Real Men Reject Passivity

This week I'm sharing some follow-up thoughts from Sunday's sermon on what it means to be a real man and follow Jesus.  (You can watch the sermon online here.)  On Sunday we talked about how Jesus was a shepherd and a warrior, and how we, as men, are called to live out those roles as well.

The final characteristic of a shepherd and warrior that we'll examine on the blog this week is this:  A warrior rejects passivity.  As men, God has called us to aggressively lead and love our families and community.  We can't make an impact if we take it east, put it on cruise control, and adopt the mindset of someone who has already "arrived."

Rejecting passivity means that we continually take the lead in living out our faith and leading our families.  There are three areas I want you to think about today.  Examine these areas of your life and if you have become passive in these areas, commit today to kill that "cruise control" mindset and begin to lead and live with intention and passion in each of these areas.

1. Your Relationship With Your Spouse.  Don't put your marriage on cruise control.  Continually pursue your spouse - just like you did when you were first dating!  Make date night a priority and actively pour into your relationship with your wife!
2. Your Relationship With Your Kids.  Refuse to get complacent when it comes to leading and loving your children.  Take the initiative in creating a great relationship with your kids!  They want and need you in their life - whether they always act like it or not!  Take the lead and pursue the hearts of your children.
3. Your Faith In Jesus.  Real men love Jesus.  Plain and simple.  Don't be timid about your faith.  Don't be passive in following Jesus.  Fly the flag of Jesus proudly and boldly live our your faith as a man of God!

Men - refuse to be passive.  Refuse to be lukewarm. (You can see what God thinks about that HERE.)  Be intentional and active in pursuing your wife, pursuing the hearts of your children, and living out bold faith in Jesus!

Real Men Lead Courageously

We are in the middle of a series at Timber Ridge Church called MANSWERS: Answering The Questions Men Face.  Yesterday I talked about how Jesus is our model for what it means to be a real man.  We talked about how Jesus was both a shepherd and a warrior.  You can watch the message online HERE.

This week on the blog, I'm going to be following up on the characteristics of a shepherd and a warrior that Jesus modeled for us as men.  Each day, I'll share one characteristic we talked about on Sunday and give some practical insight into how to apply this trait to our lives as men.

The first characteristic of a shepherd is that shepherds LEAD COURAGEOUSLY.  In the Bible, in John 10:3-4, we see that Jesus modeled for us that shepherds are called to lead.  As men, we are called to lead.  God's given each of us a circle of influence - at work, in our neighborhood & community, and in our families - where we're called to lead courageously in order to impact others for the good of God's kingdom.

So what does it look like to lead courageously?  We lead by example.  That's what leadership essentially is.  Here are three areas you need to set the example to lead:

1. LEAD BY SERVING. - Men, you set the example for your family when it comes to involvement in your local church.  Are you setting the example of serving God?  Your children learn by what you do.  Are they seeing you  serve God faithfully?
2. LEAD BY SPENDING TIME WITH GOD. - Men, are you spending time with God - through prayer and reading His word - on a daily basis?  Your family needs to see you model this.
3. LEAD IN FAMILY FAITH ACTIVITIES. - Men, what are you doing to lead your family spiritually?  Are you praying with your wife?  Are you praying for your children?  Are you spending time sharing God's Word with your kids?  

Men - we are called to lead courageously.  Go out this week and take the lead!

Things I'm Thankful For

I am continually BLOWN AWAY by what God is doing in and through Timber Ridge Church.  This past weekend was no exception.  As I've reflected on all the incredible things God did over Easter weekend, I want to share with you some things I'm thankful for.  Here's the top 5:

• Changed Lives! - We had 9 people that we know of commit their lives to Jesus Christ in our services on Sunday!  JESUS is changing lives through Timber Ridge Church and that FIRES ME UP!
• Incredible Volunteers - The people of Timber Ridge worked their tails off to serve others and show them the love of Jesus this weekend!  You guys and gals ROCK!  Every single one of you!
• The mEGGa Hunt - I'm still a little shell shocked about the crazy-awesome number of people that showed up at The mEGGa Hunt!  We got to serve and love on around 2,500 people through our first ever community Easter egg hunt.  Yeah!
• Easter Sunday at Timber Ridge - 359 people joined us for one of our worship experiences on Easter Sunday.  For that kind of response in a 7 month old church, I am extremely grateful to God for His movement in people's lives and for the team of volunteers and workers that make this vision a reality each week!
• My Amazing Family - No one knows what the families of pastors have to deal with when their husband leads a church.  My wife and son make BIG sacrifices leading up to a big weekend like this.  Sacrifices of time, their own agendas, having me gone a ton, constantly working on ministry projects, etc.  I'm thankful that they are ALL IN on this journey with me!

Maximizing Easter

I am PUMPED about this weekend at Timber Ridge Church!  We have two great opportunities to help people connect with Jesus through The mEGGa Hunt and our Easter Sunday services.  I am praying that God moves in an incredible way and that we see a ton of people commit their lives to Jesus this weekend!  If you call Timber Ridge your church home, here are three ways you can make an incredible impact and maximize Easter.

1. PRAY. - I mean REALLY pray.  As my friend would say, "Pray your guts out!"  Ask God to move in people's hearts and lives this weekend. Pray that our 3 Easter Worship Experiences would reach people far from God. Pray that The mEGGa Hunt would be effective and successful in showing our community God's love in a practical way.
2. INVITE. - Be A Bringer!  Don't come to church alone on Sunday!  Invite your friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers to join you!  And invite them to The mEGGa Hunt on Saturday for a great morning of free, family fun!
3. SERVE. - You have something to offer!  You can contribute.  If you don't currently serve on a ministry team, this Sunday is a great time to get connected and start serving!  You can also serve at The mEGGa Hunt and have a blast while making an impact in our community.  If you're interested in serving on Saturday or Sunday, email Vanessa at vanessa [at] timberridgechurch [dot] com.

I really believe this weekend is going to be an incredible time for our new church!  I'm excited to see what God is going to do as He works in us and through us this Easter weekend!

Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out

This past Sunday at Timber Ridge, we talked about how everyone has a story. (You can watch the message online here.) You and I have a story about our life - where we've been, what we've done, what we've learned - it's all a part of our unique story.  And if you are a follower of Jesus, then a major part of your story is how Jesus has changed your life.  Sharing the story of how Jesus has impacted our lives is something every Christian is called to do.

I wanted to follow up yesterday's message with some tips & tactics on how you can get comfortable sharing your story and how you can talk about your faith in Jesus without freaking out.

• Get comfortable sharing your own story.
• You story should include 3 things:  Life before you met Jesus, how you came to a relationship with Jesus, and the difference Jesus has made in your life.
• Make sure you make Jesus the center & hero of your story...because He is!
• Be able to share what Jesus has done in your life in 3 minutes or less.
• Practice sharing the message with a friend so you get comfortable with it.
• Pray for people you know who don't have a relationship with Jesus.
• Always talk to God about your friends & neighbors before you talk to your friends & neighbors about God!
• Invest in relationships with people who don't know Jesus.
• Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners.  Are you?
• Speak up & share your story.
• All the preparation in the world doesn't matter if you never step out in boldness and tell your friends & neighbors about how Jesus has changed your life & how He wants to impact them as well.

God has given you everything you need to help people connect with Jesus!  Go for it!

The Force Is Strong In This One

This guy has some time on his hands.  

YOU Have A Part

Yesterday at Timber Ridge we kicked off a brand new series called A Place For Everyone.  (More info on the series HERE.) It's a series about how the church should be a place where everyone has a part, everyone has a story, and everyone is welcome.  I'm excited about what God is going to do through this series as we lead up to Easter Sunday.

