray, and we learned about tithing and giving offerings.
 
The first time I heard about giving 10% of my income I laughed.  No way!  We could barely make it on what we brought in, yet we were encouraged to just do it and see what God did next.  Everyone would say “you can never out give God”.  This sounded ridiculous! But, we did it; we started to give regularly not only in tithes but in supporting missions.  Within a few days a check came in the mail.  Something about a class action law suit and money for the settlement.  Huh!
 
Around that same time we made the decision to have Jolene stay home with the kids. Even though it made no sense, we took the step of faith AND continued to tithe. I was able to work a part-time job to help make ends meet.  I received a promotion, then another, and then many more even when there were no positions open.  God created positions for me along the way.
 
Every time there was a need, God was there to meet it.  Every time we were prompted to give, things were taken care of.  I can testify to God’s faithfulness.  We love to give.  We love to see God do amazing things in the lives of others.  And, you really can never out give God!

Make Room For More Stewardship... pt 2

Craig and Priscilla Koeckeritz
We have been giving to our church throughout our married lives. As we were blessed, we tried to bless others. We moved from giving some, to giving more, but within our comfort zone. We felt good about what we gave. Yep, we were being faithful. But we began to feel we weren’t really tithing our FIRST and BEST. We realized that maybe we weren’t being as faithful as we could be.
 
God had more in store for us. While we were comfortable at our level of giving, he started pulling on us to give our best; the FIRST ten percent. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. Priscilla was knee deep in starting a business. We leveraged all we had to invest and keep the business alive while Priscilla often went without a paycheck. Craig was used to getting a bonus and then there was no bonus.
 
How could God lay on our hearts to do more? To give our best to Him? We felt this was not the time for us to increase our giving. We struggled. We realized that we had it all wrong. God wasn’t just asking us to give faithfully. He was asking us to have some faith because He was behind us and willing to be faithful.
 
We made the decision to step forward in faith and trust that God would provide. It was hard because we believed we had far more control over our earnings and provisions than God did. We prayed, we stepped, and it didn’t take long before we were tested by more need. Many times we questioned God, “Are you sure about this?” Each time there was some doubt, God came through for us, at home and in the business.
 
Last year we were able to give more than we ever have before. The needs of our home, our children’s education, and the business… all met. God is great, and He is waiting to do marvelous things for us. Giving requires faith, hope, and trust, and God has heaped out abundant measures of blessings back to us. It feels good to know that we will be taken care of by a great and loving God!

Make Room For More Stewardship... pt 1

The Make Room For More funding initiative provides all of us an opportunity evaluate the way we manage our God-given resources. I want to share with you the stories of people from High Point Church who have learned to be stewards, not owners, of all that they have. These are true stories of their personal stewardship journeys and the blessings that have overflowed in their lives and families as a result of their obedience to the Lord.

Through this funding initiative your faith is going to be stretched! Let these stories inspire you to take action in your own finainces. Begin tithing, get out of debt, look for a way to get wet with "Make Room For More" and believe for God to do a miracle in your own life.

Dan and Jenny Mechtel
Prior to attending High Point, Dan and Jenny had not attended church as a couple and life was quite a mess. They were buried in debt and thoroughly frustrated with how the future looked for them emotionally and financially. When they started attending church they had differing views on the importance of tithing. “Live first, give later” versus “Give first, so we can live better”. As they debated on tithing, the debt and frustration didn’t go away, or even start to diminish. It took a few months but they came together and agreed to tithe.
 
In 2007 the budget was redone to take 10% off each paycheck first and then start working on getting out of debt. There was a renewed sense of commitment to God and to each other wrapped up in this decision. They were unified in their giving and determined to tackle the bondage of debt together.
 
Faithfully, each payday, the tithe check was written first. On paper, it didn’t look like there would be enough to make much impact on the debt. But, somehow, each month the credit card statement came back with a smaller balance than the budget alone would have produced.
 
