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Handing Things Off...

This next week marks my last week at Abundant Life.  It has been with mixed emotions that Cynthia and I felt God's call on us to pursue the next chapter He has for us. 

We have been with Abundant Life since the beginning, and seen our body grow from a few families to who we are today.  It has been a profound privilege for me to serve in many ministries, to be a part of the Eldership, and more recently to serve as the Executive Pastor.

Now so much that has been done and so many relationships that have been developed are being handed off to those who remain to carry on the work I have been blessed by.  Thank you all, Abundant Life Family; for your friendship, your support, your prayers, your love! 

I am reminded that all of us who are in Christ will enjoy eternity together and many of our relationships will transcend our time at Abundant Life.  For that I am so thankful.  We can keep in touch on facebook, at alanclother@gmail.com, and through my personal blog at www.alanclother.typepad.com. 

May God continue to pour Himself out on this community through you!

 

The Winding Road to an Abundant Life

At the Grotto they have added a prayer labyrinth designed to provide a disciplined journey that allows plenty of time to talk to God.  During my prayer and planning time a few weeks ago I watched as people looked at this "patio," maybe walked across it, and then moved on.  I decided to follow the path, and to my surprise, everyone after me did the same!  They just needed to see someone go before them.

As I sat on a nearby bench watching the others, several even offered me accountability for their journey.  "Hey, how am I doing?" and  "Is it much farther?" And it struck me; life is like this layrinth.  After people had cleared out I went back out and walked it again.  376 steps to the center, 31 twists and turns, but only 8 steps to the middle if you ignore the path.

God gives us a life with many twists and turns, and we get to decide whether to stay on the path and learn from each redirection, or try and take the fast track; only 8 steps to the middle if we skip the path.  And as I pulled back to look at the whole labyrinth, it's a big, beautiful circle full of details.  Details that represent fullness, experiences, and wisdom that enrich us and allow us to help others on their path. And I thought of John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

What if we tried to skip every twist and turn in life?  To take the short cut?  Don't let the thief steal your life away, stay on the path and have life to the full.  Jesus walked the path before us.  Follow him!

Restoration Announcement

This last weekend one of our Elders, Dr. John Thickins (that's him to the left) announced George's restoration to teaching starting October 2nd and 3rd.  You can click on the video below!

George will start us off by revisiting the message series "No Perfect People Allowed" with new insights.  A perfect series to get the fall off to a great start. 

Welcome back, George!

Pastor George Restoration Update #2 from Dave Proehl on Vimeo.

Dr. John Thickins, on behalf of the ALC Elderships, shares that Dr. George Powell will return to the platform the weekend of October 3rd.

Restoration Update

This weekend the Elders are announcing George's return to teaching October 2/3!  Here's a copy of the Family E-mail from Bob Bergers:

The last few months have been some of the most challenging days in the life of our church and yet they have been encouraging days as well. Since George shared his heart with us on June 19th & 20th and confessed areas of sin in his life, we put steps in place that we believed would be helpful to him, Ann and our church family. We know God is already using this season to change lives and make our church stronger.

George and Ann recently completed an intensive counseling program at Blessing Ranch, a ministry specifically designed to minister to Pastors and their spouses. George also continues to meet with a local Christian Counselor.  These efforts have helped him process events in his life and gain helpful tools equipping him to move forward and we believe you will witness him having a revitalized zeal for the Lord and His church.

As a result of the efforts George, his counselors and his accountability partners have put in over the last few months, coupled with the favorable reports we recently received from each of them,the elders have decided it’s time to reinstate George to his preaching role. We’re pleased to announce George will resume preaching duties beginning the weekend of October 2nd & 3rd and we’re looking forward to once again hearing him preach from his heart and trust you are too.

The elders can’t thank you enough for your patience during this time and more importantly for your prayers and continued support of God’s work through Abundant Life Church.

Even though these have been challenging times, we hold to His word that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

For questions or comments, feel free to contact the elders at: elders@coolchurch.com.

