Easter Reflections
What an amazing Easter weekend! For me, the highlight of our Easter celebration service was the cardboard testimonies. I did not count, but I would guess there were probably 25-30 people who participated by displaying on cardboard a testimony of God’s transforming grace in their lives. Jesus is alive and still changes lives today! No matter how far we’ve fallen, we are never out of the reach of God’s grace! I am so thankful to be a part of a church where God is moving so powerfully. There’s nothing like seeing real life examples of how Jesus changes real people’s lives!
Weekend Reflections
We had a phenomenal kick-off to our Grand Opening month! Here are a few random thoughts as I reflect on the service:
- It was wonderful to see and meet so many first-time guests! We are SO HONORED that you chose to join us this past Sunday!
- Matt and the worship team did an incredible job leading us in worship. I appreciate their hearts for God which are so apparent!
- I was incredibly impressed by the passion, teamwork, and effort of all of our volunteer teams. Everyone from setup to tech, to greeters and ushers – I am so proud of everyone’s dedication and effort!
- Most of all I am thankful for the Lord’s presence at work among us. Bridgeway Church will always be totally, fully, and unashamedly 100% about Jesus! It is a privilege to proclaim him as the true “Bridge” and “Way” for humanity to be reconciled to God.
MCM Ministry School
This morning I enjoyed the privilege of teaching at the MCM Ministry School. Awesome to connect with such a great group of students passionate about God’s calling on their lives! I enjoyed teaching two sessions on spiritual gifts and their operation in our lives and ministries.
The MCM Ministry School was born out of a partnership between the MCM Church Planting Network (of which Bridgeway is a part) and Mission SOS, a ministry based out of Sweden which holds evangelistic crusades for unreached people groups and plants churches all over the world. So awesome to be connected to what God is doing through MCM!
This Sunday: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
On Sunday we will conclude our Compelled series. This week we come to 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Personally, I’m really excited about preaching this passage for several reasons.
First, it contains some of the most profound statements in all of the Bible on what it means to be a real Christian and how real Christians should live. Second, this passage has had a tremendous part in shaping my own life calling. And lastly, I believe its principles have the ability to inspire and empower each of us into a life of ministry effectiveness.
Also, this Sunday will be our last Sunday as Ambridge Christian Center. On April 5 we will officially become Bridgeway Church! Make plans to be there for the public launch… you don’t want to miss out… and bring a friend 
Spiritual Health and Potential
Our spiritual health is inextricably linked with reaching our full potential. We all know that in order to be healthy, we must eat right and exercise. Eating right spiritually includes reading the word of God, listening to biblical preaching, etc. For most Christians, eating is not the problem. Its the exercise part that usually gets us.
We know how to take in, but it is equally important for our spiritual health that we learn to give out. To be healthy believers and fulfill our potential for Christ, we must learn to move from being consumers to contributors. If all we do is eat, but never exercise by becoming a contributor of our time and talent we will miss reaching our full potential.
When we fulfill our potential as individuals we will fulfill our potential as a church. This is because we are the church. Each believer is an indispensable member of Christ’s body. As we each pursue our spiritual health, it will contribute to the overall health of the body and our effectiveness for Christ as a church.
What does a pastor do with a Sunday off?
This weekend Jess and I were away visiting family in Columbus, Ohio. I decided to visit two churches. My Sunday morning started by catching most of the early service at the Vineyard Church of Columbus pastored by Rich Nathan. VCC is currently the largest Vineyard church in the movement with an average weekend attendance of around 7,500. Really enjoyed the worship and the message!
Then I was able to catch a later service at Radiant Life Church, which is Jessica’s home church pastored by David Gross. Pastor Dave is a great friend who helped to officiate our wedding. Really enjoyed the service in their newly built sanctuary!
While I love being a pastor and ministering every week, it was really refreshing to just go to church! Even pastors need to take a break and receive ministry from time to time. I believe a healthy pastor knows how to pace himself and slow down when necessary. I think the better a pastor can take care of himself, the better he can care for his flock.
I heard the service at ACC on Sunday was amazing! I’m grateful to my friend Pastor Cullen Allen for coming to bring the word to our church. Pastor Cullen and I go way back to my high school days when he was my youth pastor. He is currently the Associate/Youth Pastor at Allison Park Church and Director of the MCM School of Ministry. Also heard that we had our highest attendance of the year this week! Praise God! I’m really looking forward to being back at ACC this Sunday!