Coming into 2009 they could see the end in sight. If they kept tithing and kept paying on the debt, they would be debt free in May! The plot thickened, in February, Dan was laid off. But, despite the setback, Dan and Jenny remained committed to tithing and God had a blessing in store because of that faithfulness. April rolled around, Dan was still not working and it was tax time. The result was a tax return of the exact amount needed to pay off the debt completely! The return came April 30, 2009. Friday, May 1, 2009, Dan and Jenny wrote the final check to the credit card company, just like they had planned in December.
 
Dan and Jenny have seen God transform their marriage, their finances, and their emotional health as they committed more and more of their lives to Him. Each time they step out in a new way, they are excited to see what God has planned because they know He is moving!

A Good Kid Bible...

I get asked periodically, what Bible would you recommend for my child? I wasn't sure what to say until recently. Olivia has a lot of books. Books about Bears and Hairs and Moses and Jesus but non of them have captivated her like this book.

My first study Bible, Is a paraphrase of the bible that is perfect for young readers. It has just the right amount of biblical accuracy without being over my three and a half year old's head. It also isn't a book about the bible meaning it hasn't been so watered down that it loses its "BIBLE" status. It has great little additions and thoughts in it that older kids can get into. We like this Bible and Olivia LOVES it. She could be read from it all day long.

So if your looking for a good kid bible check this one out.

S.O.A.P. Explained...

At High Point Church our desire is that every believer would receive something from God’s word on a daily basis. Doing daily devotions re-patterns the way we think, focuses our prayer life, and transforms the way we hear and apply God’s word. When we face difficult situations, challenges, or temptations, we can call upon the wisdom of God’s word and respond accordingly.

Journaling is an excellent way to both record and process what God has spoken to us. It also becomes useful as a reference tool to reflect on and review some of the gems that you have received in the past. Without writing them down, you may forget those blessings, as well as some very important lessons! And although journaling provides for a very personal time with the Lord, you may end up wanting to share some of your daily journaling with others (e.g. your connection group, accountability group, or spouse). By discussing your devotions with others, you may be able to learn even more about what God was speaking to you, as well as offer encouragement to others. We call this daily process S.O.A.P (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer).

How to S.O.A.P.

Pick a place and a time. Try and keep it consistent so you do not let everything else in life take precedence. Plan on taking as much time as you need but I recommend 20 minutes to read and 20 minutes for observation, application, and prayer. You may need more time or less time but this will get you into a pattern of being in God’s presence on a daily basis.

You’ll need four items: Bible, pen, reading plan, and journal) or use a program like Youversion.com to store your journals and show you a daily reading plan. Here is a simple journal page! Download Soap 365 Daily Journal

S for Scripture

Open your Bible to your reading for the day. Take time as you read and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you and write it in your journal. (About 20 min.)

O for Observation

What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you.

A for Application

Personalize what you have read by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. It may be instruction, encouragement, a new promise, or even corrections for a particular area of your life. Write down how this scripture applies to you today.

P for Prayer

This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Then write it out.

For more information on this concept or to see examples of journal entries, visit www.LifeJournal.cc

 

How You Can Help Me, Part 2

Stay Unified

We are a family. It blesses me to see this church operate with such health. Each week people set up/tear down, greet, work with the kids, usher, pray for one another, connect in homes across the south metro, and live life connected. When everyone is in proper relationship we can accomplish great and powerful things. Lets stay a healthy body by remaining unified.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. (Psalm 133:1,3)

Stay Away from Discord

It is a fear of mine that the healthy church we have built will be corrupted. High Point doesn’t have gossipers, dissention, factions, or discord.

There are six things the Lord hates — no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Elizabeth and I fight hard to snuff out anything that is not harmonious and healthy. We set up our bylaws in a way that allows for relational integrity and accountability. Help us by nipping anything in the bud that you hear or see. As scripture says, avoid it.

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. (Romans 16:17)

Don’t Bite One Another!

As Phillip Keller explains in his book on Psalms 23, one of the things a shepherd does is keeps the sheep from biting each other.

While I am away, don’t bit one another. Live in peace and offer up grace to one another at every turn.