Yesterday's message was called Everyone Has A Part and we talked about why Jesus asks us to serve others and how we all have something to contribute (you can watch the message HERE).  The truth is this:  We were created to serve God and serve others.  In Ephesians 2, the Bible says that "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works."  In 1 Peter 4, the Bible says that "each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others."  Simply put:  God created YOU and gifted YOU to serve.

God has given every single one of us gifts, talents, abilities, and experiences that we can use to serve others and help people connect with Jesus.  It's so easy to think we have nothing to add or lack something to contribute.  But that's not the case!  God has given YOU a gift and ability to use to make a lasting impact on those around you.  YOU have something to contribute!  YOU have a part in changing the world!

Diggin' Is Fun!

I spent much of the last week away from home, traveling for various work and ministry related things.  So when I got home last Thursday afternoon, I had dedicated the evening to one thing:  having fun with my son.  I promised Hayden that when Dadda got home we would play in the backyard.  We played bubbles, chasing bubbles all around the yard.  We played catch.  Then I had the bright idea to open up a bag of sand laying in the back yard, create a mound of dirt, and get out two essentials to quality guy time with a two year old: shovels & dump trucks.  The picture below is the result.  In the midst of digging and hauling dirt, Hayden looked up at me and said, "Dadda, Diggin' is FUN!"  Yes.  Yes it is.

Relationship Link Love

Throughout the month of February, we've been in a relationship series at Timber Ridge Church called Smokin' Hot. We've been talking about relationships, love, sex, dating, and everything related to these topics.  (You can check out the messages here.)

Whether we're single, dating, married, or single-again, we all are affected by relationships in one way or another.  Below are some great links that can help take your relationships to a whole new level! 

• Marriage:  Pastor Ron Edmondson shares 7 Tips for Healthy Marriage Communication HERE.
• Dating: Pastor Perry Noble shares some great advice on dating relationships HERE.
• Kids: Rachel Jankovic shares 10 Ways To Love Your Kids HERE.
• Single: Pastor Steven Furtick shares great advice for single people HERE.
• Pornography: Find a phenomenal resource for fighting the addiction of porn HERE.

Bottom line:  In some form or fashion, we all deal with relationships.  And, to make those relationships the best they can be, IT TAKES WORK.  Don't settle for mediocre.  Work at making taking your relationships to the next level - because the reward is worth the work!

Why Talk About Money?

Yesterday we kicked off a brand new series at Timber Ridge Church called Dollars and Sense.  It's all about understanding the practical wisdom God gives us in His Word about money and finances.   I believe that we're going to see changed hearts and changed lives over the next few weeks and that really excites me!

But you may be wondering why a church would talk about money?  Let me give you a few brief reasons:

• God's Word talks about money.  Money and finances are mentioned around 800 times in the Bible.  We're called to teach the full counsel of God's Word.
• Jesus talked about money.  Throughout his life and ministry, Jesus taught about money.
• Our view and use of money reveals our hearts.  Jesus taught that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also.  How we spend and use our money reveals a lot about what we really believe about God.  It's just as the old saying goes: "Show me a man's bank account & I'll show you what's really important in his life."
• We talk about money everywhere else.  We talk about money in our homes, in our jobs, and in our daily lives.  We see commercials and advertisements that tell us how to spend our money.  We are bombarded with messages about money and possessions from our culture.  Why wouldn't we address such a major life issue within the church?

Giving Our Best

I am PUMPED about this Sunday at Timber Ridge Church!  We are participating in our first ever special Christmas offering which we're calling My Best Gift.  We believe that, as Christ followers, God has called us to use everything He's given us to advance the Gospel and message of Jesus.  We're committed to giving God the best of our time, our talents, and our treasure in order to make an eternal impact.

This year 100% of our My Best Gift offering is going toward our mission of reaching the lost, the least, and the lonely through three avenues:

• Church Planting - funding new church plants that will reach those far from God.
• Global Missions - supporting mission work and projects outside of the United States.
• Local Benevolence - helping families in Stephenville & Erath county with practical, physical needs.

You can find out more about the My Best Gift offering by clicking here.  You can also email info[at]timberridgechurch[dot]com with any questions you might have about this special offering.

Whether you attend Timber Ridge regularly, support us from afar, or simply know about what God is doing in and through this new church, I want to ask you to pray for the My Best Gift offering this Sunday.  Pray that God would use it to grow us in our generosity and to advance the Gospel of Jesus through our community, our country, and our world.

At Timber Ridge Church, we believe what the Bible says in Proverbs 11:25, where it reads, "A generous man will prosper.  A man who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."  This Sunday, we have a great opportunity to be generous in a way that will allow us to refresh others and meet real needs throughout the year in 2012...and that PUMPS ME UP!

A Little Christmas Cheer

Why Serving Matters

Yesterday at Timber Ridge Church we did something that is somewhat unusual for a church.  We didn't host weekend services.  Yes, it was Sunday.  Yes, the weekend worship experience is a HUGE focus for us as a church in reaching people.  And yes...we shut the doors.  Instead of having our usual worship experience on Sunday morning, we instead went out into our community and served.  We took the morning to serve together and show God's love in real and practical ways to our community.  We became the hands and feet of Jesus in a very real way.

One of our Core Values at Timber Ridge is that we add value to our community.  We do that by serving.  Our community doesn't exist for us.  We exist for the community - to serve it, bring hope to it, and add value to it.  Serving is a core part of who we are as a young church.  And I believe that serving matters - not just for Timber Ridge - but for every church and every follower of Christ.  And below are some reasons why:

Why Serving Matters

1. We are never more like Jesus than when we serve. Jesus' life mission involved serving others. (Mark 10:45)
2. People in our culture don't need to hear another sermon about how much God loves them.  They need to see people who claim to follow Jesus actually live out his love by serving others.  People who've given up on church and given up on God need to see us actually walk our talk.  (James 2:14-18 & 1 John 3:16-18)
3. The only form of religion that God accepts always involves serving others. (James 1:27 & Isaiah 1:17)
4. Serving allows us to use the spiritual gifts and talents God's given us.  It's spiritual exercise & how we build our spiritual muscles. (1 Peter 4:10-11 & Romans 12:4-8)
5. We were created to serve. (Ephesians 2:10)
6. Serving others blesses us. (Matthew 23:11 & Proverbs 11:25)

I am so proud to pastor a church that puts it's faith in action by serving others.  Timber Ridge, yesterday you WALKED the TALK and I'm so pumped to be on this journey with you.  Somebody serve somebody!

Timber Ridge Christmas Wish List

I've received a couple emails in the past several days from different people who have helped start Timber Ridge Church in our early stage through their generous financial support.  They inquired, as the year is coming to a close, if there were specific needs we have as a church that they could give toward.  That gave me the idea to share a "Christmas Wish List" for Timber Ridge for those who might be interested in giving a year-end gift toward the ministry and work that God is doing with Timber Ridge Church.

Here's our Christmas Wish List:

• Fresh Start Material:  Every time someone commits their life to Jesus Christ or shows interest in trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, we offer them a devotional resource that walks them through the basics of a relationship with Jesus.  You can provide a bundle of these materials, which will go into the hands of 6 people, for $15.
• Two Ipads to be used as Giving Kiosks:  We're rolling out online and mobile giving early in 2012 & we'll be including two kiosks to receive tithes & offerings since we live in such a debit card driven society.  Cost per Ipad: $499
• Timber Ridge Kids Curriculum:  We are in constant need of new curriculum for our kids ministry areas.  A gift of $30 sponsors a week of kids curriculum and a gift of $120 covers an entire month.
• Bibles:  We're consistently reaching people who are new to church and thus, who are in need of a Bible.  You can cover the cost of an entire case of Bibles for $48.
• Mailers:  One of the best marketing tools we've discovered for this area to spread the word about Timber Ridge Church is through mailers.  A year-end gift of $1800 allows us to distribute an invite mailer that covers almost the entire city limits.
• Outreach Events:  We're constantly finding new ways to reach out to our community with the love and message of Jesus in practical ways.  We do this through things like Family Movie Nights and block parties.  You can provide a partial sponsorship of an outreach event for $35.  Each outreach event only needs 6 partial sponsorships to be fully funded.
• Invite Cards:  We try to consistently put new, relevant invite cards into the hands of our regular attenders so that they can invite their family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  A gift of $24 covers an entire box of invite cards so that people can find out about Timber Ridge Church.
• My Best Gift Offering:  This Christmas at Timber Ridge Church we are taking a special offering within the church called My Best Gift.  100% of the offering received for this special offering goes toward our mission of reaching the lost, the least, and the lonely by planting churches, being involved in global missions, and helping local families in need through our benevolence ministry.

