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josh taylor — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:10:00 +0000

video highlights from Jamie and Zack's trip to Zambia

jason c dukes — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:10:37 +0000

three reflections from our trip to Zambia

jason c dukes and zack fulmer — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:47:36 +0000

a football game and a guy from Zambia

jason c dukes — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:59:00 +0000

It was all Tim Tebow's fault.

He seems to get a lot of credit and blame lately. This is for something pretty cool, though, that hopefully in time will have as much impact as he and his family have in the Philippines.

Tebow's first start was against the Dolphins back in October. It was the start of a winning streak that included 15 points in a little over two minutes. To be there live was amazing!!! I am not gonna lie. I prayed hard in that 4th quarter for the Lord to give Tebow and his team the strength to pull that comeback off, trusting that Tebow would not steal the glory from the One who gave him this platform in the first place. I even cried when they scored the go-ahead 2-point conversion. You might say we were into the game.

My son and I had gone down to Miami for the game with the McGinn family, along with Catalina Cuervo and this guy named George. We picked him up on the way down along the Turnpike.

No, seriously, he was visiting with our family from Zambia. I had met him earlier in May, 2011 at an event I was teaching at in Philly. We really connected, and I was so grateful for his encouragement and new friendship. When he was in the states again, he was gonna come and visit with us. It happened to be last October when that happened, and it happened to be the weekend we had planned to go down to see Tebow and the Broncos face the Dolphins.

Equipped with his brand new Tebow T-Shirt, George accompanied this little section of the Westpoint family down to Miami.

The night before the game, we ate at an Outback Steakhouse. I like their croutons, but that is not important in this story. The McGinns had been praying for the Lord to show them a way that as a family along with a few other families that they might could give themselves away globally in a long-term, impactful way, impacting hopefully the folks they would serve but also understanding the impact it would have on their family. Well, who knew that the Holy Spirit wanted to have dinner with us at Outback just north of Miami. I guess he likes their croutons, too.

By the end of the dinner, Jamie and Kari looked at each other with that "I guess Zambia is it" look.

Fast forward to today. In fact, to exactly 30 minutes ago at 3:30. Jamie McGinn and Zack Fulmer flew out on a jet-plane to Africa. They will be there for a few days exploring possible partnerships for their SENT Group families and anyone else who is a part of the Westpoint family interested in what is going on there. PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES, FOR SAFETY, WISDOM, AND DISCERNMENT.

I can't wait to see what comes of this!!! How cool is it that God not only put His love on display for us, but also invites and involves us in getting to give His love away into others, even from around the world.

May we continue to listen to God and do what He says, inviting a few other folks along for the journey with us.
-jason

"our stuff"{a story shared by John Adams}

john adams (via jason c dukes) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Perhaps it was because I have not been employed in ministry since October, 2011 that I experienced the following spiritual journey. After all, the best of us feel vulnerable when we are awaiting our next place of service accompanied by salary, benefits and fulfillment. On the other hand, who, other than the Lord or the Old Testament prophet Daniel, understands the meaning of our unconscious thoughts? Perhaps it all happened for the benefit of others besides me! With that in mind, here’s my dream and its possible meaning for me and you.

Shortly before awakening the morning of February 20, 2012, I dreamed that Cheryl and I returned to our home and discovered 15-20 burglars preparing to carry away our possessions.

I quickly found a rolling pin I had created on my turning lathe a few years ago, grabbed it with murderous intent and asked her to call 911. A moment later after I had landed a few feeble and unproductive blows with my hardwood weapon, I overheard her talking on her cell phone to a girlfriend asking her to pray for us because people were carrying off our household goods.

Highly frustrated with her, I asked her once again to call 911, stating “These people are going to get away if you don’t get the police here in time!” Sometimes you want your wife to pray but other times you want her to call the police first!

The police didn’t arrive before I woke up so I spent the first few minutes of my bleary morning ridding myself of the irrational irritation that had developed while I did mortal combat with the unwelcome thieves wondering when the authorities would arrive to carry away the villainous mob.

When I was alert again and realized the irrational nature of my anger, I recalled more of my dream. As is true of most dreams, it was humorous when viewed in the light of day and yet contained elements that stimulated spiritual examination and reflection.

I recalled coming to a point of complete exasperation with the burglars shortly before I awoke at which point I looked my enemies in the eyes and announced with as much boldness as I could, “Go ahead. Take away all my stuff. When you are finished, I will have more left than you have taken away from me and you will have less than you had before you robbed me.”

I remember thinking in my dream that I sounded like the preacher that I am. When I woke up and was trying to sort out what it all meant, I remembered wondering during my dream if I actually live the truth of what I said to the thieves.

I knew that at least in my head I believed what I said because none of us should be defined by the “stuff’ we have, but I also understood more clearly that “stuff” has value for all of us. Otherwise we who own “stuff” wouldn’t protect it from potential loss and thieves would not want to carry it away when we are not guarding it.

The lesson my dream underlined was that unconsciously I remembered the Biblical truth about “stuff” or, otherwise stated, what is truly most important in life. If a thief takes your “stuff” away, the “stuff” that has eternal value in your life remains intact. A Christian’s “business” is to send treasure on to heaven that can be enjoyed throughout eternity. Thieves can’t carry that treasure away. We can lose our “stuff” and survive.

In fact, when the thief carries away your earthly treasure to claim it as his own, he has less of what matters in life with each additional heist. The more earthly wealth he steals, the more spiritually impoverished he becomes thus a Christian can and should say, “Go ahead. Take away all my “stuff.” When you are finished, I will have more left than you have taken away from me and you will have less than you had before you robbed me.”

So this dream was about earthly “stuff” and how it can become a substitute for God.

“Stuff” can bring us a poverty of spirit that robs us of real life. Loss of our “stuff” can become a stepping stone to spiritual richness if it sets us free to focus on our relationship with God. I suspect that was the spiritual pilgrimage Jesus invited the “rich young ruler” to take when he told him that he lacked only one thing – “give away everything you have and follow me.”

Like that young man, you and I live in a materialistic world where “stuff” is too often viewed as the reward for spiritual correctness – our earned blessing from God because we have been good. This view of “stuff” may be why so many inside and outside of the Church live with a lot of “stuff” and very little peace.

It is also why Satan has given a lot of energy to seducing God’s people with “stuff” and why he takes it away. If he can convince us that peace is available to us once we own enough “stuff,” then he knows what to take away from us first to rob us of our joy. By the way, the more “stuff” you purchase to fill your longing for peace, the less peace you will have. “Stuff” is like salt on your food, the more you add, the more your appetite for salt increases. In the end, too much “stuff” like too much salt will kill you!

Remember the story of Job. Job had the kind of “stuff” most of us desire in life. He had a strong religious life because he wanted to be pleasing to God. He was healthy. He had a large family whose spiritual welfare mattered to him and who must have been among his greatest earthly treasures. He had great wealth and a good reputation in the community.

Who among us does not dream of being Job, that is Job before Satan began to rob him of his “stuff.” As disturbing as his story is to read, the point seems to me to be that he was permitted to learn the true value of his faith relationship with God. When all the speeches were completed, both those by human actors and by God, Job learned that to know God personally in the midst of great loss was to discover the greatest peace life has to offer.

Again, “stuff” doesn’t bring peace. Knowing God brings peace. No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the “stuff” you allow me to possess during my brief years on earth. Help me to always be grateful for the benefits of being a steward of “your stuff’ while I am awaiting my promotion to Heaven. If you should choose to allow Satan to steal my “stuff,” guard my spirit from becoming so attached to “stuff” that I forget what is most important in life, my personal walk with you. Amen.

community prayer together Feb 25th at 11am

jason c dukes — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:27:00 +0000

This Saturday morning at 11:00 in downtown Winter Garden, the Church of West Orange will have our first of six community prayer events together. This first one will be unique in that it will be more like a “flash mob” than a long prayer gathering. Here are the details:

:: get to the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market and the Plant Street area no later than 10:45am.

:: be listening around 11:00 for the song “Amazing Grace” being played and sung on the median of Plant Street somewhere between the Tri and Run and Axum Coffeehouse.

:: come toward the person playing and singing and join in with him in song.

:: when the song ends, kneel down where you are and begin to SILENTLY pray.

:: the guitarist / singer will then sing “Song to My Family” by Gungor (from their independent release “Ancient Skies” then under the name of “the Michael Gungor Band”). This is a song of confession and challenge and commitment to be the church as Jesus intended together.

:: while he is singing, be silently praying as the Spirit leads you, but please do pray these two things – (1) a confession that we as the local church expressions of West Orange County have not been the church together as Jesus intended, and (2) a commitment that we want to value unity around mission as Jesus prayed we would (John 17:18-23) as well as a request for wisdom as to how we may love the community the way Jesus has loved us.

:: when the song is over, simply disperse quietly back into the normal rhythms of the Farmer’s Market and Plant Street.

Hope to see you there. Involve your kids. Facebook and email and text and tweet it out to invite others that you think would really value this confession and commitment together.

Love y’all. Grateful that we can serve and pray and be the church together to West Orange County and beyond.
-jason

a note out to Westpoint

jason c dukes — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:10:00 +0000

Hey Westpoint family! Hope 2012 has started with as much hopefulness and expectancy as you anticipated. More than anything I pray that you are sensing the nearness of God and His love for you that secures you no matter what unfolds in the coming months.

I wanted to send out a note that I know is long (kind of like one of my Sunday teachings) and that I am asking you please to TAKE SOME FOCUSED TIME TO PRAYERFULLY READ IN FULL. Hopefully, as we interact in the coming weeks around the content of this note, we will gain great clarity about where we are going TOGETHER as a Westpoint family. There are certainly a few elements of our "next steps" under current discussion with our Vision Team, including some focusing of our gathering elements and our overall communication. But overall, there are some real powerful stories of learning and living the ways of Jesus among our church family, the Church of West Orange, and beyond.

In order to help folks who want to have a good summary to start with or at least to give you an idea of where this book, I mean, email is going, here's an outline:

SUMMARY OUTLINE

1. our navigational point for 2012 - listen, learn, and love TOGETHER
2. would you like to be on an intercessory prayer team?
3. are you Reading God's Story together with Westpoint and five other "Church of West Orange" church families?
4. are you simply living loved - believing God loves you - and loving the people In your daily pathways of life - that they may believe that God loves them?
5. are you loving locally? (Matthew's Hope, East Winter Garden, SASHAs)?
6. are you loving globally? (Ethiopia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Zambia, and Montreal)?
7. three questions we'd like to hear from you about!!!

Please don't miss those three specific questions at the end either. Your response to those questions will be so very helpful for our pastoral team as we attempt to equip and encourage the ways that we are loving one another as well as loving our neighbors (all those we encounter in our pathways of daily life) and the nations.

Here we go! :-)

If you have been in worship gathering this month, you have most likely heard a phrase that is the "navigational point" for us this year. In case you haven't been there or just simply missed it, I wanted to share it with you here. Our focus since our inception has been and will continue to be an ongoing imperative, since it is the purpose Jesus gave to His followers before He ascended to heaven - to "make disciples." This was the navigational point in 2011 that we unpacked over the course of the year thus shaping our teaching focus and ministry emphasis. We pray that our centering in on this new phrase below for 2012 will unite us as a church family like never before.

In 2012, we hope to listen, learn, and love TOGETHER.

LISTEN _ we have always stressed the significance of "praying without ceasing" as Paul in 1st Thessalonians instructed the believers in Thessalonicae to do. May we continue to grow as a people who live daily in communication with God in this way. This year, however, we hope that we will pray more TOGETHER, watching the impact that specific intercession for one another, for our neighbors and the nations, and for unity around mission will have among us and beyond us.

So, here's what we need from you - if you believe that God is leading you to give energy and effort into a PRAYER TEAM that will lead our church family in this way, please simply reply to this email so that we can begin to get that team in motion.

LEARN _ the root meaning of the word "disciple" is "LEARNER." We have tried to emphasize this thought of living as a learner of Jesus and His ways since our beginnings eight years ago.

Understanding that we as disciples of Jesus are "learners" inspires us daily to fall back away from the cliff that is our selfishness and insecurity into the security of the One who loved us first and desires that we spend our lives exploring the greater and greater depths of His love. Understanding that we as disciples of Jesus are "learners" encourages us toward a lifelong journey with Jesus studying and questioning and gaining wisdom about the big story of God preserved for us in the Bible. Understanding that we as disciples of Jesus are "learners" moves us beyond thinking we could never love like He loves toward trusting that His Spirit can teach us over this lifetime how to love one another graciously and even love our enemies. Understanding that we as disciples of Jesus are "learners" emboldens us to actually make disciples (other "learners") of Jesus as we are going in the daily rhythms of our lives.

And why does it embolden us? Because we begin to realize that Jesus did not intend for us to read the Bible or read a book on our own or participate in a study with a group just to be more learn-ED, so that knowing so much we could then go confidently imparting all that we know. No, that is a "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" sort of pursuit. Rather, He intended us to be a learn-ER, so that we could learn and live His ways with others. That is a "tree of life" pursuit, and we grow day after day in confidence because of the love and grace that has been imparted to us. His ways then begin to become rhythms in our daily. We are not just becoming learned about a concept that makes us smarter than others, rather, we are becoming learners of a God Whose love redeems us from our selfish pursuits making us lovers with others.

So, this year we are encouraging people to be "Reading God's Story" TOGETHER, that we might be inspired, encouraged, moved, and emboldened toward trusting that we are loved and loving one another as we have been loved. "By this all will know that We are His disciples, if we have love for one another" (John 13:35). Immersing ourselves in reading the Bible, in catching the big story of God, will help us to learn His ways and know His leading and grow in love and follow in obedience as we live "on earth as it is in heaven" TOGETHER in our everyday.

LOVE _ we have always emphasized the command of God that Jesus emphasized - love God and love people. Jesus' teaching about the Good Samiritan and His demonstration in washing the disciples' feet clearly declare His intent for His church to love their neighbors. Jesus' last words both in Matthew 28 as well as Acts 1 provide for us the call to love the nations. Thus, we want to keep loving neighbors and nations TOGETHER.

Obviously, the most important way that we do this is simply in the pathways of our everyday lives. May we daily love family members, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and the people we encounter in our community throughout the day. May we also continue to grow in loving one another as the Westpoint family, being the family of God TOGETHER as we lean on each other so that we can keep leaning out into the darkness of our world with the light of Jesus. This is why we encourage SENT Groups. But regardless, of what they are called or how often they meet or what the perception has been, the pure motivation of the SENT Group emphasis has been simply to remind us of how important it is to walk deeply with one another as the family of God, caring for one another and encouraging one another toward living sent daily. May that continue!

Locally, we have, TOGETHER with the Church of West Orange, served in many ways. In fact, the ways that the Lord is using the Church of West Orange are amazing stories in and of themselves. I will try to share these with you over the coming weeks so that you can also celebrate and thank God for how He is moving in and among us as we hope to be the answer to His prayer in John 17!

Locally, we have also served people with specific, everyday, financial needs through our TOGETHER GENEROSITY via the "Westpoint HELP" fund. We have served the families and staff and faculty of the school in which we gather. We have focused our service in ongoing relationship with Matthew's Hope, SASHAs, and the East Winter Garden area. May that continue!

Globally, we have in the past gone TOGETHER to Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, and New Orleans. We have raised money to sponsor children in need and built several wells in communities around the world that had no access to clean water. Currently, there are five very beautiful opportunities to LOVE TOGETHER globally that we won't to make sure you are aware of:

1. Ethiopia
Chad and Cindy Nykamp, a couple in the Westpoint family, leads a ministry called goanddothesame.org that is trying to love Ethiopian orphans and provide clean water for the people of Ethiopia. If you want to LOVE TOGETHER the people of Ethiopia with Chad and Cindy by financially supporting that ministry or even going there, please simply reply to this email and we will forward it on to them.

2. Dominican Republic
Michael and Katie Anderson, who used to serve on leadership with Westpoint focusing with our students, now live in Jarabacoa, DR. They serve kids and families there. If you want to LOVE TOGETHER the people of Dominican Republic with Michael and Katie by financially supporting that ministry or even going there, please simply reply to this email and we will forward it on to the person here who is coordinating our relationship with their ministry there.

