Author Archives: dennyowens

Monday Morning Musings …

I got very fired up while preaching yesterday. I love it when the Spirit moves, people are engaged and I can just let myself be moved along by the energy of real worship when I preach. Yesterday was fun, well most of it was fun. Let’s get on with the musings …

-I preached on vision. I love preaching on vision. God has been doing so many great things among us in the past year and we took a glace back at the past year during the message. We celebrated some great things. Then we focused forward as I laid out our vision for this coming year.

-We had outstanding attendance in worship. We were just 1 below our Easter attendance of a year ago! We had a lot of children and a great group of adults. Yesterday morning was a good snapshot of the great things that have taken place in the past year.

-Our small group had another good night of looking at the Word and discussing how we are applying it to our lives and how to reach out to our friends with the Word.

-It was great to see a few people able to attend worship after missing some weeks because of illness or surgery.

-I was exhausted heading into this Sunday. There has been a lot going on and from Thursday morning until Sunday evening I have been going non-stop. I took my first day off in a month earlier in the week. But I think my body and brain are screaming for a few days away. We’ll see what can be done about that issue.

-I am very encouraged by several who have really gotten serious about becoming people of prayer. While that is encouraging I am very burdened by the number of people who have not shown any desire to increase this part of their life.

-Between weddings and funerals I have worn a suit more in the past 6 weeks than in the past year. And I have a couple things already on the calendar that call for me to wear suit in the next month. What is going on?

-I am very encouraged by the number of people who are really speaking to others about their faith and those who are inviting people to attend worship with them. This will lead to great things.

-Our family’s annual bracket challenge is very interesting this year. For the first 3 days of the tournament my youngest grandson, he just turned 8, was leading us all. He is still in 3rd place after the first 2 rounds and is only 2 points out of first.

-I thought we were past winter weather. The forecast for the next few days indicates that I may have rejoiced a little too early.

-One of my activities this weekend was a draft for a Fantasy Baseball team with several people in our church. I love that kind of stuff. My fear is that those in the league are about to see the competitive side of me that they may not have witnessed up to this point. You may want to pray for them.

-With two weeks until Easter Sunday I am working hard on that sermon. There are likely to be several people in attendance who do not normally attend any church. I want to declare the Good News in a way that is understandable and will prompt some life-changing thinking and actions. That is a big responsibility and I take it very seriously.

-My son and oldest grandson will be with us for a couple of days soon as they come from Kenya so that my grandson can look at some colleges. I am so excited to have them with us and I am trying to figure out how I can have a grandson who will be attending college in a couple of years.

Here’s hoping that you have a great week no matter what the weather does where you are and that you find someone to encourage.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Sometimes …

Sometimes it feels like the hurt will never go away.
Sometimes it feels like I will never get beyond my past.
Sometimes I feel paralyzed by indecision and fear.
Sometimes I feel strong, and then I remember.
Sometimes I wish I could forget, but it seems my memory for those things will never fade.
Sometimes I wonder what if …?
Sometimes I feel that I am the exception. That all the promises were meant for everyone else.
Sometimes that is just how I feel.
Sometimes I remember those words, “For God so loved the world…” That includes me.
Sometimes I go to the Bible and believe.
Sometimes is so frustrating, but God is still God.
Sometimes can be so lonely, but God is always with me.
Sometimes I need to pray as the father of a boy whom Jesus healed did “…I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!”*
Sometimes is not the answer, but God is.

Here’s hoping you can move from living in the sometimes, to living in the knowledge that you are loved, that you are forgiven, that God has a plan for you and that God is still God no matter what you feel sometimes.

Dennis
*Mark 9:24 in the New International Version copyright 1984.

Leave a comment

Monday Morning Musings …

We enjoyed a spectacular day of weather and another very good day of worship yesterday. My musings …

-Wow, what a gorgeous day we enjoyed yesterday.

-Our time of singing in Worship went well and the congregation is really becoming more and more engaged during the music part of worship. This makes a huge difference in the overall worship service.

