Averages

October's Attendance Average for StoneBridge Baptist Church was 57.2. We are pleased with the progress of our church, but never satisfied. We are seeing new people attend each week, and there is an excitement in the air.

This coming Sunday, we are celebrating our 3rd Anniversary as a church. God has truly blessed us. We have had some great victories in the past three years. This year alone (to our knowledge), there have been one hundred twenty-four professions of faith (one hundred and five of them took place during CityReach).

We moved to Morgantown to see the unchurched and unsaved population of Morgantown find a meaningful relationship with a local church and with the Savior. I believe we are doing a decent job in winning the lost, but our discipleship efforts have not been as good.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples. Our people are doing an awesome job! Now, we've got to pray, encourage, and involve people into our Small Groups. Small Groups are where people find encouragement, accountability, and knowledge of God's Word.

Interesting Quote

"Competition produces new ideas."

I was watching Decision Makers on WBOY 12 yesterday when I heard this quote from a political analyst. I didn't catch his name, but I thought it was an interesting quote.

If you haven't noticed, it's election time. Many incumbents are battling with their opponents to remain in office. They are doing everything they can to win the political race. As Christ Followers, we are in an entirely different race. We are battling the enemy everyday. Our race is not with flesh and blood, but with our spiritual adversary, the devil.

I have heard Mark Batterson (a pastor in D.C.) say, "We are to compete for the Kingdom." I like that! We ought to be the most creative people on the Planet. We ought to be thinking of new ideas to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Next Sunday, our church will be celebrating our 3rd Anniversary in Morgantown. We are offering our community an opportunity to visit with us in a non-threatening way. We invite them to church, then, after church they are invited to stay for lunch, a movie, free popcorn and drinks.

I am pumped about the opportunity to reach people in our current surroundings! We've got to continue to think outside the box. Remember, we are competing for the Kingdom!

Thanks, Matt

Matt has been attending our church for approximately a year and a half. He approached me last week about writing an article about our up-coming Birthday Bash at the Warner. I was pumped!

Matt works for West Virginia University in the Editing Department (not sure the exact title, sorry Matt). He helped edit a book that was written about John Wooden. Pretty cool!

Below is the story which he has written for our church. Thanks, Matt.

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October 26, 2006

For immediate release


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Each Sunday morning, the historic Warner Theatre is converted from a movie theater into a house of worship by Stonebridge Baptist Church. But on Nov. 5, Stonebridge will also use the Warner for its primary purpose.

As part of its third anniversary celebration, Stonebridge is inviting the public to attend its 10 a.m. worship service Nov. 5. Following the service, a free showing of the family friendly movie Cars will be shown. Free pizza and special discounts at the concession stand will also be provided.

Stonebridge Baptist Church is one of approximately 300 churches nationwide that meets in a movie theater. Stonebridge was founded in 2003 by co-pastors Jason Sheffstall and Russell Knight, who moved to Morgantown from Texas to plant the church. The first service was held Nov. 7, 2003, at Lakeview Resort and Conference Center. The congregation met there until March 2004, when services were relocated to the Warner Theatre on High Street in downtown Morgantown.

Stonebridge, which features contemporary praise music and sound Biblical teaching in a relaxed environment, has a multi-generational congregation with a strong WVU student turnout.

For more information about Stonebridge Baptist Church’s third anniversary celebration and free showing of the movie Cars following the 10 a.m. service on Nov. 5, call (304) 291-2900.

Breaking Attendance Barriers

I found an interesting article by Nelson Searcy with lots of good resources. For the past couple of months Russell and I have been talking about attendance barriers. Our church has hit the 65 mark a few times, and we were wondering what it takes to get over the hump. I learned through this article that the question is not, "How do we grow beyond 65?" The question should be, "What is keeping us from growing beyond 65?" So, it's not the "How", but the "What" that we must ask ourselves.