3. Haiti
Hughes Severe (who is from Haiti) and his wife Jodi are loving on kids in the southern part of Haiti. They help to provide for the cost of a year's worth of education (along with other basic needs) for almost 40 kids there. If you want to LOVE TOGETHER the kids of Haiti with Hughes and Jodi by financially supporting that ministry or even going there, please simply reply to this email and we will forward it on to them.

4. Zambia
Jamie and Kari McGinn along with a group of other Westpoint families are in the beginning stages of learning how they can serve the people of Zambia and the many orphans there. We have a growing relationship with a pastor there named George Palo, and there are many opportunities to provide clean water, serve families and kids, and even encourage local marketplace leaders trying to create new businesses and support the ministries there. If you want to LOVE TOGETHER the people of Zambia with Jamie and Kari by financially supporting that ministry or even going there, please simply reply to this email and we will forward it on to them.

5. Montreal
I have been burdened for the "lostness" of Quebec. Less than 1% of the people there, according to demographic data, are followers of Jesus. There are literal cities that do not have a Christ-centered church throughout the province. This is a place in North America! Leaders there need encouragement, mission teams, and even folks willing to move there short-term or long-term to cultivate the near love of Jesus via loving friendships. The key city from which the multiplication of local, French-speaking leaders must be advanced is Montreal. If you want to LOVE TOGETHER the people of Quebec with the local leaders there with whom I relate, please simply reply to this email.

SO, some very specific, relational, ongoing ways to serve as a Westpoint family as well as to go LOVE TOGETHER our neighbors and the nations. If you have a growing burden or leading from the Lord for a local or global way that we can LOVE TOGETHER, please simply reply to this email and we can enjoy a cup of coffee together as we explore the possibilities of doing so. Otherwise, please join in on what God is already up to.

May we LOVE TOGETHER both neighbors and nations!

WOW!!! Lots to process. But hopefully this offers you some clarity on our focus for 2012 and beyond. We also are wanting to hear from you on three very specific questions that will really help us to better equip and encourage the Westpoint family as we are being the church and living sent together. Can you PLEASE RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS by simply replying to this email:

:: do you (or your family) have any specific needs that either we don't know about or that aren't being met at the current time? If so, would you share them with us, regardless of what they are, that we might grow in love and as family together as we try to serve those needs?

:: would you like to have coffee or a meal with anyone on the pastoral team in order to dialogue with them about any questions or concerns or ideas you have about Westpoint now and into the future? This is simply to help us all get more and more on the same page as well as to prohibit unnecessary gossip or frustrations that occur when open conversation and honest relationship aren't happening.

:: would you be willing to share with us three strengths AND three opportunities for improvement that you have observed in our focus and direction and ministries together as a church family? This is simply because as leaders we never want to ignore opportunities to grow, we always value the collective wisdom of our local church family together, and we so desire to forever remember that we are just one local expression of Christ's church at work here in our community and the world.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THROUGH THIS MARATHON VISION EMAIL :-)

I really hope that you have appreciated the emphasis and information provided herein. The Vision Team and I are so very excited to see all the ways in 2012 and beyond that the Westpoint family grows in love and unity. May we continue to be a part of God's ongoing story. We can't wait to see the story God writes and brings to life in and through our united lives! We can't wait to hear the stories we share with one another as we LISTEN, LEARN, and LOVE TOGETHER!!!

Grateful.
-jason

Reading God's Story Together in 2012

jason c dukes — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Jen and I are so excited about 2012!!! Both for our own family as well as for the Westpoint Church family.

For our own family, you may have heard already that we are expecting our 6th. And we are grateful. Our kids are pumped, too. It's like it has been a norm for them to have a baby crawling around the house :-)

For the Westpoint Church family, stay tuned in the coming months for one or two things we may be birthing as new. Meanwhile, let's focus on renewing our commitment with an emphasis on growing in togetherness.

We hope to see a TOGETHER passion for praying. We hope to see a TOGETHER effort to read through the Scriptures, and not only our one local church expression but together with another five local church expressions here in West Orange who have committed to the same. And, we hope to see a TOGETHER effort to love neighbors and nations.

You will hear more about these in the coming weeks. For now, here are some awesome resources that we are highlighting as we embark on the effort to read the Bible together in 2012 beginning Jan 2nd!!!

The particular resource we are encouraging folks to get if they are able is a chronological Bible put together by my mentor and friend Dr. George Guthrie. It is called Reading God's Story, and it is broken down into daily Bible readings six days a week for 52 weeks. Click here to order it from Amazon.com. If you want to get it for Kindle, click here.

If you don't want to purchase the chronological Bible but want to read along in the same way as those who do, click here for a link to a 2-page PDF of the chronological reading plan for the 52 weeks.

If you have a smartphone enabled for apps, there is an awesome app that goes along with the Read the Bible for Life plan. This is not just another "read the Bible in a year" plan. It is an app full of rich resources along with video and audio content that helps you better understand and obey the Scriptures. Click here for the link for the app.

And finally, click here for the full website with more info and more online resources that go along with "Reading God's Story."

So excited about this!!!

Love y'all. Happy New Year from Jen and me!

-jason

my top 5 Christmas alternative gift-give suggestions

jason c dukes — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:25:00 +0000

Hey Westpoint family.

So glad it's Advent season!!! Looking forward to worshiping and serving and celebrating the news of Emmanuel together with you this December.

Here's a quick note out in response to some questions Jen and I have had from a good number of you about good local and global alternatives for focusing that Christmas-gift-giving money. So, here are my top five suggestions for 2011:

# 1 _ the Christmas Conspiracy of the Church of West Orange
Bottom line is to get jeans, sneakers, hooded sweatshirts and jackets, socks, underwear, and winter hats for our West Orange County homeless friends and Central Florida foster kids. This effort supports the ministry efforts of Matthew's Hope and the Florida Association of Foster Parents. You can read about what to get and where to drop it off by CLICKING HERE. Also, if you want to just give cash, you can do so by making a donation directly to Matthew's Hope.

# 2 _ the "Go and Do the Same" 1/2 Marathon Run for Clean Water effortB
Bottom line is that Chad and Cindy Nykamp will be running the Disney 1/2 marathon next month and are enlisting "sponsorship" from all of us for $1300 to go toward providing clean water to those who do not have it through Living Water International. CLICK HERE to give to their effort. You can also click here to learn more about "Go and Do the Same."

# 3 _ give a gift through Compassion Internationalo
Bottom line is that you will be surprised that the money you were gonna spend on that ridiculous fashion ensemble that would just hang in someone's closet could actually buy a cow or two goats or full vaccination for two kids or clean water for life for two families, and more. Check out how you can give into an organization that I have supported since 1993 by CLICKING HERE.

# 4 _ support artisans from other cultures by purchasing from World Craftst
Bottom line is that a friend of mine directs this really cool organization called World Crafts that partners with international artisans to sell their work and support their families and local economy in viable and sustainable ways. Really cool stuff. Check it out by clicking here.

# 5 _ buy the stuff you already buy from Project 7 & support "least of these" ministry effortst
Bottom line is that Project 7 offers some really good coffee, T's, mints, and more (stuff you already buy), but they don't keep the profits. They give it to partnering ministries to feed the hungry, provide clean water, help the sick, encourage the oppressed, and more. I just ordered some stuff from them last week. Check it out by CLICKING HERE.

# 6 _ TOMS
Ok. I said top 5, but I always have to mention TOMS. I am a TOMS junkie, wearing my fifth or sixth pair right now. And i wear one out then get another pair. They now offer sunglasses that in turn provide glasses or much needed eye procedures for those who need it. Check it out by CLICKING HERE.

There you go. Now go and get less stuff and give more hope this Christmas.

Much love! Merry Christmas!!!
-jason

get less stuff. give more hope.

jason c dukes — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Hey Westpoint family.

Looking forward to diving into the Emmanuel series this coming Sunday morning. We will focus on the story of Mary and Joseph and how Emmanuel changed their family and how it changes our own.

FOR ADVENT CONSPIRACY together with the Church of West Orange, here's what we would suggest for our collection focus for the coming month (in case this helps those who want more clarity on what exactly to get and give to our homeless friends and the foster kids):

THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 4TH, bring underwear and winter hats for adults and kids either to worship gathering Sunday morning the 4th or to House Blend Cafe or Axum during the following week.

THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 11TH, bring sneakers (shoes) and socks for adults and kids either to worship gathering Sunday morning the 11th or to House Blend Cafe or Axum during the following week.

THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 18TH, bring hooded sweatshirts and jackets for adults and kids either to worship gathering Sunday morning the 18th or to House Blend Cafe or Axum during the following week.

THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, bring jeans (sizes 28 to 34 for men, 6 to 14 for women, and all kids sizes) either to worship gathering on Christmas Eve (at Whispering Oak Elementary School at 5:30pm) or to House Blend Cafe or Axum during the following week.

THIS IS AN AWESOME ACTIVITY TO REALLY GET FRIENDS AND FAMILY INVOLVED IN!!! The more we can give together, the better for the folks to whom Matthew's Hope and the Foster Parents Association give care.

NOW, if you just want to bring all the stuff you were gonna give in all at once, then completely disregard this email. Pretend it did not even annoy you in your inbox. Imagine it as nothing more than those imaginary ants that crawl on your leg under your pants after you see someone else get an ant bite. It does not exist. Just a figment of your imagination. :-)

But if you want to do it this way, then take it to heart. Post it on the fridge. Print it on fake tattoo paper and put it on someone's hairy back as a reminder.

Either way - love y'all! So excited it's Christmas. Let's conspire together to get less stuff and give more hope.
-jason

when will i have time for this???

jason c dukes — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:54:00 +0000

Hope you guys are having a happy October and enjoying this Central FL fall weather. My son, who digs weather stuff big time, is oddly enough looking forward to the approaching tropical storm coming our way. The cold front may keep it south of us. We will see! Gonna bring some rain, which I guess we need, cause I have to put down some Scott's Bonus S this week, and rain is a good follow-up to that chemical-enhancement of our lawn.

But I digress. Cause only people who aren't trying to walk closely talk only about the weather. That's more for small-talk, porch conversations in which "I am fine" tends to be the only profound declaration. And that's not us as a church family, right?

NO WAY!!! Because we are trying to be worshippers, get equipped, live sent, grow together, and point neighbors and nations to Christ. And that insists upon deep love for one another and enduring commitment to the mission together, right? I thought you would agree :-)

So over the next few Mondays, I will be sending out a note to you trying to handle some of the "FAQs" that we have been conversing about since challenging one another with our "four next steps" as a church family together.

Once again, those are:

:: take the initiative to connect with 3 to 5 families within the Westpoint family to be family with, committing to passionately pray for one another and to deeply love each other through thick and thin.[you may already be walking closely with several families. that's great! if you are but you are not walking with a "sent" purpose, would you be willing to be more purposeful and intentional in your friendships?]

:: study the Scriptures together as a group of families for more than just greater Biblical knowledge, but rather in order to simply ask the question, "If this is true, how must we individually and together surrender to the Holy Spirit that adjustments might be made in our lives based upon the teachings of this Scripture?"

:: encourage each other and hold each other accountable to engage the lost in the pathways of our lives, praying for the lost together, being patient in the long-term of the friendship and journey, and proactively loving them first and caring for them in specific ways, welcoming them into relationship with us like they are family, too.

:: then, let's come together as a "BIG Family" frequently to celebrate what God is doing and to learn from each other as we gather on Sundays, as we connect during "together" events, and as several SENT Groups connect for meals and celebrations and to serve together.

First FAQ:
How will I have time for this?

The answer, I would suggest, comes in two parts. An encouraging part and a challenging part.

The first part of the answer is the encouraging part and is actually another question (don't you like it when people do that?). The question - who are you already doing life with that's a part of the Westpoint family? Most of the people who have told me they worry about having time for this already do life together with a few folks from our church family. Who is that? How are you doing life together? What is the purpose of doing life together? Scripturally it is to love each other through thick and thin (John 12:34-35) and to push each other onto love and service and mission (Hebrews 10:18-25). The answer, then, is not to do MORE but rather to do what you already do with MORE INTENTIONALITY.

The second part of the answer is the more challenging part of the answer. It, too, is a question (don't hate me :-)

>> Who are you short-changing both within our church family and within our community by not making time for this? <<

Yeah. Short-changing. If we really need each other, if we are the body of Christ, if we are sent as the One sent to us to love neighbors and nations, if we are to make disciples, if we are to love one another through thick and thin, if we are to obey the Scriptures TOGETHER rather than just learn them INDIVIDUALLY, then we would be short-changing each other as well as neighbors and nations if we don't make time for this. Right?

A little further with the challenge. And this one is FOR THE DADS OUT THERE - How are you short-changing your kids by not making time for this? What has wrecked me as a father is this one thought - is it rational for me to expect my kids when they go off to college to live a life surrendered to walk with Jesus and with other followers of Jesus loving neighbors and nations and making disciples IF they experience nothing more than a "sinners prayer" and "church attendance" and a tailored-to-engage-them youth program while growing up in my home? It's not. It's irrational to expect otherwise. And so I must make some adjustments.

You can ask the folks we walk with in our SENT Group. They will not describe Jen and me as the model SENT Group or the picture of the exemplary living out of these "four next steps." But I hope they would describe us as LEARNERS TRYING to grow together with them in Jesus and His ways and in love for one another and in making disciples among neighbors and nations. And we want to go deeper with them. Deeper in relationship and deeper on mission.

We aren't asking you to add a bunch of stuff here or even to immerse yourself in church activity and then do this on the side. We are suggesting, as we have been for over seven years just this time with more clarity, that this become your "church activity." With Jesus and with others for the sake of others.

May we make time. And may we even realize that there is no time to waste. May we love each other deeply and live on mission with Jesus together. We need each other. And we along with neighbors and nations need the near, real, life-changing, resurrection-power, love of Jesus, too.

I love you all. Grateful to be learning and living His ways together.
-jason

four very specific "NEXT STEPS" together

jasoncdukes — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:25:00 +0000

Yesterday in gathering, Tommy Novak led our teaching time through Acts 20:17-38. It was an encouraging and challenging time, encouraging in the sense that we all have a valuable part in serving together as His church and challenging in the sense that we all have a valuable part in serving together as His church.

The Sunday before, we were in verses 8 to 10 of Acts 19, and I shared with our church family the desire of our pastoral team and vision team as a whole to see us commit to some very practical next steps together as a church family. We shared the WESTPOINT acronym that we had come up with that is intended to be nothing more than a reminder of who we are as a church family together. May we:

be Worshippers
get Equipped
live Sent
grow Together
POINT neighbors and nations to Jesus

Two verses stood out to me these last two Sundays. One from Acts 19 and one from Acts 20.

10 And this went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord.
(Acts 19:10, HCSB)

24 But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
(Acts 20:24, the Message)

It seems to me that if we desire to see the first we must be committed to the second.

Remember, Paul did not say in verse 24 of Acts 20 that there was one specific way that he let everyone he met "know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God." And why? Because there are many different ways, but all of them are compelled by the Gospel of a God who came near because He so loved the world. The "how" may be via long-term, loving relationship or via immediate-prompted, loving conversation, and in either case notice the central modifier to be love.

Do you want to see all the inhabitants of West Orange County hear the message of the Lord? Are you willing to let everyone you meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God? The former won't happen without the latter. And none of it will happen, at least as I would suggest to you, without two very, very important factors.

One, a love relationship with Jesus lived out in surrender and obedience as we listen and respond to the living presence of the Holy Spirit in the everyday rhythms of our lives. And two, loving relationship with one another as a church family. We cannot live sent apart from the One sent to us. And we cannot live on "mission TO" without living on "mission TOGETHER."

So, how does your pastoral team and vision team propose that we do that? It's actually very simple, but it actually may cause a bit of re-prioritizing and reorienting for all of us. Much like Acts 2:42 declares, we must take seriously our communication with God (prayer), our immersion into and obedience to the Scriptures (the Apostles' teachings), our love for one another through thick and thin (fellowship), and our life together unified around the Gospel message and Gospel mission (the breaking of bread together). Here's specifically how we propose to live this out together:

:: take the initiative to connect with 3 to 5 families within the Westpoint family to be family with, committing to passionately pray for one another and to deeply love each other through thick and thin. [you may already be walking closely with several families. that's great! if you are but you are not walking with a "sent" purpose, would you be willing to be more purposeful and intentional in your friendships?]