These are just a handful of the many ways a year-end gift can make a significant impact and help us continue to see lives changed at Timber Ridge Church.  Every dollar given goes to see lives changed!  If you'd like to make a year-end, tax deductible gift to the ministry of Timber Ridge Church, you can do that in two ways:

• You may give securely online at www.timberridgechurch.com/give.  If you'd like to designate that gift toward one of the specific needs above, please include that in the note section when you give.
• You may mail gifts to Timber Ridge Church, P.O. Box 2574, Stephenville, TX 76401.  To designate your gift to one of the above needs, please include that desire with your gift.

Timber Ridge Church would not exist without the generosity and faithfulness of people from all around the state of Texas and the United States.  Those of you who have generously and faithfully contributed to this ministry are a part of seeing lives changed and God's kingdom grow.  THANK YOU for what you do in supporting the ministry and work God is doing in and through Timber Ridge Church!

5 Christmas Tips for Dad

Christmas time is here again.  Time for dad to get frustrated with house decorating, stress out over how much money is spent on gifts, and have his family overcome with a crazy, chaotic calendar.  But what if it doesn't have to be that way?  We have a unique opportunity at Christmas to create great family memories and lead our families in growing closer to Jesus.  And let's face it:  Our kids grow up way to fast.  So here are some tips for dads to make the most of the holiday season for their families.

1. Check your Cheer - Dad's, don't let the stress and spending of the holidays rob you of your Christmas cheer.  Be joyful.  Be hopeful.  You're family takes their cues from you.
2. Model Generosity - The holidays are a great time to teach your family about giving and generosity. Who are you planning to adopt, bless, and serve this holiday season?
3. Dive In To Decorations - We need to help our wives with decorating the house.  We need to make it a family affair.  We need to take time to drive around and look at Christmas lights with the family.  Embrace the sights and sounds of Christmas and be sure your family is having the complete holiday experience.
4. Make It About Jesus - It's easy for the message of Christmas to get lost in the hype.  Dads need to be leading their families to remember that Christmas is all about Jesus.  Dads need to be leading their families spiritually.  How are you doing with this dad? (For a great Christmas Bible reading plan click here.)
5. Plan A Christmas Calendar - I started planning a Christmas calendar last year and it made the holiday so much better for our family.  Here are 4 things you can do to be successful with this dads: 

• Make sure you're planning family time where memories will be made.
• Create time to build family traditions.
• Check out local events that can make the holidays fun for your family.
• Be wise about what you say yes to and what you say no to.

Dads, let's be intentional in making the most of Christmas for our families this year.  Let's lead well.  Let's model the Christmas spirit for our children & not miss out on a great opportunity to build memories that can last a lifetime!

Irreplaceable Team Members

All of us are on a team at some stage in life.  As kids, we're in teams for things such as sports and band.  As adults it comes in the form of the teams of people we work with in our jobs, the places we serve in the community, and can even appear in working with others on community projects or leadership teams.  Over the years I have worked with tons of teams of various forms, functions, and sizes.  Here's some things I've noticed about team members who excel and make themselves irreplaceable.

1. They are SOLUTION people rather than PROBLEM people.  Anyone can identify the problem.  Anyone can point out what is wrong.  When a problem arises, great team members approach their leaders, not just with the problem, but with a list of possible solutions.
2. They are TEAM focused instead of POSITION focused.  Without fail, if a team of people form for any purpose, there will be people who begin to seek out position and power.  Great team members realize that the good of the TEAM is always more important than any individual credit or credentials.
3. They see other people as a RESOURCE and not COMPETITION.  For many individuals, there is a natural human tendency that exists to see other people as competition on a team.  Great leaders and team members understand that people are their most valuable resource, so the INVEST time building relationships with others
4. They understand VISION and how to FOLLOW well.  Everyone has an opinion about how to do something, how to approach something, or about what they feel is best for a situation.  Great team members understand authority and they follow well, knowing that there are times where the leaders see things they don't see.
5. They never EXPECT others to do what they WON'T.  It amazes me how many people think leadership is gained through POSITION or title.  The truth is, great team members lead by doing the difficult things themselves and modeling for others the expected behavior/standard/action.  They are the first ones to show up.  They work the hardest.  They lead by example.

We all find ourselves on a team from time to time - at work, in school, in the community, at church.  If you want to make yourself irreplaceable but duplicatable follow these five simple suggestions.  Your team or organization will be better because of it.  And after all, isn't that the purpose of a team?

Dig In

Over the past three weeks I've had several people at Timber Ridge ask me about Bible reading plans.  It seems there are a lot of people taking the step to spend time with God in His Word on a daily basis.  And that is a life-changing step to take!

I wanted to share some online resources and reading plans for those of you who might be interested in getting into God's Word each day.  Below you'll find a few resources that can help you as you spend time with God each day.

• 30 Days With Jesus - What better topic to study than the life of Jesus?  This reading plan takes you on an overview of the life and work of Jesus in just one month.
• 30 Days For New Christians - If the Bible and church are a new thing for you, this reading plan is a great option to give you a general, very brief overview of some major topics in the Bible.
• First Steps Reading Plan - This reading plan is designed for people who are new to faith in Jesus.  It's a year long reading plan that covers the Bible basics with a light amount of reading each day.
• The Bible in 90 or New Thru 30 - If you're looking for a more intense, deeper reading plan check out one of these plans.  The Bible in 90 takes you through the entire Bible in just 90 days.  New Thru 30 is a journey through the entire New Testament in just a month.
• YouVersion.com - YouVersion is a great tool to read the Bible online from your computer, phone, or other mobile device.  YouVersion also offers several reading plans to choose from as well.

The key to getting the most out of God's Word is to simply make the commitment to read it and then DO IT.  So pick the plan that's best for where you are right now in life and jump in.  You'll be amazed at how spending time in God's Word each day will change your life!

Are YOU Ready For Some FOOTBALL?

This Sunday (November 6th) we're hosting our first ever Timber Ridge TAILGATE!  The tailgate party will begin immediately following our 10:30am worship service.  I'm pumped up for this & here's 3 reasons why you should be too!

1. Free Food & Fun - We're gonna' be grilling tons of hamburgers and hot dogs and they'll be plenty of food for everyone!  Plus we'll have a blast hanging out together & watching the Cowboy's game.
2. Can you say BIG screen? - We'll be projecting the game on the big screen at The Conference Center so you'll have a great view of the game!
3. Friends, Friends, Friends! - Our church is less than 2 months old...so that means that literally EVERYONE is new!  The tailgate party is a great opportunity to meet new people, connect with others, and make some great friends!

I hope you and your family will make plans to join us Sunday for the 1st ever Timber Ridge TAILGATE!  It's sure to be a blast!

The Weekend Update

It's been a while since I've shared a Weekend Update, but I'm going to get back in the habit starting NOW.  Here's a glimpse into the weekend at the Burleson household.  Check it out:

• Friday evening we had some family fun at the pumpkin patch & hay maze that is sponsored by the Stephenville Christian School.  If you're local to the Stephenville area, you should go check it out.  You can find more info here.
• On Saturday, I ran my first ever 5k!  It was a very cool experience.  I've been training and working out for a couple months now with the goal of being able to finish this 5k by running the entire race...and I did it!  Hayden ran out on the course when I was about 40 yards from the finish line and I even carried him the rest of the way.  It was a big personal accomplishment in my life & I'm already planning to run another race to raise money for charity.