Weekend Reflections
I actually really enjoyed meeting this Sunday in the Ambridge High School Cafeteria. Nice ambiance. A little crowded, but lots of energy in the room. Though it was a bit of a last minute curveball for us, we were glad to give the auditorium over to the dance competition. I was so impressed with the way all of our volunteers rallied to make the most of it, and I have to say it was one of my favorite services yet! The free pizza lunch afterwards was a nice touch as well.
Enjoyed kicking off our new series, High Definition: Who We Are and Where We’re Headed with a message on true fellowship and community.
Talked about how Jesus didn’t come to establish a church where people masked their real issues and put on a weekly charade of being perfect while dying inside. The church is to be a community of real people who walk with one another through real issues and experience real community.
Finally I have to say that the Super Bowl was one of the most nerve racking viewing experiences of my life. A fight to the last few seconds! Awesome victory though! Pittsburgh rocks!
Thankful Thoughts For Monday
There are so many things about our church that I’m thankful for. Here are just a few of them in no particular order:
- I love hearing stories of how God is changing lives through our church. (Thanks Brandy for the testimony this week!)
- I’m floored every week by so many amazing, selfless, dedicated volunteers who serve Christ’s mission by setting up and tearing town, greeting guests, ushering, making coffee, leading worship, running media, ministering to our kids, leading Community Groups, and much much more!
- I love working with amazing people like Jess and Matt.
- I think we are blessed to meet in the sweetest facility in Western PA!
- We have an amazing tech crew that knocks it out of the park every week!
- I love meeting and talking with new people every week.
Most importantly I’m thankful for Jesus and his presence among us!
The Third Wheel
Have you ever felt like you were the 3rd wheel in a conversation? You feel a little excluded because everyone else seems to know each other better? That all changes however when people get to know you better. I think that the Holy Spirit is kind of like the 3rd wheel in many churches and lives today.
Most of us know that he’s important and that he’s there, but we kind of keep him at a distance because we don’t really know that much else about him. There could be several reasons for this:
If the New Testament makes anything clear, it surely teaches that the Holy Spirit is a person who desires to be actively involved in our lives transforming us on the inside and empowering us to be witnesses for Christ. He desires to fill us on a continual basis and be our Counselor, leading us into all truth.
He’s not some kind of impersonal force or phantom. He is the third person of the Trinity and desires to be so much more than the third wheel in our lives. I pray that you would open up your life to the present ministry and power of the Holy Spirit.
Refresh 09
Tonight we began our annual series of spiritual renewal services. Every January we set aside three nights to pursue God. It was great to see so many first time guests at a special service! Tonight’s focus was on worship and the presence of God.
Matt Cooper, our worship leader did an amazing job bringing us the word tonight. This was his first time to speak at ACC and he knocked it out of the park!
Tomorrow night I will be speaking on what the Bible has to say on physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. We will also have a time of personal ministry and prayer for the sick. Then on Friday our focus will be on the baptism in the Holy Spirit and how to live a Spirit-filled life.
Hope to see you there!
Join the Revolution
The point of our Christmas series this year is to intentionally join the revolution started by Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. This revolution is all about spreading the message of hope, salvation, and forgiveness. Practically we also wanted to do something special to help those in need this holiday season. So, for every 1st time guest to church through the month of December we are giving $10 to Food For The Poor, an organization devoted to feeding starving people all over the world, and Africa Oasis Project, which serves to fund the digging of freshwater wells in Africa.
This Sunday we will conclude our Christmas Conspiracy series with a message called “When The Future Emerges From The Past“. The basic idea is looking into how we should live today in the light of Christ’s coming and his 2nd coming. If you missed a week, you can find previous messages here on our media page.
This has been an incredible year for us as a church. People have been committing their lives to Christ every week since we’ve expanded into our new location at Ambridge Area High School! God is doing great things in Ambridge and southern Beaver County and this is just the beginning! Here’s to a new year of lives being changed for the glory of God!
Reflections On The Launch
I can’t even describe how amazing this past Sunday was. I am so thankful to God for his faithfulness and I’m so grateful that he’s allowed me to be a part of the ministry of this church! After the service Sunday I received this in an email from a friend: “After everything that occurred today, I was just reminded that we are given limitless potential as a church.” I could not agree more! I believe we are seeing the beginning of an amazing move of God! Here are some of my reflections on the day in no particular order:
- It was awesome having Pastor Denny Ugoletti back to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the church. It was a privilege to have him share with us for a few moments and then pray over the church.
- The facility was, umm… well… AMAZING!!! What a beautiful school and auditorium! We are incredibly blessed to be able to meet in such a fabulous facility.