:: study the Scriptures together as a group of families for more than just greater Biblical knowledge, but rather in order to simply ask the question, "If this is true, how must we individually and together surrender to the Holy Spirit that adjustments might be made in our lives based upon the teachings of this Scripture?"

:: encourage each other and hold each other accountable to engage the lost in the pathways of our lives, praying for the lost together, being patient in the long-term of the friendship and journey, and proactively loving them first and caring for them in specific ways, welcoming them into relationship with us like they are family, too.

:: then, let's come together as a "BIG Family" frequently to celebrate what God is doing and to learn from each other as we gather on Sundays, as we connect during "together" events, and as several SENT Groups connect for meals and celebrations and to serve together.

This is not "in addition" to all the other church stuff we are doing. This is it. This is being the church together and living sent daily. This is loving each other walking in deep fellowship together through thick and thin. Is this what Jesus intended? Will we see "on earth as it is in heaven" if we reorient our understanding of church and our lives on mission to this simple of a commitment? Will every inhabitant of West Orange County hear the message of the Lord as a result?

Let's try it and see.

Meantime, be praying and PLEASE COME NEXT SUNDAY MORNING IF YOU WANT TO Q & A ABOUT THIS. We will take the teaching time to dialogue further about this, to pray together, and to leave together to live sent.

Jen and I love you all so much and are so grateful for this very sobering but exciting journey together as His church.

-jason

the WESTPOINT acronym & a few stories

jason c dukes — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:11:00 +0000

To the Westpoint family.

So grateful for the time worshipping and praying and singing and considering our next steps together yesterday. I apologize again for the lack of time to actually converse about the now and the suggested future. We will, I assure you, in the next few Sundays. If you missed the time this morning, the podcast will be posted probably today or tomorrow. Be looking for it on the home page of WestpointChurch.org or on the Facebook page.

Meanwhile, I wanted to send a note regarding three things. First, to share with you the basic, easy to remember acronym of our focus together as a local church family. Second, just a recap of "The Bottom Line" that was shared yesterday. And third, four stories about folks living sent / making disciples TOGETHER that are a part of our church family. As you have time, please read through all three. I hope it will encourage you as we keep learning and living the ways of Jesus together.

Grateful for how we have been living sent together. Grateful for the call and commitment to go deeper and deeper in living sent TOGETHER, loving each other as well as neighbors and nations, holding each other up as we live out the gracious, Gospel ways of the Kingdom of God.

-jason

WESTPOINT
be Worshippers _ in the daily and on Sundays
get Equipped _ to make disciples and to be family
live Sent _ serving AND sending both locally and globally
grow Together _ via SENT groups and as COWO
POINTing _ neighbors and nations to Jesus

THE BOTTOM LINE:
1. take the initiative to connect with 3 to 5 families in the Westpoint family to be family with, committing to passionately pray for one another and to deeply love each other through thick and thin.

2. study the Scriptures together as a family for more than just greater Biblical knowledge, but rather in order to simply ask the question, "If this is true, how must we individually and together surrender to the Holy Spirit that adjustments might be made in our lives?"

3. then, encourage each other and hold each other accountable to engage the lost in the pathways of our lives, praying for the lost together, being patient in the long-term of the friendship and journey, and proactively loving them first and caring for them in specific ways, welcoming them into relationship with us like they are family, too.

SERVING SASHA
In case you haven't heard, "Safe and Sober Housing Alternative" has found a new home!!! So excited for Cindy Underwood and the women who are a part of that awesome ministry! Well, in the process of cleaning up to prepare to move in, one of our SENT Groups who has adopted them as their one way of serving locally together stepped up to clean and paint and get the home ready for Cindy and another awesome group of volunteers to move stuff in. So grateful for that SENT Group being family together and including SASHA and Cindy in that family.

CARING FOR STUDENTS
Some of you during summer travel may have missed the announcement of Tommy Novak focusing in a new role with our team as the Pastor to Families with Students. He is loving and equipping parents of teens, walking with and making disciples alongside and among teens, and growing with an awesome adult volunteer team committed to loving and serving students and their families. Well, two of those adult volunteers got to step into action recently in a way that definitely moved them out of their comfort zone. Tommy was stuck in an important meeting when he got a text message from a student in a bit of an emotional crisis. Tommy knew he needed to stay where he was at least for another hour or two, and so he asked a couple of the adult volunteers if they could go and be with the student. They did. And they were stretched. But they were also blessed as they cared for, counseled with, and encouraged the teen. It was a beautiful expression of being a family living sent together.

GOLFING ALONE
The story was shared with me about one of our guys who two weeks ago was a bit inspired to go "live sent" on the golf course. He went out by himself, intentionally trying to connect with another player so they would have a twosome, intentionally hoping to begin a new friendship and enter on a journey together of learning love and hope and life together. Remember, this "making disciples" stuff is not a cold-call, overnight kind of thing. And it's not a one-round-of-golf kind of thing, either. In the end, the guy was so glad he did what he did. He made a new friend and hopes to golf together again.

LOVING THE LONELY
Less than two weeks ago, a woman in our community connected with one or two folks in our church family hit a crossroads in her life. Stay consumed with loneliness and addiction or get connected and get help. So far, and it's early in the game so please be praying, but so far she has chosen the latter. One of the ladies in our church family stepped right in and not only "loved first" becoming new friends, but also has loved well spending quality time encouraging the woman in crisis. On top of that, the Wednesday night women's group stepped up, as they have done so many times in the history of our church family, to love on and care for and connect with and walk beside the woman. What an awesome example of family!!!

this coming Sunday, the 25th

jason c dukes — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:28:00 +0000

In preparation, please read Acts 19:8-10. Then, please pray through and consider these thoughts and prayers:

:: At the beginning of this year, we entered into a "Tyrannus" season as a church family calling for a commitment to make disciples and live sent together like never before.

:: We have recently had an opportunity possibly to merge with another local church expression called West Orange Baptist. That is not going to happen. We will share that update Sunday, but suffice it to say in this email "that He who started a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

:: Lord, may the Gospel become such a central topic of conversation in and among and through us that the everyday rhythms of our lives are transformed beyond Biblical knowledge and religious practice to Biblical community and relational generosity.

:: Father, thank You that as we believe in the One that was sent we are given the right to be called children of God. May we grow to be closer and closer as Your family thus committed to give Your love away unto the lonely of our world inviting them to be in Your family, too.

:: May we find 3 to 5 families in the Westpoint family to be family with, committing to passionately pray for each other and to deeply love each other through thick and thin.

:: May we then study the Scriptures together as a family for more than just greater Biblical knowledge, but rather in order to simply ask the question, "If this is true, how must we individually and together surrender to the Holy Spirit that adjustments might be made in our lives?"

:: And may we encourage each other and hold each other accountable to engage the lost in the pathways of our lives, praying for the lost together and for wisdom regarding how to proactively love and care for them, welcoming them into relationship with us like they are family, too.

Jesus, we are just one expression of Your church. May we commit like never before to be Your church together and to live sent daily as You have intended us to live - together on mission offering love and hope to those without it all to the glory of the Father.

I am SOOOOOOOO pumped up about what I am seeing in and among us as we have accepted the challenge of our emphasis this year to be obedient to follow Jesus together and love like He loves and make disciples of Him as we are going in the everyday.

Can't wait to pray and converse and worship and leave to live sent with you Sunday morning! Hope you can be there.
-jason

so grateful for your wisdom and insight

jason c dukes — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:02:00 +0000

To say I am grateful for the Westpoint Church family would be an understatement. Once again, we had a "family meeting" in which grace and unity was apparent. It is truly awesome to witness the love and wisdom God is growing in and among us as we walk this journey together. Thank you so much for your insight and input, your concern and commitment. IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS, please email them in to us. And please be praying for wisdom and discernment as we walk through this decision together.

Regarding the ongoing vision and mission of this one-among-many local church expressions, may I take a moment to share a gentle reminder about what I pray will stay at the forefront of our hearts and minds regardless of what happens with this West Orange Baptist decision.

I pray that we would love Jesus and love one another as together we love neighbors and nations committing to make disciples in the rhythms of our daily lives. I also pray that we would continue to be united around mission with Jesus as He makes us to become the local church expression that He intended us to be.

The vision and hope of Westpoint has not changed from day one in February 2004.

Be the church together, do life together, give ourselves away together, make disciples, and hope to see followers and thus new expressions of His church multiplied. Live sent daily learning and living the ways of Jesus with our families, our neighbors, our co-workers, our local community, our world, and even online.

What has changed is our gratefulness for the Gospel and our understanding of His intention for His church. These have hopefully grown to be more as He intended, along with our awareness of and appreciation of His near love and redeemed purpose for our lives. That He is "God with us" continues to wreck and restore and send us daily.

God loved us first, loves us regardless, and has demonstrated it clearly. That "gospel" is inviting and transforming and compelling, drawing us to God and growing us in Christ and sending us with Him. That mission with Him includes but is not limited to attending a gathering on Sundays and for sure includes a command to make disciples of Jesus together as we are going among neighbors and nations. The making of disciples of Jesus, if done like He did it, occurs in the rhythms of the daily and creates among us a need for each other so that we will keep going on mission daily with Him. That "mission to" happens via "mission together," both as one local church expression as well as in unity with other local church expressions, hopefully resulting in "on earth as it is in heaven" in our community beyond just attracting a crowd to our respective Sunday gatherings. As we thus love one another doing life together and proactively caring for one another, as we also love neighbors and nations engaging our culture and giving ourselves away together, as we actually make disciples in the daily learning and living the ways of Jesus with others, and as we furthermore think and live beyond just a "MY church" mentality, we will see thru the maturity of our unity around mission people believe in the One who was sent (John 17:18-23) and thus new expressions of His church arise.

Will you pray with me this prayer?

"Lord, have Your way among us. May we live sent lives first and foremost and with utmost energy and intentionality to and alongside our families. May we actually know our neighbors' names and be growing in an active friendship with them. May we care about our coworkers' interests above our own. May we serve in an ongoing, relational manner just one way locally and one way globally, giving ourselves away alongside family and church family. May we also grow in friendship with those whom we serve. May we actually make disciples. Please help our pastoral team and vision team to actually equip for making disciples and to cultivate for genuine care and compassion for one another. And Lord, please help us to never again choose to just "go to church." May our gathering never be an event where we serve ourselves, but rather may it be a celebratory time together where we worship You and then are sent with You. Please, Lord, teach us Your ways that we might learn and live Your ways together."

Jen and I love you. We are grateful for you. We are praying and hopeful that we will cultivate for and get to see "on earth as it is in heaven" in each of our families, in our church family, along the pathways of our daily lives, in our community, and around the world.

-jason

some virtual Q & A about West Orange Baptist...

jason c dukes — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:46:00 +0000

Wow! So grateful for the Westpoint Church family and the way we are praying and processing through this possible West Orange Baptist relationship. You have sent in some great questions and thoughts. Great insight and concerns. So thankful.

Some of you have simply called or spoken face to face with a minor point of clarity here and there. We have not recorded all of those, but suffice it to say those face to face interactions have mainly revolved around three concerns:

:: will that facility be adequate for our children's ministry?
In short, we will have to make some immediate improvements to it, but it should be adequate for the short term. In the long term, West Orange Baptist had someone give a gift designated for a building to be built to serve families in their church family and in the community. The designation of that gift would be honored if the merger takes place, and the "new" Westpoint Church family would act on the intent of that gift.

:: will our current leadership structure remain rather than a "congregational" type of leadership structure?
Absolutely yes. This has been the stance of the Vision Team from the first meeting with the West Orange Baptist leaders. We will not adopt their governance and leadership structure. Now, we will solidify our processes of becoming an elder as well as of what it means to be a part of the Westpoint family. In so doing, it will hopefully offer clarity and beauty to all involved of how we can be a church family together and seek the Lord for His direction together, all the while with the Vision Team still making the overall decisions of the church family acting as a representative body of the congregation.

:: how will we be proactive to care about the West Orange Baptist people in this process?
This is vitally important. This is not some sort of "hostile takeover." We are a family, and we would need to see the people of West Orange Baptist as new members of the family. That implies two very important things - (1) that we respect them and desire to see their strengths utilized in the unity of our body serving and moving together in the everyday, AND (2) that we take proactive initiative to LOVE FIRST. The essence of the Gospel is the message of a God who did not wait on us, but loved us first. Took the initiative. The Westpoint family will be challenged to love first, to take the initiative to connect with and begin to walk with the beautiful people of the West Orange Baptist family.

To say I am so proud of the way we have continued to be concerned about the people of West Orange Baptist through this process would be an understatement. I am so grateful for how the Westpoint family desires to engage and involve them as family if this process goes through. And even if it doesn't, the sentiment has been that we should encourage and partner with them regardless.

So thankful to the Lord for how He is teaching us about His love.

SO, without further adieu, in the order which they were received, here are the questions and thoughts sent in with answers below each that will hopefully help answer the concern or question:

1. How comfortable will West Orange be in adapting to Westpoint's embrace of modern technology? How will they feel or react when our pastor or congregation reads the Bible from their media device? Will they be capable of following our vision or events via the social media? Will they be really be okay with a rap video for Mother's Day? Will they feel disenfranchised? Will our modern approach versus their "old school" approach create a divide?

Great question since we utilize technology so much. The day that we gathered with them, an iPad was used to read the Scripture and notes during the teaching time. We used visuals on the screen, which they had not typically done. The comments that got back to me were all positive.

The communication of vision and events would have to take on an additional facet. We would have to make some hard copies available at all times for vision emphasis and announcements. That would be a slight change if the move occurs.

On the rap video:

All I can say
Is we need to pray
Day after day
and work for uni-tay (unity)

Frustrations to deal
Disappointments to feel
Expectations must be real
For this relationship to seal

Sorry, couldn't help it. Seriously, though, the divide in methodology may be wide in some ways. But the Lord and Spirit and mission and purpose are not. If we are patient to love and steady to sow for the Christ-honoring things, we will reap what Jesus intended, IF we hold each other accountable to keep surrendering personal agendas for His.

Gonna take some relationship efforts on both sides.

2. Our teens are engaged--it is beautiful to witness. Will this merger engage more youth in West Orange without risking our own students current level of commitment?

We believe it would be a beneficial move. Tommy and the leadershis' comments have all been regarding the fact that the location of the West Orange Baptist campus allows for connection with more middle schools along with West Orange High School AND East Ridge High School, both of which are represented in our current student body.

3. Is the West Orange Baptist Church building geographically located in an area that is strategically located to most effectively minister to the people the leadership feels called to minister to?

Good question. We believe so, and here's why. The campus is central to East Lake County and West Orange County, which is where the Westpoint family lives and is being the church. The campus would allow for some unique opportunities to minister to the people of our community into which we were asked to go and be the church originally back in 2002. AND, the facility would force us to send out to make disciples in our respective neighborhoods and start more community churches, fulfilling our focus to send rather than just gather.

4. What steps is the Vision Team taking to lessen the chances that the excitement for “having our own building” or “missing a great opportunity” or the “cravings of sinful man, lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what man has and does” cloud their leading of the Holy Spirit?

Great question!!! We have from the beginning made it clear that we have been being the church without a campus and we can continue to do so. We have also held each other accountable to be praying and seeking and processing, taking it slow and cautious, asking the hard questions, not naive to how difficult a merger like this could be. I believe we have been firm and honest with each other relationally, challenging each other to stay focused and not be enamored.

5. We trust God and Westpoint leadership to do what’s best for our Westpoint family.

Thanks!!! We really are listening together for direction and listening to the Westpoint family, too, as they are hearing what the Spirit is saying. Very important for all the input to be considered.

6. We read the letter that you sent out and were honestly in disbelief. It's not every day that anyone (or any establishment) gives away real estate and especially for the glory of God....truly amazing! We are excited for Westpoint to have a facility to grow in and perhaps offer more opportunities to reach out to the community because of it. I'm sure there will be obstacles to overcome but we are excited for the prospect of this happening for the church if it's something that will benefit everyone involved. We are praying for the situation and for the church leadership team.