-We seemed to overcome the natural letdown that often takes place following a week of great Revival/Renewal services.

-People seemed engaged during the message. After enjoying 5 services of Revival where I did not preach, I had a little too much prepared for the sermon yesterday. I was frustrated with myself because I felt rushed at the conclusion of my sermon.

-We had quite a scare after the service as one of our older gentlemen passed out as he was leaving and fell hard. He has a nasty scrape on his head and will have some sore ribs and back for a while. He was fortunate it happened inside the building, he was only about 4 steps from the door. He was checked out at the hospital and released yesterday afternoon. So thankful that he was not seriously injured.

-While at the hospital visiting with this man and his family I was asked to go to another area of the hospital and pray with another family that was having a difficult day. What an honor to be able to serve and hopefully bring some comfort.

-We had a good time in our small group last evening. It would have gone a little smoother if I had remembered to print the whole study for everyone. In my haste yesterday with everything going on, I only printed 1 page of the 2 pages of material.

-Our small group is great. They still had some great discussion in spite of my error. I love their vulnerability and openness.

-I also love the extra conversations with people after small group or after Sunday morning worship. Sometimes those are the best things that happen on a Sunday.

-Our attendance was reasonable, not great, but still 12 above the same Sunday a year ago.

-It was great to see some people back in attendance who had missed a few weeks with illness and other events.

-I continue to be amazed and so thankful for the many people who serve each week in our church. From cleaning the building in preparation for ministry, to the Sunday School teachers, to nursery workers, children’s church workers, ushers, greeters and more. There are many people who serve so that each Sunday goes well. We are truly becoming a community, a growing community.

Personally I am trying to figure out my weekly schedule. I recently began serving one day a week at our local hospital as a Chaplain. I love this opportunity to minister to people in need. The difficulty is that the day I was given is the day that I had been trying to use as my day off. Now I am trying to figure out another day to try and use as a day off. The problem is that I am going to have to rearrange some standing things in order to find a day I can regularly use. After a month of not having a day off I am feeling the effects. I am not attempting to whine or gather sympathy, but would appreciate prayers as I work this out.

Here’s hoping you have a fantastic week and that you are able to encourage someone that comes across your path.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Budgeting Your Relationships …

Our church has started a “Budgeter’s Anonymous” class. We are learning to set up a budget. Teaching how to stay within your budget. We are learning how to track our budgets. We are encouraging each other. We are learning some of the pitfalls of budgets. In other words, we are learning how to handle our money instead of wondering where it went.

As my wife and I are working on our finances I have been struck by how many of the principles we are trying to apply with our budget/finances work with relationships.

In our budgeting we have to identify what we have and where it is going. In your relationships you must identify what relationships you have and how they are doing. If you don’t determine how your relationships are doing and where they are heading you will be highly frustrated and often confused in your relationships.

In our budgeting we evaluate if we are ahead or behind in ongoing expenses. In your relationships you need to see if any of them are in need. Are you behind in any relationship? Do you need to give some extra time and effort in any of your relationships at this time?

In our budgeting we are seeking ways to create some margin in our money so we can save more. In your relationships you must seek to improve your margins. To make sure you have something left and are not being drained to the point of having nothing in reserve for your relationships. Willard Harley writes about the “love bank”. It is a concept that you are either depositing positively in your relationships or you are withdrawing from them. If there are too many withdrawals without deposits the relationship is in the red. That is a bad thing financially and relationally.

In our budgeting we are seeking to identify, and eliminate, things that negatively drain our finances. The same is true in your relationships. You need to identify things that drain, or harm, your relationships and work to eliminate these behaviors.

This is just a quick look at some similarities between budgets and relationships. But I am intrigued by the things that crossover between the two. I may need to look a little deeper at this concept. Who knows, maybe there is a sermon series in this somewhere?

