Leaving Haiti

I’m sitting in the airport in Port-Au-Prince right now, waiting for our plane to Miami.  All I can say about the trip is WOW…

• the Haitians are such wonderful, beautiful people.  I have never been so warmly received!
• This nation is in need of help.  The people are willing to do work, they need equipping and education.
• Palm Valley Church will be a part of that!
• Definite highlight was preaching in Value Baptist Church last night; the church Palm Valley built last year.
• The Haitians know how to worship.  They have such joy and passion for Jesus!
• Saw the church in Julienne that we helped build last year with hurricane relief, and where we are building a well.  You’ll see video soon.
• There are some great leaders here that need our partnership.  I believe strongly in them.
• I can’t wait to speak this weekend at PVC about the Greater Things I believe God has called us to.  Don’t miss this weekend!  I mean it, don’t miss this weekend!!  Seriously!!!
• Pray for us as we travel home today and tomorrow, lots of flying.
• Can’t wait to meet with leaders of PVC tomorrow night to challenge them to lead in the Greater Things commitment.
• Can’t wait to see my kids, miss them so much!!  Thankfully I got to love on hundreds of Haitian kids this week; they are so loving.
• See you this weekend at PVC!!

Dominican Day 1

Awesome time in Santo Domingo today.  Toured some of the churches in the network we are working with. My heart was really touched at Villa Hermosa, one of the poorest ghettos of the city.  They Yulien, who’s 24 years old, and his wife have a huge heart for this community.  The church is growing and creatively reaching hundreds of kids each week.

Palm Valley’ers:  I got to see the hurricane shelter built with money we gave them.  It’s used as a school classroom for 97 kids during the week, but will also keep them safe in an emergency.

Had dinner and late night with pastors and leaders from the area, awesome to hear how God is working through them.  I love the unity and vision they have to help lost and hurting people find hope and life in Jesus Christ!!

It’s almost 1:00 am as I write, and we have to be up at 5:00 am for our flight to Haiti, so I”m off to sleep!

Weekend Reflections

• This was “Student Takeover” weekend, and it rocked!!
• When they hit “How Great Thou Art” and “Mighty To Save” the house was on fire.
• I seriously cried my way through the weekend.  To experience the passion our our young people, and the response of the church broke me down.
• I believe it’s time for our church to provide a building for the next generation where they will know they are a priority.
• PVC’ers: we’ve got to “pray and obey”.
• Loved speaking into the lives of our young people, challenging the to…
  • honor the previous generations
  • live out their faith
  • lead with passion
• Amazing moments when the church laid hands on the teens and prayed a blessing over them.
• I pray our students will place the feet on the foundation that is Jesus, not follow the winds of culture.
• Can’t wait for the “open house” at the new building next weekend.
• Right after church Lori and I headed to the airport and flew to Fort Lauderdale.
• Landed at 10:30 and caught a shuttle to Miami and our hotel.
• Leave in the morning for the Dominican Republic.
• I feel like I’m in an episode of  “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”.

Hopefully I’ll be able to find internet and blog from the Dominican and Haiti this week, stay tuned!

