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1.  I love MY CHURCH.  The Rock Church has been in such a powerful season of grace.  Last night I met with a couple who attended for years.  They haven’t attended in some time, but commented they distinctly see a change for the good in the spirit of our church.  WOW!  I was so blessed to hear those words because it’s an indication the culture of The Rock Church is finding it’s center in Jesus and growing outward!

2.  I’m excited to be with our team on Saturday.  Saturday we have the 2nd of 4 TeamLIFE meetings in 2012.  I’m excited to share some strategy with our church about how we are going to break records for salvations, guests, attendance and fun in the next twelve months!  Katheryn will be sharing with the large group about the “1st time guest through membership process” she’s been designing and working on.  Finally, there will be a time of prayer and focus for the summer and beyond.  This TeamLIFE is a NOT TO MISS gathering if you are a team member of The Rock Church.  By the way, if you are wondering, TeamLIFE Members are defined as those who give, serve, love, care about and want to see The Rock Church fulfill it’s mission.  Starts at 8:30AM.

3.  It is LIFE Offering Sunday.  I can’t believe the weekend is here.  There are so many incredible plans for our Generations Ministry as the result of this offering.  Be ready to do whatever is in your heart.  The LIFE Offering is about giving what is in your heart.  This last week someone told me they are giving valuable jewelry, another is bringing their car!  I encourage every person to do what is in their heart!  When we do heaven will smile!

4.  A brand new series called, Supernatural Battlegrounds kicks off this summer.  In this series we are going to take a look at the spiritual-side of our faith journey.  Many either over-spiritualize or under-spiritualize.  Often times what we go through in life allows us to grow, but other times some of the challenges are spiritual warfare designed to take us out.  I’m gonna unpack how to know the difference, so you can “fight the good fight” of faith for you and your loved ones.  Supernatural Battlegrounds over the next four weeks is on, and I think you’ll benefit from every installment.

5.  I LOVE MY CHURCH!  Did I mention how much I love pastoring The Rock Church?!  I wake up everyday grateful for the opportunity to do life with so many great people.  Let’s make Jesus famous and keep winning souls!

MAKE THAT SIX!!!

This Sunday night our students kick off the brand new United Night!!!  Let the video tell you more…here…

Photo By Jeff Harris

Last weekend was the first of 8 weekends of Late Model Racing at Evergreen Speedway in 2012.  It was a fantastic start to the year for fans and the staff at Evergreen Speedway.  22 Late Models made their way to the speedway for the Twin 50’s.

We are really excited to be partnered with Jason and Beth McQuinn from McQuinn Naturopathic.  Jason, a racer himself, and Beth, the doctor in the family, have a passion for racing and living for the Lord, so I am thankful for their generosity this year to get the #70 up to speed.

Also, Westcoast Autoworks with Matt and Megan Kalmus are partners for the 2012 season.  Matt has a contagious enthusiasm for life, so it’s cool to hang out with them at the speedway.  He is a huge race fan, strong man of God, and a bonafide car-guy so I’m looking forward to representing his brand and family at the track this year.

Returning from previous years is Snohomish Pie Company, Streamline Automotive, DeYoung Inc and JZ Motorsports.  Thank you to Ryan and Jenny, Fred and Jaylene, Tracy, as well as, John and Stefanie, for all the help this year.

The Rock Church is on my race car this year.  This team of people is more passionate about my racing, at times, than I am!  I love the support I feel from the church.  Thank you for letting your pastor win souls through racing.  It really is a blended passion I have to win a culture of people to Jesus Christ who could be as far away from the message of the gospel as can be.  But not anymore, those from TRC keep the fires burning to “go and tell” as many as possible about the Lord.

Opening weekend did not turn out the way I had hoped.  There were two 50-lap main events on the schedule.  We had a fast car for the whole night, but an error in judgement, on my part, relegated me to an injured race-car for the  the night.

The car was really fast.  John worked on the setup up Friday night, getting it perfect.  We unloaded and turned some really fast laps.  After a few minor adjustments we were ready for qualifying.  I got loose in turn 2 qualifying, but still managed qualifying 5^th out of 22 cars.  This told me how good our car really was because I fully expected to be out of the top 10.

The first main I started outside row 2.  On the opening lap I was outside the 20-car going down the backstretch when he moved up to enter turn three.  One problem with his decision, I was outside of him!  I did what I needed to do to keep my car off the wall, but tore up the nose of my car on the left side.  I was third.