Searcy claims that the attendance barriers are 65, 125, 250, 500, and 1000. So far, the 65 barrier has been true for StoneBridge.

The Best Way To Honor Your Pastor

The best way to honor a pastor is to honor his wife. As most of you all know, October is Pastor Appreciation month. Before services this past Sunday, Matt pulled me aside to let me know the ladies of StoneBridge had pitched in to get Kristie and Belinda a day out to pamper themselves at the Spa. I was totally blown away! I told our people that I appreciate them, appreciating my wife.

My wife (and Belinda) spend hours each week taking care of the little ones. I know that our wives are so valuable to our church, and I am thankful that our people recognized them. Many times the pastor's wife is the unsung hero of our ministries. Without the support and help of our wives, where would we be? Thank you ladies for taking care of my family. I love StoneBridge!

The Events Of The Day

At 6:11 a.m. I woke up with a pounding headache. Then, around 6:45 a.m. I started my episode with the vomiting. It was not a pretty site. Okay, okay...I know...TMI. Sorry.

Thankfully, by 8:00 a.m. I was back in the saddle. Although, Kristie is still under the weather, the kids seem to be doing a lot better. Thank you, Lord.

I made the dreaded call to Pastor Schmid in South Haven, Michigan to let him know that we would not be making the trip. I despise breaking commitments. It seems like God continued to slam the doors for me to preach at Calvary MBC.

Honestly, my sermons weren't coming together like they normally do, my car has been sick, my family is sick, and I'm not totally up to par.

So, all you StoneBridgers who read my blog, guess what? You have to put up with me on Sunday morning instead of Russell. :)

Have a great day!

Can It Get Any Crazier?

I've had car troubles. I've had difficulties gathering my thoughts for a revival effort in South Haven, Michigan. And, my wife, my daughter, and my son have all been sick with viral infections.

Last night after traveling to Inwood, WV with Adam, Manny, Dan and Kevin I arrived home to a sick little boy (Josiah). He had been vomiting since 7:00 p.m., and when I came into his room he began regurgitating blood. Woe...what a scare! Now, there wasn't puddles of blood, but it was enough to make Kristie and me a tad bit frightened. We immediately called the Dr. and he informed us to bring him to the hospital.

After an IV, x-rays, and several thorough examinations, Josiah is back home. We praise God for His watch care over our little fella. He and Jaden mean the world to us. We are grateful for all of the calls, prayers, and visits which were made on behalf of our little man. God Bless you.

One thing I am learning from this situation is to always trust God. I have been preaching through the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk 2:4 is the theme verse for the entire book of Habakkuk. God said in v4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith."

Most of my steps to the car this morning (1:00 a.m.) were, "God, I trust you. God, I trust you." Over and over I would repeat this simple little phrase, but the fact is, deep down inside I was feeling a little bit like Habakkuk. I was thinking..."This is not fair." I couldn't bare the thought of something happening to my little guy. I know that God's grace is sufficient, even in times of troubles...and this morning, his grace was sufficient.

God, I trust you! Thank you for your loving kindness, and your watch care over Josiah. Please help me to ALWAYS trust you.

Prediction For October 20, 2006

WVU 42 - UConn 14

SNL Skit At Panera Bread

I saw the perfect Saturday Night Live Skit this morning in Panera Bread. A man walked in, ordered his morning breakfast, then, made his way around the store greeting people. He first of all started off by greeting Christa, then, Bill (whose name was Alan), then Kelly, etc. etc. It was hilarious. Just wanted to share it with the world...as the man stills roams around like he owns the place. =)

BTW, it doesn't bother me that he is doing this...it's actually good to see people who are friendly and out-going. I wish there were more people who approached their mornings like this...even if they greet people with the wrong name.

Proverbs 18:24, "24 A man who has friends *must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Website Redesign

Russell and I met with a representative from Blaine Turner about a Website Redesign. We are long overdue for some changes.