• Sunday was all things Timber Ridge!  Met a lot of new people and we concluded our Paparazzi series.  You can check out the weekend's message here.  
• This weekend we start a new series at Timber Ridge called Worst To First: The Bible's Greatest Comeback Stories.  I was already getting pumped up for it this past Sunday.  It's gonna' be a lot of fun!  You can get a sneak peek here.

A Little Link Love

Today I feel like sharin' the love...So here's a little link love on the blog.  Below you'll find a few things that I've found interesting lately & a few things that just happen to be on my mind.  Check it out:

• A couple weekends ago we talked about Making Monday Morning Matter at Timber Ridge.  It was all about how to use your job to impact the kingdom of God.  I came across a great article today that's full of practical ways to live out your faith at work.  Check it out here.
• We kicked off a brand new series this weekend at Timber Ridge Church.  It's called Paparazzi.  You can catch the message online here.
• My wife is an unbelievably talented photographer...and I don't just say that because I'm married to her.  She's about to kick-off some amazingly affordable sessions called Christmas Minis that are perfect for getting that great family holiday pic.  You can check out her work for yourself here.
• My good friend & fellow church planter Zak White is laying down some LEGIT basic money principles on his blog this week.  He's offering some great practical ways to make the most of your money.  Check it out here.
• Our Creative Arts Pastor & my friend Micah has started a new venture here in the Ville.  If you're looking for anything audio/video/technical/computer/web he is your man!  Check out his new website here.
• Earlier this week Pastor Steven Furtick shared some great insights into how to have a meaningful time with God each day.  Check it out here.
• If you haven't watched this video of the biker in Africa, it is a MUST SEE.  Check it out here.

Move Your Seat & Move Your Feet

This Sunday, October 9th, we're adding a new service at Timber Ridge Church.  We will have two service times, with worship experiences happening at 9 & 10:30 am.  You can read the details as to why we're moving to two services by clicking here, but the short version is that making this move opens up seats and allows us the opportunity to reach more people...and that's what we are all about at Timber Ridge.  

Here are 3 quick, easy ways you can help make this move successful THIS WEEK if you're a part of Timber Ridge.  As your pastor, I want to ask you to make a commitment to reach people this week for the kingdom of God.  Here's some practical ways you can do this:

1. Get The Word Out.  Pass out those invite cards you received on Sunday, use your Facebook account to share about two services & invite your Facebook friends, and personally invite your neighbors & your co-workers to join us this weekend.  There is incredible POWER in a PERSONAL invitation.  Don't come alone this weekend!
2. Move Your Seat.  If you call Timber Ridge your church home, commit to making the move to the 9am service for at least the next month.  That way we have more seats open at 10:30...and you can serve in the second service to help first-time guests connect with God & have a great experience!
3. Move Your Feet.  Meet me this Saturday morning, October 8th, at The Conference Center at The Deluxe Inn to canvass neighborhoods and hand out invite cards letting people know about our new service times.  We're meeting at 9am and everyone will be done between 10 & 10:30am.  It's a small time commitment that can make a HUGE difference in someone's life!

It's all about reaching people who aren't here yet!  And we'll do whatever it takes to reach those far from God with the hope of Christ.  YOU can be a big part of that this week!  Get the word out...move your seat...move your feet...and watch how GOD changes lives because of it all!

Move It!

At Timber Ridge Church we're committed to doing whatever it takes to reach people.  In fact, our goal is to make it hard to get to hell from Stephenville & Erath County.  One of the obstacles that any church that is striving to grow & reach people will eventually face is the obstacle of space.  At some point, you simply have to make more space so more people have an opportunity to come and experience a weekend service.

We have been blessed with great momentum & God has been moving in some big ways from day one at Timber Ridge.  God is changing lives and we want to do everything we can to keep that momentum going & continue to see lives changed.  

That's why beginning Sunday, October 9th we will be adding an additional service on Sunday mornings!  Our new service times will be at 9 & 10:30 am.

Why are we already adding an additional service at such a young stage in our church?  I'm glad you asked!  Here are a few of the reasons why:

• We continue to have new families check out Timber Ridge Church each week.  And our meeting space in our worship center at The Conference Center at The Deluxe Inn where we meet each Sunday is already at about 85% capacity - and that's with already adding a second level of seating at the back.  When new guests come in, typically a few minutes late, the worship area is already pretty full & it is hard for them to find a seat unless they go up to the front row.  
• Because we have had to add the second seating area toward the back of the worship center where our cafe & welcome center are located, we have had some noise issues with our kids ministries.  Due to the fact that the doors of those two rooms join each other, we've asked our kids workers to stay as calm & quiet as possible.  But let's face it:  Kids can be loud...and we want them to be loud & rowdy & crazy because it means that they are having a BLAST learning about Jesus.  If we move to two services we won't have to use the back area for seating and that will allow our kids to have more fun & make more noise without worrying about disturbing what God is doing in the worship center.
• We have a passion to see people use the gifts & talents God's given them to serve others and make a difference!  With two services, everyone at Timber Ridge will have the opportunity to attend a service and serve a service.  This allows people to find a way to plug into serving at Timber Ridge without having to miss out on our weekend worship experience.

So how can YOU and YOUR FAMILY make a difference in this move?  Well, I am glad you asked!  If you consider Timber Ridge Church your church home & are a regular attender, I want to ask you to MOVE IT, MOVE IT!  Seriously.  I want to ask you to MOVE IT in two specific ways.

Move IT!! from Timber Ridge Church on Vimeo.

1. MOVE YOUR SEAT.  I want you to consider attending the 9:00 service with your family.  This helps in two ways.  First of all, it frees up seats at 10:30 which is the most likely time a new guest will check out Timber Ridge.  Second of all, it allows us to start the 9:00 service with a good size crowd & we all know that earlier services are tougher to fill.
2. MOVE YOUR FEET.  I want to ask you to join us on our Street Team to help get the word out about starting this new service.  We will be meeting in the parking lot of the Conference Center at the Deluxe Inn at 6:00pm this Sunday evening, October 2nd & again on Saturday, October 8th at 9:00am to walk neighborhoods in our community & place invite cards on the doors of our friends & neighbors.  It's vital we get the word out & YOU can help by committing to pass out invite cards at one, if not both, of these times.

Every week God is changing lives at Timber Ridge Church.  We're willing to take bold risks & make big moves of faith in order to continue to see God change lives and transform our community!  I hope you'll consider BUSTIN' A MOVE in order to help other people connect with God through Timber Ridge Church!

(Thanks to Micah Petrea - our super-talented Creative Arts Pastor for the killer video!)

5 Ways to Grow Up

Last week I spent a lot of time thinking about how people grow spiritually. At it's very core, what do people need to know in order to grow in their walk with Jesus? The more I've thought about my own personal walk with God & about what I've learned observing some of my mentors in the faith, I think growing spiritually boils down to just a handful of things as basics. Here's five things I think we need to work on in order to grow in our walk with God:

1. Study God's Word. - If you are going to grow in your walk with Jesus, you have to spend time in the Bible. Plain and simple.
2. Pray. - If you want to know God more, you have to communicate with Him.
3. Serve. - Serving is exercising your spiritual muscles. You have to figure out how God's wired you and how you can use that to make a difference in the kingdom.
4. Share. - Growing your faith means sharing your faith. People who really develop maturity in following Jesus are people who share the message of Jesus with others.
5. Find A Mentor. - We all need accountability. We need people to keep us on track. But we need more than that. We need someone to follow. Someone who's been where we want to go and can advise us on the path ahead.

