The Faces of My Best Gift - Part 3

This Sunday, December 16th, we will be receiving our My Best Gift Christmas Offering at Timber Ridge Church. This weekend, at both of our worship services, we have the opportunity to give our very best gift to Jesus this Christmas by receiving a special offering that is directed to impacting our community, state, and world.  100% of the funds received from our Christmas Offering will go to support the following 3 projects:

• School adoption & global work in Vietnam
• Church Planting in Marshall, TX and Toronto, Canada
• Helping hurting families locally by meeting physical needs

For the past few days I've been sharing the faces that will be impacted by our generosity. You can read Part 1 here and catch Part 2 here.  Today, I'm wrapping up this series of posts by sharing with you one last set of faces that will be directly impacted by our giving to the Christmas Offering at Timber Ridge.

These are the faces of the children of Sapa, Vietnam. I personally took this picture back in October while on a Vision trip to see how our church could go serve in a difficult place and make an impact in Vietnam. We have a very unique opportunity to make a long term impact by adopting a school in the Sapa area of Vietnam. It's a beautiful, but rural area of Vietnam that has great need. By adopting a school, we'll be able to help children just like these. We'll be able to make sure they have enough food to eat. We'll be able to make sure they have clean water to drink. We'll be able to make sure they have safe & usable facilities. Our generosity will literally impact the world.

Back in Matthew 25, I remember Jesus saying something about when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and care for the sick and poor, we are actually serving Him. We have an incredible opportunity before us in Vietnam to make a great impact in our world.

If you attend Timber Ridge Church, I hope you'll join me in praying for and giving toward our My Best Gift Christmas Offering this Sunday. Together, we can make a great impact by generously giving our very best to Jesus this Christmas.

The Faces of My Best Gift - Part 2

Sunday, December 16th is a big day in the life of Timber Ridge Church and it's rapidly approaching! It's the day that we will be receiving our My Best Gift Christmas Offering at Timber Ridge Church. On Sunday, December 16th, we'll give our very best gift to Jesus this Christmas by receiving a special offering that is directed to impacting our community, state, and world.  100% of the funds received from our Christmas Offering will go to support the following 3 projects:

• School adoption & global work in Vietnam
• Church Planting in Marshall, TX and Toronto, Canada
• Helping hurting families locally by meeting physical needs

I wanted to share with all my Timber Ridge family and other friends the faces of our My Best Gift offering. These are the people who are directly impacted by our generosity and giving. 

You can read about the first two church plants we'll be supporting HERE.

But today, I want to share with you another face of My Best Gift:

This is Kitsy Tuck (She's the tall one). If you attend Timber Ridge Church regularly, then you probably recognize Kitsy. She's a partner at Timber Ridge & she's been plugged in, faithfully serving and making a difference, since the beginning of our church. You may recognize her from helping with community events, being involved in our college group, or serving each week with our toddlers and younger children. Kitsy is graduating from TSU this semester with a degree in special education. She'll be heading to Vietnam in February to use her degree, her experience, and her love for kids to serve others and impact her world. She'll be teaching special education methods to teachers at Hanoi University, as well as working with orphans and school children in Hanoi. Kitsy is spending 4 months in Vietnam and is fundraising the entire costs of this opportunity to go and serve the world.

A portion of our My Best Gift offering will go to help Kitsy as she serves special education teachers and children in Hanoi. It's an incredible opportunity we get to support and send one of our very own Timber Ridgers! 

I'm pumped about this opportunity to send one of our very own and I hope you'll generously consider being a part of sending Kitsy to make a difference on the other side of our globe!

The Faces of My Best Gift - Part 1

In just a matter of days, we will be receiving our My Best Gift Christmas Offering at Timber Ridge Church. On December 16th, we'll give our very best gift to Jesus this Christmas by receiving a special offering that is directed to impacting our community, state, and world.  100% of the funds received from our Christmas Offering will go to support the following 3 projects:

• School adoption & global work in Vietnam
• Church Planting in Marshall, TX and Toronto, Canada
• Helping hurting families locally by meeting physical needs

Over the next few days, I want to share with you the faces of our My Best Gift Offering by introducing you to some of the people we will support.  Today I'd like to introduce you to two families.

