John Lindell My blogs on life, family and ministry.

Dear James River Family,

It’s one of the things we have always loved and admired about the people of James River—when presented with an opportunity to step out in faith and reach more people for Christ—the JRA people are enthusiastic, committed and ready to move forward!

Yesterday in the morning service, we shared details on the launch of a new James River Campus in southwest Missouri. In the message, we celebrated what has been an amazing season of numerical growth for the church and presented studies that show in the next 20 years the greater Springfield area will grow by 200,000 people. With that as a backdrop, we presented the following:

1.   The Lord builds the church

2.   This new campus will be one church in two locations: 1 James River Campus + 1 Wilson’s Creek Campus = 1 James River Assembly

3.   A building has been leased in southwest Springfield near the intersection of the James River Freeway & the West Bypass

4.   Sunday services at the Wilson’s Creek Campus will include live worship with preaching via a video venue

5.   The new Wilson’s Creek Campus will replicate the James River Assembly children, youth and worship ministries

6.   The Wilson’s Creek Staff will include:

a.   John and Debbie Lindell, Lead Pastors
b.   Curt and Deb Cook, Campus Pastors
c.   Todd and Tina Yearack, Life Groups
d.   Jamie and Michelle Bell, Realife Student Ministries
e.   Caleb and Kim Rankin, Elementary
f.    Jason and Christy Mars, Early Childhood

7.   The Wilson’s Creek Campus has 787 volunteer positions that need to be filled

8.   The Wilson’s Creek Campus will launch on September 20, 2009

9.   An informational meeting will be held in the Realife Student Center on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 4:00 PM

During the service, we gave people the opportunity to fill out a card if they were interested in being a part of this historic opportunity and 723 people responded by filling out cards!

We can’t wait to see what God is going to do through this expansion of the James River ministry. Like Moses in Psalm 90 we pray, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”

The Best is Yet to Come!

John and Debbie
Lead Pastors

I’m still thinking about Sunday’s message and the verse from Luke 24:16, “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (esv)

It’s hard when you can’t see God–especially if you’re going through a difficult time in your life. In the case of those discouraged disciples headed home to Emmaus their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. Some have called it blindness caused by doubt. To be sure, doubt blurs faith’s vision. But in the Greek it’s a passive verb which places the responsibility outside the disciples.

As the story unfolds it becomes obvious God hid Himself to teach them. Had Jesus allowed them to immediately recognize Him, their joy and their questions would have set the agenda. But since there were things they needed to know and lessons they needed to learn; “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.”

In Isaiah 45:15 we read, “Truly you are a God who hides yourself. O God of Israel, the Savior” (esv).

Does God seem to have hidden Himself in your situation? Before their eyes were opened those two disciples on the road to Emmaus had their hearts set on fire by hearing God’s Word and being in God’s presence. In time they discovered the encouraging truth that the Lord was with them even when they didn’t see Him.

For most Pentecostals, it’s all about the miracles baby! By definition a miracle is when God intervenes in the natural flow of events of time and space and performs a supernatural act. But equally supernatural, and far more often, God is working in our lives via supernatural providence where He works out His will, not by changing the natural course of events, but by working through the natural processes of life (decisions & actions of people, timing, etc.) to accomplish His purposes in the lives of His children.

The problem with providence is that it’s best seen as we look back. Only then do we find ourselves saying, “Oh I get it” or “God, You are amazing!”

As a believer, it’s such a comfort and encouragement to know that no matter what is happening in my life God is working…whether I can see it or not.

Psalm 37:23, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (nlt)

Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (esv)

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,* for those who are called according to his purpose.” *(Some manuscripts: God works all things together for good, or God works in all things for the good) (esv)

God is working…Wow! He is at work in me, through me, and controls the events of my life!

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sang a song entitled, God is Working

Though you cannot see and you can’t quite understand
Remember God is still in control
He has promised to bring you through somehow
He is working even now.

God is working, He’s still working
God is working even now.
Though we often don’t know just how
God is working, He’s still working

It made me think of the song! There weren’t any drums or guitar breaks…just damp pavement on a newly sealed parking lot & my own competitive spirit trying not to get blown out on a 200 meter run at the end of a workout. A skinned shoulder and knee–it could have been worse. Next time I’ll take the corner a bit more carefully.

We can learn from wipeouts…better to learn without them! Someone has said you can learn the hard way by making mistakes yourself, you can learn the easy way by learning from other’s mistakes, or you can learn the best way and that’s by not making mistakes at all. I suspect even when we are walking to close to the Lord–He lets us learn some things the hard way. But from where I am sitting you are always better off to avoid the Wipeout!

Some of you knew it, others probably never thought about it, but I was reminded of it again this week—I am adopted. My father had always wanted to adopt. In fact, before I was even born he had determined that he would adopt me as his son. A while back I happened upon a copy of a letter which mentions my adoption and when I read it, frankly it blew me away. Here’s what it said, “Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)” Ephesians 1:5 (The Message)

Maybe you have been adopted too! If you have, let me remind you of some things all of us who have been adopted should never forget:

1. Our Father loves to adopt. It’s been something He has done since Old Testament times and is still doing today. (Deuteronomy 32:10; Ezekiel 16:3)
2. He really wants us in His family–so much so that He reminds us continually of His love for us and the relationship we have with Him! “You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (nlt)
3. God has a new name picked out for each of us! “I’ll give the sacred manna to every conqueror; I’ll also give a clear, smooth stone inscribed with your new name, your secret new name.” Revelation 2:17 (The Message)
4. Jesus is our big brother! (Hebrews 2:11)
5. There is an inheritance waiting for us that will blow our mind! (John 14:3; Ephesians 1:18, Romans 8:23)
6. You are part of a family. “You are members of God’s family.” Ephesians 2:19 (nlt)

The words “I’m adopted” never sounded so good or meant so much!