First of all, we have a new logo, new people, and plenty of exciting things taking place in the life of our church. If we do not keep our site relevant, then it is as useless as a Bible sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

Second, we are trying to add a new feature; such as Podcasting.

We want our site to be so useful that people continue to revisit our site and utilize its tools. For those of you who do not have a presence on the web, I want to encourage you to invest some time, money, and effort into developing a website for your church. You may say, "I wouldn't know where to begin, plus, we don't have the money." Ask some students in your church if they know anything about web design, talk to other churches with websites, contact local businesses, do whatever it takes to get your information on the web.

CityReach 2007 Logo

I am looking forward to CityReach Loveland. Pastor John Sanders planted Loveland Baptist Church in May of 2003. John has been involved in foreign mission work and church planting for over ten years. For more information about CityReach click here.

Beta Format For Blogger

I have finally made the switch to the Beta Format. So far, so good.

Happy Birthday

Today is October 17, 2006. If my dad were still alive, he would be 65 years old. It was August 15, 1999, when my dad passed from this life to the next. I am very grateful to God for him. He wasn't always the best role model, but he sure knew how to love his kids. I am thankful to have known him, and thankful to call him, "Daddy."

I look forward to the time when I will get to see him again. Heaven gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go bye.

Until Next Time

Saying, "Good bye" is never easy with family. We had a great time with Wayne and Nancy. It saddens me that it takes them so long to get home. Traveling from Texas to West Virginia is a brutal trip.

Please say a prayer for them as they make their way back to the Lone Star State. They left around 9:15 this morning.

Pictures From The Past Week

Southern Cooking

It has been good to have my in-laws in for the week. We have definitely eaten some good Southern Cooking since they have been in West Virginia. Tonight's menu was catfish (from Lake Murvall in East Texas), hush puppies, shrimp, and french fries. Last night, we ate chicken and dressing, green beans, creamed corn, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, pecan and chocolate pie. I am stuffed!

Another Good Tool To Use

Tracking Device.

This tool will track the number of guests who frequent your blog.

What Makes A Good Service?

Many times I leave the Warner with this "on top of the world" or "down in the valley" feeling that we've had a great/terrible day, simply because of the attendance. For instance, if you have twenty-five people present and you've preached your heart out there's still a voice that says, "It wasn't good enough!"

What makes a good service? Is it the attendance? Is it the music? Is it the fellowship? Is it the coffee? Is it....Is it....Is it..., so on and so forth.

Let me give you some thoughts concerning a good service.

1. Your members are helping with set-up, coffee, hospitality, etc.
2. People are early for services ready to worship the Lord.
3. People are smiling.
4. Everything is in order by the time services begin.
5. Your microphone is fully charged and ready to handle a 40-50 minute sermon. =)
6. The nursery area is clean, set-up, and ready for infants and toddlers to explore their universe.
7. Hospitality Team is greeting new guests and making them feel welcome.
8. The music is off the hook (really good).
9. The preaching is Biblical, relevant, and applicable to the listeners.
10. The Holy Spirit is present to convict, convince, and encourage people.

These are just a few things that will make for a good service.

We had seventy-one people present in our service today. We praise God for His blessings! One lady brought nine people to church with her. Where would our churches be if we all practiced the art of invitation?

Amish Country

Yesterday's trip to Amish Country was a little disappointing. We traveled approximately 185 miles one way to buy butter that was made in Houston, Texas, and Straw Hats that were made in China. What's this world coming to? :)

The highlight of the trip was taking a five minute Horse and Buggy ride around the Yoder's Track. I learned that this sect of Amish believed in salvation by grace through faith, but believed in sprinkling for baptism.

Another disturbing piece of information was the doctrine of the Mennonites. I learned that they do not believe in security of the believer. I had always heard that the Mennonites and the Amish were related to our forefathers. Maybe at one time they held to the tenets of the faith, but have somewhat strayed from the Scriptures.

