The Journey of a Campus Pastor

We’ve moved…

Rick — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:21:17 +0000

For all you followers of the WatersEdge Blog, we are at a new location!

Come and follow us at watersedgestpete.wordpress.com!

Story of change

Rick — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:46:24 +0000

Here is a testimony from Bill. Bill is now the Host Team Director for Watersedge Church. I am amazed by the stories of individuals like Bill, who God is using to build his His church.

I am humbled to be the Host Team director at WatersEdge. I am excited that God would use me to be a part of something so tremendous. I am looking forward to getting to know each of you and your “story” of how God has brought you to WatersEdge. I also am looking forward to ministering together with you, while we reach Pinellas County.

In the next few days I will be seeking your input on how you think we can best accomplish our Host Team mission, but first, let me tell you a little about my journey here.

I was raised in a Christian home and attended church regularly. When I moved away from home I was very involved with church and ran the youth group for years. Over the ensuing years I became more and more “uninterested” in the churches that I had attended. Not uninterested in God or Jesus Christ, more just “the church”. I drifted away.

A year or so ago I told my wife that I wanted to try to find us a new church. She was ecstatic! We visited a few churches, but I didn’t feel connected to any of them. Undeterred, I remained open and on task. Then God intervened. He tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Bill, I have a different path for you to follow, it is over here”.

A friend of mine who was in need of some help asked me to read a book that a fellow named Andy Stanley had given him. He wanted me to read it so we could talk about how he could use it to help him in his life. I knew about Andy Stanley and had known about what he was doing for a few years. I read the book (The Principle of the Path) that he wanted me to read. I loved the book , and I really enjoy the way that Andy makes everything relevant.

I started looking more into what Northpoint Community Church was doing and looked for a strategic partner nearby. The closest on their website was in Jacksonville, a little geographically undesirable for me.

Then came the real Divine Intervention. My wife was walking through her office and noticed that someone had that day posted some scripture in their office window. It was the same scripture as Andy Stanley had quoted and my wife had just read the night before in The Principle of the Path. She found out that that person was hosting a small group. We went that night, where I met Rick Bingham and arranged a lunch together. He told me what WatersEdge was doing.

But wait… there’s more!

I went on a trip to Atlanta to visit my daughter. Things “just happened to work out” (really more of God’s path) that I was able to visit Northpoint on a Sunday, where I “happened” to run into Andy Stanley and had a nice talk with him. What an AWESOME program they have going on. The people there, volunteers, members, adults, kids, and visitors have a fantastic experience each week. And, I am convinced that we can do the same here!

The Church?

Rick — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:05:35 +0000

I recently heard someone say, “I don’t do that kind of thing in church.” I went on to share with him, that what they really mean is that they don’t do that kind of thing in a building where they worship corporately as a church family. The Bible clearly states that the “church” is people, it is not a building. In fact, some of the greatest spritual happenings in the Bible, happend in tents, buildings and homes. The church is you, if you know Christ and have a relationship with Him through the realization that Jesus died on the cross for the world, so that the world might one day spend all eternity in Heaven with Him – then it is you. The Church is the one driving your car, going to work, being with your family, meeting in community groups and worshipping corporately. In fact, the Church goes everywhere you go. If you say that you don’t do that kind of thing in church – then don’t do it at all, no matter where you are. So church – lets make a difference right now, right where you are.

Building destroyed…Church keeps growing

Rick — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:52:06 +0000

PORT-AU-PRINCE – This is Uriel Blanchet. He is a second-year student at STEP, the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Port-Au-Prince. One of the seminary’s administrative assistants contacted him recently to see how he was doing and if he was willing to come back to school anytime soon. [Many residents have left the devastated capital for any opportunities in Haiti’s other cities and countryside.] Here is what he said:

“Our house was completely destroyed. I cannot go to the country because my hometown is Port-au-Prince. I could go somewhere with a friend, but my entire family won’t be able to.

We sleep at night in the backyard or what is left of it. I have such a Bible study ministry going on right now on the rubbles of my home that I would not want to be anywhere else.

I don’t have any financial resources to come back to STEP, should it open soon, but I sure would like the opportunity to study God’s Word some more to be able to continue with this Bible study ministry.”

Sunday after Sunday, more people are coming to church, where services are being held outside, to give their lives to Christ. People are becoming more and more sensitive to the gospel.

Pastor Jacques Louis helps direct STEP through the CrossWorld organization. He is also the original Haitian staff member for Churches Helping Churches.