Draw on Our Great Leaders

We have pastors, deacons, ministry team leaders, and connection group leaders. It is a social network built on discipleship. This network is built as a way to draw out the wisdom that God has placed at the heart of those who love Him and are living in community with Him. This church is not built on one person or personality. This church is built on a firm foundation of people who are bound together by the mission and vision of High Point.

Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out. (Proverbs 20:5)

If you are in need of wisdom, there is someone who you can get a hold of while Elizabeth and I are gone. The water is deep at High Point and many know how to draw out the good stuff.

 

How You Can Help Me, Part 1

While I am on my sabbatical, you can help me by staying faithful in the following areas.

Attendance

Be faithful in your attendance. We are a family, and when one member needs rest, the others step up to help. We are a team and when one player is out, the rest of the team ups their game to compensate. Your attendance at church is absolutely essential in order for God to do what he wants in our individual lives and in our church family.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Stewardship

Be faithful in your stewardship. Scripture challenges us to be faithful as it is honoring the Lord. Tithing and giving is a way for us to fuel our future. We are going to announce some pretty bold initiatives this coming year and your faithfulness in giving will confirm what steps God is challenging me to take.

Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 16:17)

Outreach

Be faithful in bringing visitors. We are going to have an amazing line-up of guests. These are people who are strong communicators and who challenge and encourage me in my faith. You are not going to want to miss the next few weeks. Your friends are going to be challenged and experience God as they normally would at High Point.

A faithful man will abound with blessings... (Proverbs 28:20)

7 of Sabbaticals...

I read this in a recent article from the Hardy Group about sabbaticals.

Here are some quick observations on the value of taking a sustained period of time off called a sabbatical.

1. Spiritual Renewal – This is the single component which differentiates a pastor’s sabbatical from virtually every other career field. Because pastors eat, sleep and breathe in the spiritual world, there comes a point where they need to come apart from the work of the ministry before they truly come apart. This time away is perfect for God to speak to the quieted spirit within us.

2. Physical wind-down – It will take at least seven days and maybe more to bring your body to a slowed pace to actually relax. Physical rest will truly begin to set in when this happen.

3. Emotional wind-down – It will take an equally long period of time for your emotions to begin to settle down. Those stresses and emotional drains will begin to ebb from your life and a true sense of relaxation will set in. You will be amazed at just how relaxed you can be when your emotions are not all over the map.

4. Relationships improve – Presuming you take your sabbatical with your spouse, you will find your time together to be enriched. The pace of running your life by the clock will defer to the ease of spending time, extended time together. The stronger the pastor’s marital relationship, the more secure the Body feels as it moves forward.

5. Vision clears – Your ability to separate wild and crazy ideas from true vision for the future will become clear. There may be times on your sabbatical that you set aside to think about your own personal future. Depending on the designs of your sabbatical, it may be that vision for your ministry can become part of the mix. The ability to focus is increased.

6. Planning increases – If planning for the future is part of your sabbatical, the ability to do so without the clutter of phone, email, correspondence and emergencies is increased dramatically. Consequently, the resulting plan is of greater value to the church and its leadership.

7. Church benefits – The church learns that the staff and volunteers who serve so capably when you are physically at the helm are more than capable in carrying the day in your absence. Further, a renewed pastor results in a renewed congregation. The Body responds positively to the refreshing in their pastor. It can be said that sabbaticals, when implemented properly, can contribute to the numerical, financial and spiritual growth of the church because the leader comes back firing on all cylinders as opposed to when they left firing on only half of them.

Share Your Story...

What’s your story?

During the series “People of the Second Chance” I want some of you at High Point who have experienced a second chance to share your story of redemption and hope. Our greatest mistakes can become our greatest assets when we submit them to Christ.

Revelation 12 says that we defeat the accuser by the power of our Christ-liberated story. Your story is POWERFUL! It can and will be used by God to liberate those who are coming this Sunday to receive a second chance.

I am looking for one or two more stories. I know many of your stories and will ask some of you to tell them, but I also wanted to open it up and see if you have one that I am unaware of.  If so, would you be willing to tell it in the service over the next four weeks?

You can leave your story here on the blog, send it via Facebook, or email me the details. I am so excited to here what God has done in your life.

We are people of the second chance!