I am sitting here this morning when I would normally be in church. My wife is 8 months pregnant she had a rough night of sleep because of some back pain she is having. We have a Pee-Wee football game this afternoon that our oldest son is playing in and our daughters are cheerleading at. So we decided to stay home from church this morning so that my wife could rest. My wife and I are both coaches for the team.
So, getting to the point. As I sit here this morning worshiping with my family and discussing our week I am debating through the discussion of home church versus traditional church. I am vividly reminded that church is not defined by the building it meets in but rather the people who make it up and the relationships they share.
I am not seeking to de-value the concept of either traditional or home church. I believe they both have a place and serve a great purpose within the greater body of christ. I believe that if those who are in home churches and traditional churches will seek to find ways to work together rather than against each other they will be far more effective than either could be on their own.
I am called to be a Pastor but my ability to pastor is not confined or defined by a building that I serve in. My ability to pastor is defined by living a life that reflects that calling and being available to serve whenever and wherever the opportunity arrises. We are all pastors in one way or another as members of the body of Christ. The challenge for us is will we step up and serve no matter when or where the opportunity presents itself.
Till next time . . . "If you are not sure about what or who God has called you to be, at least be relevant where you are."
September 10, 2006
April 25, 2005
Women of the Church
*I wrote this to the women at a church we were attending in response to criticism directed towards my wife.
I am writing this as a concerned husband who wants to share his heart with you not to defend a heart. My wife, Kara, has felt a call upon her heart to share from her own very personal experiences with the women of our church. I has been a long process of her getting to the point where she feels comfortable stepping out to open some previous wounds and hurts in the hopes that she could help at least one other person not make the same mistakes we have made in our relationship. In doing so I cautioned her to be careful because when you open yourself to help others you also open yourself to be hurt by others.
Kara has, up to this point, shared two writings with this church and has many more on her heart to share. After the last writing she shared there were several responses both positive and negative to her viewpoint. This is expected and Kara and I continually pray on how we are to handle both situations. What was not expected were the responses that came across as personal attacks with reference to demonic influences and/or satanic lies in her writing. Because of this I have advised Kara to be very cautious of who she shares her writing with. Some of you have asked to continue to receive the writings and I want to personally thank you for the encouragement you have bestowed upon my wife by allowing her to share her heart without condemning her for her viewpoint.
Everyone comes from a different place and experiences that shape how we relate to others and how we respond when threatened. I am aware that in sharing writings, preaching a sermon or leading a home group we are to share from our heart and there will be people who disagree. There is a place for disagreement in every discussion and I believe that if I share something that everyone agrees with then I probably have not been bold enough in what I said. As a leader we cannot be expected to please everyone with what we share and what is on our heart.
Kara and I are going to continue to share what God puts on our hearts when and where he calls us to share it. I want to make it clear that whatever it is that Kara and I may share is straight from our heart and would only be shared with God's nudging because most of these topics are very painful reminders of how stupid we have been and mistakes that we have made in our past. We strive everyday to learn from the past and to move forward in the lessons God has taught us.
I pray that Kara and I can be an encouragement and or blessing to at least one person through what we have experienced and the mistakes we have made. I also look forward to learning from all of you in the mistakes that you have made so we can grow together. We are a community, a church and a family and as such there will be times when we disagree and times when we agree but I pray that no matter which side you may fall on that we always seek to love and learn from each other without personal attacks.
I do not know if there will be any more writings from Kara. I have left that decision up to her because she needs to be at a point where she feels comfortable and safe in sharing her heart. I know that there are many of you that she has shared her heart with in one on one conversation and you can feel comfortable that she will continue to do so. I pray that she will continue to walk in what God has placed on her heart and that her heart will be a blessing to someone.
Asking for Grace,
Joe Becker
I am writing this as a concerned husband who wants to share his heart with you not to defend a heart. My wife, Kara, has felt a call upon her heart to share from her own very personal experiences with the women of our church. I has been a long process of her getting to the point where she feels comfortable stepping out to open some previous wounds and hurts in the hopes that she could help at least one other person not make the same mistakes we have made in our relationship. In doing so I cautioned her to be careful because when you open yourself to help others you also open yourself to be hurt by others.
Kara has, up to this point, shared two writings with this church and has many more on her heart to share. After the last writing she shared there were several responses both positive and negative to her viewpoint. This is expected and Kara and I continually pray on how we are to handle both situations. What was not expected were the responses that came across as personal attacks with reference to demonic influences and/or satanic lies in her writing. Because of this I have advised Kara to be very cautious of who she shares her writing with. Some of you have asked to continue to receive the writings and I want to personally thank you for the encouragement you have bestowed upon my wife by allowing her to share her heart without condemning her for her viewpoint.
