Author Archives: dennyowens

Monday Morning Musings …

Yesterday had several wonderful and meaningful happenings. A huge distraction was removed when some tweaks were made to the sound system at my 10:30 church and they helped a lot. Still some issues to iron out, but we did have sound and my throat is very happy about that change. As for my musings …

-We had a great time with people responding to the message in my 10:30 church. It was encouraging to see many coming forward for their own needs, for burdens for others and to pray with other people who came forward. I love seeing the altars being used.

-In my 9:00 church the spirit was pretty good and there seems to be more people really engaging during the messages.

-We had at least one new person in attendance at both churches. There was also one person who visited the previous Sunday who returned to the 10:30 church.

-We had a great turnout of people interested in serving in our First Impressions/Greeter ministry in my 10:30 church. The number was much greater than we anticipated and they seemed genuinely excited about the changes that will be taking place.

-We are adding another children’s Small group/Sunday School class to my 10:30 church due to increased numbers. That means some rearranging and sprucing up of some rooms. What a great problem! 

-I found myself really struggling with my prayer times this past week. I was constantly being distracted in my thinking. Thankfully I was able to keep coming back to praying. I am also grateful that I am getting more established in some prayer patterns that help keep me focused when I might otherwise get sidetracked or put it off.

-I will be very glad when I get my sermons back to being the same at both of my churches. VBS being at different times in the two churches got that off track back in the middle of July. Two more weeks then I should be back in line. Preaching a different sermon at each church has been mentally tiring for sure. Keeping my thoughts straight (which is always an issue for me) in preparing and especially presenting has taken a lot of focus.  

-In my 9:00 church the attendance was outstanding. In my 10:30 church, not so much.

-In my role as chaplain at the local hospital I dealt with another family who lost a loved one this past week. I am honored to be available and able to minister to them, but emotionally that is difficult. Especially when it was not anticipated.

-On Saturday there was an open house celebration for the 60th wedding anniversary for a couple in my 10:30 church. What a great time of celebrating that was and what a great example that is to all of us.

-I will be making another trip to O’Hare this week. This time to pick up my daughter in law and their two youngest kids and then my son. My daughter in law just took our oldest grandson to college and my son just took their next two oldest ones back to Kenya to begin their school year. My son, daughter in law and their two youngest will be in states for another 5 weeks sharing in churches and seeing some family and friends before they head to a new work in another country in Africa.

-During worship yesterday we sang the song “Oceans” by Hillsong. The line “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders” really got to me yesterday. Thinking of having our family in 3 different countries and the ones in this country being in 4 different states brought new meaning to the idea of borders. I am grateful that they are all serving Jesus and that He loves them and is with them all no matter where they are or what they are facing. 

Here’s hoping you are allowing God to pick you up no matter what circumstance you are facing.

Dennis

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3 years is a long time …

You may be reading this and thinking to yourself, “Well, duh! Of course 3 years is a long time.” Or maybe you are taking a long view of things and thinking 3 years isn’t so long when compared to a lifetime or compared to eternity. 

Let me put my statement of fact that 3 years is a long time into perspective. In the last 3 years I have moved 2 states away to become pastor of a different church. I have since added another church and am currently pastoring 2 churches. Also I have had the joy of welcoming 2 new grandkids, 2 bright, beautiful, lively girls were born into our family in the past 3 years. My daughters and their families have both moved, one of them 2 states away and one of them across town, all in the past 3 years. A lot can change in 3 years because 3 years is a long time.

Why am I bringing up the fact that 3 years is a long time? Yesterday I drove my son and 2 of my grandsons to the airport where they boarded a flight taking them to Kenya. Actually they are returning to Kenya. Just over 3 years ago my son, daughter in law and 5 of my grandkids headed to Kenya where they have been serving as missionaries. They have been back in the states for 5 weeks. All of them were with us for 10 days when they first arrived and my son and 2 of his boys were with us for 4 days again. My daughter in law will be taking my oldest grandson to college in a couple of days. Then next week my son flies back from Kenya and I will pick him up along with my daughter in law and their 2 youngest kids. They will be using our home as their base for 5 weeks while they speak at a few churches and see some friends and family. Then they will get on a plane and head back to Africa to begin serving in a brand new ministry in a different county. 