Thanks so much! Means a ton!

7. What types of improvements are going to happen in the children's ministry if we move? Specifically using a good Sunday school program like we did two yrs ago? I know it was one Westpoint paid for, but I believe it's very important. Also having a "training" class for all the volunteers would be helpful. Let them know what's expected of them.(They are teaching our children), how to teach lessons, manage the classroom, encourage respectful behavior, etc.

Good question. Josh and Kelly are working so hard to develop Compass Kids to keep becoming the ministry and equipping agent that it needs to be. They are so surrendered to Christ and to teaching His ways to the kids and parents. With Josh being so consumed with the Cafe, it has been difficult to focus on the parents and volunteers like he and Kelly desire to do. We are working on some options to help make that more possible.

On the curriculum, please talk to Josh and Kelly about what you would like to see. They are so approachable and open to the suggestions of our invaluable volunteers.

8. What ever happened to our drama ministry? A skit every other month would be a great change to the Sunday routine.

You are so right!!! We are actually working on it. I believe we had some miscommunication in the last month that some of us thought was going through. Hopefully corrected this week. Can't wait to see the creativity and worship expressed in this way!

9. Should the Lord bring our two congregations together, what specific ways will we look to extend grace to the West Orange Baptist folks? They are used to a very different form of governance and a more traditional form of worship. It seems to me that we need to be willing to modify our style of worship to include some of what they are used to. The blend of worship at our joint service in Oakland seemed well received and offered a good mix. The change away from a congregational government may take some getting used to for the West Orange Baptist group. We will need to be sensitive to them, listen well and seek their wisdom and experience that comes with age.

Great wisdom and love here. Thanks for this question and insight.

More "specific ways" will certainly come if the move takes place, but here are a few suggestions. We will need to proactively have meals and drink coffee and recreate with and serve alongside of them, taking initiative to specifically engage and invite them to do that with our families and our SENT groups. Some of us will need to join their Sunday morning small groups that currently exist (Sunday School), in order to "love first" and proactively connect. We will need to allow for who we ALL are as a family define the ways we express ourselves and respond to God in worship, since that is what "worship together" is – a response of our together expressions, not a mandate for our personal preferences. We will need to go serve neighbors and nations with them, because we see in the Scriptures the most profound relationships develop around mission together. We will need to validate and give value to their insight and wisdom, humbling ourselves to learn from and with them.

10. These are my thoughts. I'm being honest. I like that we don't have a building and we serve those whose building we use. But it's not about me. Sometimes I think about the sheer amount of "baggage" from a place that has been "battling conflict" for ten years. God is big enough to handle it... but you know the adage... "one bad apple." It will be a tough uphill climb. For me, driving distance is an issue I'm starting to think about. On the positive side, I love that as a church we are always looking for ways to get together rather than separate. Big plus :)

Thanks so much for being honest. We, too, like that we have not been weighed down with high costs of overhead and debt and stuff that often comes with a building. It is reassuring that West Orange Baptist would not bring with this possible move any debt, if the move happens.

The conflict is hard to stomach, too. It is encouraging how the people of West Orange Baptist over the course of the last six months have begun to unite around a renewed hope and possible future. Many of them, we are told, are more excited than they have been in a long time. The fact that the current platform through which conflict has come would be taken away through this possible move is worth noting, since the "congregational" structure of decision-making would change.

The driving distance I have heard is a concern for two or three folks that have mentioned it. It does add about five to seven minutes to the drive for those driving from the east and from the south of where we currently gather. For many, it is much closer, though. Hard to think of it as give and take on this one, but it really is. I hope this will be something worth working through, and maybe we can give a few gas cards to each other to show some love :-)

And thanks for the "big plus" comment. We definitely want to take Jesus' prayer for unity among His followers (John 17) seriously.

11. We're praying for the Westpoint Pastoral Team and West Orange Baptist leaders that you all will be granted God's wisdom and guidance during meetings/discussions concerning our possible merger. We are also very excited about the opportunity God has blessed both our church families with and graciously welcome the day that we may all walk in fellowship together!!

Thanks for the prayers and encouragements and walking in this together!!!

12. Does West Orange Baptist currently have a pastoral team, pastor, or deacons? If so, will our pastoral team be merging together with theirs, or would a leadership restructuring take place?

West Orange Baptist has an interim pastor and three active deacons. We would not add on a pastoral team member in this possible move. We are still discussing through whether those three deacons would even desire to be on the Vision Team. We will FOR SURE solidify the becoming-an-elder process so that it is easily understood by all, and then give the opportunity for adding one or two leaders to the Vision Team. This has been on the Vision Team's mind through this process.

13. Has consideration been made for the various teams we have created, i.e...together team, vision team etc...? Would these teams be restructured? or continue the same work in the new church family?

They would continue to lead out in the vision that Westpoint continues to hold, hopefully with some new, excited members!!!

14. If any, what group associations, i.e...Church of West Orange, National Baptist Convention etc...is West Orange Baptist currently a part of? Would the new church body continue these associations?

West Orange Baptist is currently associated with the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and the Florida Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. We would continue these associations, but as you can clearly see on our website, and it has been there for over seven and a half years, Westpoint has existed in these associations via healthy relationships since inception. This would not be a change for us. The change would be rather for the West Orange Baptist family. Westpoint also associates with theChurchofWestOrange.com, with ReproducingChurches.com, with the Ekklesia Network, along with a few others. These relationships would continue.

15. At this point one would/could assume that our Sunday morning worship gathering would relocate to the campus of West Orange Baptist. Specifically, Is there currently a mortgage payment? If so, would we be part of or take over that mortgage? In general, what would our financial responsibility be to the building itself?

There is not currently a mortgage payment. There are only operational costs for the campus and facility. Those costs average out to approximately $4500 a month currently. We now pay approximately $3000 a month for the use of space at Whispering Oak Elementary School five hours each Sunday. We would obviously be able to use the West Orange Baptist campus 24/7. This does mean that we would need to be willing to commit that extra $1500 per month in giving to make that work.

16. Thank you all for taking the opportunity to answer our questions in this format. It shows your commitment to us and our inclusion in this large and detailed process. Thank you again for all that you do. We look forward to seeing all the other questions and responses that were submitted!

Thank you for being willing to send in questions and be involved in the process. WE REALLY VALUE how the Holy Spirit speaks to and leads the entire church family.

17. What is West Orange Baptist's expectations of daily workings and duties of the pastoral team as it compares to what the Westpoint pastors are doing now? How might it change what they do in the future?

Great question! Their current expectations as far as I can tell are for their interim pastor to teach in Sunday mornings and Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, be in the office a certain amount each week to be available, and be willing to assist with folks when there are crises. They like any healthy church family also care for one another and don't just rely on the pastor to do all the caring for one another. We would need to emphasize this even more if we want to keep growing as the church together the way Jesus intended. We would need to allow the pastoral team to be available for counseling and crises, but to see the SENT groups and the togetherness of our church family be the avenue through which we daily care for and proactively meet the needs of one another.

The way things might change into the future for the pastoral team? The simple answer is we would have a central office at which we would keep certain office hours, both together as a team at times as well as individually. Other than that, it is unsure what changes might come. So far, their leaders have not expresses any specific expectations they have on the matter. Please share any you might have with us via email or face to face. Definitely want to have candid conversation about any expectations, since expectations are what lead to disappointment and disappointment to fractured unity. If we can stay communicative and open, we should be able to grow in love and unity on this matter very well.

>> WELL, thanks so much for all the questions and insights and encouragement!!! Please make an effort to be there for the Family Meeting face-to-face "Q and A" Sunday morning from 11:15 to 11:45 following the worship gathering. Hopefully these answers will either suffice the questions sent in or allow for better follow-up and more efficient use of our time all together.

We love you guys so much. So grateful for our church family! Let's keep praying and listening together for wisdom and direction. Look forward to the conversation Sunday morning.

~the Vision Team

praying together for wisdom about a potentially significant decision

jason c dukes — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:17:15 +0000

As most of you know by now, the Westpoint Church family is seriously committed to cultivating for unity among followers of Jesus in West Orange County and beyond. We want to take Jesus' prayer in John 17 seriously, and we try to do so by praying for other local church expressions and ministries, supporting them financially, serving alongside them, and encouraging them especially when they are walking through difficult times. Well, the praying and encouraging parts are what led to our relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family.

As most of you also know by now, we have been walking with and slowly growing in a relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family. We have hunted for Easter Eggs. We have gathered together for Sunday morning worship. We have prayed for one another. We have met frequently with their interim pastor and deacons. Some of the people in their church family have visited with and worshipped with us on a Sunday morning at the school. And some of our leaders have had a Q and A session with their church family exploring what our growing relationship might mean.

The purpose of this email / blog post is simply to keep the Westpoint church family up to date with what has been going on. AND it is to inform you as to how we can further pray together and converse together about an opportunity for a greater relationship with the West Orange Baptist church family.

First, the leaders of the West Orange Baptist church family have themselves told us that they are unsure of what their long-term future will be if they don't make a significant change in their current structure and focus. They have been battling through various conflict for some 10 years now. They have, to their own admission, become so consumed in their conflicts that they have both missed their intended purpose as well as developed a poor reputation in their community. Life both on their campus and off of it out in the community has diminished, and they are praying and hoping for renewed life and purpose.

Second, West Orange Baptist leaders, during the process of Westpoint praying for and encouraging them and them encouraging us, made it known that they were not currently looking for another pastor (they have had 8 in the last 10 years), but rather were seeking the Lord for wisdom about their future and for possible drastic change. They wondered if it might be best to find a church family in the area with whom they could connect and possibly pass on to a new or younger church family that would continue the Great Commission focus into the future and continue the Gospel ministry that has been going on there on their campus for some 60 years.

Next, as we were relating together, Westpoint began to be considered as that possible new or younger church family. The question was asked as to whether this would even be an interest. We said it was interesting enough to consider for sure. And so their church family voted to officially enter into talks with Westpoint about a possible merger in which "West Orange Baptist Church," both their people and the campus on which they gather, would become part of the Westpoint Church family.

Since that vote to enter into talks with us, our leaders have met once again with their leaders as well as had a Q and A session with their congregation. It has gone well, at least well enough to bring to the forefront of our attention as a church family. The Westpoint Vision Team continues to pray for wisdom. We have asked many of you to be praying with us. And we have received some great insight and feedback. And now the time comes when we begin to make it a priority of prayer together while West Orange Baptist decides what they may or may not do.

One other important note. In 2005, our second year as a church family, the Vision Team of Westpoint Church decided to make a commitment to not go into debt over land or facilities. We committed to the Lord that if He wanted to give us a sending and gathering place that He would please do just that - GIVE IT TO US. We have trusted Him in that regard and have been grateful for our wonderful gathering place at Whispering Oak Elementary School. The potential of this opportunity with West Orange Baptist includes with it the giving of a sending and gathering place.

We understand that there are some stylistic and cultural differences between the West Orange Baptist church family and the Westpoint Church family. We do believe, however, that the spirit and purpose and mission of both local church expressions are one in the same. IF a move is made in which their church family becomes a part of our church family and we move our gathering to a new location on what would be a "Westpoint" or even a "theChurchofWestOrange.com" campus, let it be known that we realize it would not be without the need for highly intentional efforts to cultivate for unity and very specific emphasis in order to stay focused on being the church together and living sent daily.

Moreover, it would be an opportunity for Westpoint to be strengthened by followers of Jesus who have been longer on their journey with Christ who could give into the lives of younger believers and younger families the wisdom and love given unto them over the years (Titus 2:1-8), AND it would be an opportunity for West Orange to be strengthened with renewed vision and energetic leadership with regard to these God-given dreams for the future of their ministry (Acts 2:17). It would require selflessness and leadership and energy. It may result in a few changes, but it would not mean in any way a change of focus and desire to be becoming exactly what Jesus intended His church to be - a longing that has defined Westpoint for over seven years and will define her into the future.

Finally, Westpoint does not NEED to make a structure or focus shift. We continue to try to be the church together and to live sent daily. However, if we decided to make this potential move, we (Westpoint and West Orange) would need to be focused in some very specific areas:

:: we would need to recognize one and only one head of the church - Jesus Christ - and surrender all personal agendas desiring His intention for His church and His alone.

:: we would need to continue to commit to living daily to make disciples, continuing to beg Jesus to reorient us from the ritualism of consumeristic religion toward the life-giving mission for which He created His church.

:: we would need to continue to seek Christ for growth in the way we shepherd and care for one another, specifically in how we are doing life together on mission through SENT groups and other care-for-one-another, stay-focused-on-mission-together emphases.

:: we would need to begin praying for specific ways to give ourselves away into one another as well as into our community from a new location, dreaming and brainstorming and listening for God's direction on specific ways to grow in our "together generosity" with an added asset.

:: we would need to become more intentional than ever about cultivating for the multiplication of disciples, leaders, ministry groups, and local church expressions.

:: we would need to commit to not gossiping, understanding that if there is a concern or a conflict, we must voice it to the one with whom we have issue and never to anyone that can do nothing about it except to further the frustration.

:: we would need to celebrate the culture of a people different from us all the while intentionally cultivating for a unity that can only occur when Jesus unites self-absorbed people together around His Gospel and His mission.

:: we all would need to humble ourselves, not holding tightly to any preferences but rather living grateful that we are held by Him and thus respond TOGETHER in worship to Him in the ways that are unique and expressive to each of us.

There is more that could be listed. But you get the gist.

The BOTTOM LINE:
This is a great opportunity to continue to see UNITY and MISSION lived out together as His church in West Orange County and beyond. Please pray for wisdom for West Orange Baptist as they continue to discuss the possibility and will eventually vote as to whether to request that this "merger" or "marriage" officially take place (we will let you know when that vote is going to happen). Please pray for wisdom for us as a Westpoint family as we desire to listen for and obey how God is leading us in our next steps. It is not a necessity for Westpoint to make a move like this, but is it what Jesus is leading us to do together as His local church expression? That's what we need to discern together.

What are the questions you have?

PLEASE SEND ALL QUESTIONS TO info@westpointchurch.org. We will be posting all questions sent in along with all answers given in an newsletter and on a blog post on the Westpoint website next Thursday.

WE WILL THEN TAKE FROM 11:15 TO 11:45 on Sunday morning August 28th to pray and converse together about this opportunity.

Where we go from there will be determined both by our discernment together of God's leading along with West Orange Baptist discernment of their Christ-led direction.

These are exciting times. We are anxious to hear from you.
-the Vision Team

IMPACT East Winter Garden

jason c dukes — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:15:00 +0000

In case you missed it or didn't know, some folks with the Westpoint church family along with folks from other church families associated here with the Church of West Orange are growing in an ongoing relationship with the beautiful people of East Winter Garden (specifically the Maxey area). They not only go monthly into East Winter Garden the last Friday of each month for a Movie Night, but they also do various service projects and other activities as needs become known.

Each summer, they have what's called "IMPACT Week." This year, six church families worked together to serve during that week, both encouraging the people around Zanders Park as well as learning from the families there.

CLICK HERE to watch the video that Josh Taylor put together from that week in the end of June.

If you want info about how you can be involved, email Josh.

Grateful for East Winter Garden and to get to learn and live the ways of Jesus with the beautiful people there.

gathering with another local church expression

jason c dukes — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:56:00 +0000

As most of you know, Westpoint is very committed to "the Church of West Orange" – many local church expressions being the church together to West Orange County and beyond. It has been amazing the beauty of unity blossoming among local churches in our community as we have walked together, and we all admit openly that we feel like we are only scratching the surface of what unity could be!!!

Well, in an attempt to continue to cultivate for health among the local churches of our area, we have been praying for and encouraging and learning with West Orange Baptist Church over the last few months. They are a local church expression with a history of conflict and struggle, but with a group of leaders who are fully committed to their next ten years being different than their last ten years. And so we have been seeking the Lord together as to how we could assist them in that hope and effort.

As we continue to get to know one another and be the church together, our respective leadership teams thought it a good thing to gather together as church families. SO, we will be heading over to gather with them on their campus June 26th. Please try to be there by 10:30 so that we can not just show up, but rather connect and get to know one another before the gathering begins. In addition, if you can sing and would be willing to join together with their choir and sing with them that morning in our joint gathering, then please come early ready to connect with the choir and practice a bit and then sing together! We will also share lunch together afterwards there in their "fellowship hall." It is going to be a special Sunday!!!