This Weekend At Palm Valley

A Video Message From Pastor Greg

Weekend Reflections

Crazy weekend with Halloween (i wrote it) and no Saturday services…

• Not being able to do Saturday services due to a school event (that never happened) is reason #273 why we need to move to our own place.  Feels like God is nudging us to walk in faith!
• I enjoyed not having to wake up Saturday morning with the “preaching pressure”, but Lori replaced it with a list of household tasks I could do with my free time. That’s why we’re keeping Saturday services
• My little Raiders finished the regular season 7-0, playoffs and championship game next Saturday.  I’m praying I don’t make some stupid play calls and mess it up for the kids.
• Enjoyed talking with neighbors out and about Saturday night; although our neighborhood was pretty quiet.  Gave out candy by the bagfulls, still have tons of leftovers.
• What’s with families coming by at 9:20 p.m., when all of our lights are already turned out? It was a challenge to show them the love of Jesus.
• Felt weird to wake up Sunday to preach, w/o having done Saturday night.
• Halloween weekend/no Saturday services/flu/swine flu/building campaign = down crowds.  Reminded myself this morning we’re in this for the long haul.
• Loved teaching the message this weekend:  It’s all about helping get lost and hurting people in front of Jesus so they can find life and hope through Him!
• I love that our church gets the phrase: “it’s not about us”.  Thanks PVC for being such an awesome church family!
• I’m nervous about the Greater Things campaign, which is awesome, because it means this is bigger than us!!
• Can’t wait for the open house at the new building, November 15th!!
• Getting pumped about our trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti next week.  Praying God will open more doors for us to really invest and make a huge difference in this island.
• In Haiti we’ll be targeting partnerships with Churches and Christian orphanages.  It’s going to break my heart to see and hug these children!  Lori and I will probably end up bringing home a few kids. How can you not??
• Don’t miss next weekend at PVC as the children and students of PVC take over the worship service.  It’s going to be awesome to see what God  is doing in the lives of young people.
• We’ve cancelled all youth services this weekend so the students can be in the “big” worship service.
• Parents, make sure you bring your students; I have a special word I want to speak into their lives!
• Have a blessed week

Weekend Reflections

Been a few weeks w/o blogging, getting ready for the “Greater Things” series we started this week…

• and what a great kick-off it was!  I love the passion and heart PVC’ers have for reaching the lost and hurting to help them experience hope and life in Christ!
• Announced that 197 families took the “90 Day Tithe Challenge” last week.  Huge step of faith for alot of people.
• So much excitement on the patio after services; great encouragement from our church family about the next steps.
• I believe we have the strongest body and leadership we’ve ever had as a church, no doubt.  It’s showing in the way people are being discipled at PVC.
• Taught on John 14:12.  It’s such a litmus test and reminder that we’re called to do the things Jesus did: love the lost, heal the hurting, share the gospel.
• We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us, but I believe we’re going to see a miracle happen.
• Can’t wait to for the Open House at the new building: November 15th, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
• Remember: the goal is 100% participation:
  • praying every day (visit www.pvcgreaterthings.com for daily prayer guide and info)
  • Daily Bible reading
  • Every person in our church finds a place of service
  • financial giving (pray and obey)!
• The next 5 weeks are going to be crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!  PVC’ers, I love being your pastor!!

Prayer of Blessing

This weekend we concluded our series “Staying In Love”.  As part of the message, Lori and I prayed a prayer of blessing over our church.  It was  a prayer we wrote summarizing the teaching of this series.  Here it is:

Father, we thank you today for your great love for us, for the model of love you gave us through Jesus.  Thank you that through His sacrificial love we have forgiveness and find life.

We pray today that you would help us to love in the same way. Help us to do nothing from vain conceit, but rather in humility, valuing others as more important than ourselves.  Lord, we pray that we would not look to our own interest but to the interest of others, forsaking our rights in order to display true love, for you have taught us that:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Father, we pray for those today who are single.  We pray for this season in their life, that you would help them to make Jesus their priority, to be content and wait upon you.  We pray that you would help them to maximize each day for you.  For those who have struggled through the painful end of a marriage, we pray for healing in their hearts and knowledge that you still have a great plan and purpose for their life.

Lord, we pray for every man today, that you would help us to be men after your own heart.  Help us to guard our hearts in purity, forsaking the temptations of the world and be set apart for you. We pray that we would be men whom can be counted upon, men of character and integrity who lead in our homes, our church, and our community in a Christ-like manner.

Lord, we pray for every woman today, that you would help us to know the beauty and purpose you created us with.  We thank you for the unique role we have.  May we not conform to the standards of this world, but walk securely in the knowledge of who we are, because of whose we are.  May we be an example of Christ’s love and grace in all we do.

Lord, we thank you for the institution of marriage that you have given us, and for the marriages represented today. We thank you that You have brought two people together and made them one. Help us to make our marriages a priority, to pursue each other with affection and devotion, to partner as we journey through life together.

We thank you that in marriage you desire to give us more than anything we could ever ask or imagine.

