Exploring Mark

It was a great weekend at Palm Valley Church this week. If you missed it we began exploring the Gospel of Mark. We kicked off this weekend by comparing the four Gospels and learning how they compare to one another. I enjoyed sharing the stage with Mark Grochocki – Care and Missions Pastor, Paul Lewis – Small Groups Pastor, Mark Olmos – Pastor of Discipleship, and Darius Sanders – Family Life Pastor. These men helped us understand the nuances of all the Gospels.

If you would like to have the chart that we created throughout the service you can download it here.

Don’t miss next week as we continue Exploring Mark.

Great Book

I’ve recently read a great book called “Phishers of Men”, by Milan Dabyar, a member of Palm Valley Church. It’s an incredible story of his real life experience having his identity stolen, both literally and through life events. it’s a great read, and will encourage you to be reminded that your true identity comes in Christ.

I encourage you to grab the book, and tomorrow there’s a great opportunity to meet Milan (Mike) and have him sign your book!

Event: ‘Meet the Author’ event for Milan D. Babyar – Author of ‘Phishers of Men’
www.LandofUz.com
Books are available for $15.00 or by going to the website.
Date and Time: Saturday December 17, 2011 1pm – 3pm
Location: Blue Sky Java 15661 W Roosevelt Ste 105 Goodyear, AZ 85338
(Directly south of the Walmart)
(623) 925-1081 www.blueskyjava.com

Response to the Penn State situation

i’ve been asked so many times this week what my opinion is about Joe Paterno being released, I thought I’d post a response with my thoughts.  I’ve always been a big fan of Joe Paterno, and the success and longevity he’s had.

First, my heart goes out to the victims of this alledged crime. If it’s true, a number of young men have been deeply injured. I pray for them that they will find healing through this.

Regarding Joe Pa’s firing, let me state: I totally and completely agree that he had to be released.  By all means Joe was a great coach and a huge positive factor in the development of young men who played football for him. The love & respect displayed for him by former players this week is a testimony to his impact on their lives.

However, he had a much greater responsibility to respond in a stronger way than he did.  Upon hearing from an assistant that one of his coaches was seen showering with a young boy, his response was to report it to the athletic director, and leave it at that.  Worse yet, the perpetrator was allowed continued access to the football program and was endorsed in running football clinics for young boys. Apparently, this afforded more opportunities for boys to be abused.  This is unconscionable.

When someone is entrusted with leadership, they’re responsible to lead at a higher level.  Joe Paterno failed to protect young men.  If i was told that one of my staff was showering with young boys, I would do much more than tell my board.  I would confront him, place him on immediate leave, and call the police. If an investigation proves he’s innocent, then great, he’s reinstated.  However, you cannot take such accusations so lightly.

The Bible says that to whom much is given, much is required. In this case, with the position of coach and all the authority he had, Joe Paterno failed to live up to his responsibility.  His release was the right decision and I fully support it.

Great Conference for Church Planters

Vault  <http://vaultconference.com/> will bring you deep inside the thinking and methods Vince Antonucci and Verve Church use in Las Vegas, which have led them to reach atheists, pimps, prostitutes, bikers, Wiccan witches, Buddhists, strippers, lesbians, and many more of the truly lost, the people Jesus called all of us to reach.
How can YOUR CHURCH go from reaching church shoppers to reaching people who don’t like church? That’s what Vault is all about, and you don’t want to miss the conversation!

This year special guest John Burke <http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Authors/Author.htm?ContributorID=BurkeJ&QueryStringSite=Zondervan>  will be leading three sessions of Vault.  You may have seen John speak at Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit.  He’s the author of No Perfect People Allowed, and the church planter and pastor of Gateway <http://www.gatewaychurch.com/> , one of the most  effective evangelistic churches in America. John will share principles you can use to reach people who are truly far from God.
The other special guest is Will Mancini <http://www.willmancini.com/> , author of Church Unique and leader of Auxano.  Will is one of the sharpest leaders in the church world today, and will be speaking on vision clarity.
The conference is from October 10-12, in Las Vegas, just two miles south of the Strip. The cost is only $125 (or $100 for groups of 2 or more), which includes three meals, book giveaways, and a Vegas show thrown in just for fun! The conference is limited to about 100 people, which provides for an amazing dynamic that promotes learning and relationships. But it also means that registration will fill up soon, so register today <http://vaultconference.com/registration/> !