The West Orange Baptist campus is located at 200 South Tubb Street in Oakland, just west of Winter Garden and just north of Hwy 50.

We look forward to seeing you there!!!

-the Vision Team

why is the local church even important? (aka, "mission together" because of "mission to")

jason c dukes — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Why is the "local church" even important? Part of the answer lies in understanding the mission of God. Part of the answer lies in understanding our need for one another.

I would suggest that the importance of the "local church" is first and foremost defined by the mission of God. Some teachers say, and I happen to agree with them:

"It's not that God church has a mission. It's that God's mission has a church."

The Gospel and the mission to dispel the message of God's near love unto all the world to every neighbor and nation was around long before people started coming up with church growth strategies. It was around long before Christ came as a baby. It was around before time began. Jesus poured Himself into a select group of leaders, modeling life together and "on earth as it is in heaven" with them, in order to then send them out on mission.

"In the same way that You gave Me a mission in the world, I am giving them a mission in the world."
~John 17:18, the Message

We have been sent. Let's call this "MISSION TO..."

Now, any time we are sent on a mission, the implication is difficulty, lack of comfort, need of endurance, and desire of encouragement. Thus, we need others to be on mission with us. And so the local church becomes important also because of this required togetherness for mission.

Let's call this "MISSION TOGETHER..."

SO, it is the "MISSION TO" that necessitates the "MISSION TOGETHER." We have "MISSION TOGETHER" because of the "MISSION TO."

Here's a question:

do you want to find a local church or do you need to be a part of a local church?

The former indicates a possible consumer approach to finding a church that fits you and your schedule. The latter indicates a probable recognition of how hard walking on mission with God daily really is and therefore there is a growing necessity for others to walk on that mission with you.

Could it be then concluded:

IF YOU DON'T NEED A LOCAL CHURCH, A GROUP OF PEOPLE ON MISSION TOGETHER WITH YOU, THEN ARE YOU EVEN LIVING ON MISSION WITH GOD? Are you living as He intended?

You are not living as He intended if you are not living sent. And if you don't need an intentional group of people to walk beside you as you venture out on this dangerous mission of taking the Gospel daily unto neighbors and nations, then you are most likely taking seriously the mission of God.

May we actually go and make disciples. May we live sent.

Below, check out this awesome video of a church family in Tacoma, WA living on mission together and mission to Tacoma, and then please process these three questions.

Am I following Jesus, believing that God so loved the world and living WITH Him rather that just FOR Him?

Is the mission of God and His Gospel a central motivation and desire of my life, or is there something else central?

Will I surrender to Him and His mission, asking Him to know who are the lost around me in whom He wants me to plant the Gospel and water with love, begging Him to reorient the rhythms of my everyday life to live on mission with Him?

Comments welcome...

Love y'all! Grateful to be the church together.
-jason

a tribute to moms

jason c dukes — Tue, 10 May 2011 10:44:00 +0000

Check out this video we showed Sunday morning on Mother's Day as a tribute to all the moms in the house! Then, check out the video below it that we closed out our gathering with. Funny stuff.

Much love! New series kicks off this coming Sunday - UNSTOPPABLE _ a study of Acts.

Grateful we get to be the church together and live sent daily. Love y'all!
-jason

we are His bride.

jason c dukes — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:31:00 +0000

Can you see the look on the face of the bride in the picture above? What delight and expectancy!!! Oh that we as the bride of Christ would live everyday with such expectancy and delight for our promised, one-day-to-return Groom!

Yesterday morning, we kicked off our Easter series "betrothal with God" by considering how "God planned a wedding." We took a look at the Jewish customs for betrothal and marriage. Here they are in case you missed it or in case you wanted to read through them again:

1. A Jewish man would approach the girl of his choice with a legally binding contract/covenant. If accepted, it was a fully binding agreement on both parties.

2. The contract would include the price (dowry) that that man was willing to pay for his bride. The more he would pay, the more it would show his love for his bride.

3. The contract was sealed when the man and woman would break bread and drink wine together. Some form of benediction would be given symbolizing that the covenant relationship between the two had been established. At this time they were considered "married."

4. The groom also left a gift for the bride-to-be as his pledge that he would fulfill his promise of marriage. They were now espoused. That is, they were "betrothed" or "engaged" to be married to each other, which was as binding as marriage. Thus, unfaithfulness on the part of either the bride or the groom was legally viewed as adultery at this point.

5. The man/groom would then leave the girl at her home and would depart to go to his home, usually his father’s house. There he would prepare a home for them which would also serve as the bridal chamber in which they would honeymoon.

6. The length of time before the groom returned to get his bride was usually a year. The actual timing of his return was up to his father. When the father said it was time, the groom would return for his bride.

7. While the groom was away, the bride prepared herself for their marriage. She would keep herself veiled in public, a symbol that she belonged to another and was set apart and bought with a price.

8. Custom was the she was to have an oil lamp ready for her departure, as the groom was to come for her at night.

9. When the time came, the groom would leave his father's house in a torchlit procession and go to fetch his bride. Since the bride did not know the exact timing of the groom's coming, the groom's arrival was preceded by a loud shout to give her a few moments to arise, trim her lamp, and gather her things. Then, the groom would get her and bring her back to his father's house and the place he had prepared for her.

10. The groom and his bride would return to his father's house, where the wedding party and guests would escort them to the chamber. There the groom and his bride would consummate the marriage for the first time and the wedding feast (marriage supper) would take place.

WOW! If you are even slightly familiar with the Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus, then you most certainly connected the betrothal customs with various assertions and metaphors that Christ made. So amazing this Groom of ours that He would love us enough to make us His bride!!!

We read through Ephesians 1:3-12 processing this long-range, before-time-began plan that God had to bring us into love relationship with Himself through His beloved Son. Powerful Scripture. Just meditate this week on this one verse from that passage:

5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) [Ephesians 1:5, The Message]

As you are reading the Scriptures this week, take some time to read through Hosea 2. As you converse with and listen to the Holy Spirit, process the following questions:

what does this Scripture teach us about God and His love for us?
what does this Scripture teach us about people?
what does this Scripture teach us about loving God and loving people?
do i believe that God truly delights in and desires me enough to still marry me even though i tend to be an unfaithful bride?

I love you guys! And a I am very excited to walk through this metaphor together as we reflect on the life and resurrection and intention of our Groom. We are His bride. May we realize that He and He alone can make us beautiful, and may we remember to make Him and Him alone known. What Good News to the lonely and broken that they have a loving Groom who will return to marry them.

-jason

this week's Deut reading guide

jason c dukes — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:11:00 +0000

Hey guys and gals! Here is this week's Deuteronomy reading guide. Tommy Novak wraps up our Deuteronomy series, "everyday G–D," leading us through Deuteronomy 29:18 thru 30:14. So looking forward to Tommy teaching it. So thankful for Jim leading us thru a tough passage yesterday. Hope you will have the time to reflect on that one and read ahead on this one for Sunday morning.

Thanks to all who participated with us yesterday delivering grocieries. Heard some awesome stories. Please come ready to share some of your stories this coming Sunday morning.

Love y'all. Praying you will listen and love and live sent this week.
-jason

this week's Deut reading guide

jason c dukes — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:10:00 +0000

Here is this week's Deuteronomy reading guide for those of you reading and studying along with us as we walk through highlights of Moses sermon to the Israelites recorded as the book of Deuteronomy. The series is entitled "everyday G–D," and it continues this coming Sunday morning with a focus in Deuteronomy 22.

Hope your time alone with the Father in His Scriptures this week will not only be refreshing but will also tune you in to sense His leading more clearly in the everyday.

This coming Sunday morning, we will also take a few minutes to highlight "westpoint_MULTIPLY" - Westpoint's emphasis on and sowing for the multiplication of local expressions of the church. Gonna be fun!!!

Love you guys!
-jason

the Deut reading guide

jason c dukes — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Here is the Deuteronomy Reading Guide for this week, leading us up to Sunday, March 20th, studying Deuteronomy 18 together that morning. I am looking forward to walking through verses 9 to 22 with you. Moses offers an amazing challenge for G–D's people to live as though they belong to Him only and some helpful insight into how to discern whether the voice they are hearing is the Lord or some selfish abirition leading them away from the one, true, loving, holy, living G–D.

As you are reading this week, think about all the options that are presented to us spiritually. In your own life, who are the competitors for your worship and what are the distractions for your allegiance? We will take some time to interact over this question Sunday.

So grateful for you. And so grateful for Josh teaching this past Sunday. If you missed it, you can listen to it by clicking here.

Love y'all.
-jason

the Deut. reading guide for this week...

jason c dukes — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:44:00 +0000

Here's this week's reading guide for you! We continue in the "everyday G–D" series this coming Sunday in Deut. 15. Hope you get to hang out with God in the text this week before we study it together Sunday. Thankful for the way we are learning and living the ways of Jesus together through this series. Here are four questions we posed during yesterday's teaching in case you missed it:

Could it be that our consuming desire "to go deeper" or to move beyond the essential and the elementary all too often should really be a warning sign for wanting to replace God rather than reside with Him?

Could it be that we get distracted desiring to be treated like a favorite rather than being grateful that the God who does not play favorites chose to give us His love and affection and involve us in His mission?

Could it be that we get distracted desiring more and more favor from God so much so that we forget to give more and more of God's love into the lives of others, especially the lonely and broken whom God cares about so much?

Could it be that we get distracted desiring to be applauded for our own creations and accomplishments so much so that we forget to join the applause of the created for the Creator, highlighting His accomplishments among us?

May we remember WHO IS GOD and WHO GOD IS (Deut. 10:12–22).

Deuteronomy | a new SENT group

jason c dukes — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Deuteronomy
CLICK HERE for this week's resource guide for reading in Deuteronomy together. Looking forward to diving into Deut. 10 this coming Sunday.

a new SENT group
This Saturday night, March 5th, my wife and I will begin hosting a Saturday night SENT group. If you are interested in coming, please email me. We will meet the 1st and 3rd Saturday nights of each month. The 1st Saturday night of each month is set aside for the entire family, if you want to bring them. The 3rd Saturday night will be for adults only.

The goal will be to pray together, connect together, serve together, and learn and live the ways of Jesus together as we walk closely with each other. Furthermore, the goal will be for those involved in this group to eventually connect with their own neighbors and other folks and launch a SENT group of their own, giving away this love and togetherness that we have been given and are experiencing.

Contrary to what I communicated on Sunday morning, we actually will get together this coming Saturday night from 4:30 until around 6:30 or 7. I said we would begin at 7:00, which was incorrect. My bad! :-)

So, just to recap:

1st Saturday night of each month from 4:30 until about 6:30 or 7:00 and the whole family is welcome to come.
3rd Saturday night of each month at 7:00 for adults only.

If you are not currently doing life together with a SENT group, please check out the other groups available besides this new Saturday night one by CLICKING HERE.

Jen and I are and the kids are looking forward to Saturday night!

-jason

this week's Deuteronomy reading guide

jason c dukes — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:39:00 +0000

Just in case you are reading along through Deuteronomy, we wanted to share the reading guide and prayer questions we are suggesting. Last week, we posted it on the Facebook page in case you missed it (click here for the image). This week, it will be both there and here! Isn't that a nice Valentine's Day gift? :-)

And don't forget to check out the resources available at Read the Bible for Life. Awesome videos and tools to help you as you nourish on the Scriptures and are then better able to recognize the voice of God in the everyday.

Love you guys! Happy Valentine's Day!!!
-jason

a TOGETHER generosity

jason c dukes — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:36:00 +0000

This past Sunday morning, Jamie and Zack, two of the guys on our Vision Team, shared an exciting direction for how we are giving ourselves away together financially. Back in April of 2010 we shared with you that we want to move toward giving away 50% of all we take in through offerings. We began from that point by giving away 20% as a first step. On Sunday, Jamie and Zack shared the plan to go there together.

If you would like to read that plan, you can CLICK HERE to read the four page document that was given out and highlighted. @WestpointChurch responded big time!!! Over $23,000 was given Sunday to move us forward in this direction. And it is crucial that we keep giving together.

IMAGINE IF...instead of us giving to elements we believe in individually, giving even more together if Westpoint is committed to that group as a ministry partner. IMAGINE IF...if Westpoint is not already giving to that cause of partner, you share the need with our church family and we respond together. IMAGINE IF...instead of only writing a check, we could together relate with and serve alongside those causes and ministry partners.

For over half of 2010 we gave 20% away of the offerings we took in. It is totally possible to get to 50% and beyond even by the end of this year IF we stay committed to keeping fixed costs and spending down and IF we stay committed to a "beyond MY church" mentality and IF we are committed to a TOGETHER generosity!!!

Love you guys. I am excited about 2011 and beyond. In the coming weeks, you will hear about other plans for how we will be equipping and connecting and serving to LIVE SENT and be the church together.

See you Sunday morning if you can make it.

-jason

"family meetings" | bring a tent Jan 30th

jason c dukes — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:36:00 +0000

Hey Westpoint family!

As I think back on the last two Sundays and the "family meetings" that we had together, I am overjoyed about the way that you prayed and participated. I am also pumped up BIG TIME about what you shared. It was very affirming of what we have been sensing from the Lord. It was also very action-oriented with regard to "working out" together all that the Lord is working inside of us.

13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. [Philippians 2:13, NLT]

You see, your vision team has been praying and conversing and strategizing. Not so much about all the practical things we should be doing, rather we have been listening for the very focused ways we need to be equipping. That is what our part in the function of our family, to not only be giving ourselves away together with you in the everyday, but also to be resourcing you with whatever you need to be giving yourselves away into your families, your neighbors, your co-workers and classmates, our local community, and the world.

11 He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher 12 to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, 13 until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. [Ephesians 4:11-13, the Message]

So, WE HEARD YOU. Over the next 10 Sundays, you will hear from us, both in our Sunday gatherings as well as through our website and enewsletters. We will continue to emphasize something you have heard us talk about since the LIVE SENT series last fall – LET'S PRAY FOR GOD TO PLACE ON OUR HEART TWO LOST PEOPLE THAT WE THEN PRAY FOR, CONNECT WITH, SERVE AND SERVE ALONGSIDE, AND LEARN AND LIVE THE WAYS OF JESUS WITH ("making disciples"). That's a primary focus – disciple 2 in 2011.
You will also hear about some teams being formed to help us live out TOGETHER what God is bringing to life within us. Our growing togetherness was a central theme of what you shared during our "family meetings." We will unpack each of these teams with regard to their focus and intention over the course of this upcoming 10-week series, AND we will need your participation as we take the local and global vision ideas you shared during our "family meetings" and seek to implement them over the course of 2011 and beyond.

This coming Sunday morning, two of the guys on our vision team will be sharing about "westpoint_GIVE." It is our focus for how we will be giving ourselves away together into local and global ministry and for a together generosity. We will also dive into the introduction of our 10-week series on highlights from Deuteronomy entitled "everyday G–D." ded for His people living in the year 2011.

Speaking of "westpoint_GIVE," we have a very practical way to give ourselves away together over the next four Sundays that will especially help one of our local partners with the Church of West Orange, Matthew's Hope. Most of you know that is the ministry locally that serves and equips homeless men and women and families. They have been especially busy lately and are running low on some of their key supplies. They need more tents, sleeping bags, tarps, and backpacks. SO, over the next four Sundays, I am challenging you to bring one of each for each of the following Sundays in the following order:

January 30th _ bring a two or four person tent
February 6th _ bring an adult sleeping bag
February 13th _ bring a big, blue tarp
February 20th _ bring a sturdy backpack

It's kind of like admission to the gathering, but not really :-)

Love y'all. So excited about 2011 together!!!

-jason

together, we spell "C-H-U-R-C-H"

jason c dukes — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:50:00 +0000

This past Sunday morning, we had our first of two consecutive Sunday "family meetings." Those of you who came brought with you two lists of threes. You listed out three things that you think really matter to Jesus, and you listed out three "musts" in your life as you seek to live with Him daily. We shared those lists. We collected them. Then, with the help of five others and while we all prayed together as people sensed a leading to pray aloud, I did something with those colored index cards.