Everyone comes from a different place and experiences that shape how we relate to others and how we respond when threatened. I am aware that in sharing writings, preaching a sermon or leading a home group we are to share from our heart and there will be people who disagree. There is a place for disagreement in every discussion and I believe that if I share something that everyone agrees with then I probably have not been bold enough in what I said. As a leader we cannot be expected to please everyone with what we share and what is on our heart.
Kara and I are going to continue to share what God puts on our hearts when and where he calls us to share it. I want to make it clear that whatever it is that Kara and I may share is straight from our heart and would only be shared with God's nudging because most of these topics are very painful reminders of how stupid we have been and mistakes that we have made in our past. We strive everyday to learn from the past and to move forward in the lessons God has taught us.
I pray that Kara and I can be an encouragement and or blessing to at least one person through what we have experienced and the mistakes we have made. I also look forward to learning from all of you in the mistakes that you have made so we can grow together. We are a community, a church and a family and as such there will be times when we disagree and times when we agree but I pray that no matter which side you may fall on that we always seek to love and learn from each other without personal attacks.
I do not know if there will be any more writings from Kara. I have left that decision up to her because she needs to be at a point where she feels comfortable and safe in sharing her heart. I know that there are many of you that she has shared her heart with in one on one conversation and you can feel comfortable that she will continue to do so. I pray that she will continue to walk in what God has placed on her heart and that her heart will be a blessing to someone.
Asking for Grace,
Joe Becker
January 4, 2004
Challenge for '04
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
As we begin a new year I want to challenge myself and everyone that if we want to succeed we must go forward together. There is always the danger of having our own desires get so much priority that we end up moving forward but are all alone when we get there. I want to challenge us all that we will have much more success and more enjoyment along the way if we go forward together. Whether it be in school, work, church or wherever we must seek to move forward together to achieve success. There are many parts to the body of Christ and any one cannot move forward without the others. In the same way we should seek to move forward as a connected focused team and realize that we all serve a purpose. We need each other to succeed. There is not a one among us that can bring about success of the team on their own but any one of us not moving with the rest of the team can hinder the success. If I succeed but the team fails then my success was wasted. We should all strive to succeed in our own goals and dreams but if those goals take away from the greater success of the team then I would challenge it may not be the right goal.
We all know the jobs we are currently doing and what is expected of us in those jobs. We know that our success does not wholly depend on our job but instead how our job affects how someone else can do theirs. Our team depends not only on us doing our job but on our support of our teammates. We must seek to understand not only our own responsibilities but also the responsibilities of our teammates. Their success depends on ours and ours depends on theirs. In understanding how we are interdependent on each other we can then see how much of an issue it is to support and encourage each other so that we can move forward together.
Looking ahead to all that this year has for us we can not know what will happen or when it will happen. Ultimately God is in control and he is the only one who knows all that we will encounter this year. If we can seek to build relationships with each other and support each other no matter what we come up against this year we can know that we will face it as a committed unified team. Let's not seek to go fast, let's strive to go far.
As we begin a new year I want to challenge myself and everyone that if we want to succeed we must go forward together. There is always the danger of having our own desires get so much priority that we end up moving forward but are all alone when we get there. I want to challenge us all that we will have much more success and more enjoyment along the way if we go forward together. Whether it be in school, work, church or wherever we must seek to move forward together to achieve success. There are many parts to the body of Christ and any one cannot move forward without the others. In the same way we should seek to move forward as a connected focused team and realize that we all serve a purpose. We need each other to succeed. There is not a one among us that can bring about success of the team on their own but any one of us not moving with the rest of the team can hinder the success. If I succeed but the team fails then my success was wasted. We should all strive to succeed in our own goals and dreams but if those goals take away from the greater success of the team then I would challenge it may not be the right goal.
We all know the jobs we are currently doing and what is expected of us in those jobs. We know that our success does not wholly depend on our job but instead how our job affects how someone else can do theirs. Our team depends not only on us doing our job but on our support of our teammates. We must seek to understand not only our own responsibilities but also the responsibilities of our teammates. Their success depends on ours and ours depends on theirs. In understanding how we are interdependent on each other we can then see how much of an issue it is to support and encourage each other so that we can move forward together.
Looking ahead to all that this year has for us we can not know what will happen or when it will happen. Ultimately God is in control and he is the only one who knows all that we will encounter this year. If we can seek to build relationships with each other and support each other no matter what we come up against this year we can know that we will face it as a committed unified team. Let's not seek to go fast, let's strive to go far.
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