Meet Daniel Yang & his beautiful family.  Daniel is a church planter who is moving to Toronto in January to start a brand new church there. Toronto is Canada's largest city, where 1 million residents are either Muslim, Hindu, Buddhists, Jewish, Sikh, or unchurched.  The opportunity for impact through church planting in this city is immense!  (If you attend Timber Ridge, you may recognize Daniel & his family as they were with us one Sunday while I was in Vietnam back in October.)

Meet James Cotten & his lovely family. James is currently planting The Heights Church in Marshall, TX, which just launched one month ago. 25% of people in Marshall live below the poverty level and it is a city with strong racial tension. There is a great need for a church to minister to people regardless of race and economic status and that's the heart of James & The Heights Church.

Two unique stories. Two unique families. Two unique callings.  And two unique faces of our My Best Gift Christmas Offering.  If you attend Timber Ridge, I hope you're prayerfully considering how God can use your generosity to make an impact in Toronto, in Marshall, and around the world!

8 Ways To Teach Your Kids The Real Meaning Of Christmas

1. Start a family tradition of reading the Christmas story together. The story of Jesus birth can be found in Luke 2 and reading this story together as a family is a great way to make sure you’re focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

2. Involve the entire family in setting up the Nativity Scene. You could even do this while reading the Christmas story as a family. And if you’re worried that your children are too young to handle your antique Nativity set passed down from generation to generation, you can find kid friendly nativity sets at your local Christian bookstore and in many toy sections of department stores. Fisher Price even makes one that can be found here.

3. Attend a Christmas worship service together. Christmas is a time when we should focus our minds attention and our hearts affection on Jesus. Don’t let the busy-ness of the season rob your family of spending quality time worshipping together. And if you life in or near Stephenville, I would be honored to have you and your family join us for our Christmas Services at Timber Ridge Church on Sunday, Dec. 23rd.

4. Play Christmas music in your home that focuses on the reason for the season. Sure, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is musical genius. And I personally know every word to that song.  But be sure to include Christmas music in your home that communicates God’s gift to us in his son Jesus.

5. Give to others. If you know a family or child in need this Christmas, adopt them and shop for them as a family for Christmas. If you don’t know anyone personally who might be in need this year, then check out your local Angel Tree, or something like it, and adopt a child for your family to provide for. If you are a partner at Timber Ridge or we are the church where you regularly attend, I encourage you to be a part of the My Best Gift Christmas Offering and involve your children in that process as well.

6. Adopt a new strategy for giving your kids gifts. Nothing sends more mixed signals to our kids than when we say Christmas is about Jesus, but then turn around and make it about how many presents they can get and how much we can go in debt doing it. Come up with a better plan as parents to use even your gift giving as a way to teach your kids the real reason for the season. A strategy that we use in our home is to give our son four gifts: “Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, and Something to read.” Love it.

7. Visit your local nursing home or an elderly neighbor who is shut-in or might not have family close by. Take some cookies or a basket of fruit and give the gift of your time and presence to someone who might be alone this season. Christmas is all about God making himself present among us through his son, Jesus. As a family, practice presence this holiday season by being present in the life of someone who may be overlooked by others.

8. As a family, make gifts and cards for friends and other family members. What better way to promote giving, family, and togetherness than to make gifts and cards for your friends and family. You’ll save money, your gifts will mean more because they’re from the heart, and your family will grow from the time spent together.

Regardless of how you choose to teach your children and teens about the true meaning of Christmas, be sure that you at least do it. Don't be reactive in teaching you're kids what Christmas is all about. Be intentional. Be proactive. Use this incredible opportunity to let your kids see God's message of hope: that He loved us so much, He sent his son Jesus. That's what Christmas is all about. And as parents, it's our responsibility to make sure our kids know the real reason for the season.