After overdriving a few laps I settled down and started clicking off some really focused laps.  I reeled the top 2 back in and made a move for the second position.  Entering turn 1, I was just far enough outside of the 2nd lace car to hang my right side tires in some fluid on the track, and around I went backing it into the fence.  The damage was significant enough to end my competitive night.  We went to the pit to fix a list of broke stuff.

Race 2, I started dead last because of my results in the first main.  With 11 laps remaining I entered turn one outside of the #1.  I was passing for 7^th place, after starting 19^th.  A late race altercation left me sideway and spinning.  The result was contact with some other cars, ending my night.

It wasn’t the night I was looking for! After a couple days of thinking about it I’ve reflected as to what I can improve on.  Also, the video doesn’t lie!  I need to settle down in the race-car, especially the first race of the year.  I think I was overexcited to be racing again, it was a long winter.  It showed in me overdriving the car a bit early in the race, thanks GoPro.

Thank you to my team!  I’ve got a whole new team this year, new spotter, and new crew guys and gals.  They worked together flawlessly!  Rob, my spotter, was great on the radio.  I have a lot of positive to take-away from opening night.  We have a bit of a hole to climb out of for a Championship, but anything can happen with 13 races to go in the chase.  And with car counts this big anything can happen!!!

I sure hope the excitement stays high at Evergreen Speedway.  Twenty-two cars was pretty awesome, I know the fans loved it.  Us racers love it too.  We want to race in a quality show, and this is exactly what you are seeing in 2012 at Evergreen Speedway.

See ya at the track May 26^th.  Our teams next event is this weekend at Wenatchee.  John Zaretzke is racing; I am in the spotters stand.  May we continue to be a witness of all we have seen and heard about Jesus Christ at the racetracks around the Northwest.

In one-way, or another, we are all professionals!  There are professional artists reading this, professional musicians, professional business people, professional educators, leaders, parents, and coaches.  Many of you are PRO at what you do.

Now, when I talk professional I don’t mean those people and jobs of “the professions.”  What I mean is the professional in contrast to the amateur.

The amateur plays for fun, the professional plays for keeps.  To the amateur the game is avocation, something a person does in addition to an occupation.  A hobby.  To the pro it’s his vocation, a calling, something divinely inspired.  The amateur plays part-time, the professional full-time.  The amateur is a weekend warrior.  The professional is there seven days a week.  (excerpts from The War of Art, great book).

The word amateur is rooted in the Latin word meaning “to love.”  The conventional interpretation is that the amateur pursues his calling out of love, while the pro does it for the money.  That’s how my grandfather taught me the difference between a professional golfer and an amateur golfer; one got paid, the other didn’t.  BUT that is NOT the way to see it.

The amateur does not love the contest enough.  If he did, he would not chase it as secondary, separate from his “real” job!  The professional loves it so much he dedicates his life to it!  He commits full-time; Paid or unpaid; Rewarded or overlooked.

It doesn’t matter where your faith is at this morning, experienced or inexperienced, until you Go PRO you will never know.  A professional tastes all the flavor.  A professional experiences all the benefits!

Don’t you wanna live like a PRO!  I think that’s the way God wants us to live!  All heart.  All soul.  All in.  Right now!

It’s time to go to the Big Leagues!  Sacred or secular environments do not matter.  If you’ve ever needed the confidence to really know what you’re doing matters? It’s time to go Pro.

If you’ve ever asked, “How are my gifts making a difference? When we don’t know what we do matters it’s because we’re living as amateurs, we don’t love the game enough!  We don’t believe in the mission plentifully!  We’ve yet to sell out to the purpose!  The real rewards of LIFE come when we go pro!

I see this in scripture through the Life of the Apostle Paul…Paul was a hater.  Something radically shifted, and he became a communicator!  I’d submit to you, Paul went Pro with His faith.  Check out what he writes…

Acts 20:24 (NLT)

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Paul’s worth is established in a greater work than what pays the bills!  It’s greater than the University Degree that hangs on his wall.  It’s bigger than what he can build, who he can know, and what he can achieve.  Paul’s “Pro” is finishing the work assigned to him by the Lord Jesus!  That’s pro.