Here’s hoping that both your budget and your relationships are balanced and positive.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Fan the Flame …

Fire is often associated with the Holy Spirit and with revival. Tonight is our last night of scheduled Revival/Renewal services. Rev. Alan Dicer has done a wonderful job of challenging us, bring the Word and speaking truth. We have seen some great things take place. But my greatest prayer has not been for these services but for a real fire of revival to begin in our church and our city.

I mentioned to my people that we are near the end of our scheduled Revival/Renewal services but not the end of revival. Because we need this to be the beginning not the end. My prayer will change in couple of hours. My prayer will then be for us to keep fanning the flames of revival until there is a roaring fire.

This fanning the flames will require us to continue in earnest prayer. We will need to continue to encourage and challenge one another. We will need to continue to invite people to join us in following Christ and in worship. We cannot coast until the next “big thing”.

Also, we have been praying for revival to sweep into our city and into every church. We have just begun and as my good friend Pastor Dave Engbrecht is fond of saying “Our greatest days are just ahead”. I believe this wholeheartedly. I am more convinced than ever that God is up to something good in Canton. Not just our church, but our city and beyond.

The key will be when we walk out of the last service tonight. We must recognize that this is just a beginning. That the flame has been lit, but we must make sure it spreads and grows. We must keep fanning the flame in our personal walk with Christ and in our church.

So here’s to seeing the fire grow. Grab a fan and join us.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Scared to Pray …

The more I pray the more I wrestle with being scared to pray. Can you relate to that at all? I am not referring to being so scared that I feel like I can’t pray, I mean that the more I pray for real stuff in my life and others that I face many more fears. It is as if I am scared to pray for fear of the fears I will encounter. Does that make any sense?

A few years ago I really became convicted of my lack of praying. I began to be more intentional about praying. I started to pray much more specifically. I began to pray more often and sometimes for much longer periods of time. It changed me and continues to change my life and my ministry. But I also face more scary things.

A few of the fears that are finding me are …

… the fear of what else I need to work on in my own life. The more I pray the more God is revealing to me about me. This is a good thing except when it isn’t. I have had moments where I have said to God “enough about me, let’s deal with the stuff in some other people’s lives.” I pray for others and about the very real things in their lives. But God also keeps showing me stuff about me. Some of it is scary. Even the stuff that gets changed can lead me to fear the next prayer time wondering what I will discover. Has that ever happened to you?

… there is the fear that I am not sure I can handle praying for any more big stuff. The more I pray for others and the real stuff in their lives I am experiencing more and more people asking me to pray for them and their stuff. Sometimes I am almost overwhelmed with the stuff. That can be scary? But, I am going to keep praying.

… there is also the fear that I am not praying correctly. Do you know that feeling? I am well aware that there is no “correct” way to pray. I preach and teach that prayer is conversing with God and that as long you are in the conversation it is a good thing. But sometimes I think that if I could pray better more people would be helped and more things changed. That scares me a bit.

I am not going to quit praying and I am not going to pray less. In fact I am determined to pray more. I am grateful that I have Christ to guide me, strengthen me and that he has given me assurance in the Bible that I don’t need to fear. I will have fears, but I don’t need to be fearful.

Here’s hoping that this encourages you.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Monday Morning Musings …

We enjoyed a very good day in our church yesterday. I will do my best to limit my musings to a short list, it may be difficult because so many good things took place yesterday. As for my musings …

-We began our Revival/Renewal services yesterday morning. We have been anticipating this for many months and have been praying for it in earnest for several weeks.

-There was a great spirit in both services yesterday.

-We had a very good beginning to our Revival services. Our attendance was good in the morning and it was well above my expectations for the evening service. That is especially encouraging because we do not have regular Sunday evening services.

-Most of my pastor’s prayer group (from 5 different denominations) gathered an hour before our evening service and prayed over the sanctuary and with our special speaker. It was a powerful and encouraging time of prayer. I love this group of pastors and their heart for our community. It is always encouraging when pastors from different groups not only play well together but pray together and more importantly pray for each other and the different congregations.