There ya' go. Five things you can do to grow in your walk with Jesus. And we all need to grow.

Because here's the truth: When a baby is learning to eat baby food and drools all over the place people think it's cute. They take pictures and videos of it and share them with their friends. But if the 35 year old dude sitting next to you in Chili's is drooling all over the place as he eats or is still using a bottle, it's really not that cute. It shows that a maturing process hasn't happened.

It's the same when it comes to walking with Jesus. We'll never be perfect. But we can be growing. In fact, we need to be growing. We need to be maturing. We need to be striving to look more like Jesus. That's what following Him is all about.

***If you're in the Stephenville/Erath County area and are interested in learning how to develop these 5 habits of growing with God, I'd love to invite you to our very first Spiritual Growth Group at Timber Ridge Church. It's a small group setting where you can learn how to do the five things listed above. I'd love for you to be our guest. For more info, email me at info [at] timberridgechurch [dot] com.

When I Grow Up - Part 3: Bold Risks

I'm in the middle of a series here on the blog about what we envision Timber Ridge Church to look like when we "grow up" and the plans, values, and steps we're taking now to get to that point.

You can read about the idea behind the series here.

You can read part 1 here.

You can read part 2 here.

When I think about what Timber Ridge Church will look like in the future - 5, 10, 15 years from now - there is one thing I am certain that I want to define us and that is this: We Act In Bold Faith. In fact, one of our core values is that very statement. We believe that without faith, it is impossible to please God. We also believe that the message and grace of Jesus really can change our lives, our communities, and our world. So we want to follow Him with radical, audacious faith.

Acting in bold faith is not the norm. In fact, we've created a culture in many churches and places in America where the norm is to play it safe. We want to live protected and safe lives, avoiding risks at all costs. But Jesus didn't call us to be safe. He never talked about our faith being comfortable or sheltered or free from danger. He taught quite the opposite. Jesus has called us to live out a bold, audacious faith that believes and acts in a way that shows anything is possible for our God. At Timber Ridge Church, we believe that bold faith is birthed from bold commitment and obedience. If we want to have a radical faith it is going to be directly related to our radical commitment to Jesus and His mission.

So from the very beginning we will refuse to play it safe. When God leads us to do so, we will make bold moves and take audacious risks that are doomed to fail unless He intervenes on our behalf. We want to live and lead in such a way that people see God at work simply because of the risks we're willing to take because of the faith we've placed in Him. And we want to be bold from the start, because if you're not willing to risk it all when you have nothing, you sure won't risk it all when something is established and there is something to lose.

We believe that bold faith honors God...and that God honors bold, audacious faith. So we will exhibit radical commitment and obedience to Jesus in order that we might live out bold, audacious, risk-taking faith that honors our God.

When I Grow Up - Part 2: Maturity

A few days ago I started sharing a series of posts about what we want Timber Ridge Church to look like once we "grow up." You can read about the idea here and you can read part 1 here.

Today I want to share about our core value of teaching the Bible for life transformation. At Timber Ridge Church, our desire is to teach the Bible - through our weekend services, small groups, and other avenues - in order that people's lives might be changed. That means that as a church, we will measure success by life transformation. The trend in some churches today is to measure success and growth by Bible knowledge. Some churches are consumed with how much of the Bible their people know. But the problem that creates is that in most cases this produces spiritually obese Christians who gorge themselves on knowing the Word, but don't practice it and do what it says. Don't get me wrong - I believe that people need to know God's Word. I believe God gave us the Bible as our playbook & blueprint for life. But biblical maturity is not measured by how much Bible you know. Maturity is measured by how much Bible you do. At Timber Ridge Church we want to measure our success and our growth by Bible action, not Bible knowledge.

With that core value in place, we have the desire to be a church that is strong in it's spiritual maturity. That maturity will be shown not in the number of verses we can quote or the number of Bible study classes we can schedule. Our maturity will be shown in how we practice God's Word in sharing our faith, loving our neighbors, caring for the poor, and living out the commands God gives us in His Word.

The Weekend Update

The Weekend Update is a quick, bullet-style recap of the weekend at the Burleson household. Enjoy!

• Friday was Family Day for us. We took Hayden on an adventure to the Children's Museum that is a part of the Ft. Worth Science & History museum. Cool place. It was PACKED with kids that were there for school field trips, but we still had a blast.
• Saturday we spent getting the house & yard cleaned up and prepared for Launch Team meeting on Sunday.
• Saturday evening we ate with some family at Cook's Fish Barn - a little place in Sipe Springs, TX. If you are ever in that area (Brownwood, Comanche, etc) you have got to check this place out. The food is amazing...and yes, it is a literal barn!
• Sunday morning we worshipped with the folks at Rocky Point here in the Ville.
• Sunday night we had our weekly launch team meeting. We talked about our core value of taking bold risks of faith in order to follow God. Great stuff. More on that here on the blog mid-week.

Hope your weekend was great!

When I Grow Up - Part 1: The Vision

I announced last week that I'm going to be sharing a series of posts here on the blog entitled When I Grow Up. It's all comes from a challenge I was given in a church planters training course to envision what Timber Ridge Church would be five years from now & put practices in place now to lead the church to that place. I shared the basics of the concept in an earlier post that you can read by clicking here. So today, I'm going to kick things off with The Vision.

The vision of Timber Ridge Church is very simple and succinct. Timber Ridge Church exists to move people from where they are to where God wants them to be. The vision is simple...but the vision is BIG.

We want to be a church that meets people exactly where they are in life. That means that we're willing to accept and love people just as they are - baggage, junk, and all. Loving people right where they are in life can be messy and it can get hard...because let's face it: All of us have made a mess of our lives when we've tried to do it on our own. But we're committed to meeting people and loving people right where they are - mess and all - because that's how Jesus approaches us. Jesus loves us - mess and all - and he died on the cross to convey that unconditional love to us.

And once we accept people just as they are, we refuse to leave them that way. Every single one of us - whether we've been trying to follow Jesus for years or whether we've turned our back on Jesus and tried to live life on our own for years - has not arrived. No matter where we are in life, we can all get closer to who God wants us to be. Plain and simple: None of us are there yet. In fact, we have a saying that we've started using at Timber Ridge Church already: No Perfect People Allowed. That's right - there are no perfect people allowed, because quite frankly there are no perfect people. We all have our own issues & struggles and have work to do to get closer to being who God made us to be. And we're committed to help people through that process. We're committed to walk with people as they discover who God made them to be & as they pursue the great purpose & plan God has for their life.

So Timber Ridge Church will be a place full of messy, imperfect people who accept & love others just like them - and who will stop at nothing to help others become everything God designed them to be. When I grow up...I want to love people right where they are - mess & junk and all - and help them see that, through Jesus, God has an incredible plan for their lives!

The Weekend Update

Here's the Weekend Update...just a couple days late!

• This past weekend Johanna spent Friday afternoon through Saturday early evening at Stonewater Church's IGNITE Women's Conference with a couple great friends. Hayden & I had a blast hanging out together, although several of our adventures got cancelled because he was a little under the weather. And I'm so thankful my wife got to get away for a little while & spend some time being ministered to & have people pour into her heart.
• Saturday was our 6 year anniversary as husband and wife. I simply cannot imagine my life without Johanna. She is simply amazing. She brings out the best in me and challenges me to be the best that I could possibly be in every area of life. I thank God every day for the gift He gave me when he brought Jo into my life. We celebrated by having dinner at the Buffalo Gap Steakhouse in Granbury...and is was G-O-O-D!
• Sunday morning I preached at one of our partner churches, New Hope Baptist Church, in Gorman. New Hope has been beyond generous in their support of what we are doing at Timber Ridge Church! Their generosity & help is simply unbelievable! (If you'd like more info on what we're doing in planting Timber Ridge Church or how YOU or your church can partner with us click here!)
• Sunday evening we had our weekly launch team meeting. We had a great night talking about God's heart for his lost children. And we threw down some massive amounts of pizza too!