The greatest adjustments will be for my son, daughter in law and their kids. They will be scattered across 2 continents and 3 different countries. I have been praying for their adjustments to this new reality. In fact I began praying for their adjustments almost a year ago knowing it would be difficult for all of them.

Yesterday as my wife and I hugged our grandsons there were tears, at least there was in our eyes. As we walked back to our vehicle to begin the 3 hour drive home I said, “That was a lot harder than last time, because now we know how long 3 years is”. You see, I know that 3 years is a long time.

When we dedicated our son to the Lord we committed to raise him according to God’s Word and we agreed to embrace God’s will for his life. We still embrace that commitment. We didn’t know how long 3 years were back then, but we do now. I am thrilled that all of my kids are serving the Lord and I am excited that my son and his family are being obedient, even if it means that they (remember that includes grandkids) are more than 16 flying hours away. But there are moments that are not easy. Yesterday was one of those moments.

The key to all of this is to be obedient. To remember that a commitment to serve and follow Jesus sometimes means that many things change. But God is still God and He is still watching over my kids and grandkids. I comfort myself with the knowledge that God loves my kids and grandkids even more than I do. 

But for today the tears are spilling from my eyes even as I smile and I keep thinking, “3 years is a long time”. But I also remember how sweet the reunions are after 3 years.

Here’s hoping that you are following the one who loves you so much that He gave his life for you no matter where it takes you. God is still God and he is greater than 3 years, no matter where you are for those years.

Dennis

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Is this your spot?

Where is your spot? You know that place you where you always end up. As a pastor I can tell you where the “spot” is on Sunday mornings for most regular attenders in my church. There are a few who end up in other spots from week to week. But most of them have the same spot each time they attend. The good news is that I know if they are in attendance or not just by looking at their spot. The bad news is that sometimes someone new arrives before them and lands in their spot. Watching the reaction of those who are displaced from their “spot” is an interesting study in the art of adjustment.

My favorite memory of the need for adjustment was in the first church in which I was the lead pastor. We outgrew our building and the small lot on which it stood. We had to relocate and build a new facility. In the new  building, we used movable seating in our worship space. Nearly every week this couple sat in the second row, on the left side of the center section. If they were in attendance, which was 98% of the time, you would find in their “spot”. One Sunday we rearranged the seating. There had been a Saturday evening wedding and the seating had been changed to have a center aisle and therefore only two sections of seats. Rather than make everyone do the extra work of rearranging I said to just leave it that way for Sunday morning. This meant that there was no center section. When this couple entered the worship space they walked to the second row and then stood in the center aisle looking rather perplexed. He then turned to her and said “Well now where do we sit?” 

This change of circumstances were more than he could handle that morning. The good news is they found a seat and were not upset. They didn’t leave the church and they didn’t complain to me. I loved that couple, but that was a humorous moment. Most of us have our “spots”, don’t we?

First row, second seat in from the center aisle of the west center section. This has become my spot. Where is your spot? This is where you will find me nearly every Monday and Friday morning from 5:30 am to 6:30(ish) am. This has become my spot. 

This isn’t always my spot. Sometimes my spot moves as I walk through the rows of chairs. Sometimes my spot is kneeling at the altar. Sometimes my spot is on the floor in front of that seat on the first row. At home it is nearly always the brown recliner in our front room. Sometimes sitting and sometimes kneeling. That has become my spot. Every other week my spot is at a table with 4 to 8 other pastors sharing and praying. Do you have a spot?

The spot isn’t sacred. I won’t even be upset if you are in my spot, as long as you are participating.

There is nothing special about my spot(s) but special things have been happening in my spot(s).