- I am so proud of our worship team and our worship leader, Matt Cooper. They sounded amazing and did a phenomenal job leading us in worship.
- I am so proud of our volunteer force! I was floored by the level of ownership and dedication that rose to a whole new level. Its amazing to see what’s possible when we put our hands and hearts together for God’s kingdom. The setup crew, the hospitality crew, and the kid’s crew rocked my face off this weekend.
- Really loved having the prayer leaders at the front to pray with people. This is a really important addition to our weekly services. Each week prayer leaders will be available to pray with people for needs, healing, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
- There is nothing like stepping out in faith and obedience to follow God! I’m convinced that spiritual boredom is the result of refusing to obey God and walk by faith. There’s no more exciting way to live than following God’s plan!
Preparation and Consecration
Today is a huge day for our church. It is the day before we launch weekly services at Ambridge Area High School and the eve of our 10-year anniversary. Today we will be moving equipment, practicing setup and teardown, and praying together in the facility. I’m reminded of Joshua 3:5 which says, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
For us, today is a day of preparation and consecration. We’ve finally come to the moment that we have been praying and planning about for months and it feels a little surreal. This has been a process of faith and obedience every step of the way.
Though we have put much effort into planning and preparation, more than anything we want the presence and power of God at work in our midst. The book of Joshua teaches us that God does his part when his people step out in faith and do their part. I have so much anticipation for what God is going to do. I am SO EXCITED!
Remember: Tomorrow morning 10:30 a.m. at AAHS (909 Duss Ave. Ambridge, PA 15003)!
History In The Making
This Sunday, November 30 marks the final Sunday morning services at 424 Duss Ave. This is a major milestone and turning point in the history of our church. While we will still be using the building for offices, youth group, prayer meetings, small groups, special evening services, and fellowship events, Sunday morning worship will soon be taking place at the new Ambridge Area High School located at 909 Duss Ave beginning Dec. 7.
Dec. 7 also marks the 10-Year Anniversary of Ambridge Christian Center! It is amazing to look back over the last ten years and see God’s hand of faithfulness at work. I find it particularly amazing that God would allow such a significant moment in our history to launch us into a new location and new phase of ministry.
Monday Reflections
Had a great meeting Saturday morning with our Launch Team Leaders! I’m so proud of how this team is coming together to make our transition to the school over the top.
Enjoyed dominating at the ACC Football Festival on Saturday (maybe that’s a little strong). Although, I’ve never seen so many people so eager to hit and tackle their pastor, hmmm…
Loved having Earl Creps and his wife Janet in town Sunday morning! Earl shared his calling to plant a university church in Berkeley, CA. He shared how we must lower our shields when it comes to God’s will and be willing to follow God even when it goes against conventional “wisdom.”
Finally, really enjoyed speaking to our Community Group Leaders on Sunday night. I am so blessed by their sacrificial dedication to discipling our congregation!
Spiritual Preparation
This was the key verse from the message on Sunday:
“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.“ Joshua 3:5
From time to time I hear the question “Why don’t we see as many miracles today as they did in Bible times?” I can’t help but wonder if the answer doesn’t have something to do with this verse. I wonder how many times we miss opportunities from God because we are not spiritually prepared. The previous generation of Israelites in Moses’ time really missed out on a lot! The more consecrated our hearts are to God, the more sensitive we are to his leading in our lives.
I firmly believe that God wants to do amazing things through his people today. God desires to demonstrate his power and work wonders in the earth today as much as any other time in history. He is just looking for a people who are willing to consecrate themselves fully to him. God can do anything with anyone who is fully devoted to him.
What are some things you do that help intensify devotion to God and prepare you spiritually?
Weekend Reflections
Really thankful to Pastor Pat Summers for pinch-hitting for me this weekend! He gave a great message about how the church is the hope of the world. Favorite one liner from the message: “You will never lock eyes with another person who doesn’t matter to God.” I love that!
Really enjoyed the acoustic worship by candlelight. There’s something about changing things up that helps worship to stay fresh. I think that when you do the same thing in the same way every week it can lose its freshness and its easier to disengage over time.
Looking forward to the coming weeks. Some REALLY EXCITING things are ahead!
Weekend Reflections
Thoughts from the weekend:
Had two great services on Sunday. The second service could reasonably be described as “busting at the seams.” We had a combined total attendance of 197. I am in awe of what God is doing! As we’ve sang in recent weeks, I believe that greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in the Ambridge area! God is not finished with this community!
Awesome to be able to introduce and pray over this Fall’s Community Group Leaders! I’m so proud of every person and couple that has stepped up to give leadership to this very important and vital ministry.