They were taped to a large sheet of paper in the form of six letters - C H U R C H.

It is true isn't it? That as we follow Jesus and as our hearts begin to be transformed to care about what matters most to Him, He blossoms in us "musts" that are not about the fame of our own accomplishments but rather about the glorious presence of the Kingdom of God alive and evident on earth as it is in heaven. All of that blended in the togetherness of our lives is what Jesus intended for this movement He called "CHURCH."

Paul wrote in Romans 12:

1 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. 3 I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what aGod is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. 4 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. 5 The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, 6 let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; 7 if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; 8 if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. 9 Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.

As we look ahead to lay out practical vision for 2011 and beyond, it must be done through the filter of what matters most to Him and through the means of what He is doing in and among His people. Grand visions are hollow without each of us living out what matters to Him within our families and among our neighbors. Grand visions are hollow without each of us loving and caring for one another as more important than self.

May our vision not be as much grand as it is Christ-centered. May our lives not be as much remarkable as they are for His glory. And may we not call people to follow our own agendas and dreams, but rather may we learn and live the ways of Jesus together.

FOR THIS NEXT SUNDAY, the 23rd, please remember to be praying for discernment for two points of vision for the Westpoint family - one local and one global. We will be sharing these and conversing together about 2011 and beyond.

I so love you guys and gals, and Jen and I are more than blessed to learn and live the ways of Jesus with such an amazing church family!

Hope to see you Sunday!!!

-jason

two vision Sundays | aka "family meetings"

jason c dukes — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:17:00 +0000

The next two Sundays are very important for the @WestpointChurch family. We have set them aside for two family meetings, and we really hope you will be there.

We are not a business. We are a family. And as such we need to come together to pray and set direction. Being a family does not mean that we give out glossy pre-packaged vision force fed to people. Rather, it means conversation and collaboration and allowing the Holy Spirit to spell "C-H-U-R-C-H" in and among our community as He unites what He is doing in our individual hearts and lives together.

Now, don't get me wrong, while we are not offering glossy, pre-packaged, force-fed vision, our Vision Team does have a sense of where we believe God is leading us. We are simply wanting to be a family together and discuss it with all of you. Most of what we are hearing would fall into the category of "principles that we must live out together" more than the category of "practical things we can do together," although what all that is on our heart certainly has significant practical implications in our eveyday lives.

For almost seven years now, the @WestpointChurch family has emphasized the "why" very well. While we have done the "what" in various forms, our Vision Team senses the Lord saying that we now need to provide leadership and equipping for the "what" more than ever before.

It is kind of like how my wife and I lead my son now as a 9 year old differently than we did when he was 3. When he was 3, we were really emphasizing listening and loving. Now that he is 9, he has very pracitcal avenues in which to live out these two essential-for-life principles. As he interacts with his siblings or as he participates on a basketball team or as he plays with his friends on our block, for example, Jen and I both are now finding ourselves coaching him through more practical ways to listen and love rather than just emphasizing the importance of the principle. Make sense?

Again, our Vision Team has a real sense of the baseline essentials we need to implement to move forward as a church family in our community and beyond. We have been working for the last five months to settle on what we are calling 6 Relational Systems. These systems are simply there to help us as a Vision Team actually do what Ephesians 4 decribes our function to be as elders with our church family - TO EQUIP "THE SAINTS" to be the church and live sent more and more impactfully together daily.

We have tried to keep them simple with two focuses each. Very practical. Very impactful. And we are very ready to share them with you. And we will over the next 2 months.

Before we do, though, we just feel like the chance to converse and collaborate is vital. We want to see what the Spirit is saying to ALL of us, look for both affirmation and rebuke, and then set out into the next few years to LIVE SENT TOGETHER here in west Orange county and beyond. Your input is essential to help us not only know our church family better but to also allow us to grow in wisdom for equipping most effectively. Thus, we have set aside the next two Sundays to pray and converse and collaborate and set direction. And then, we will set out to faithfully obey what we sense the Lord is telling us.

YOU READY??? We are. So, please be there these next two Sunday mornings if at all possible - January 16th and 23rd. They will be very important for setting the tone for 2011 and beyond.

Here's a couple of homework assignments for us all to come prepared:

HOMEWORK for January 16th:
Please pray for wisdom and come this coming Sunday morning ready to write down on a colored 3 by 5 card the following two lists:

the three things that you think matter most to Jesus
the three "musts" that you sense are essential for you to be living out right now

We will share these together on the 16th.

HOMEWORK for January 23rd:
Please then come on the 23rd having asked God to reveal to you 2 elements of practical vision for the @WestpointChurch family - ONE LOCAL and ONE GLOBAL. Be ready to share them on the 23rd.

I can't wait to see you there this coming Sunday morning.

Lord, please give us wisdom and discernment and unity and love as we seek to hear you and do what You say. Amen.

--your Vision Team

stories of seeing "Emmanuel"

jason c dukes — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:11:00 +0000

This past Sunday morning, we asked folks to share stories of how they have seen "Emmanuel" lived out around them. We always emphasize the Sent One who has now sent us. We know that the One who came near calls us to take His love near into all of our relationships daily. Here are excerpts from those stories that were submitted Sunday morning. Hope it encourages you to not only celebrate "Emmanuel" this Christmas but to also everyday give the love of the One Who came near.

"Two years ago, my mom's mom moved in with my parents. My dad has loved and cared for my granny better than any son-in-law could, taking the burden off of my mom. But this is nothing special for my dad, because he simply loves people. He pursues and cares for the people God has put in his spheres of living. It amazes me that at times we choose to neglect those closest to us that God has directly put into our lives. May we simply love God and love people."

"A woman whom I work with has shown unselfish love this advent season. Her own family has struggled over the last one or two years during the economic downturn. At times I have reached out to her and shared God's love as well as financial support. In the past two weeks, she has adopted two families for the holidays and has encouraged her coworkers to share their blessings with these families. Her family continues to struggle to make ends meet, yet they are giving to others and spreading God's love to those around them. She is one example of several of my co-workers in whose lives the seeds of love have been planted and are growing!!!"

"Only a few months have passed since the women of S.A.S.H.A. were homeless. This Thanksgiving and Christmas, these same women gave "presence" by serving dinner and fellowshipping with those who are currently homeless!!!"

"At Florida Virtual School, we lost a young teacher in September to an aneurysm. She knew she had the condition and put the surgery off until after our annual all-staff conference, the one event each year when we bring all of our virtual staff together in person. Susan didn't want to take a chance on missing this special time with her colleagues. Susan went in for surgery the Monday following the event. She was on Facebook while waiting to be taken to the operating room with happy thoughts and no worries. Susan died during surgery leaving behind a loving husband and two young children. I have been overwhelmed with the love and giving to her family by our staff. They have given themselves away to her family with their money, their talents, and their time. She is greatly missed."

"Every time we put our change in the jar which we call "the well," we say, "I hear another child drinking a fresh glass of water!" Gulp, gulp, gulp. Precious one. (from those ladies with the S.A.S.H.A house as they give toward the well we are helping to build in Ethiopia)"

"I won four free tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and took the opportunity to invite the family of a woman I work with who wouldn't ordinarily have the chance to go. It was such a blessing!!!"

"One I have experienced in the last week in my life has been watching Josh Taylor and his family truly giving themselves away and going the extra mile in helping me to get to worship gathering and assisting me in a number of ways financially to help me get back on my feet. Truly I have to say they are the definition of what it is to be an ambassador for Christ, as well as also giving the perfect example of being a friend. I thank God for them. They are truly a blessing to me!!!"

"I am so thankful to have had the chance to give wish list gifts to a woman who stays at S.A.S.H.A.'s Haven."

"I've got a colleague who every Christmas organizes what she calls an "Angel Drive" to provide items for elderly in need. These are often widows living at or very near poverty. The energy she throws into this is amazing, and it's a group oft forgotten. On another note, this will be my first Christmas living at home in three years. God has been faithful even though it has been so difficult waiting for the chance to reunite with my wife and family. God is so good. I have been blessed!!!"

"To Westpoint Church - thank you so very much for your partnership in ministry here at Walt Disney World through your prayers and generous financial support. We are so thankful to God to be alongside you in what God is doing here. Just this past week, we got to see God bring one of our Norwegian friends into relationship with Him as we stood in line for Toy Story Mania!!! And it was even on her birthday!!! God is amazing and continues to do incredible things among us. Thank you for supporting us in what God is doing!" --Kevin Dennis [Campus Crusade for Christ]

"Thank you Westpoint. Our family has been witness to your beautiful love. My children and I have been blessed by your teachings, your kindness, and your wonderful support. Thank you."

"My mom volunteers at Matthew's Hope. She often comes home with stories to tell about the people she sees. One was about one man who was recently hit by a car. The man received a settlement, and his very first check, totaling $5000.00, he gave right to Matthew's Hope. Another story she told me was about another man who came up to her and asked for a hug. My mom hugged him and asked if he was okay. He said he missed his mom. "She died a few years ago, and I always miss her around this time of year." I am so proud of my mom for giving her time and her heart to Matthew's Hope!!!"

"Through the love and concern of your church family, we've been able to pass on the concerns about my husband's health issues. Your prayers have been soooooo wonderful. We are feeling God-sent and are especially passing God's love on to others we meet at his tests and treatments. The situations are all different and we are finding so many who need our love and compassion. Thank you for encouraging us to do so!"

"All through the Christmas season, I've been trying to think of gift ideas of what I really wanted this year. I even woke up at 2am on Black Friday to go out and pick stuff out. I saw so many people fighting over silly things. That day, as I was driving home, I started crying. I realized I already had so many things that I don't even use. I called my mom crying, because all of a sudden for some reason (God!!!) I no longer wanted anything for Christmas! I told my mom to use all the money she was going to use for my presents to buy presents instead for kids who won't get any gifts this Christmas. My heart was flipped upside down at that moment and it was a God moment. I am thankful!!!"

WOW!!! So grateful for the God who came near who loved us first, who took the initiative to come near and reconcile and restore us before we even said we were sorry, and who longs with expectancy for the day He will come near again to bring us home to be near to Him forever.

Merry Christmas to all of you. May we GIVE MORE, SPEND LESS, and WORSHIP FULLY!!!

give presents and "presence" this Christmas

jason c dukes — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Join the conspiracy this Christmas season to SPEND LESS, GIVE MORE, and WORSHIP FULLY. Help us provide clean drinking water for Chapa, Ethiopia, a village where we partner already (with GoandDotheSame.org) to support local orphans and a local school.

Make checks out to "Westpoint Church" and put "advent conspiracy" or "well for Chapa" in the memo line. You can mail them in to the address below or drop it in the paint can on Sunday morning.

And - looking to give both presents and "presence" this Christmas. Check out the lists below for ideas to help you give both presents and your presence this Christmas:

give your presence locally:

Dec 5th _ Sox, Tents, and Rock & Roll
Dec 18th _ Maxey Christmas Party - email Josh for more details
Dec 21st _ Matthew’s Hope Christmas - email Jason for more details
Dec 23rd _ Westpoint Christmas Eve Eve - email Tommy for more details
December _ meal voucher for the hungry - email Josh for more details

give presents with more than one purpose:

get your gift wrapping done and support STARS @ West Oaks Mall
World Crafts Village
Project 7
Bridgewater Candles
Toms shoes
Relevant Magazine Gift Guide

Merry Christmas! Hope this is a helpful guide for you to conspire with us for during this holiday season.

are you focused on the sick or the healthy?

jason c dukes — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:49:00 +0000

We began the LIVE SENT series as a refresher this past Sunday (October 17th). The first teaching was entitled "intended to live sent." If you want to listen to it, you can by CLICKING HERE. Please do give us some feedback and questions if you are willing. Hope you are encouraged and challenged by those resources.

One passage of Scripture that we referred to during "intended to live sent" was Matthew 9 and 10. Therein, you can read the story of Jesus declaring the need for workers of the harvest, calling that first team of His, sending them out, and coaching them. Very rich and meaningful passage. But Jesus said something in those chapters that is a bit of an indictment for the church of America, at least generally speaking. Read this from Matthew 9:

9 Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him. 10 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. 11 When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?” 12 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? 13 Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

Now, I want to ask one question. And I think this question applies to every follower of Jesus. Whether you are what some people call "laity" or what some call a "pastor" or even a Pope, for that matter, this question must be considered. Why? Because if you follow Jesus but you don't focus your daily living on mission the way that He focused His, then you may not be following Jesus.

Here's the question:

is your everyday life as a follower of Jesus living on mission focused on caring
for the sick or the healthy?

Think about it.

Now I am not saying that each of us aren't "sick." We are. Included in the Gospel (the "good news") is the not-so-good news of how selfish we are and the consequences that we face because of our the self-absorption. That bad news of course is met with the good news that God did not wait for us to say we were sorry for being so selfish with Him, but instead acted first to restore and forgive even before we sought forgiveness.

The point I am simply making is that if you focus all your ministry efforts, whether as an individual or a local church family together, on attracting more and more "healthy" people, providing programs to appease families who will keep bringing their kids and "tithing" their money and paying your facility maintenance costs, then you are focused on the healthy and not the sick. And if you think of church as "what it does for me" instead of "how I am the church to others," then you are definitely focusing on the healthy and not the sick.

My friends Billy and Jason just got back from St. Petersburg, Russia. One of the things they noticed there was that when leaders are looking for the next place to minister, they don't look for the most attractive place where maybe a "church" can grow well. They look for the darkest place where people who are so broken might be restored when met with the unconditional love and gracious mercy and infinite compassion and overwhelming forgiveness of Jesus. They look for the sick.

Is your "church" or are you as the "church" focused on giving yourself away to the sick or to the healthy?

Lord, please awaken @WestpointChurch and the Dukes family to relate to and party with and dine alongside and serve the sick more than the healthy. Leeland has sung it well recently:

I'll follow You into the homes of the broken. I'll follow You into the world. I'll meet
the needs of the poor and the needy God. I'll follow You into the world.

Please share your thoughts...

the LIVE SENT series RESOURCE packet

jason c dukes — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 07:03:00 +0000

The equipping team of Westpoint has committed to providing what we are calling a RESOURCE packet for each teaching series that we emphasize during the year. The leadership of Westpoint Church have been encouraging a re-emphasis of the central metaphor of our church family - LIVE SENT. So, we are kicking off this new RESOURCE packet with the beginning of the 2010 LIVE SENT teaching series.

You can CLICK HERE to see the current teaching series RESOURCE packet.

This is a tool provided by the equipping team of Westpoint to offer each of us further opportunity to interact with the teachings of Scripture both personally and in collective form. It is broken down into week by week learning and living activities, so that we can together as a church family immerse ourselves into the current emphasis from Scripture during the week as well as on Sunday mornings. Please download and print it out or open it and save it in iBooks or on your computer for your own use as we walk through the current teaching series.

Each series, one of these will be provided, so give us feedback as we hope to make them more and more meaningful and impactful.

Thanks!
-jason

heap coals of fire right on they head!!!

jason c dukes — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:37:00 +0000

I grew up in New Orleans. One of the guys I played basketball with there used to utter a phrase that still makes me smile. When a player would make a strong move to the basket, particularly if he slammed it down over someone, then my friend would scream out, "RIGHT ON THEY HEAD!!!" It was quite amusing, both the dunk and the declaration.

Well, this last Sunday morning, we wrapped up a series on Romans 12 called "It Just Makes Sense." We focused in on Romans 12:17-21, which says:

17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine , I will repay ,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry , feed him , and if he is thirsty , give him a drink ; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head .” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We talked a lot about the lie of our culture that love is nothing more than a feeling that you lose when someone treats you poorly or when a relationships gets tough. In fact, just the opposite according to the New Testament teachings of Jesus and of Paul. Love is the choice to give your life away to someone and be more concerned about who he / she is becoming than about our own interests, no matter how they are treating you at the present time.

Paul, in Romans 12:17-21, challenges the Jewish Christians living in their segregated ghetto of Rome to not think so much of themselves that they forget to choose love even toward their enemies. Revenge is not an option. The bitterness behind revenge usually does more damage to the one exerting revenge more than the action damages the one upon whom revenge is being exerted. Paul even goes so far as to challenge his readers to actively serve their enemy. Feed them. Give them drink. Be hospitable. In so doing, they will heap burning coals on their enemies head.