The special things are because this is where I often pray. I am also a walking pray-er. I especially love to walk around and through the sanctuary and the rows of seats praying.

What I have discovered is that more important than the location of my spot is what I am doing in that spot. There is something to having a spot, or two, but what takes place there matters more. The more consistent I have become in my times of prayer the more I am changing, growing and seeing God move. Interesting how that works. The more often I pray. The more consistently I pray. The more I read the Bible and the more consistently I read my Bible. Then the more God seems to work in and through me.

I love getting to my spot(s) no matter what day it is, no matter which spot I happen to find myself. I look forward to getting to my spot(s). I approach them with anticipation. 

The big revelation is that my spot is wherever I meet with Jesus. Whether in prayer, reading the Bible or in worship. What matters most is that I meet with Him. The place isn’t what matters most. What matters most is that when I am in my “spot” I meet with Jesus, listen to Him, talk with Him and then go and live for Him.

So, where is your spot?

Here’s hoping that you find some “spots” to meet with Jesus. My prayer is that when you are in your “spot” that you hear how much you are loved and that you are never alone.

Dennis

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Monday Morning Musings …

One was smooth and one was a technical disaster. That would describe the worship at my two churches yesterday. As for my musings …

-My 9:00 church went very smoothly yesterday. All of the technical issues of the previous Sunday were all worked out. It made for a much more focused time of worship.

-As for my 10:30 church, not so much. We had one sound glitch after another during the music portion and especially during my sermon. No rhyme or reason for any of it. This week I had to preach the whole message old school without a microphone. My voice is paying for it now. First my headset mic was registering that it was working on the sound board but no sound and then it quit registering at all. Then I grabbed a wireless mic that was just used during singing and though it was on it would give no sound through the system. At that point I pushed the voice. We survived, but I was definitely rattled. We are going to be spending some significant time working on the sound system this week.

-We had a new family in attendance at my 10:30 church. I messaged them later yesterday and they indicated that they enjoyed the service and will likely be back. Proof again that it is about God working and speaking to people even when it was not our idea of a perfect service. It also speaks to how well our people welcomed them.

-On Friday I made a trip to O’Hare airport and picked up my son and grandsons 2 and 3. They are heading back to Kenya tomorrow (another trip to O’Hare, I think I have this down pat now). The boys start school in a few days. Then my son will fly back to the states. Later this week my daughter in law will take grandson 1 to college. How is that possible? Then she and their 2 youngest will fly to O’Hare the day my son flies back from Kenya. Then they will be heading out to several churches during September before heading back to Africa. It has been great having our son and grandsons with us for a few days.

-Attendance was down a little at both of the churches yesterday.

-We are gearing up for some new mid-week ministry at both churches beginning in September.

-We will be having a baptism service in September at both churches. I love times of baptism. Hearing testimonies of people’s faith journey is always so encouraging and moving. Then celebrating their baptisms is just plain fun. 

-We continue to have people show up to pray every Monday and Friday morning between 5:30 and 6:30 am. Only good things can happen when people pray and pray consistently.

-My voice is definitely feeling strained today. 

-A pleasant surprise was being able to shut off the A/C Saturday and Sunday and so far today. Having the windows open has been refreshing. The forecast looks like the open window policy will end later today. It was fun while it lasted and makes me long for fall weather.

-I have been re-reading some great books recently. One from 3 years ago, one from 5 years ago and one from 20 years ago. I am in awe as to how culturally relevant things are in the book from 20 years ago. It is interesting to see what stood out to me at the time I first read these books and what stands out to me now. Much is the same but some things that jump out at me now are surprising that they didn’t stand out to me the first time through.

Here’s hoping you see God showing up in many things this week.

Dennis

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I lift my eyes up …

I made the decision early this week that I had to stop navel gazing and look up. I realized that my grumbling was doing no good and that I had to change something. So I chose to change my view, so that my attitude could change and then I changed my behavior. 