Fall Discipleship at PVC

11 years ago I cast the vision for discipleship at Palm Valley Church, with the focus being on helping every person take their next step in their relationship with Christ.  It excited me to see this coming to fruition.  On weekends every week we see people take the most important step and give their life to Christ.  We have Fresh Start guides to receive them and plug them into a Fresh Start Class. From there, believers are challenged to be baptized and plug into a New Believers Growth group, which guides them into a Small Group.  Then we offer our discipleship courses.  Look at this Fall’s list of Courses, then get signed up for the one that will help you take your next step…

Here’s the line-up for Equipping U this Fall.  Classes will run on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30pm, Sept. 14-Nov. 16th.  It’s great equipping for your teams, small groups, or yourself.  Sign-up time is now!

* Understanding the Bible – by Ben Druyor
* (NEW!) How to Study the Bible – by Sean Smith (also Darius Sanders)
* Walk Across the Room (Evangelism) – by Rusty Hood
* Apologetcis I – by Rob Chamness
* Know What You Believe (Basic Theology) – by Ryan Nunez
* Leadership 101 – by Greg Rohlinger and Mark Olmos
* Divorce Care – by Mark Grochoki and Tracy Hodges
* Financial Peace – by Eddie James
* Marriage Mentoring (Starts 9/2 Friday nights ) – by Pablo and Kay Ruiz
* Grief Share (Starts 9/7 Off-site) – By Chuck and Racquel Lewis

You can get more information on the classes online at : http://www.palmvalley.org/next-steps/equipping-u/

Thankful

The past month has been an emotional roller coaster, but one of the predominant emotions I’ve had is simply thankfulness. Just a few of the reasons…

• I’m thankful for the ways Jesus has already shown His grace to me. He’s encouraged my heart and drawn very close to me.  He is my hope and my Savior; i trust in Him.
• I’m thankful for my bride, Lori. She’s my best friend and hasn’t wavered in her commitment to me. I know there are times when reality hits her, and I find her crying, yet I’ve seen an incredible resolve and strength in her. I believe her role in this is much tougher than mine.
• I’m thankful for my children, they’re my joy and a constant blessing.  They keep me laughing and living for today.  I see the weight they’re carrying, the sadness they have when they watch me stumble or give myself shots, yet their resiliency is inspiring to me.
• I’m thankful for my dad. It doesn’t seem right for a dad to stand and pray over his son to be healed and live, yet I watched my dad do just that with incredible faith and resolve for my healing.  He also bought me golf clubs and has pushed me to play again
• I’m thankful for our families.  Lori and I have received incredible support from both our families, praying for us and bringing encouragement.
• I’m thankful for Palm Valley Church. What a blessing to have a church family that’s so incredibly committed to our family.  From hundreds of cards, to meals, to encouraging word and hugs, PVC has blessed us. I believe God is going to do even greater things through us as we walk this journey together!
• I’m thankful for my staff, who have been unwavering in their commitment to the Lord, our church, and to Lori and me.  They’ve picked up the slack, allowed me to take time to focus on my health, and they’re leading our church through tough times.  I know they are hurting, wondering what’s next, but they are amazing leaders and friends!
• I’m thankful for friends.  Lori and I have close friends who have run to our sides and lifted up our arms. We have shed many tears of joy together as we’ve recounted the blessings God has given us in our friendships.
• I’m thankful for the body of Christ.  Churches, literally around the world, have prayed for me.  People i’ve never met are fasting and praying for me. I’m simply overwhelmed at the outpouring of support from the most beautiful thing on the planet, the body of Christ, the Church!

A New Norm

Over the past few weeks Lori and I have sought to gain understanding of what we face, and how best to proceed. The National Institute of Health defines my illness as…

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by symptoms of autonomic nervous system failurs such as fainting spells and bladder control problems, combined with motor control symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, and loss of motor coordination.MSA affects both men and women primarily in their 50s.

The disease tends to advance rapidly over the course of 2-9 years, with progressive loss of motor skills, eventual confinement to bed, and death. There is no remission from the disease. There is currently no cure.

So, our new norm is asking God for a miracle while coping with an understanding that He may choose not to heal me. Our response is to trust Him and honor Him. We’re seeking out and trying a myriad of alternative treatments, physical therapy and supplements. We’ve decided to carry on with life as normal as possible, yet making the most of every day with our children, our friends and our Church family.

As far as the doctors saying there’s no treatment or cure, as I said in my message this weekend, “I ain’t trying to hear that” , we’re going to do everything possible to beat this thing!

Jesus Is Healer

As I embark on this journey with my diagnosis, i have full faith that Jesus is Healer. Here’s the message I preached a few weeks ago, the day we announced my diagnosis to our Church family…

Health Update

This weekend I shared with PVC what Lori and I have found out recently about my diagnosis. Here is what we shared with the church and would like to share with all of you:

Easter Opener

The opening video/music that our Creative Arts team put together was absolutely ridiculous. Blew me away. Enjoy…