Had a wonderful time Sunday afternoon watching the Pirates beat the Cardinals from free luxury box seats! (Thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters for the tickets!)
Annoying Christians
This post is kind of a follow up to this post which talked about the idea of the church being a hospital for sinners rather than a museum for saints. The focus of that post was on the need for the church to be outward focused on reaching the lost and the hurting and not an inward focused club.
On a different spin however, I think that if the church is going to be a hospital for sinners instead of a museum for saints, then it stands to reason that the church will be filled with a lot of hurting, broken, imperfect, work-in-progress types of people. This is to be expected just as hospitals are typically filled with lots of sick people needing medicine.
One of the main objections to Christianity that many people voice is: “The church is full of hypocrites.” What they mostly mean is that there is often a big disconnect between some people’s profession of faith and their actions. If the church is doing its job then this is to be expected. It means that people who are far from God are beginning to experience his power at work in their lives even though they have a long way to go. But the truth is we all have a long way to go.
It would be good for us to realize that everyone is at a different place in their spiritual journey. This way we can learn to have grace for the Christians who annoy us from time to time. We can never expect the church or any other gathering on earth to ever be a group of completely perfect people that we will never have a problem with.
The fact is that even in the church we will be annoyed, rejected, hurt, and let down by others. I believe however, that as we learn to walk together as the family of God (and every family has a little dysfunction if you know what I mean), learning to love our neighbor as ourselves and bear with one another in love we will progressively see God at work in each of our lives transforming each of us from annoying Christians into true Christlikeness, from glory to glory.
The Church… A Museum For Saints?
After concluding our God Of This City Series expounding on our mission as a church in this community, I’ve been reflecting on a statement I came across in Tim Keller’s book The Reason For God. On page 54 he quotes an old saying which says,
“The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”
I completely agree with that. I think that when the church loses focus on its mission it inevitably morphs into an inward-focused club for religious people (which is a major bummer and very sad). I think this was what Jesus was getting at when he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).
I pray that we would never be a church so focused on ourselves that we neglect the hurting people Jesus has called us to reach. I think that as we continually put our preferences aside to reach our culture, we will increasingly know the joy of participating in the ministry of Jesus.
Back Safe & Sound
Had a wonderful vacation. Really enjoyed just hanging out with Jess and resting. Went to Cedar Point (rocked the Millenium Force twice), played a little golf, read some books, and ate out a lot.
I’m virtually never away from ACC on a Sunday morning, but this week I had the privilege of visiting this awesome church pastored by Ron Bradley, one of the most special mentors in my life. I really had forgotten what it was like to just go to church! It was so refreshing to just worship and receive ministry.
Glad to be back and excited to see all that God is going to do at ACC this summer!
Weekend Reflections
Saturday we had our Summer Membership Class and welcomed 16 new members to ACC! I continue to be amazed at what God is doing.
Enjoyed continuing our Parables series with a message from Matt. 15:1-13 on living with readiness and anticipation for the Second Coming of Christ.
Looking forward to our All-Church Picnic this afternoon at Economy Park at 4:00. Everybody’s welcome and there will be tons of food and family games. It’s going to be pretty sweet. Click here for directions.
Spiritual Ruts
Really enjoyed speaking last night to the Young Adults at Allison Park Church. We talked about getting out of spiritual ruts and re-energizing our faith when it grows cold or stale.
We looked at Matthew 24:12 which talks about how an increasingly ungodly culture can cause our love for God to grow cold if we are not careful to guard it. We also looked at Revelation 2:4-5 which shows us how to re-ignite our love for God by remembering our past devotion, repenting of current sin entanglements, and practicing the things that build up our faith.
These are some truths I try to remember each time I find myself going through the motions of worship or serving out of duty. A great relationship with God is just like any other relationship, it must be cultivated intentionally.
Day Of Prayer
As part of a seminary class that I am currently taking I took yesterday as a day of prayer and reflection. The assignment was to spend the day in prayer with nothing but a Bible and notepad (I was also prohibited from using electronic communication with the outside world).
I spent most of the day reading through the Gospel of Matthew and prayer-walking at a local state park (before I was interrupted by a torrential, monsoon downpour).
There is something so refreshing about disconnecting from the busyness of our culture to spend time with God. I found that my soul was refreshed and energized as a just focused on being with God. I think sometimes we can tend to view working for God as more important than being with God. I’m re-learning that being with God is what truly makes my work for God truly productive. I am definitely going to make days like this a more regular part of my life.