Looking up is not a novel thought in fact it is right out of scripture. Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” 

Since making the choice to look up I have had several reminders that God is at work in me and in my churches. Whether it was a text, a Facebook message, an email, a phone call or a conversation, I have received clear reminders that feeling sorry for myself is of no value. These reminders were encouraging and humbling. I definitely got confirmation that God is really up to something good here.

I often pray with people in the hospital that God would give them some clear reminders that God is with them and loves them. Someone must have been praying that for me this week. Whoever you are thanks, I needed it. 

I suspect that I am not alone in needing to change my view. I encourage you to join me in looking up and recognizing where your help comes from. I further suspect that you know someone who needs to be reminded of this as well.

Let’s encourage one another to look up. Let’s pray for others to get some clear reminders that they are not alone that God is with them and that we are praying for them.

Here’s my formula “Look up (to the Lord). Look out (toward others instead of feeling sorry for myself). Move on (toward all that God has for me). 

Dennis

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Monday Morning Musings …

Yesterday was a very difficult day in worship and a good day in conversation and fellowship. It was a very “burstrating” day for sure. (see previous post for definition of “burstration”) As for my musings …

-My wife and I had a great time of sharing and conversing with another pastor last evening. We definitely needed that time.

-We had technical problems again at my 9:00 church. We have to get something figured out. 

-At my 10:30 church I could hear a funky sound while I was preaching, evidently not everyone could hear it. It got so annoying to me and was messing with my head while I was preaching that I shut off my mic near the end of my sermon and went old school. In other words I spoke really loud (some might call it yelling, to each his own).

-There was a dryness that seemed to hang over both churches like a dense cloud during worship yesterday. I found it very difficult to push through it while preaching.

-There was a family that returned for the second time in my 10:30 church and a single person who returned in my 9:00 church. It is always encouraging to see people visit and then return.

-Overall attendance was down in both churches.

-I think when attendance is down, especially following some good attendance Sundays, that it often brings the atmosphere in the service down.

-I was bummed after the services yesterday in part because I had some great times of prayer last week and especially on Saturday. I came into both services with high expectations and greatly burdened to see people respond. Time to “dig deeper” in my prayer and preparation this coming week. 

-There have been 5 of us in the 5:30 to 6:30 am prayer times this morning and last Friday. I am encouraged that we are having a handful really getting serious about prayer.

-I got called out to the hospital on Friday evening. I serve as a chaplain one day a week at our local hospital. There are 5 of us that rotate days and then we are the first ones called if a family with no church is in crisis and desires a pastor. I was the one called on Friday to comfort a family who had lost a loved one. Those are difficult and wonderful opportunities to minister. It is great to share the love of Jesus with people and to just be a sounding board for them in a difficult time. I count it a real privilege to able to serve in those times. 

Here’s hoping that you find an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with someone in need this week.

Dennis

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Burstrated? It is a word, trust me …

I am burstrated. That may not be a word that is familiar to you, but I know it well. As a pastor I am often burstrated. I find it hard to express how I feel, or how I am dealing with some situations so I create words to help me describe what I feel. Usually I just keep the words to myself, but I thought it was necessary to share one of my words with you as I attempt to give a word picture of the heart of a pastor. 

Burstrated is the combination of the words burdened and frustrated.

I often feel burstrated. It happens when I am overwhelmed with a burden for the situation someone is facing but I am also frustrated. The frustration might be because I can nothing to fix things. I like to fix things, not objects, my wife wishes I liked to fix objects, but I like to fix things in relationships and in personal situations. The problem is that I cannot always fix things and it makes me burstrated. Sometimes the frustration side of feeling burstrated comes from knowing that this is the umpteenth time that the person has something to contribute to the problem. When that is true I have a lot of other emotions as well and I want to scream but I usually just settle for muttering to myself. This does not diminish my burden for the person or the situation, in fact it likely increases my burden for them.

