A successful life

...is often thought of as someone who has made it to the top of a corporate ladder, or someone who has enough money to do what ever he wants with, or someone who becomes a celebrity or who writes the newest hottest song. We are painted this picture everyday by what this world pursues as success. As if success is determined by the eyes and hearts of people.

I asked my Dad one time "what is success to you, how do you know you have been successful in life", he said "if I can come home and lay down for the night knowing I obeyed God, worked as hard as I could to be a faithfull business man, and loved my family the best I could, then I was successful today". I thought wow that is completely opposite of what our world teaches us as success.

As a worship leader or really any kind of leadership position in the ministry we are tempted to have everyone's approval in order for us to feel successful . So many become addicted to a crowd or the eyes of people that they forget why they are doing what they are doing. And yet at the end of the day this is not success. But like Prov. 27:21 says, "the crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives".

Let us strive to make God huge like it says in John 3:30, and not become addicted to our positions and being in front of people but to realize that success is found each day in loving Jesus with all you are and obeying him, being faithful in the areas that we are called to serve "positional ministry" or not, and loving our families above all else. Here we will find true success, leading a mega-church or just being a faithful painter who loves his family.

One last thought. This is a story of a man who is a gifted worship leader and songwriter. He said one time God was speaking to him through his children. After a long day's work he came home, walked in the front door and was takled by his three young children who were excited that he was home. Admidst the love and kisses they poured on him, the Lord spoke to him, "this is as famous as you'll ever need to be." I love that, if we could all just learn it."

Thanks to my Dad for being such a great role model.
This is just some thoughts I was having today, thought I would share.




...that the lamb would receive the reward of His suffering

Adam

My hearts on Fire!!!

Here I am Tuesday morning in my office in sheridan wy trying to get ready for High School Youth Group. I love what I am doing but I am on fire for where we are going. I am trying to stay focused but all I think about 24/7 is Cheyenne and loving the people there and serving them. My heart is on fire to see God be huge in that community through our team. I know God wants that here also but my heart is in cheyenne now. I can't wait to learn and serve under and alongside with Jeff, Grant, and Keenan. I guess this is how you know your headed the right direction when God burns in your heart this kind of passion. I want this fire to never seize. I hear of pastors that come into a community to do great things and after so long of being there it just becomes inward focused and no longer about seeing the lost saved, but about the right colors going up in the church walls and such. I want to never become lethargic in my pursuit for God to move, regardless of how long I have been in a community. If we have the right focus and our eyes are on Jesus we won't go there. So Jesus keep my eyes on you and my heart ripped open before you that you may keep the fire alive inside.

Element Team- only 7 more weeks. I am praying for this weekend wish I could join you!

...that the Lamb would receive the reward of his suffering
ADAM

essentials to an effective worship arts ministry

Mac computers and Taylor Guitars and you will do well!



lol

How it came together!

In October of last year I had been praying and feeling like God was stirring a heart for leading worship. Worship and Music is my passion, its my heartbeat, what I love, and feel called too. So when I started feeling this I thought, what now, because I wasn't going to take over DeAnn here at Cornerstone. I thought maybe I need to ask her if I can lead more on Sunday mornings, but still that I didn't know what to do I just knew I wanted to worship God. So that month my wife and I started a thing called Noon Worship that we did once a week over lunch for people to come out and worship and pray for an hour. If nothing else I just needed an outlet to worship, I had to do it. Well, 2 weeks had passed and a guy comes up to me at church on a Sunday morning and shared with me that God was saying "I am about to open your music ministry". WHAT! Ok. Then I get this call from Jeff that week and he asks, "have you ever thought about leading worship instead of youth ministry". I was like um YES! lol. God's timing of everthing is just awesome. So Jeff and I began talking about this whole church plant idea, theology, business stuff, everything. Amber and I felt like yes, this is it. This is what we have wanted to do and felt called to. But the youth ministry is strong, growing, and we didn't feel released. So Amber and I went to gillette and met the team, Grant, Keenan, Jeff and the awesome wives and had an incredible time dreaming and getting to know eachother. My heart was there, I wanted to say yes right there, but I felt like I couldn't. So after a week, I actually told Jeff to look for someone else that I didnt think the timing was right for us. So Jeff said ok, well lets stay in touch. The whole time this was in the back of my mind and heart so we kept praying and I knew what God had put on my heart and it just made since that this was it but I didn't have a peace, or I was just letting fear keep me back instead of taking a step of faith. Then in December 2 different people at 2 different times in my home church spoke words into my life that they felt like God was speaking. These words were timely and exactly what Amber and I needed to hear about God doing a new work and that we needed to push forward, (they had no idea what we were even dealing with). So I felt like I needed to talk with Jeff again so Amber and I started praying hard and moving forward on this. We met once more in Cheyenne for dinner and it felt like if we don't do this we are disobeying God. We prayed all week and God gave us such a peace about it all and we knew this is it. So here we go.
God puts desires in our hearts for his purpose's and if we submit and follow Him he will lead us.

Its not about a new church, its not about fun ideas, being creative, or just that sounds like a good idea, cause thats not enough for me to join based on those terms, but the fact that Element Church has been established for an appointed time, and a specific people, that there is a purpose in going down and a calling to fulfill is what this is about.

More on my local church transition later!

Adam

Leaving Well

I heard it said very well a couple months ago and I have been trying to stay focused on this. "The way you leave one place detemines the way you enter the next". And for Amber and I it has been very important to finish strong. We are announcing that we are leaving to our Home church today. Already we have had so much support and backing. Its great to be in such a healthy family that will bless you on the way out. Its important to us that we are blessed out as we go and thats just what Cornerstone Church is about. Reach Them, Teach Them, Tend Them, SEND Them. So thanks you Cornerstone Family for being a healthy family.

Just remember as you leave one place give 100% and say "thank you" to a lot of people, (you can't say this enough), to people that have invested in your life and you will LEAVE WELL.