Surviving Black Friday

I love this time of year - the holiday parties, the Christmas decorations, the hot chocolate, peace & goodwill toward men, and trampling one another to save $5 on a waffle maker. Wait a second. One of those doesn't seem to fit.

But here's the truth, whether we like it or not: The holiday season includes the monster that we now call Black Friday...even though it now starts on Thursday.  But that's a whole different issue altogether, so I digress.

I wanted to share with you 3 Simple Steps To Surviving Black Friday and keeping the focus on Christ this Christmas.

#1:  Act Your Wage. If you choose to jump in to the deal extravaganzas this weekend, remember to act your wage. Don't spend money you don't have just because you can't pass up a sale. And remember, most of us spend money we don't have, to buy stuff we don't need, just to impress people we don't like. Don't get caught up in the frenzy.

#2:  Have A Plan. It's been said time and time again that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Stores are banking on customers just like you making lots of impulse purchases. Come up with a game plan based on your budget and stick to it. For our family, when it comes to our son, we have a simple gift plan. Our son gets four gifts each year: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read. It's a simple plan that keeps us focused on the real reason for the season.

#3:  Give Generously. If you really do believe that Jesus is the reason for the season, then you will show it with your pocketbook. Don't spend so much on Black Friday that you don't have the resources to be generous and give to the King of Kings this season. At Timber Ridge Church, we give our very best to Jesus at Christmas through our Christmas offering. (You can find out more about that by clicking here). If you attend Timber Ridge, I encourage you to begin to pray & plan so that you can be a part of this incredible opportunity we have to make a difference this Christmas. If you don't attend Timber Ridge, I encourage you to find a place to generously give this Christmas season to impact the lives of others with the love and hope of Jesus.

Black Friday may cost you to lose some hours of sleep, but don't let it force you to lose focus on what this holiday season is all about.

6 Lessons From This Presidential Election

It's 11:15 PM and I've been watching the election coverage on various news stations for a little more than two hours now. I've also been following the thoughts/posts/idea of my friends in social media circles tonight and the past few weeks in regards to this election.

Here are 6 Lessons We Can Learn From This Election:

1.  Regardless of who is our President, Jesus is our King. While my temporal citizenship is in the United States, my eternal citizenship is in the Kingdom.

2.  Jesus is the hope of the world and the church is his chosen delivery method. With a nation in the midst of turmoil and great need, what an incredible opportunity for the church to serve the world and be the agent of hope, love, and light that God intended for us to be.

3.  People on both sides of this presidential election have GROSSLY misused God's Word to prove their points. I'm not sure I have ever seen Hebrews 13 more mishandled in all my life, mostly by people who know better - or at least should.

4.  The Bible seems to be pretty clear that God has a hand in the placement of the leaders of the nations.  And it's clearly communicated that we are to pray for our leaders.  As Christ followers, we should pray for God's leadership, grace, and direction for their lives.

5.  People on both sides of this presidential election who claim to follow Jesus follow a political ideology far closer than they follow the King. I'm saddened by the hatred and lack of love that we have shown each other and the message we have shown the world.

6.  Regardless of who is elected President, we still live in a nation where we are supremely blessed. The freedoms, choices, and liberties we have in America are unbelievable.

Just my two cents worth...Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section!

Why I Need A LifeGroup

This week in homes all across Stephenville and Erath County we will be kicking off our LifeGroups here at Timber Ridge Church!  I just have to admit this: I love my LifeGroup. I absolutely love the people in my LifeGroup. And I need them in my life. In fact, I think we all need a group of people we can do life with. And here are some reasons I believe this:

• I need real friendship. Never in human history have we had this great of an 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 feel as lonely as we've ever felt. 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 LifeGroup 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 LifeGroup 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 LifeGroup 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 LifeGroup. 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 Timber Ridge Church, there is no better time to get connected than right now.  We really are better together. Find out for yourself and go HERE to register for a LifeGroup! I guarantee you'll be glad you did.