The heart of pastor is never neutral when someone in his sphere is in a bad situation a pastor’s heart breaks. When people are hurting, even if they have contributed to the pain a pastor’s heart breaks. Frustration is sometimes mixed in, but it doesn’t change the fact that the pastor’s heart hurts along with you and for you.

The heart of a pastor rejoices when those in their sphere of influence choose to follow Christ and when those people are blessed the pastor’s heart nearly bursts with joy.

The heart of a pastor is heavy with concern and fear when people around them are beginning down a path that will likely cause them pain. This is also when the feelings of being burstrated rise up. As the pastor is burdened for the person and choices being made and frustrated because it seems that there is nothing they can do at the moment.

As I pray for the services tomorrow, I am burstrated. My heart is breaking for some people in very difficult situations. My mind is battling frustration over some people who confess a desire to follow Christ but keep making excuses instead of changes. My heart is breaking over seeing so many people nod in agreement to the message of a song or the sermon and then walk from the building live in opposition to that with which they were just agreeing. I am frustrated at my failure to say the right words or to show them by my example that there is a better way.

The heart of a pastor is never neutral and it is very likely that your pastor is wrestling with the burstration today.

Just some food for thought on this Saturday.

Dennis

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Monday Morning Musings …

Yesterday was an outstanding day on many levels. It was exciting to see joy on many faces and to see some movement toward real revival. That is what I call an outstanding day. As for my musings …

-Kids singing enthusiastically always make for an uplifting time of worship. Yesterday my 9:00 church had most of the children from our just concluded Vacation Bible School share memory verses and sing in the worship service. The joy on the faces of most of the kids was so encouraging and the smiles on the faces of parents and grandparents was priceless. Image result for graphics of smiles

-The best part of the morning at my 9:00 church was having a family that lives by the church building in attendance for the very first time. Their child attended each day of VBS and loved every moment of it. We are making progress in connecting to our neighborhood.

-The spirit in my 10:30 church was once again outstanding. God is really speaking and I firmly believe we are seeing the early move of a revival. Oh how I am praying and pleading for revival. 

-Attendance was outstanding in my 9:00 church and it was good in my 10:30 church.

-Yesterday was also our city’s annual Back to School Bash and Backpack Giveaway. Several churches in town purchase backpacks and fill them with school supplies for students from Kindergarten through 8th Grade. My two churches participated and filled 40 backpacks. The city pool is rented out and kids and their parents can swim for 2 hours for free. They also receive a hot dog, chips and drink all for free as well. This year each church provided gift cards or gift baskets for teachers. Names of teachers were drawn and they could choose which item they wanted. Several hundred kids are helped through this event. It is done with our local police department who organizes it and takes care of all the registrations and some other giveaways while mixing with the kids and families. 

-Our 10:30 church recognized my wife and I’s 41st wedding anniversary. They gave us a card, a gift card and some cash. I am so humbled by their loving and giving spirit and their care for us.

-Many people also responded to a need for a family we have been in contact with outside of our church who needed some significant help with school supplies and clothes for a high school student. I love their generous spirit. 

-There were new people in both churches yesterday.

-On Saturday our District of Churches had a TEAM Day. It is a time of training for everyone. The main speaker was outstanding. He shared with great power and practicality about discipleship and the power of prayer. There were workshops for other areas of ministry as well. It was an outstanding day and we had 8 laypeople in attendance.

Here’s hoping that you find time to encourage someone today.

Dennis

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I can’t do it anymore …

A truer statement has never been given, “I can’t do it anymore.” I never could do it. It should be a very obvious statement as well. I have at times fooled myself into thinking that maybe I could do it. Or at least maybe I could be a major factor. I was wrong. I was dead wrong. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can’t do it. 

I can’t build a church into what God desires. I can’t bring revival. I can’t move people’s hearts to real life change. I can’t do it. I am a complete and utter failure. 

Finally I am at the place where God can do it. Because either God breaks through in the power of His Holy Spirit or we are doomed.