What in the world does that mean?

My mom had always told me this phrase when challenging me to be kind to someone being unkind to me. The implication seemed to be some kind of bonus to aggravate them by exposing their rudeness with my kindness. Some sort of appeaser while we wait for a vengeful God to pull out His great and mighty revenge taser in the sky and rain down wrath upon our enemies. While that might still be an option, at least upon those who choose unbelief and defiance toward a loving, patient, graceful and JUST God, my dad suggested otherwise.

Sunday afternoon, he shared the following story with me:

Coals of fire may refer to making the enemy feel guilty and ashamed, but Dr. Ray Robbins suggested an interpretation that fits the context of unconditional love much better.
He was in the Holy Land and was talking to a Bedouin who, in the course of conversation commented, “That would heap coals of fire on his head.” Dr. Robbins stopped the conversation and asked the man what the saying meant to him.

The Bedouin said before matches were invented, a traveler in the desert would carry a hopper of coals on a pole above his head. He would carry it for the purpose of building a fire in the absence of matches, and he would carry it above his head so that the rising heat would not make him hotter than the desert sun already was. If a rider found another camp, he would stay there as a guest for the night.

Desert hospitality called for the host to do all he could for him to make him comfortable during his stay. When the traveler was about to leave and after the host had done everything else he could to meet the needs of his guest, the last thing he would do for him would be to fill the hopper with fresh, burning coals and lift it up over the rider's head for the next leg of his journey. An amazing show of hospitality.

The meaning, therefore, Dr. Robbins suggested - Anyone who arrives at your camp, do what you can to help him. Be good to him as long as he will let you, even to the point of sending him away with an abundant act of love.

In the context of Romans 12, this certainly fits. And Paul calling for such hospitality even for an enemy certainly fits the call for us to love like our Savior loves. Not a feeling lost but an active choice to give, even to someone who lacks the same expressive love towards you.

So, this week, look for ways to heap coals of fire right on they head!

3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? [Romans 2:3 & 4]

Thoughts???

love rejoices in the truth.

jason c dukes — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:38:00 +0000

This past Sunday morning, we continued in the "Summer Love" series focusing on verse 6 of 1st Corinthians 13, which says:

6 [Love] doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth. (the Message)

Two principles from Scripture were suggested:

1 - Love doesn't hope for wrong to come to others but rather hopes for others to find "right" even when they have done wrong.

2 - Love does not flourish in the soil of untruths but blossoms in the teachings of the One who is Truth.

While focusing on the 2nd principle, a group of thoughts was thrown up on screen. Two thoughts at a time, coupled together. The first, a lie we tend to live with. The second, the truth from the teachings of Jesus. Well, Andrew Peterson has a song that recently came out that summarizes the same principle and is worth sharing here. You should download the whole album, in my opinion, but I am a BIG Peterson fan. Nonetheless, here's the lyrics to the song "Fool with a Fancy Guitar" from Peterson's latest album, Counting Stars.

It’s so easy to cash in these chips on my shoulder
So easy to loose this old tongue like a tiger
It’s easy to let all this bitterness smolder
Just to hide it away like a cigarette lighter

It’s easy to curse and to hurt and to hinder
It’s easy to not have the heart to remember
That I am a priest and a prince in the Kingdom of God

I’ve got voices that scream in my head like a siren
Fears that I feel in the night when I sleep
Stupid choices I made when I played in the mire
Like a kid in the mud on some dirty blind street

I’ve got sorrow to spare, I’ve got loneliness too
I’ve got blood on these hands that hold on to the truth
That I am a priest and a prince in the Kindgom of God

I swore on the Bible to not tell a lie
But I’ve lied and lied
And I crossed my heart and I hoped to die
And I’ve died and died

But if it’s true that you gathered my sin in your hand
And you cast it as far as the east from the west
If it’s true that you put on the flesh of a man
And you walked in my shoes through the shadow of death

If it’s true that you dwell in the halls of my heart
Then I’m not just a fool with a fancy guitar
No, I am a priest and a prince in the Kingdom of God

Here's THE BOTTOM LINE:

The One who loves believes what the One who is love has said about His beloved. Then and only then do His beloved live out His unconditional, regardless-of-the-wrong-done, foundation-of-all-truth, always and forever love. May we love as we have been loved.

Come hang and worship with us Sunday morning if you can. We will focus in this text:

7 Puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. (1st Corinthians 13:7, the Message)

Love you guys. Thankful to be learning love with and from you.

-jason

love is not easily provoked.

jason c dukes — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:34:00 +0000

Last Sunday, the “Summer Love” series continued with a focus on the section of 1st Corinthians 13 where Paul wrote that love is not selfish nor is it easily provoked. If you want to hear it, you can get the podcast by CLICKING HERE.

One of the illustrations that was shared came from the enewsletter that ALL PRO DAD sends out. With regard to the truth that “love is not easily provoked,” here is the intro and the top 10 list that was shared. IF YOU HAVE DAUGHTERS, YOU WILL ESPECIALLY WANT TO READ IT. However, I would suggest that the principles apply in any and all of our relationships. Hope it is helpful for you.

TEMPER YOUR TEMPER

According to the National Center for Fathering, when a group of teenage girls were asked to anonymously identify why they would not confide in their fathers, one of the primary reasons was, “He would blow up.” Other responses included: “His reaction.” “I’m scared about his response.” “He would start yelling at me.” “I’m afraid of what he will do.” “He will reject me.” “He will freak out.” In other words, daughters will not confide in their father if he has no self-control.
Dads – our anger is one of the biggest wedges that come between us and our kids. We’ve got to get it under control for our children’s sake.
Here are 10 suggestions from AllProDad.com for tempering your temper:
Perspective: Anger typically comes from a very narrow place; expanding your view usually dilutes the intensity. Will you go hungry tonight? Do you have a terminal illness? Remembering what is important can help check your temper.
Imagine yourself as a three year old – visualize yourself having a tantrum: Try not to laugh out loud when you do this. It could annoy the other person!
Do something incompatible with losing temper: Some guys sing a song (in their head); some make a cup of coffee; some guys read a favorite passage of Scripture or a “feel-good” wise saying; others pop in their ear-buds and listen to George Harrison sing “Hear Comes the Sun” or Louis Armstrong croon “I think to myself, it’s a wonderful world.” Bottom line, you can’t go up and down at the same time.
Walk away: Simplistic solution? Yes. But taking time to collect yourself is always a good thing. If you are really angry, go for a run.
Call your mother: Or your best friend, or your pastor, or anyone you trust. Point is, refocus and allow yourself to be re-directed.
Offer to get the other party a cool glass of water – then have one yourself while you’re at it: We’re talking about the application of grace. It’s tough to be over-the-top angry when you are serving the object of your wrath.
Pray: Religious or not, this is a great strategy! A) You’ve shifted focus B) God now has your attention C) Prayer is incompatible with losing your temper.
Count backwards from ten but with this twist: You’ve heard of count to ten. Now try counting backwards. It requires more concentration. Plus, imagine one alternative to blowing up for every number: Ten – “I could write a letter to his supervisor.” Nine – “I could tell him about the time I was a kid and broke a window with a baseball.” Eight – “twinkle, twinkle, little star….” Seven – “I wonder what would happen if I apologized, even though I’m in the right?”
Inhale slowly, hold your breath for five seconds, then completely exhale slowly and wait five seconds before repeating the inhale and exhale three times: This physiological exercise is proven to reduce pulse rate and lower blood pressure. That might be all it takes for the temper temptation to pass.
Write this list on an index card and put it in your wallet for immediate reference: The odds are good that you won’t have to read more than two or three suggestions before losing your temper seems a poor option, given the alternatives.

Thankful for the team that served during IMPACT and for our many new friends. Check out this awesome video from Josh Taylor recapping the week...

josh taylor — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:09:00 +0000

God is HUGE!!!

jim collins — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:47:00 +0000

"Love is not arrogant, or rude."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-5

When you look up the words 'arrogant' and 'rude,' you find something interesting, especially when you think about the Christian's walk with Christ. The root of arrogance is pride. And the root of rudeness is a lack of concern for others.

The interesting thing, when we think about these two terms and our walk with Christ, is that they both stem from an improper understanding of God.

Arrogance is the sin of too much focus on myself. Rudeness is the sin of too little concern for anybody else. And at the center of both of these sins (and all other sins, too) is a misguided understanding of who God is. Which results in a misguided understanding of me and others.

When our understanding of God malfunctions, then everything else goes haywire. Lives are wrecked. Relationships are ruined. And the abundant life that God desires us to have is nowhere to be found.

Simply stated, the way you and I engage the world around us is a direct reflection of our understanding of God.

So, how are we called to view God? The Bible gives us two very clear images of God. And each one challenges us in the way we live our lives. 1) God is HUGE 2) God is near.

We will take some time here to discuss the 'hugeness" of God, and we will look at His nearness later this week.

God is HUGE!

God is greater than we could ever imagine. More awesome than we could ever comprehend. More wonderful than we could ever fathom.

Psalm 19 states that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork."

In Isaiah 55, God says this about Himself..."as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

in Job 38, in the dialogue between God and Job, we see that there is no one like the Lord. Nobody even comes close.

The earth, and all that it contains, are the creation of our mighty God. The entire universe brings glory to His name.

God is HUGE!

This matters for us, because we are reminded of where our worship is to be directed. We are reminded that grace and life and love come from God. Grace and life and love are His creation. They are not our ideas. We understand, more clearly than ever, that the God of the universe has more than enough love to give into my life and the lives of others.

When we live in a proper understanding of God, we can then allow His magnificent presence to transform our lives. And we live out the kind of love that we are called to live out. The kind of love that is rooted in God, and that seeks others first.

The kind of love that is not arrogant or rude.
__________________

Be sure to join us this Sunday, as we continue to walk through 1 Corinthians 13.

Take care,
-Jim

the BOTTOM LINE on envy and boast

jason c dukes — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 09:00:00 +0000

If you missed it, you can go back and read the posts from Tuesday and Thursday this week to arrive to this point. Either way, here's THE BOTTOM LINE from this past week's teaching time in our SUMMER LOVE series (1st Corinthians 13) about "love does not envy and does not boast."

THE BOTTOM LINE:
"12 Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." [Paul, 1st Corinthians 10:12, the Message]

Being envious and boastful almost always is an indication of insecurity. I envy because I feel I lack something, so with zeal I set out to take it. I boast because I feel I am not being praised enough for something, so I talk all the louder about myself hoping you will join in, too.

All this thought and talk about ME disables love. I will not show love when I am envious and boastful. If I am so consumed with what I don't have, becoming zealous to take it, then how would I ever be mindful to give into the life of the one from whom I wish to take? And, if I am so caught up in telling someone about all that I have done, how could I ever be concerned about their story and seeing life abundant in them?

Furthermore, when I do not trust what the One who made me feels about me and says about me and has clearly demonstrated for me, then I am bound to look for security in my own feelings and words and accomplishments. Thus, I will not only experience His love, I will also not give it. At that point, I break, my relationships break, and life breaks.

May we trust the love of a jealous God and boast only in His demonstrated love for us. And may we get zealous for others to know the love of that jealous God and boast of His mighty power to save and hold us secure for life now and forever.

PRAY_Lord, please help me to live as though you think I am worth dying for. I am secure in you. Please transform my insecurities into security in You alone.

LIVE_boast about the jealous, everlasting, gracious, mysterious, compelling, life-changing love of our near God.
__________________
Hope to see you tomorrow morning as we continue in the SUMMER LOVE series – "love is not arrogant and does not act unbecomingly."

Love y'all!
-jason

love does not envy and does not boast...

jason c dukes — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:30:00 +0000

This last Sunday, we took the time to process through the two assertions from 1st Corinthians 13 that "love does not envy and does not boast." Here's a summary of what we unpacked:
LOVE DOES NOT ENVY
When you take a look at the way 1st Corinthians 13:4 is translated in the various English versions of the Bible, here's what you come up with:
"does not envy" - ESV, HCSB, NIV, NKJV, WEB
"is not jealous" - NASB, NCT, NLT
"is not envious" - NET
"does not want what it doesn't have" - MSG
Here, in my head, is the immediate question when I read this verse:
So if "God is love," but "love is not jealous," then how is it that God could be a jealous God?
The word in the Old Testament (seen in Exodus 20:5 and other passages) and the word used in the New Testament both have in their roots the idea of INTENSE HEAT. The word in the Greek, in fact, when read out loud sounds like the word "zealous." Paul uses the same word in 1st Corinthians 12:31 when he challenged the church of Corinth to keep "earnestly desiring" spiritual gifts but to even be more desiring of a "more excellent way" (love). So, if the words are not different within the phrases "God is jealous" and "love is not jealous," then the question posed still remains. It leads to a possible hypothesis:
Can there be a "good" jealousy?
Paul declares such. 2nd Corinthians 11:2–3:
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
A "godly jealously" – what is that??? The bottom line idea here and in many other passages where regarding jealousy is really about being ZEALOUS SELFISHLY or SELFLESSLY. This is evidenced by the fact that some versions of the Bible translate the "zealous" thought as "is not envious" or "does not want what it doesn't have." The difference in a good jealousy and a bad jealousy is simply this – MY gain or YOUR gain.
When you love someone, you do not show them "intense heat" just because you are not getting what you want. Then you would be zealous in a selfish manner, focused only on personal gain. However, when you love someone, you do show them "intense heat" when they make a choice that causes them to miss out on exactly what would have been the most gain to them. Then you would be zealous in a selfless manner, focused on their gain.
God is "jealous" for us to have abundant life, so much so that He would give up everything, including His only Son, for us to have abundant life. His loss for our gain. A Godly jealousy, or zealousy, if you will.
THE POINT: Paul is basically saying that when I love someone, I don't exhibit SELFISH ZEALOUSY toward them in any manner of the relationship. If I do, then I would not be showing them love. And, if I don't show love, then I am not showing them God (see the post from Tuesday). When I am zealous about a cause that only affects me, the result is normally selfish action, not love. The relationship breaks down at the point when envy breaks in.
LOVE DOES NOT BRAG
When you take a look at the way 1st Corinthians 13:4 is translated in the various English versions of the Bible, here's what you come up with:
"does not boast" - ESV, NIV
"is not boastful" - HCSB, NLT
"does not brag" - NET, NASB, NCT, WEB
"does not parade itself" - NKJV
"doesn't strut" - MSG
The word used here can mean "to think too highly of oneself, to elevate oneself above others, to become haughty, or to be lifted up with pride." It is definitely a selfishness that reveals what is really going on in the heart exposed through the tongue.
Now, you will hear stuff like:
"If you done it, it ain't bragging." [Walt Whitman]
"You have to do a little bragging on yourself even to your relatives, for man doesn't get anywhere without advertising." [John Nance Garner]
"I'm not bragging, but…" [all of us at some point]
But think about these:
"Tell me what you brag about, and I'll tell what you lack." [Spanish proverb]
"If you claim to be humble, you're not humble." [Dad]
"A holy man is not aware that he is holy. As soon as we begin to talk about how holy we are, we are not holy any more." [AW Tozer]
"Therefore let him who thinks he stand take heed so that he does not fall." [Paul, 1st Corinthians 10:12, NASB]
The moment we brag is the moment we are making much of ourselves rather than making much of God and even making much of others. When we brag, others taste ME instead of Love. No one wants to hang long around someone who only talks about themselves, and everyone who does eventually feels the need to talk about themselves, too. Thus, love is absent, and the relationship breaks down.
PRAY_Lord, please grow in me a heart like Yours – ZEALOUS for others gain and NOT JEALOUS for my own gain. And Lord, please tame my tongue, that I might make much of You and less of me.
LIVE_Have the courage to speak and act with "intense heat" when you see a friend teetering on the edge of destruction about to lose all that was intended for his/her gain. And, listen more than you talk. It helps to squelch the bragging. Be more concerned about the story of someone else's life than them knowing everything about yours.
Tune in Saturday for THE BOTTOM LINE about jealousy and bragging. Love y'all!
-jason

does His love have the first and last word in everything I do?

jason c dukes — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:00:00 +0000

We continued in the "Summer Love" series this past Sunday. "Love does not envy and does not boast..." was the section from 1st Corinthians 13 that we focused on. Before we began to unpack those two thoughts and their implications, we stepped back to consider three thoughts about Paul's purpose for even writing this beautiful and challenging chapter to the church of Corinth. Here are those three thoughts and a few conclusions...
________________

1 - Paul is offering a contrast between what is actually present in the relationships among the church of Corinth (divisiveness, impatience, unkindness, jealousy, dishonesty, immorality) and what must be present in their relationships if they are truly concerned about the "Head of the church" and not being the "head" of the church.