A weekend spent with the people I love and sharing about the God I love...doesn't get much better than that!

My Best Buddy Turns Two

Two years ago today God placed an incredible, life-changing blessing in my life in the form of my son, Hayden. Today, my little buddy turns two. I cannot even believe that I just typed that sentence. To think that two years have already passed with Hayden in our lives blows me away. Time goes by so fast...and I want to cherish every second I'm given, making the most of the amazing opportunity, responsibility, and blessing that God's given me as Hayden's father. Hayden, maybe one day you'll read this...and if that ever happens, here's a letter I wrote today just for you.

Hayden,

I love you buddy. I cannot believe that two years of your life have already flown by. But I can honestly say it's been the best two years of my life. I absolutely love that God gave me the gift of raising you as a son. Over the last two years, I've taught you a few things...like how to ride your big-wheel four wheeler and how to throw and catch a ball. I've taught you how to say "frog" when you pass gas and how to say "Peace Out!" when you tell someone good-bye. I've taught you some cool hand shakes, some funny sayings, and some practical stuff that will help you in life, like how to wink at the ladies. But in the last two years, what I've taught you pales in comparison to what you've taught me. Hayden, you've taught me how to be a man. You've taught me how to live for something outside of myself - and to put you and your mom before my own self. You've taught me how to be a better person. You've taught me how to be a better husband. You've taught me how to love life more, cherish every moment, and love God with all that I am. You've taught me all these things - and so many more - simply by being you. With your own personality and in your own little way you challenge me to be a better me. I want to be a more godly man and a better pastor because I know you're watching. I want to be a better husband, because I know you're watching. I want to be a better friend, a better teacher, a better neighbor, the list goes on and on...all because I know you're watching. Son, I want you to know that I love you. There will be days when I blow it. I'm not perfect. I've messed up in the past and I'll mess up in the future. But I want you to know that it's not about being perfect. It's about giving your best. And so I promise you, as your dad, to give you my best. I'm striving, with God's help, to be the best father I can be and I promise you that I'll continue to do that. I love you buddy. Happy Birthday!

When I Grow Up

I have been super blessed to be a part of the Northwood Church Planting program over the past few months. Northwood Church in Keller, TX doesn't just talk about planting churches. They do it. They have planted literally hundreds of churches in the last few years. The wisdom & guidance that the Northwood staff has poured in to me is unbelievable.

A couple weeks ago we finished up our last weekend training session called a module. Toward the end of it we did an exercise where we acted like our church plant was 3 years old and had been wildly successful. We had to present to the group how we arrived at this point - what we did right, what we focused on, what challenges we faced, etc. Through this process, the team at Northwood challenged each of us to know what we want to be when we grow up. Basically, to know what kind of church we want to lead in the future and to take the steps necessary to begin to build that DNA into the church from day one.

Over the next couple weeks I'm going to be sharing about the values & vision of Timber Ridge Church in a series of blog post called When I Grow Up. I'll share what we dream Timber Ridge to become and give some brief, basic ideas of how we'll get there.

If you're on the Timber Ridge team, have been checking out the launch team meetings, support Timber Ridge, or are interested in what God is doing with Timber Ridge Church, check back over the next couple weeks for a good picture of some things that will be important to us as a church.

The Weekend Update

It's been a long time (think months instead of weeks) since I've posted a Weekend Update, but I thought I'd give it another try. Here's a recap of the weekend in the House of Burleson.

• My brother & sister-in-law welcomed a new baby boy into the world on Friday night, so we made a quick trip to Houston to be there to support them. It's about a 5 hour drive one way. Hayden was a champ. He complained a lot less than I did!
• Welcome to our world Lucas Wade Burleson (a.k.a. Luke). Congrats Justin & Christie. Luke is one handsome little fella...in fact, he looks a lot like his uncle. ;)
• On Saturday we made the 5 hour drive home, with a stop at Old Navy to grab some Easter clothes. I scored one pair of Old Navy premium denim jeans for $6.97 and a second pair for 97 cents!
• Saturday evening we spent cleaning house & getting ready for the Easter Cookout & Egg Hunt we hosted on Sunday evening.
• Sunday morning my family & some other Timber Ridge peeps went and served at Stonewater Church, our sponsoring church. We served in their front-line/welcome crew at the Granbury campus for the first service and then made a flying trip to the Glen Rose campus to serve in the kids ministries for the second service. Crazy, action packed morning for sure!
• Sunday evening we hosted the Timber Ridge Church Easter Cookout & Egg Hunt. We had a blast meeting people and hanging out & the kids loved the Egg Hunt. Every basket went home overflowing with Easter Eggs.

Overall, it was a pretty busy, but productive weekend!

The Little Thing

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to take a family movie night and went to watch Rio. Johanna has been wanting to take Hayden to see it for a few weeks, so we went to the local Cinema 6 to catch the matinee. What we didn't realize is that they were only showing Rio in 3-D...which is totally cool...unless you have a 23 month old who doesn't really dig wearing glasses.

But we weren't deterred. We decided to go ahead and give it a try & bought three tickets. And Hayden absolutely loved the movie. He sat in our laps the whole time, mesmerized by the movie, and at times even interacting with it by talking to the characters or telling us what was going on. He had a blast. But here's the thing...he never wore the 3-D glasses. He watched the entire movie without the glasses. A couple of times during the movie I took my glasses off just to experience what he was experiencing. And it was just as I thought. It had that blurry, hazy look that 3-D movies have when you don't have glasses on.

That got me to thinking about my relationship with Jesus. How many times do I go through life happy and content, but in reality missing out on something so much better that God wants from me because of some little thing. You see, Hayden really did like the movie. But he missed out on how great it actually could have been because he wouldn't wear the glasses. I'm convinced that many times in life we get stuck in living good-enough lives when God wants us to experience incredible, better-than-great kinds of life. I recently read a quote from a pastor that said too many times we settle for good-enough lives while serving a more-than-enough God. And I think the reason we miss out so many times, is because of the little thing. It's not the big thing that trips us up. We may not have some great moral failure or some shortcoming that is super significant in the eyes of the world. But at times, we allow the little thing - that little act of disobedience or that small failure to ignore God's still voice - to keep us from missing out on all that God has in store for us.

I think we all need to be reminded to live life with our 3-D glasses on. Don't settle for good-enough because you have that little thing keeping you from experiencing God's best in your life. Good-enough living is ok...it's just not for people who serve a more-than-enough God.

What I Could Not Do

This past Sunday we attended StoneWater Church in Granbury, TX. StoneWater is partnering with us to launch Timber Ridge Church & we've worshipped with them a couple times in the past few weeks. The Lead Pastor, Jeremy White, continued their series "Jesus Is..." by talking about Jesus Is Sacrifice. Jeremy taught on how remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross should impact us every day that we are alive. Quite frankly, it was one of the best sermons I've ever heard on the cross & death of Jesus.

At one point in the message Jeremy talked about how Jesus not only died for us as individuals, but that he also died for the people we love. Jeremy used a cross that a friend had made him with his family name in the center as an object lesson to talk about how Jesus sacrificed on the cross not just for us, but for our families as well.

God really used this message to remind me of an important truth: Jesus did for me what I could not do myself. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross paid for my sin which I could not do. His death & resurrection gave me eternal life, which I could not earn. Through the cross, Jesus put me in right standing with God, which I could not achieve on my own.

But Jesus also did what I could not do for the ones I love the most. Jesus didn't just die for me. He died for my family. He sacrificed his life for my wife, which I love with all of my heart. Jesus gave himself for my son, whom I would do anything for. Jesus did for my family what I could not do. On the cross, Jesus paid the ransom for my wife and my son that I could never afford. He not only saved me, but through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus saved the people I love the most.