We've Got A Friend In Jesus

This Sunday at Timber Ridge we'll be continuing our Game Changer series by talking asking the question, "Who's in your huddle?"  We'll be looking at what the Bible says about healthy friendships and relationships.

All this thinking about relationships reminded me that we all have a friend in Jesus.  And that reminded me that we should probably get the Timber Ridge Church band working on this classic song for a performance one Sunday. :)

Communicate With Impact

I talk...a lot.  And I'm not just referring to my tendency to be long winded in conversations.  A big part of my job & my ministry is communicating the principles and truths of the Bible in a relevant and meaningful way.  I love what I do and it's a joy to get to use my gifts and abilities to make a difference for Jesus and His kingdom.

From time to time I get asked different questions about preparing and delivering a speech of some kind. So today on the blog I thought I'd share a few brief tips when it comes to communicating with any audience.

When I work on a sermon, speech, or message, I try to remember the 3 S's of A Speech with Impact.  Here you go:

S #1:  Short & Simple:  Too often people confuse impact with length.  The two are not identical.  If you want to communicate with impact, focus on delivering content that is simple and brief and captures the attention span of your intended audience.  Longer is not necessarily better.

S #2:  Share Stories:  People love stories.  There is something about a personal story that gives a message or a speech an added level of authenticity and allows the speaker to connect in a real way to his/her audience.  The more personal stories you can use, the better connected to your audience you will be.

S #3:  Show The Need:  In the past (think back decades & centuries, not just years) attending an event with a speaker or great orator was considered entertainment in our culture.  That's not the case anymore.  People choose movies, television, and youtube over listening to someone verbally communicate a message.  As a speaker, you need to give your audience a reason to listen.  The sooner you can show them the need that you are addressing in their lives, the quicker you will engage your audience & show them that you can add value to where they are in life.  Don't think that just because someone is sitting in the audience that they are dying to hear your message and captivated by your every word.  Truth is, their mind will wander quickly.  So show the need you are addressing early in your communication and remind them of that need often as you continue through your message.

There you have it.  The 3 S's of a message with impact.  Keep it SHORT, share a STORY, and SHOW the need.  Try out these principles the next time you have to share a message or communicate to a group and you'll be on track to not just talk, but to communicate with impact!

The Art of The Invite

A new school year is upon us and that means people are facing new schedules, new opportunities, and new routines.  And as families transition from their typical summer schedule back into a normal school-year routine, this can be a great time to capitalize on an opportunity to invite your unchurched friends, family, & neighbors to church.

At Timber Ridge, we are gearing up for a big Fall Kickoff this Sunday, September 9th.  We'll be celebrating our first birthday, celebrating changed lives with baptisms, as well as kicking off a brand new teaching series called Game Changer.  So Timber Ridgers, let's get our invite on and fill The House so that people far from God might be filled with life in Christ!

Here are some practical ways to practice The Art of The Invite:

1. Invite a friend to coffee at Starbucks and buy their drink.  As you talk about life, mention how your family benefits from attending church and use the opportunity to invite them to join you on Sunday.
2. Invite your neighbors over to dinner one night during the week.  Use this as an opportunity to personally invite them to church or to give them an invite card.
3. Take your child's teacher their favorite soft drink when you go to pick your child up from school one day.  Give them an invite card and ask them to join you at church when you give them the drink.
4. Bring donuts to leave in the breakroom at your work or office and place invite cards with the box of donuts.
5. The next time your family goes out to eat, leave a generous tip for your server along with an invite card to the church.
6. Bake cookies for your neighbors and invite them to church when you drop the cookies off at their house.
7. The next time you're in a drive thru line, pay for the order of the person behind you and give the cashier 2 invite cards.  Invite the cashier & let them know that one card is for them.  Ask them to give the other card to the car behind you who's meal you just purchased.
8. Invite the family/couple/people you sit next to at the football game on Friday nights.

However you do it, in the words of Nike, JUST DO IT.  Practice the art of the invite!  A simple invitation can lead to someone's life being changed forever by the hope & love of Jesus.