We pray for marriages that are struggling, even feeling hopeless.  We pray that you might renew hope, and remind us that with God all things are possible.  Remind us that true life change is found when we surrender our will to yours.  Help hurting marriages not to look to the world, but to look to you, where our help comes from.  Help us not to conform to the patterns of this world, but to allow you to change us by changing the way we think and live. Place our lives, our marriages, our homes, on the rock solid foundation of Jesus Christ and the truth of Your Word.

Father, I pray that you would help each partner in marriage to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Cause husbands to be leaders in our home, loving their wives as Christ first loved the church, by giving His life for her.

We thank you today for the role you have given wives in marriage.  Thank you that you created Eve from the rib of Adam, and fashioned her as a gift to him. Cause us as wives to submit to our husbands as to Christ, respecting them, seeking to protect them as the rib protects the heart.

And we pray that what you have brought together, we would not allow any man to separate.

So Father we commit each marriage to you, to your hands and your power; your love.  We pray your blessing upon each marriage today, help them to stay in love. In the name and power of Jesus Christ we pray, amen!

Another Don’t Miss Weekend

Weekend Reflections

I just never get tired of the life change that happens at Palm Valley Church every week!!

• My favorite comment spoken to one of our pastors today after a service, “you guys f**^*** nailed it”. Made me laugh out loud.  Shouldn’t that comment offend a pastor?  No, because it tells me we’re hitting our target.  We’re a church committed to reaching those far from God, that they might be filled with hope and life through Christ!  Comments like that cause me to rejoice!
• We began recording for our first worship album in all 5 of our services.  Very cool to see Derrick and Sean’s leadership in this project, and how it’s all coming together.  Our hope is that this will encourage people and help them worship God throughout the week.
• Some tense moments in the service as I talked about some real life issues like living together, adultery, honesty, etc.  I love the “Holy discomfort” when God is working in us.
• I pray that we will listen to His Word, and obey His Word, even when we don’t feel like it!
• Singles, if you’re living together and want to commit, get a marriage license and call or come to the church office, we’ll marry you on the spot.  BTW…you can also sign up for our pre-marriage mentoring minstry and get a great start.
• Tons of people going to the Fresh Start table.  I love that every person who makes a decision for Christ at PVC is discipled and helped to grow. Way to go Paul and the Fresh Start team!
• Loved that our people get excited about our “Buddies Ministry” for special needs children.  I meant what I said, every special needs child in the west valley need to know they matter to God and will be loved on at PVC.
• had pastors from other churches visiting today to check out what we’re doing at PVC.  Cool to share our lessons from 9 years being a portable church.  It’s good stewardship of our mistakes!
• Pastor Daniel was in Las Vegas preparing for our missions teams to go and help Verve, a church plant in Vegas.  If you’d like to go on a 4 day mission trip in October or November email him at dconner@palmvalley.org
• Lots of buzz about the new building. Keep praying for the process and your part in it!
• My Lil’ Raiders played great Saturday. I love the kids and the guys coaching with me.  So much fun!  Now if we could get under 100 degrees
• My NFL Raiders dropped the Chiefs; that makes me happy!
• Great small group tonight, I love the guys in our group and the growth we’re experiencing together.  If you’re not in a small group, I encourage you to get in one today.
• Don’t miss our “Night of Worship” this Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm. It will be an evening of passionate worship, and we’ll be recording it for our new album.  Make sure you come pack the house and sing it out, we want the essence of PVC worship to come through on this project!

Adultery?

As I’m teaching through the Staying In Love series, one of the hot buttons we’ll be dealing with is adultery.  Unfortunately the numbers of men and women stepping out of the marriage is skyrocketing, and seemingly becoming accepted in our culture.  I want to encourage you to tune in to ABC’s “Nightline” program next Thursday, because the topic is adultery.

A mentor and friend of mine, Ed Young Jr., will be debating live from his church with a couple who runs a website that promotes adultery (i hope you’re not familiar with it).  I’m praying for Ed, and believe he will do an awesome job.  Don’t miss it, NEXT Thursday night on ABC…

“Thursday, September 17, Ed Young faces off with one of culture’s most outspoken advocates for adultery. Through this debate, Ed will have a unique opportunity to deliver God’s truth about this topic to an international stage.”

This show is being recorded tonight, and shown next Thursday.