That's a sacrifice to remember. And remembering ought to make us want to live for Him even more. I was lost & considered an enemy of God. Myself, my wife & my son were subject to God's complete wrath. But Jesus changed that on the cross. He did for me - and for the ones I love the most - what I could not do.

Jesus Is In The Trying

Every day when I get home from work I try to spend good, quality time with my son Hayden. Since moving to Stephenville, that time usually results in us playing catch or some kind of game involving some type of ball in the back yard. Yesterday was no exception.

I got home and Hayden found my basketball and took it out into the yard. He told me to "'Mon!", which combined with the proper hand waving, is his way of saying, "Come on. Follow me." We went to the back corner of the yard and he begin to shoot "bakkets" or baskets. He loves to shoot hoops on his Little Tykes basketball goal, but yesterday he was convinced that the cylinder shaped transformer box on a power pole behind our back fence was a basket. There was only one problem: It's about 25 feet in the air.

He shot and shot...and shot....and, well you get the picture. The highest he ever got the ball was about a foot above his head. And after every shot that failed to reach the "basket" he would make one, determined, repeated statement: "I twy." (Which means "I'll try again.")

And so he did. He tried and tried...and tried...and, well you get the picture. We spent about 20 minutes trying to make a basket yesterday afternoon. At one point his arms were so tired that he couldn't even get the ball above his head. So he asked me to hold it for a second, and within about 30 seconds he was ready to "twy" some more.

God used my basket shooting adventure with my son yesterday to teach me something. He taught me that Jesus is in the trying. You see, when it comes to following Jesus, we will all stumble. We will all miss the mark. There are days where I struggle and fumble and fail miserably. Some days I don't get anywhere close to the basket.

But being faithful in following Jesus isn't about making the basket every single time. It's about trying again when you miss. And trying again...and again...and, well you get the point. I don't know about you, but I don't have it all together. There are days when I blow it - as a Christ-follower, as a pastor, as a husband, a father, and a friend. But I am determined to try. Because I believe with all my heart that Jesus is in the trying.

So you've messed up? Who hasn't? So you've blown it big time? We all do. Get back up. Dust yourself off. And try again. Jesus is in the trying.

Big Time Power

I believe in the power of prayer. I have seen it's power in my own life and in the lives of others. The Bible teaches that God hears our prayers and responds to them. I think for a lot of Christians, prayer is an untapped power source. We say we believe in prayer, but no one would be able to tell it by the amount of time we spend actually praying.

Prayer is basically communicating with God. When we pray, we have the unbelievable opportunity to communicate with the author and creator of the entire world. By His very word, he spoke everything we know into existence...and he cares about what is going on in our lives enough that he wants to talk to us about it! That is incredible to me.

As we plant Timber Ridge Church, we want to be people of prayer. We believe that through prayer we can see and experience God move in amazing ways. In fact, we have a goal of having a Prayer Team of 300 people who will pray for Timber Ridge as we start this incredible new church. We have a lot of people that are a part of the team already, but I'd be honored to have YOU as a part of the prayer team as well. You can sign up for our Prayer Team, where you'll receive a monthly prayer update via email, by clicking here.

I believe God works through prayer. I believe that there is power when God's people pray. And I'd love to pray for you! If I can pray for you about something, please leave a comment or email me privately at nic [at] timberridgechurch [dot] com. I would consider it an honor to talk to God on your behalf!

Timber Ridge Church and YOU

As you may know, my family & I recently moved to Stephenville, TX to start a brand new church for people far from God in the Stephenville & Erath County area. It's called Timber Ridge Church and we're excited about what God is doing & is going to do in and through us!


Several of you have asked how YOU can be a part of what God is doing through Timber Ridge. Here are a few ways to get in on the action!

• Join the Prayer Team. We want 300 people praying for Timber Ridge Church because we believe that there is GREAT POWER in prayer. You can sign up for the prayer team, where you'll receive one email a month with prayer requests, by clicking here.


• Become a Partner. Starting a new church is hard work. And it takes lots of time and lots of money to pull it off. If you would be interested in partnering with us financially to accomplish God's vision for this new church, check out our launch site at http://www.launchtimberridge.com/ for ways to give. We're looking for individuals, families, and churches who would be willing to either give a special gift toward the launch of our church or would be willing to give a recurring, monthly amount to go toward our ministry budget needs. Every dollar given goes to seeing lives changed! And every gift is significant - no matter how large or how small.


• Share Timber Ridge. You can be a great asset to us by sharing what God is doing with Timber Ridge with your family, friends, and your church. If your church or someone you know would like to partner with us, please feel free to pass along our launch site or have someone from the church contact me at nic [at] timberridgechurch [dot] com. I'd be happy to talk with them!


• Get Involved! If you live in the Stephenville or Erath County area and are looking for a church to call home, we'd love to talk to you about being a part of the launch team for Timber Ridge. Email me at the email address above to find out more info. You can also check out our facebook page here.

We believe that GOD is going to do amazing things in and through Timber Ridge Church! And we would love for YOU to be a part of it all! Feel free to contact me with any questions about Timber Ridge Church or about other creative ways you can be a part of what God is doing!

Why I Need A Connection Group...

This week I've been working on lots of stuff related to our Connection Groups ministry here at The Connection Church. We have a Group Expo this Sunday at TCC. Basically, the expo is an opportunity for people interested in checking out a Connection Group to get more info on each of our groups and to sign up for one they might be interested in. Then, next Sunday, January 30th our new semester of Connection Groups officially kicks off!

All this Connection Group stuff has me thinking...and I thought I'd share...about how much I love my Connection Group. I absolutely love the people in my Connection Group. And I need them in my life. In fact, I think we all need a group of people we can do life with. And below are some reasons why I think that:

• I need real friendship. Never in human history have we had the opportunity for connection. With social media, the internet, and so many other forms of technology that help people connect, the opportunity for connection is everywhere. But in spite of that opportunity, many of us are as lonely as we've ever been. Sure we may have a couple hundred "friends" on Facebook, but when we evaluate our real friends in life, we feel isolated and alone. That's where my Connection Group comes in. Through a group, I have the opportunity to connect in real ways with people who can walk beside me in life.
• I need support. Each day I wake up and want to be more like Jesus than the day before. But there are days where that goal just isn't reached. There are days when I struggle and when I stumble and need someone there to help me along. That's where my Connection Group comes in. I have a group of people to do life with who are real and authentic and allow me to be real and authentic (the messiness of life and all!) and have my back when I need it most.
• I need accountability. I'll gladly be the first to admit that there are days when following Jesus is flat out HARD. There are times when being obedient to God is difficult. Those times are often the most important times to follow Him closely as well. That's where my Connection Group comes in. Because I'm in a group, I have people who are there to help me and challenge me in my walk with God. They'll pick me up when I stumble, but they'll also challenge me and push me forward when I need that accountability too.

I could easily list 50 other reasons I need and love my Connection Group. I can't imagine doing life without them! If you're not in a small group, I encourage you to take that step and get plugged in. And if you attend The Connection Church, there is no better time to get connected to a group than this Sunday at our Group Expo. We really are better together. Find out for yourself and get connected this weekend! I guarantee you'll be glad you did.

We Are Moving...

Today on the blog I am sharing some BIG NEWS about our family. It's really bittersweet news too...some of that news that's both happy and sad at the same time. We talked about it in church at The Connection Church last Sunday. In fact, you can watch the service here, with our news at the end of the service.


So here we go: We are moving. That's right...Johanna, Hayden, and myself are moving to Stephenville, TX to start a brand new church. I will be the founding pastor and church planter of Timber Ridge Church in Stephenville.