Art Auction

If you were at Timber Ridge on May 20th, you had the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible and creative artwork that our very own Landi Haynes did for us.  She transformed things like pain, failure, and brokenness into a beautiful picture of Jesus.  Here's one of the two almost identical pictures she painted in our services that day:

Landi has graciously offered to allow us to auction off both these paintings for a great cause.  We will be auctioning the paintings with 100% of the proceeds going directly to sending children to summer camp!  If you would like to bid on one of these paintings you may comment below or send your bid to info@timberridgechurch.com.  Bidding will end at 6 PM on Sunday, June 10th.  At that time, the paintings will go to the highest bidder.

Thanks Landi for using your talents to glorify Jesus and for generously investing in the children of this community!

Dig In

One of our core values at Timber Ridge is that we teach the Bible for life transformation.  It's not about how much Bible we know, it's about how much Bible we show.  We focus on not simply knowing what the Bible says, but living and doing what the Bible says.

Every single day we have the opportunity to interact and meet with the living God and Creator of the Universe by digging into His Word, the Bible.  What an incredible opportunity & privilege!

But sometimes, digging in to God's Word can be intimidating.  We don't know where to start or what to read.  If that's you, here's some help!  Below are some links to a few great reading plans so that you can get started in God's Word.  Just pick one & dive in!

Bible Reading Plans

• 30 Days With Jesus - A great Bible plan for people new to following Jesus or those who want to know more about the life of Jesus.
• 30 Days In The Word for New Christians - A great overview of general Bible principles for people who are new followers of Jesus or new to studying God's Word.
• The New Testament In A Year - This Bible reading plan will guide you through reading the entire New Testament part of the Bible in one year.

I'm An Addict

I have to confess that I am an addict.  That's right, I'm addicted - addicted to life-change!  At Timber Ridge, we are addicted to seeing Jesus change people's lives.  This past Sunday, we celebrated changed lives in a big way & had the opportunity of witnessing 15 people go public with their faith in Jesus through baptism.  It was an incredible day!  And just in case you missed it, here's a snippet of what it looked like.  Glory to God!

Who's Got Your Back?

We concluded our Manswers series at Timber Ridge on Sunday by answering the question "Who's Got Your Back?"  We talked about our need to closely examine our circle of friends and our core network based on the following truth:

Whether or not we become who God has called us to be will largely be dependent on two things:  Our faith and our friends.


If you missed the message, you can watch it online here.  To follow up with the thoughts I shared on Sunday, I wanted to share three qualities of a good friend.  If someone is going to really have your back in life, they probably need to be people who exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Sacrificial Love - In John 15, Jesus said this:  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  We need people in our lives who are willing to make sacrifices for us and who love us enough to look out for God's best in our life - even if it's costly.
2. Loyalty & Commitment - In Proverbs 27:6 the Bible teaches us this principle: Wounds from a friend can be trusted.  And in Proverbs 18, we read that there is a friend that sicks closer than a brother.  Personally, I'd rather have one good friend that speaks God's truth into my life and is loyal to me and trustworthy than 100 acquaintances who only tell me what I want to hear and can't be trusted to handle the difficult things in my life.  We need people who RUN TO US when the mess hits the fan, instead of run away from us.  We need people who are loyal through thick and thin.
3. Trustworthy - In James 5, the Bible tells us to confess our sins to each other and pray for one another so that we may be healed.  We need people that we can be honest and real with about the struggles we have in life.  But we need those people to know when to keep those struggles to themselves.  Here's a principle that will save you a lot of hurt & heartache in picking your inner circle of friends:  If they will talk about other people to you, then you can GUARANTEE that they are talking about you to other people.  

Life is too hard to go at it alone.  We need people who love us, are loyal to us, and can be trusted to help us through life's struggles.  We need someone who has our back.  

Real Men Are Under Authority

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.