Too many people believe what they get paid for is the only area of there life that is PRO.  Going pro has less to do with what you do for a living, or what you do to put food on the table.  Going pro isn’t about your hobbies, what you’re good at or the sports you play or played in High School.

You are PRO, not because of what you do, but because of who you are!  Paul is a “soul winner,” he’s the quintessential example for how we should live our lives.  He’s a scholar, a tent maker, a leader, a negotiator, a master communicator, AND he uses it all to finish the work assigned Him by the Lord Jesus.

You may be a construction worker, automotive worker, educator, business person, in sales, government, retired, a home-maker, but have you gone pro in what the Lord has called you to do?  Or are you playing the amateur, thinking your paycheck comes from here, and your faith comes from there?

Consider it again…

Acts 20:24 (NLT)

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

That’s PRO!  Pro is “doing” because of “being.”  Some of you do business, others homework.  Some of you work for someone; others of you employ people.  That’s what you do, but it’s not who you are.  And the second you get that squared away is the second you are a pro!  When you embrace that “being” trumps “doing” something happens, a shift takes place.  The amateur goes professional!

You better believe that children, at The Rock Church, are of the utmost importance.  We believe their experience is as important, if not more important, than the adult experience.  Here are five things we want every parent who comes to The Rock Church to know about us.

The 5.

1. We greet children on their level first then the parent. Get down and welcome them to class and use their name or ask them their name. Then stand and greet the parent and let them know how excited you are to have their child in your class.
2. We always talk to kids one-on-one at their level. If they are tiny get down on their level and talk to them. Many kids see adults as big people with no time for them. We are big people with nothing but time for them!
3. We always act with the child’s best interest in mind. With this in mind we exist for them. They are the reason we are here, so we are patient and kind no matter the situation.
4. We choose excellence in everything we do. Our presentation, crafts, room cleanliness, preparation, messages, worship, drama, toys, communication, room aesthetics are excellent. Everything thing we do is excellence! If it’s not excellent throw it away or don’t do it!
5. We pray for kids on days that aren’t Sunday. When we hear of a child’s prayer request, we take it with us and ask God throughout the week to answer.

If, in any way, these things do not happen, we want to know about it.  Contact one of our team members; send us an email at info@trclife.com.  Whatever it takes we want to know how we can do these five things better and better.

One month ago I made a decision that will forever accelerate the trajectory of our Generations Ministry–nursery through college age–at The Rock Church.  After two years of Pastor Travis shouldering the ministry alone I knew, for some time, it was time to bring in some additional help.  Pastor John came on board at The Rock, along with his amazing wife and children.  There is so much momentum right now.  Here are a few of the signs I am seeing…

• Travis is no longer alone in this ministry.  He has help, qualified and experienced help.
• 60+ leaders have signed on and attended a one-day training to help Travis specifically with ages nursery through 5th grade!  That’s the most we’ve ever had in our history!!!  This empowers people to serve one-sunday a month.
• 30+ leaders have signed on to help John lead ages 6th-12th grade.  That also is the most we’ve ever had!!!
• For me to think our two leaders have 90+ people from TRC investing in them makes me the happiest Pastor in the universe!

The following three things, submitted by Pastor Travis, are what it means to win in LifeSavers Children’s Ministry.  I think you’d be interested to know how special this ministry is.

1.  Safety First

• Parents feel like we have their child’s best interest in mind
• Kids feel like their class is a place they can be themselves

We know we’ve accomplished when:

• We follow the guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Parents tell us! “I trust you.” “You take such good care of my kid(s).”
• We address safety complaints if they arise.
• We eliminate bullying and intimidation in classrooms.
• We make the guest or those without friends feel welcome

2.  Kids bring their parents to church

• This means that they enjoyed themselves so much they bring their parents week after week

We know we’ve accomplished when

• Kids smile. They smile when they arrive; they smile during service and the smile when they leave.
• We hear laughter. Laughter = fun
• We hear things like…. “I can’t wait to come back!” “See you next week!” “Mom/Dad I had the best time!”
• They bring their friends. Kids want their friends to be a part of fun!

3.  We build life-long followers of Christ.

We know we’ve accomplished this when:

• Our attendance grows.
• Souls are saved.
• Our Serving numbers increase
• We see kids applying messages to their lives
• We hear testimonies of Life change from them.
• Kids express their love for Christ outwardly i.e. lifting hands, giving, praying for others and more.
• Kids move up classroom to classroom as they grow.