In Luke 11:1 the disciples were with Jesus while he was praying. When he finished praying the disciples said, “Lord teach us to pray …” They didn’t ask him to teach them to preach, or to write, or to lead and they didn’t ask him to teach them how to strategize. Preaching, writing, leading and planning are all good and important things, but they had been with Jesus. They had heard and seen him pray. They had learned that prayer was the foundation and the most important thing to learn and to do. 

I can’t do it, but God can.

I am praying for a breakthrough. A breakthrough in my spirit, in my mind and in my heart. A breakthrough that can only be explained as “God showed up”.

I am praying for a breakthrough in my churches. A breakthrough in our sin, in our pride, in our traditions and in our plans. A breakthrough that can only be explained as “a God thing”. 

I can’t do it, but God can and He will.

There is a real sense of relief at the realization that I can’t do it but God can and will. There is also a real sense of fear as I wonder what God will do and what will change when He does it. There is also an incredible sense of excitement as I pray and anticipate what God is going to do. In the meantime I am going to pray and then pray some more. Samuel Chadwick is credited for saying that the greatest answer to prayer is more prayer.

I can’t do it, but God can and He will as I pray and then act on what He leads me into.

Have you realized you can’t? Will you join with me in praying for God to breakthrough?

Dennis

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Monday Morning Musings …

Yesterday was a wonderfully difficult day. Many a Sunday could be described in a similar manner. I loved the wonderful stuff and the difficult stuff was more on me than anyone else. As for my musings …

-One of the highlights of the day was having 5 people show up for a baptism class last evening. I am excited for our next baptism services.

-Another humbling and wonderful part of yesterday was standing near a middle schooler during the music part of our worship at the 10:30 church. He was so unashamedly worshipping while he sang that it both encouraged and humbled me. May that connecting with the Holy Spirit increase in our times of worship. 

-Once again we had some technical issues in both churches. It appears that we need to replace one of our projectors in my 10:30 church.

-I was battling myself throughout my preaching at both churches, but especially at my 9:00. That is not a rare thing but yesterday it was a real battle.

-I loved that a young student in my 9:00 church invited me to join him, and his family, for breakfast following the worship service. I thanked him for the invite but said that my 10:30 church was expecting me to show up and attempt to preach so I had to decline. I loved that he invited me.

-Yesterday was an emotional day. On Saturday our son and family who are missionaries in Africa left our place to begin traveling to share at a few churches and see some more family. The difficult part of that was that it likely was the last time that all of them will be with us for at least 3 more years. Some of them will be back with us for a brief time but not all of them together. The emotions of that seemed to hit me harder yesterday than it did on Saturday as they drove away. 

-Tonight we begin our Vacation Bible School at my 9:00 church. Praying for changed lives. Praying for all of our workers. Praying that the weather forecasts of rain 4 of the next 5 days is wrong.

-I loved hearing a little about each person’s journey of faith in the baptism class last evening. Learning about people’s story never gets old.

-The next couple of weeks will involve a lot of brainstorming and planning for this fall. God is up to great things in Canton. We have only just begun to see what God plans to do in us and through us. Buckle up churches, it is going to be an exciting ride! Image result for graphics on buckling up

-We had new people in our 10:30 church and their response seemed to be very positive. In one case they were actually planning on trying a different church yesterday but they ended up with us instead. One of them told me that they couldn’t believe what I was preaching on because they just had a discussion about that at home. God is moving.

-The attendance was good at both churches. We have had a very positive month of July at both churches spiritually and numerically.

-School begins in just over 2 weeks.

-Our house sure seems quiet and I have not had to wait in line to get into the bathroom. I sure loved the noise, the pile of shoes by the door and beauty of family we experienced over the past week and a half. I sat back in awe as I watched and listened to all of our children and grandkids. We are blessed beyond what we deserve. 

-Thought for the day: Change your prayer life and you will change your whole life.

Here’s hoping that you sense God’s presence in your life today.

Dennis

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