Restoration Update

Our Chairman of the Elders, Bob Bergers, offered an update during the weekend services last weekend.  Here's a link that works (thanks Dave!!!)   http://www.vimeo.com/13718935

Cynthia and I were camping at the coast this last week.  Cool mornings and campfire smoke.  We'll see you this next weekend.  Hey, maybe at the Cruise In on Saturday at the Happy Valley Campus?

Restoration Update

The Chairman of our Elders, Bob Bergers, forwarded me the statement below for everyone regarding George's restoration process.  That's him pictured to the left. 

Our Elders are a great group of guys, and I appreciate their covering over Abundant LIfe, especially during times like these where God is revealing the next place He wants us to learn and grow.  Pray for these guys.  They volunteer immense amounts of time to oversee Abundant Life, and often work behind the scenes unnoticed, but ever present.

Here's a link to their pictures on the web: Elders  George will be serving in an inactive status during his restoration process.

Here's the letter from the Elders:

The last several weeks have been some of the most challenging days in the life of our church.  We face challenges unlike any before.   God’s hand has already been evident as He uses this occasion to change lives and make our church even stronger.

 

We’d like to make you aware of some steps we are taking so that you can know how to be praying.

 

As announced during the June 19^th and 20^th services George has began meeting with a local Christian counselor.   Ann will be included in the counseling at a time to be established by the counselor.    During George’s time away from teaching he will continue to maintain normal office hours as he works with staff in processing this journey, learning, growing, and rebuilding relationships.

 

In addition, we are now several weeks into the program involving Bill Putman the consultant from CDF (Christian Development Fund).  Bill will be involved on an ongoing basis.  The term of Bill’s involvement is uncertain and yet to be defined but will become evident as progress is realized.

 

Please accept our thanks for your prayers and continued support of God’s work through Abundant Life Church. Even though these are challenging times, we hold to His word that all things work together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.   This is our hope and the promise that fuels our energy to move forward.

 

Your Abundant Life Elder’s

If you guys have any questions, shoot them to elders@coolchurch.com!

Building Blocks for Restoration

We continue on a crazy ride of God working with the Elders and staff in taking a look at how we do church, what’s important, what do we need to be doing to enjoy God’s blessing and covering. 

 

The Elders met again last night (until nearly 2AM, zzzzzzz), and the focal point of some of the discussion was “how are we doing at being Spirit led right now?” 

 

The Elders recognize that George’s recent confession, while significant in and of itself, really served as a catalyst to draw us into asking questions like:

 

· How are we doing in our own walks with God?

· How are we doing at offering accountability to one another for our walk, our growth, our priorities?

· How are we doing at modeling Christ for others first, while remaining relevant second?

· What are we doing to help people grow up as spiritual adults?  Spiritual parents for others younger in their faith?

 

It seems there are really three restoration paths that God is calling us to:

 

1.    George’s restoration to relational health with God and others

2.    Abundant Life’s restoration in areas that may have been neglected, or yet untouched as we’ve grown.

3.    George’s restoration toward regained leadership at Abundant Life.

 

The Elders talked with George last night about some steps to take in these areas.  George and Bob Bergers will be speaking to these in a seperate communication. 

 

I’m just excited to know that God cares enough about us to stir things up, and I trust Him to settle things down where He wants them.  This whole thing is a step by step journey, so you may find we don’t know all the answers, in some cases only questions.  But The Elders are focused and listening intently to what God wants to do with us.

 

Some things you will notice as a part of our near term journey:

 

George will not be teaching for the balance of the James series this summer as a minimum, to allow him time out of the spot light and invested in the restoration process which will include some outside help as well.  The Elders have asked Josh Galgan to teach the majority of these weeks. 

 

George will be assuming more of a peer to peer role with the management team in directing the regular activities of the church, and he and I will both report directly to the Elders.

 

We covet all your prayers as we travel this healing journey.  I trust that God will do a great work in us, if we are willing to do our work for Him.

 

 

 

 

Sin. It's a Family Affair

This weekend George shared his heart and soul with us as a church family.  If you missed it, you can see it at coolchurch.com this week.  Right up front, he didn't confess a torrid affair or something, but he made choices that hurt relationships and came broken before his church family.  Some have asked why he came before the church this weekend. Was it that big of a deal?