I want to be sure I say something right from the start with this announcement: Johanna and I LOVE The Connection Church. We love the people that make up TCC, we love our friends and ministry partners at TCC, and we love the vision of TCC. In fact, it is that very vision - seeing God change lives one life at a time - that has brought us to this place in our lives. And without the leadership and mentoring of Pastor Cole and other incredible people at The Connection Church I would never be able to step out and follow God in faith to make this bold move! In fact, I feel very strongly that we're not simply moving, but that The Connection Church is sending us out to continue the vision of seeing lifes changed!

So after a ton of praying and seeking God's direction and leadership in this area, we feel confident that He has called us and prepared us to plant our lives in Erath County and Stephenville, TX to plant a church that helps people move from where they are to where God wants them to be. Our new church will be all about reaching those far from God and planting more churches that will continue to the vision of seeing God change lives one life at a time.


While it is beyond difficult to think about moving away from so many incredible friends that have become family to us and such an amazing church, we are excited about what the future holds. We know that we are being obedient and following God's leadership in our lives. And we are excited to see where this next step in our lives leads.


There will be a lot more to come about our upcoming move and where we're heading in life, so be sure and stay tuned. In the meantime, please pray for us and for this new church that God is going to birth to reach people who don't know Him.

Change Your World...

Wow. It's been two months since I've last blogged. To say life has been busy since the summer got here would be a huge understatement I guess...But I'm going to try to get back into this blogging groove and wanted to share something we talked about at our Connexion Students worship gathering last night.

Last night at our SHOCKWAVE worship service, we talked about how God has given every one of us the ability and call to change our world. But it starts by changing one life at a time. Too many times we feel like we don't have something to offer that can make a difference in the world. But that's just not the case. Here are three things that all of us have that can impact the lives of others in our world.

1. MY STORY - For those of us who are Christ followers, God has given us each a unique story of how he has worked in our lives and how he has brought us into a relationship with him and changed our lives in the process. When we share our story with others, we can help them see how God is working in their own life story as well.

2. MY LIFE - Our world is full of fakes and knock-offs. You can get a fake Coach purse or Oakley shades at any little flea market. You can get knock-off brands of name brand sodas by the hundreds. And, sadly, even the church has become a place known for fakes. But when you and I take our faith seriously and actually live out what we claim to believe, then we can impact our world. People are drawn to God when they see authenticity in us. When we make sure the talk and the walk of our life matches up, then we can impact our world!

3. MY LOVE - Jesus said that the world would know his followers by the love they showed for others. The way that we love and treat others gives our faith credibility. Jesus' love forever changed the world. And when we model his love to others, we can change the world too!

You can change the world...But it starts one life at a time! Go be a world changer!

Parenting Tip of the Week: The Do's & Dont's of Discipline...

At The Connection Church we're talking about raising indesctructible kids this month in our series Kidstruction. This Sunday, our lead pastor, Cole Phillips, talked about Making Kids Mind Without Losing Yours. You can check out the sermon here.

With that in mind, this week's parenting tip is all about discipline. Here are 5 Do's & Don't of Discipline for kids of any age:

The Do's

1. DO Be consistent. Consistency is the key to discipline. If your kid isn't getting a consistent message , they're clueless about how to behave, and may be feeling confused, insecure, and perhaps unloved.
2. DO Clearly Communicate Expectations. As a parent, we must overly communicate our expectations for our kids. Children can't follow rules or live up to standards that they don't understand or know about.
3. DO Enforce the rules you set. Don't make a rule that you don't intend to enforce. It only creates mixed messages for your kids and creates confusion within your family.
4. DO Present a united front. As parents, if you undermine your partner (or another consistent authority figure) you are not making your kids love you more (Admit it; that's why we do it!). You are actually confusing them and undermining their respect for both of you. If you present a united front, you create an atmosphere where your children feel secure and respect authority.

The Don'ts

1. DON'T bribe. While rewarding your child for good behavior is a great discipline tool, bribing kids to avoid bad behavior only reinforces that negative behavior.
2. DON'T get personal. When you tell your child that they are naughty, rude, lazy, etc, you are labeling them. Instead, try to condemn the behavior, not the kid. Instead of saying, "You're so rude! Why can't you share?" try saying something like, "That was a selfish thing to do. It's very rude to take Joe's toy from him."
3. DON'T go overboard with punishment. Punishment is just one aspect of biblical discipline, so don't go overboard on that alone. Make sure you're following the old saying of "making the punishment fit the crime."
4. DON'T expect children to behave like adults. Newsflash: Your kids are not adults. That means that sometimes they'll do foolish or irresponsible things because...well, they're kids! Our children don't have the wisdom that we do from the life-experience we've gained so we need to remember that as we set proper rules and expectations.

Check back here on Thursday for the Parenting Resource of The Week!

Parenting Resource of The Week:

While kicking off our Kidstruction series this past Sunday, Pastor Cole talked about how our homes should be places where God is honored and where we are pointing out God's blessings and work in our lives. Having a family Bible study or family devotional time is one of the most important things we can do as parents for our familes. It's also one of the most intimidating! But it doesn't have to be that way. Below are this weeks Parenting Resources of the Week, which all offer some great insight and helpful tips on how to get comfortable leading your family through a weekly or nightly devotional time and becoming the spiritual leader that your children need. Check these resources out!

Free Online Resources:

• The Christian Parenting website offers 10 Tips For Fun Family Devotions here.
• Pastor Mark Driscoll offers Four Constants For Better Bible Study With Our Spouses and Children. You can read his blog here.
• Mark Driscoll also has written a book entitled PastorDad: Spiritual Insights on Fatherhood that would be a great read for all men who are trying to better lead their family's spiritually. While you can purchase the book at local Christian bookstores, Driscoll has also made it available for free online and in PDF form here.

Book Resources For Purchase:

• Wayne Rice has written the book Generation to Generation which is full of practical and creative ideas for raising kids to know and love God. It would be a great resource for any family to have and can be purchased at most Family Christian Stores or online here.
• Teenage counseling guru Josh McDowell's book The One Year Book of Family Devotions is another great resource for families. It can be purchased here.
• Mike and Amy Nappa provide another great resource for families in their book 52 Fun Family Devotions: Exploring & Discovering God's Word. This book provides a devotional for each week of the year & uses the ordinary things of life to demonstrate and experience spiritual truths. You can order the Nappa's book here.

Parenting Tip Of The Week: Effective Communication...

One of the best ways to ensure that your child or teen will communicate with you is to create a home environment where they feel safe and comfortable to share what's going on in their lives and where they feel that they are listened to and not simply heard. So how can parents go about creating an environment where communication takes place in the home? Here are some helpful tips.

7 Keys to Creating Communication Within Your Home

1. When your child or teen begins a conversation with you, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Your child wants, and needs, your undivided, complete attention. When talking with him or her, put down the laptop, turn off the television, or silence the cell phone. You'll be amazed at what you hear when you actually focus on listening.
2. Eye contact is key. It's hard to tell if someone is paying attention if they're reading the newspaper and responding with random "Uh-huh"s as you talk. Look your child in the eye to ensure that they have your complete attention when they're talking to you.
3. Comment on what you heard. So many times our children & teens are sharing something because they are looking for our advice. You don't always have to give them the easy answer, or even give them a "yes" or "no" but commenting on what you think you are hearing from them is a great way to foster communication. A good way to do this is to use a statement like this: "I hear you saying _____. Is that what you are saying/mean?"
4. Spend time together. There is nothing like simply doing life together that fosters relationships where good communication can grow.
5. Praise, praise, praise. Your child/teen receives criticism and judgement from so many sources. Be sure to give praise when praise is due!
6. Admit when you've blown it. If you mess up in your relationship with your kid, admit it! They know it already! And you being able to admit it will build trust in the relationship that will open up lines of communication in the future.
7. Be an askable parent. There are times when parenting requires that you take disciplinary action and make judgements. But you also want to make sure that your child or teen know that they can approach you when they need help and that you'll react in a non-judgemental way, helping them solve their problems.

Be sure to check this blog later in the week for the Parenting Resource of the week!