-We appear to finally be past our winter weather. The 10 day forecast has the high above 50 each day. We were in the high 40’s on Sunday and the sun was shining. I am confident that helped people’s attitudes.

-We have several people who have rearranged their schedules, including some work schedules, so that they could attend and serve during our revival services. With that type of commitment and desire good things are bound to take place.

-Our prayer for revival is not just for our church, but we are praying that revival sweeps through our church and flows through our city and region. God is still God and he can certainly do it if we will respond in obedience to his leading.

-We had a few technical glitches, but it wouldn’t be a Sunday for us if we didn’t have a few of those. The glitches did nothing to dampen the spirit.

-Last night our altars were lined with people praying for a compassionate spirit and passion to share Christ in our community. They were praying for family, friends, neighbors and co-workers who do not know Jesus as their personal Savior. There were many tears as people were crying out for others and that they would have the courage to witness.

-I was encouraged in my spirit with our services and my prayer has been that revival would begin in me. I am not lobbing prayers at others without praying for my own attitudes.

-My wife did an outstanding job of putting together the music and leading us in worship yesterday. Her spirit is wonderful as she worships and leads us to worship. She has invested many hours in praying and planning for these special services. I am a blessed man.

-We have services scheduled for tonight, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in us and through us.

-I am more convinced than ever that God is up to something good in Canton.

Here’s hoping that you are encouraged today and that you will find someone to encourage. If you are near Canton, Illinois join us for the remaining revival services. I know that you will challenged and encouraged.

Dennis

Leave a comment

Movers and Shakers …

The term “movers and shakers” is usually used to describe people who have influence and impact in an area of culture. We often put business people, entertainers or sports figures in this group. This week I got a whole new perspective on the idea of “movers and shakers”.

Twice in this past week I was in the presence of a group of “movers and shakers”. They were not in the normal places you would imagine for people of influence. In both instances these people were in a church. They were not doing what our culture normally views as influential.
In both instances the groups, and they were not the same group but I was privileged to be present at both times.

The activity taking place was a prayer meeting. What? That’s correct, I was in the presence of some moving and shaking, some influencing of culture and it was in two different churches, with two different groups and both times the focus was prayer.

Both times there was a definite realization of something powerful taking place and there was some life change. I would call that moving and shaking and certainly influential.

One group was in my church as we 14 of us gathered to pray for revival and our upcoming Revival/Renewal services. The other group is some pastors from 5 different denominations who gather every other week to pray for each other and for revival in our community.

The power that was present in both places was palatable and the impact was noticeable on all who participated. I was humbled and moved during both times. Sadly it has been a while since I was present when this type of movement and influence took place.

We give too much attention to the kind of moving and shaking that makes headlines in the media and not enough to what makes headlines with God. I am hungry for more and more of this moving and shaking. I am excited to see, and experience, all that God has for in store in our community.

I have been saying ever since I moved here that God is up to something good in our community. The reality is that I have been saying this more in faith and hope than with real conviction. I am now saying with great conviction that God is up to something good in our community.

I believe the other “movers and shakers” would agree. I for one don’t want to miss any of what God has in mind for us. I am praying that you will be moved and shaken by God’s love, grace, forgiveness and power. How about it, are you ready for some moving and shaking in your life?

Dennis

1 Comment

What do Empty Seats Say to You?

This week I am spending time sitting in all of the seats in our sanctuary and praying for whoever will be sitting in that seat during our Revival/Renewal services that begin soon. I often walk up and down the rows and pray for people during the week. But I felt led to sit in each seat and spend some time praying. I have never done that before, at least not for every seat.

As I have been sitting in the seats and praying I have been struck by how many empty seats we have on any given Sunday. I see the empty seats when I am preaching, but sitting in them and realizing how many of them rarely have anyone sitting in them is really getting to me. It is increasing my burden and encouraging me that we can reach many more people.