In 1 Timothy 5:20, Paul instructs the church in regard to our leaders: "Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning."  Rebuked means "exposed."  George "exposed" himself before his church family so we can learn from him.  Already people are offering they feel new release and prompting to deal with sin and broken relationships in their own lives and are encouraged by the Elders' leadership in growing Abundant Life to a new place of health and authenticity.

And as much as what George confessed isn't a HUGE deal to some, it is to others, and frankly it was sin.  Trust was broken with those closest to George, relational trust that is vital to the health of Abundant Life.  And it will take some time to get to the root of the issues, to get around the issues together as a staff and church family, and release God to do a mighty work in us, through which we will emerge stronger than ever. 

As a pastoral staff, we all love each other and are growing Christ followers just like everyone else.  And we are on a journey together right now.  It's a tough journey, but one that will bring new strength to Abundant Life.  It's a journey we can not afford to skip.  No short cuts either.  I'm thankful that we have a strong Eldership and Bill Putman, our mentor/consultant, to direct us through this process.

What is God doing in your life right now?  How's your relationship to God, to others?  What broken relationships are you experiencing because you've sinned against them?  Please join us on our journey.  A journey of individual brokeness, of confession, of healing, of growth. 

Trust and Leadership. How high is the bar?

I've had several occasions lately in marriage mentoring and pastoring situations where someone has lost trust in another.  "I don't know how I can trust anyone again..." is a common phrase.

It hit me yesterday in one of these conversations.  "Trust them for what?"  I responded.  And there was no response.  Great question, I guess.  We should be able to count on people for being people of their word, saying what they'll do, doing what they say.  To protect our best interests, our heart? Hmmm...

Maybe not.  People are people.  Even pastors. We mess up.  We get selfish.  We stop thinking about the other guy sometimes.  We hurt others. 

I like Proverbs 3:5-6.  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  God is love.  We can always trust him.  But that begs the question.  Trust him for what?  Wealth, power, postion, perfect relationships with our spouses?  Nope.  We can trust Him that as we acknowledge Him in all we do, that we can trust He will accomplish His purposes for us, and our life will have true meaning.

As pastors in the local church, our "day job" is caring for others, nuturing their relationship to God; training and equipping them.  But what happens when we are sinful humans?  None of us can hit the bar God has set.  That's why we need Jesus.  But what about when we don't hit the bar someone else has set for us?  We lose their trust.

Yesterday when that young lady I was talking to told me she trusted me as her pastor.  I responded "That means a lot to me.  It holds me accountable to not hurt you, to have your best interests in mind.  But if I don't know how high the bar is, I can't tell you whether or not you can trust me to clear it."

This weekend, George will be talking about a way in which he feels he may have lost trust; not met our expectation of him as our pastor.  I appreciate his heart to talk to us about it.  So as you listen, remember, he's our pastor, and he's also human.

Thinking Beyond Ourselves

I had the opportunity to speak at the Gresham Chamber of Commerce yesterday on behalf of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  I'm the Bike MS "voluntary volunteer leader" this year, which has really helped me see our church from the volunteer's perspective so much better. 

When you're on staff at a church, you lose touch of what it's like to have another life outside of the local church.  We have this saying on staff that goes like this "Remember, our people don't think about church all week like we do.  They go home after church and think about their own lives..."

The truth is, as maturing Christ followers, we are to think about the kingdom all week in everything we do, and the local church is just one tool to accomplish what we've each been called to do.

So, back to the Chamber meeting...  my challenge to the business leaders was to think beyond their patrons, those they already do business with, those who meet their needs in growing their business; to think about the community as  whole, and what they can do as leaders that transcends their balance sheets, and pays back in good will given and received.  Basically making an impact on the community just because it's right, not because it builds their business.  And ofcourse, to volunteer at the Bike MS event.

The same is true for the local church.  We need to be known as lovers of people, not to grow our local church, but to grow the kingdom, because it's what God calls us to do. 

What are you prepared to do this summer that pays back only in goodwill given and received?