Paul didn't completely discredit everything the church of Corinth was doing. He just called them to a "more excellent way" (1st Cor 12:31). They needed to seek reconciliation with God and with one another for their non-loving actions, jockeying for importance and position among the church family, and instead embrace the love of God coming alive among them.

2 - In this chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians, Paul is NOT offering a few how-to's for personal self-improvement, nor is he offering a pity-stick to pick up and beat ourselves up with because we aren't living these out.

It is amazing how we as humans can take the mission and intention of God for His people and turn them into moral codes of self-actualization. It is also amazing how prone we are to taking the commands of God and the description of His ways among us and turn them into pity-sticks, beating ourselves up as failures as though we could never live these out. It is true that on our own we can't, but He didn't intend for us to go it alone. That's why He came. That's why there's love. And that's why He calls us to love one another.

3 - What these verses ARE is the picture of God alive in our relationships. God alive in us, tasted instead of our selfish flavors, seen instead of the more common darkness and the hiddenness of our lives.

Remember what Jesus taught in Matthew 5? Let's read it (Matthew 5:13-16, the Message):

13 Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. 14 Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. 15 If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. 16 Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Well, John picked up on this teaching. Not only did he record the new command Jesus gave to love in John 13:34-35, but he also wrote that "God is love" in 1st John 4. There in 1st John 4, John wrote that if we are "in Him" then He will be "in us" and "through us." His love controls us. Compels us. Moves us.

Paul picked up on the same thought, obviously, expressing it on multiple occasions. But specifically, in 2nd Corinthians 5, he wrote out the Gospel of Jesus and its implications progressively in these significant verses:

12 We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. 13 If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. 14 Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes.

His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. 15 He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. 16 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. 17 Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!

18 All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. 19 God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. 20 We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. 21 How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

We are moved by the love of Jesus.

His love, given completely because of who He is not because of how lovable we were, made everything right between us and God. And now, that kind of compelling love, mysterious love, change-everything love transforms our very relationships, allowing us to see each person through the lenses of the love that we have "in us" rather than the feelings of impatience, frustration, woundedness, or bitterness that we might have toward them. His love changed us. The evidence of that fact is seen when His love changes everything else in and around us.

Here's THE POINT: Love is central to God, and thus must be central to His followers and His mission to which He has called them. Paul is writing in 1st Corinthians 13 a very simple, focused message Church of Corinth, you say you love God and have been changed by Him. If so, then He will be tasted and seen in you in place of the tastes and sights of the selfishness and personal advancement that you are currently displaying among one another and among your community.

That hits close to home. I am asking myself this question – DOES HIS LOVE HAVE THE FIRST & LAST WORD IN EVERYTHING I DO?

PRAY_Lord, teach us to love, help us to love, and may we be secure in Your love.

LIVE_focus on being more concerned today about the story of someone else's life rather than just being the star of your own.

Tune back in Thursday for a break down of "love does not envy and does not boast." Love y'all! Thankful to be the church and live sent together with you.
-jason

living sent in Poland

jason c dukes — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:14:00 +0000

A few Sundays ago, Robert Kowalski visited with us in worship gathering. Robert is a friend of someone in our church family, and he currently serves with Campus Crusade for Christ in Poland. Robert shared briefly his story about not only his own journey with Jesus but the work he is a part of there in Poland to invite others onto journey with Christ. Thanks so much, Robert, for all you are doing to speak and live the Gospel among the people of Poland.

To the Westpoint church family - it is your faithfulness in giving that allowed us to send Robert a gift to help with his ministry there. If you want to watch an example of one recent ministry event Robert helped to lead, then check out the YouTube video below:

SUMMER LOVE_do you consider yourself patient and kind?

tommy novak — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:28:00 +0000

by: Tommy Novak

When you look at Matthew Henry’s definition of "patience" (or "longsuffering"), does it change the way you answer that question ?

“It can endure evil, injury, and provocation, without being filled with resentment, indignation, or revenge. It makes the mind firm, gives it power over the angry passions, and furnishes it with a persevering patience that shall rather wait and wish for the reformation of a brother than fly out in resentment of his conduct. It will put up with many slights and neglects from the person it loves, and wait long to see the kindly effects of such patience on him.”

When I understand the kind of patience God has with me, it makes me want to be more patient with other people. What kind of person would I be if I received this gift from God and turned right around and did not extend that same patience to others? In Matthew 18:21-34, Jesus gives a parable of the unmerciful servant to help us understand what He thinks about those who don’t respond in the same ways God responds to us:

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[g] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[h] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. 29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' 30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

If we are to live our lives in such a way that we imitate Christ, I believe it begins with how we are patient or model longsuffering to those we love. Today, you have an opportunity to reflect Christ to those you are closest to by modeling what Christ has already done for you.

Name two people in your life right now that you can offer patience to, then go do it!

SUMMER LOVE_staying connected, the intention of the Lover

jason c dukes — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:13:00 +0000

Are you living for God or living with HIm?

Among AW Tozer's many quality quotes, this one captures a profound principle regarding love and mission:

["In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work."]

It is amazing how those who call themselves "Christians" can become consumed with LIVING FOR GOD rather than LIVING WITH HIM. Maybe not so surprising, though. The people of Israel did the same thing back before and during Jesus' day. There is a story of a woman's interaction with Jesus in John 8 that proves the point:

4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" 11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."

The story of “Cast the 1st Stone” demonstrates the sharp contrast between the noise of self-righteous religion and the beauty of God’s healing love. It is a powerful example of this one fact – the Jews missed the point and took the mission they were given by the living, loving God in a misguided direction. Paul commented on this very thing in Romans 10:

1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

Paul was challenging the church of Corinth not to miss the point, either. How could they and how could we, when the entirety of Scripture reminds us of God’s overflowing heart of love for our neighbor and for the nations. Take a few moments to grab a Bible and look up these passages of Scripture, beginning in Genesis and going through Revelation, and notice God's overflowing heart of love for the people of our world and His clear intention to take the message of His love and nearness into all the world and to all people through the love and nearness of His followers committed to living and speaking His Gospel.

Genesis 17:4–6
Exodus 14:1–4
Deuteronomy 28:9–10
1st Chronicles 16:23–25
Psalm 46:10
Isaiah 56:1–8
Micah 7:15–20
Matthew 24:14
Matthew 28:19
John 20:21
Acts 1:6–8
Romans 15:20–21
1st Corinthians 9:22–23
Galatians 3:8–9
1st Peter 3:15
Revelation 5:9

Now, take a look at a new command Jesus gave in John 13:

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is how the world will know that we are learning and living the ways of Jesus (being His disciple), by our love for one another.

Have you walked away from the intention of the Lover for your life? Are you consumed with LIVING FOR GOD rather than LIVING WITH HIM? Will you love as He loves, no matter what, compelling others to drink deep of the Living Water when they taste Him in and through you?

It is what He intended from the beginning. He did not die so that we would go to church. He died so that we would be the church.

May it be so.

Welcome your thoughts. Looking forward to worshiping with you Sunday morning if you can make it to worship gathering as we continue in the "Summer Love" series. Love you guys!

-jason

SUMMER LOVE_anything louder than love in your life?

jason c dukes — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:33:26 +0000

Is love the loudest noise in your life?

We have all done it. Worn headphones and sung too loud or spoken too loud wile wearing them without knowing it. It's interesting that it is annoying to people, because in the car, when the radio is loud and everyone is singing as loud as they can, we all dig it. Maybe it's because we are all sharing in the music in the car and not just enjoying it alone, like on the headphones.

The church of Corinth was acting like a bunch of music-hoggers and talking as though wearing headphones, too. Loud and all about me. The loudest noise was their singing about themselves. Wanting to be considered prestigious because of who baptized them. Wanting to be considered elite because of their worship performance. Wanting to be considered important because of their gifting and resulting position within the church structure. Paul was challenging them to not be so bold about their achievements and so flippant about God's grace. And in the end of chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians, Paul called them to take a look at a "more excellent way."

And so, this past Sunday morning we continued the series "Summer Love" by focusing in on the beginning of chapter 13, which launches with three very pointed verses:

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing.

And what was the point? Here's is what I would suggest:

Am I shouting “look at me” in my life louder than “I love you” as I live out my spiritual pursuit?

If my spiritual purpose becomes a self-absorbed pursuit to fulfill all my religious desires and a self-righteous goal to be admired as the most important thing the church has ever known, then I am not in any way, shape, or form, walking in the ways of Jesus or in any way carrying out the intention that He had for His church. I have missed the point, traded in the intended mission for personal gain and the intended outcomes for personal achievement.

Here's THE BOTTOM LINE:

Why am I even a part of a church family? Why am I following Jesus? To make noise for God and feel important doing it? Or to make much of God' s love by loving others and living to see life in them rather than to have a spiritually fulfilled life.

Jesus is calling His church to continue that mission of love to our neighbor and to the nations, here and around the world. He commanded His church to love as He loves, so that the world will know Love and the Lover's ways through His followers. This is the mission of the church - to love for the glory and fame of the Lover. And nothing else. He took care of our spiritual fulfillment at the cross. And He will keep filling us up with His love as we grow in loving Him and loving each other.

May we surrender any desire to be noticed as important. May the noise of our lives be love.

________________________________________
Check back in Thursday to join the conversation about how we tend to miss the intended mission of God for His followers because of self-absorbed religious pursuits. In the meantime, go love your neighbor and the nations.

Thankful to be living sent together with you.
-jason

togetherness.

jason c dukes — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:57:00 +0000

On June 20th, Father's Day, Westpoint Church eagerly gives the Heavenly Father a gift very dear to His heart TOGETHERNESS.

As many of you know, we have been serving closely alongside other church families in the West Orange County area through a group known as the Church of West Orange. Well, earlier this year, one of those church families began a conversation with Westpoint leadership about the possibility of our church families actually joining together. After much prayer and conversation, we will do exactly that.

Northland West Oaks and Westpoint Church will no longer be "us" and "them." We gather together now as one church as of Sunday, June 20th. Our Sunday gatherings will continue to be at 10:00am at Whispering Oak Elementary School. We are so very excited to be uniting together around the mission of Christ and being an answer to His prayer prayed in John 17:18-23.

One note of thanks - Northland Church and pastor Joel Hunter and their elders have demonstrated what true Kingdom spirit is all about. The freedom they have given their satelite campus in Ocoee, FL to choose to join together with another local church here is an example of generosity for us all. Thank you Joel and the leadership of Northland for your amazing support and prayers during this transition.

Last but not least, Tommy Novak, formerly the campus minister of Northland West Oaks, joins the Westpoint pastoral team. He and his wife Patti and their kids are such amazing additions! Please welcome Tommy as our Pastor to Families, working closely together with Josh Taylor and Michael Anderson to equip and serve the parents of our kids and students. Tommy also is a gifted pastoral counselor, and he will be focusing with Jason on Westpoint's involvement with the Church of West Orange.

Over the next six months, please pray for our togetherness to grow as we unite around the mission to follow Jesus and live sent as letters of His love to the people we encounter every day. Please pray for us as grow doing life together in SENT groups. Please pray for profound impact and transformation in our lives and in the lives of those we serve together both locally and globally. And please pray for us as we prepare to multiply leaders and start new expressions of the local church here in Central Florida and beyond.

Togetherness. It is not an end, but a means. The means through which Jesus said the world would know we are learning and living His ways. Let's get to it and keep living sent together.

three updates from Haiti

jason c dukes — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:58:00 +0000

Check out three updates from Haiti on my personal blog (JasonCDukes.com). Then, join us Sunday morning for a special focus and time of prayer for the people of Haiti.

Thankful to be the church together.
-jason

Celebrate with us on Christmas Eve!

jason c dukes — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:16:00 +0000

It has been a privilege now for five Decembers to be able to celebrate Christmas Eve with the Summerport community. The Westpoint family had our 1st Sunday morning gathering there in the community center, and we continue to be welcomed by the HOA for special events like Christmas Eve.

So, join us this coming Thursday at 5:30pm for a special Christmas Eve gathering, including carols, the Christmas story, prayer, and candlelight. It will last about an hour. Kids are welcome. Come as a family and bring a neighbor. Let's celebrate together the God who came near!

If you are able, please bring a $10 Publix card with you to help us provide groceries for some families in need during the holidays.

Thanks so much! Hope to see you there!!!

In the meantime, listen to this wonderful song about Emmanuel by Josh Wilson.

great local newspaper article about HOUSE BLEND CAFE!!!

jason c dukes — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Huge props to all that God did in and through Josh Taylor and an amazing team of volunteers on Thanksgiving Day last week. The West Orange Times published a story about it. You can read it by CLICKING HERE.

You can read more about HOUSE BLEND CAFE on the this site by clicking here. Thankful for Josh and Kelly Taylor and so many others who serve our local community so faithfully.

[are you living sent?]

jason c dukes — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Here are four practical suggestions:

pray for the people you live by and work with
connect with them over real life (a meal, a game, an activity, working out, kids sports leagues, school etc.)
invite them to serve with you both locally and globally
learn and live the ways of Jesus together as you connect and serve

You can do these right here and right now. Will you? May I suggest two reasons why. First, because you were made for this. You were made to live beyond self. God desires for you to know Him personally and experience His love, and He desires for you to make His love known to the people you walk with and encounter everyday. Jesus said that He came to give abundant life. He also said that this is how we find life in Him - when we come to the end of self and begin to give our life away.

Second reason is because this is a matter of life and death. This is not just about religious preference. Jesus said He came to give life, but that the "thief" (the evil one) is trying to steal that life from as many as He can. God, in His love, will not force us into relationship with Him. If He did, the relationship wouldn't mean much forced would it? So, God in His grace is giving us time to experience His creation and know His love as we relate to one another. Some choose self, and evil wreaks its havoc. Some choose to live beyond self, and love blossoms. So does life. So does God's Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. That's why this is a matter of life and death. We better get to it.

Please commit to cultivating God's love and the signs of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven by living beyond self and living sent as a letter of His love and hope into the lives of the people you live by and work with.

Let's be living sent together. It's what we were made for.

why a revamped WestpointChurch.org

jason dukes — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:10:00 +0000

One might actually think it silly to replace an award-winning website with a free Wordpress.com blog site. But we had our reasons. Here they are:

1 - we wanted to create something that was more interactive.

We are in the age of Web 2.0. Websites are more than just bulletin boards now. They must be ever-changing and interactive. This site will be, and we will be adding latest news more easily, as well as video stories of the Westpoint family living sent together.

2 - we wanted to create something that was free and reproducible.

We collaborate with a lot of other leaders who are a part of "legacy churches" or are starting to be the church in new ways. We want everything we do to be as reproducible as possible, so that anyone who sees what God is doing in and through Westpoint could be encouraged that they could do it in their own way in their context, too. Website included. We had an award-winning, high cost website. We love the guy that created it for us BIG TIME. However, for our current emphases and purposes, we realized it was not reproducible. So, we made one that was.

3 - we wanted to make it easy to manage and update from anywhere.

With a Wordpress blog, we can update and manage the new site from anywhere there is access to the internet. Pretty cool.

4 - we wanted you to contribute to its content.

We believe that each of you as the Westpoint church family has so much to contribute and offer as encouragement to each other. So, we will be creating a TEAM OF BLOGGERS to contribute to the "teaching" element of the blog site. Are you interested? Leave a reply in the comment section below and let us know. We want you to be a part.

So, there you go. Look around. Leave us some thoughts and feedback.

By the way - are you dreaming about how to be the church, how to live sent? If you are, and you need a website to communicate that dream and to tell the stories of how it is being lived out, then you can create one for free...like we did. And, we'll show you how.

Keep being the church, living sent daily.