“Be” versus “Do”

Rick — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:57:56 +0000

In the New Testament there is a powerful little book of the Bible called James. In this Book, James shares a verse, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Imagine if being a Christian wasn’t something we had to “do” but it was just who we are. Imagine if it wasn’t a burden to read the Bible, pray or just be a positive example to someone around us. Imagine if having the joy of God in our heart was just a normal thing, and not a struggle. Imagine if thinking the right thoughts, having the right spirit, and saying the right things was just who we “be”. James shares this in his little book, because to “be” is a lot harder then to “do”. We can do out of habit, or because we are paid or because it is our duty. But to “be” goes a lot deeper, to “be” is who we want our identity to become, it is who we desire to be like, it is a deep rooted understanding that our lives are much bigger then our day to day duties. To “be” is a self-motivation to become somebody deeper then a title of being called a Christian – it is to “be” a willing servant, living a life that honors our God, with JOY! Because that is just who we are….

Just think about HIM…

Rick — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:29:46 +0000

GOD

Who is He to you?

Legacy

Rick — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:37:27 +0000

We finished up our 4-part series last night at WatersEdge Church of How To Be “Rich”. I left last night with some thoughts on legacy:

How will people remember me when I no longer am walking this earth?

Did my life on this earth make a difference for eternity?

We’re my decisions purposeful?

Did I learn from my mistakes?

Did I have the right priorities in place?

Did I enjoy the life that God has so richly given to me?

Did I stress over “things” that really don’t matter?

We will be remembered for something…

Belong

Rick — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:20:39 +0000

Every Monday through Friday, my two youngest kids (Dillon and Alyssa) and I load up in the car at 7:15 am and head down the long, dreaded 5 mile road to Cross Bayou Elementary. In-between our yawns, and staring into space we read a devotional by Rick Warren called, Scriptures from The Purpose Driven Life. It was Dillons turn to read, so he opened up to day 17, and this is what he read:

I’m called to belong, not just to believe…

“In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:5

Question: Does my level of involvement in my church demonstrate that I love and am committed to God’s family?

We ended up having one of the greatest conversations about this. Both my boys help our new church (WatersEdge) with greeting, and taking the offering. My daughter helps out in WaumbaLand (our preschool ministry). They both were so exctited knowing that they were a part of God’s big picture, called the Church.

This Sunday, we will be sharing at WatersEdge how you can get involved in Strategic Service. Statistics are out that the average church has only 10 % of their people involved. Not at WatersEdge! We have a great vision, mission, plan… What will make us different then the average church is the involvement of our people. Something special is happening…be a part of something BIG for God.

Body of Christ

Rick — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:09:40 +0000

Last night, I watched our USA mens Nordic Combined mens ski team make history by becoming the first USA team to win the silver. When interviewed, one of the team members shared that every single move, every strategy makes a difference. It reminded me of the Body of Christ. (Church). I Corinthians 12:12 “For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body – so also is Christ.” Every move, every strategy, every “team member” matters. When one part of the “body” suffers, they all suffer. I remember when Amie and I had the opportunity of going to the Dominican Republic on a missions trip. We were all sitting around in a large circle with the Dominican people praying. I remember thinking how awesome it is that we have a God that hears our prayers from all over the world. The Body of Christ is so large! What one does in the Dominican Republic is just as important as what we do at work, or in our homes. A healthy body working together can accomplish many things. YOU, and your actions matter!

Platform

Rick — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:18:57 +0000

Myron Rolle was just a young, skinny 13 year old when I first met him. I remember when we would stop by every Sunday morning and pick he and his brother McKinley, up for church. On one occasion, Myron was a little upset with me because I was 5 mins late. Well, this young, skinny 13 year old grew up to become the starting strong safety for the Florida State Seminoles a few years ago. Myron went on to graduate with a 4.0, and received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship that allows him to attend Oxford University. Myron had to make a decision, Oxford or NFL? He chose Oxford, because he promised his mom that education would come first. He is now at Oxford completing his degree, while training daily for the NFL. What makes me so proud of Myron though is his courage to use his platform of success for God. Myron has started Bible studies, spoken at youth conferences, and openly shares his testimony about his relationship with God. He just recentlty shared with me some Scripture that God has given to him as he pursues his goals:

Isaiah 43:2-3a “I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy one of Israel, and your Saviour.”

What is the platform that God has given to you: parenting, spouse, work relationships, sports, music abilities etc…? Every platform is given to you for the purpose of stewardship. It’s our responsibility to use it for His glory.