One characteristic of a warrior is that he is a man under authority.  If you want to understand what the Bible says about authority, go read Romans 13:1-2 now.  As men, we must learn this vital lesson:  You can never be OVER someone until you have learned to be UNDER someone.  We have to learn to be men under authority.

As we think of being under authority, here are two questions to consider:

1. Am I falling under the authority of God?  If there any area in my life that I am refusing to submit to the authority and leadership of Jesus?  If so, confess it and correct it today!
2. Am I falling under the authority and accountability of a godly mentor?  Who do you have in your life who is speaking truth to you, asking you difficult questions, and pushing you to become more like Jesus?  Who are you accountable to?  If you currently don't have this relationship in your life, seek out someone this week who you can learn from about what it means to be a godly man, a godly husband and dad, and a man who follows hard after Jesus.

When we fail to live under authority and with accountability we are setting ourselves up for failure.  The Bible says that "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  We all need someone in our lives who is sharpening us!

Real Men Love Sacrificially

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.

One characteristic of a shepherd is that a shepherd loves sacrificially.  Jesus modeled this for us.  In John 10, Jesus said "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."  Jesus modeled sacrificial love for us.  And as men, we're called to love our families sacrificially.

In our culture, love is spelled with four letters: T-I-M-E.  Time is our most precious commodity.  It's our scarcest resource.  So we give our time to the things and the people we love.  Men - if we are going to love our spouses and our children sacrificially, it means that we sacrifice our own agendas, plans, and desires to make sure that we are spending quality TIME with the people we love.

So what can you do this week to sacrificially love your wife and kids?  You can spend TIME with them.  Maybe that means skipping out on watching the Rangers game in order to take your wife on a date night. If that's the case, then DO IT.  Love is spelled T-I-M-E.  Maybe it means leaving work at the office instead of bringing it home one night this week in order to have a family game night or take your kids to the park.  If that's the case, then DO IT.  Love is spelled T-I-M-E.

Men, we are called to love sacrificially.  What sacrifices are you making this week to make sure that your family knows that you love them?

Real Men Protect Bravely

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.

One characteristic of a shepherd is that shepherds protect bravely.  Think of the role of the shepherd in the Bible.  They were protectors.  In 1 Samuel 17, David - a young shepherd - tells of feats of killing lions and bears in order to protect his sheep!  That's bravery!

So how can we, as men, protect bravely the people God has placed in our lives?  It's all a matter of how we live.  We have to live in order to protect our families from the negative influences that can cause harm and hurt in their lives.

Today I want you to think of 3 areas where hurt and harm can creep into the lives of your family - specifically your kids - and evaluate what you are doing to protect them in these areas.

1. MEDIA - What standards are you setting for the influence that media has on your children?  You are responsible for the things your children watch and listen to.  What are you allowing them to be exposed to?  If you're looking for a good tool to find out the content of the tv shows, music, and movies your kids are exposed to, check out this great resource: PluggedIn.com.  It reviews current movies, music, and tv shows and gives you great information on what is influencing your children.
2. FRIENDS - What standards have you set for the people who influence you kids?  Are you making sure they have healthy friendships & are around people who will influence them in a positive way?
3. INTERNET - The internet welcomes the world - good and bad - right into our living rooms and homes.  What safeguards have you put on your kids' use of the internet in order to protect them from negative experiences or impacts?  Can I suggest three?
1. Computers are in "open" spaces only.  Make sure the computer use is in the family room and not behind closed doors of a bedroom.  This allows for more accountability and oversight!
2. Passwords and time limits.  Your computers and other devices that have online access should have a password where you can restrict your kids' access to the web.  Establishing time limits as to how much time your child is allowed online is also helpful in protecting them from negative experiences online.
3. Download an internet filter.  You need some type of accountability and filter on your computer.  Internet filters help block unwanted junk from the web that could negatively impact your child, as well as provide you with accountability to what your kids are exposing themselves to online.  Two great programs I recommend are xxxchurch.com or Covenant Eyes.

It's time for men to go on the offensive and be the protector that God has called us to be for our families!  We're called to protect bravely!

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!)