I have sat and prayed in half of the seats at this point. There have been a few times already in I was overcome with a burden for whoever is going to sit in that spot. In some of the cases I could picture the person because there is someone who usually sits in that seat. After all, many people sit in the exact same place each Sunday. (You know who you are.) There have also been some moments of burden while praying in a seat that doesn’t have a regular resident. I am anxious to see who sits there and what God has in store.

I believe I will look at these seats differently from now on. I am confident this will not be the last time I do this prayer exercise. I can sense a growing burden to see the seats filled with people. Not just for the attendance but for the impact on people’s lives. Another part of my learning this week has been what each seat could represent. There is just one person who sits in that seat during any given service. But that person represents more than one. All of us have multiple people in our sphere of influence. This week I am getting a picture of the growing reach we can have in our community. Not just from those who attend a given service but in the witness they can have in their world.

I am looking at the empty seats this week and feeling a renewed call to my community. I am seeing the empty seats and expanding my dream for our church. I have a growing burden for the empty seats in my church.

What do you see when you look at the empty seats around you?

Dennis

Leave a comment

Monday Morning Musings …

Yesterday was a wonderful, difficult and powerful day. March is here and I am excited for everything that is coming this month. Let’s get to the musings …

-Yesterday we had the most beautiful snowfall we have had all winter. The problem is that this snow came on March 1. I am okay with winter but I believe it should be done by March 1st. The snowfall was beautiful and it wasn’t nearly as much as had been predicted but it still kept a lot, I mean a whole lot, of people away from church.

-We had a good time in worship. The spirit was very good in the whole worship service.

-The message was the last of the series on “Breaking Free from Financial Bondage”. The congregation seemed to be engaged throughout the sermon. I called a couple of guys up to be visual aids for an illustration. They cooperated but seemed a bit nervous, probably because I didn’t warn them ahead of time. Hey, I love to keep ‘em guessing.

-We had our District Superintendent at our house for lunch. Enjoyed spending time with him. He is a great leader who has a real passion for Christ and the church.

-We are beginning a class this week in follow-up to this message series. The class is entitled “Budgeter’s Anonymous” and is dealing with setting up, tracking and following a budget. I am really excited for this and for those who will be participating in this class. I think we will start each with “Hi, my name is Dennis and I struggle with my budget”. What do you think?

-Last evening we had a Concert of Prayer for revival. It was one of the most powerful times of group prayer that I have been a part of in a long time. My wife and I both commented after it was over that it seemed like something broke loose during the prayer times. We have special services beginning this coming Sunday. We had a reasonable number of people come and pray together for a little over an hour. Everyone participated and there were many tears as we prayed. I am more convinced than ever that God is up to something good here in Canton.

-It was a difficult day as I was burdened for some individuals and the difficult things they are going through. People in our church and others in our community who are not a part of our church. Leading is sometimes difficult because of what you know and what you must do because of what you know. I have been praying for several friends who are facing some very tough stuff. The good news is “God is still God” and that is always true. That phrase was my Dad’s theme throughout his 44 years as a pastor. That is a pretty solid theme don’t you think?

-I also met with a couple for their final pre-marital counseling session before their wedding. The last session is always fun because it is 90% about the wedding day and seeing their excitement and joy is just plain fun.

-Yesterday was another reminder of how awesome my wife is. It is not that I need reminders because she is awesome each day. But yesterday was full of evidence of her awesomeness. (Is awesomeness a word? If it isn’t it should be just for her.)

This week is a different week since our Revival/Renewal services begin this Sunday. That means I am not studying and preparing a message for this week. I am studying and preparing for the next several Sundays but that is much less pressure packed since those messages are in the future. I am planning to spend a lot of that extra time in prayer for our special services. One way in which I challenged the group who came to pray last night was to come to the church throughout this week and sit in each seat in the sanctuary and pray for the seat to be filled and pray for the person who will sit there. I am going to do that and am hopeful that a couple of other people will as well.

Here’s hoping you are excited and looking forward to this week.

Dennis

Leave a comment