I am thankful that the Bible teaches that once we have accepted Christ as our Savior that we have everlasting life. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. In addition to what we believe about salvation, we believe that baptism is a symbolic picture of the burial and resurrection of Christ. Baptism has nothing to do with our salvation, but it is an answer of a good conscience toward God.

Whenever we begin to add or take away from the gospel, we are guilty of tampering with the Scriptures. It's Jesus, period, not Jesus comma. Thank you, Lord!

Prediction for October 14, 2006

WVU 35 - Syracuse 9

Find Rest

The Babylonians were a nation who had everything. They had money, power, prestige and arrogance. They ripped through villages and cities reeking havoc on innocent bystanders. Humility was not in their vocabulary. They were a god unto themselves.

Throughout the book of Habakkuk, the Lord emphasizes an important principle: Sin cannot go unpunished. It didn't matter if you were the Babylonians or the Nation of Judah, you were going to reap what you had sown. This principle still applies today. We cannot continue in our sin. Sin will cause misery, regret, and remorse. It's like a boomerang, our sin will eventually catch up with us.

It is important to Find Rest in Our Faith, Future and Father. He sits in His Holy Temple. There is nothing that surprises our Holy God. He knows the pain, the struggles, and the difficulties which we face, and He says, "TRUST ME!"

More Technology

I was visiting Jamie Q's blog today and found this cool IM appearing on her site. It was intriguing, so, I decided to add it to my site. For more information, check out Meebo.

Fishing

This morning, I tried to go fishing with my father-in-law and son at the pay lake. It was closed for the season. Disappointing!

So, we made our way to Chestnut Ridge Park. I think there is only one or two fish in this pond. I guess they weren't hungry!

Why?

I received an email yesterday concerning our StoneBridge 101 class. The question: Why does your church require a membership class when the Bible doesn't teach that you have to go through a class or seminar to be accepted? This is a good question.

I answered the question with several paragraphs, but to sum it up (in this entry without all of the verbiage) I would say, "It's good stewardship to have a Membership Class."

The Bible tells us to "make disciples" of all the nations. One of the ways we disciple people that come through our doors is through our Membership Class. We share with prospective members our beliefs, values, mission and vision. Does this mean that they have to agree on everything we believe, value, do, and see? Not necessarily, but if they are to become leaders in our church they must embrace them.

Why is this so important to us? Because, there are other churches in this town where "steeple people" can attend. We are not here to reach the churched population(even though I am thankful for those who come on board and embrace our beliefs, values, mission and vision). We are here to reach the people that have no meaningful church relationship. For the most part, again, I emphasize, for the most part, these are the people who are ready to do whatever you ask them to do.

So, what am I saying? Churched people are great for their stability, their faithfulness, their wisdom in the Word, and their willingness to come on board financially.

As one church planter said, "God will bring you scaffolding to build the foundation, but when the building (the people) begin to increase, the scaffolding will usually come down because they feel their work is finished."

Looking back on the past three years of church planting, God has brought us scaffolding to build the foundation, as a matter of fact, we still have scaffolding. I am thankful for every person God sends our way. Each person who attends Stonebridge, especially those who have felt called to our church is important. We thank God for our people. They are among the best!

Our People Rock

StoneBridgers Rock! I had a wonderful day at church. We had fifty-one people in attendance. There were several people out(because of sickness), but overall, it was a great service. David was "in the pocket," as usual.

Ashley E. ...You Rock! Thanks for teaching the toddlers today.

Kevin and Dan ...Y'all the men!

Matt, Maria, Jamie, Sarah, Manny and Mr. Ed ...Thanks for being a part of the Hospitality Team.

Keith and Wendy ...Thanks for serving us through the Cafe' Ministry

Phil and Amanda ...Thanks for managing the StoneBridge Books and helping with the kids.

Ephraim and Charlotte ...Thanks for your enthusiasm and help with the infants.

David ...The music is FAB-U-LOUS!

Russell and Belinda ...Thanks for your work. I am thankful to partner with you all.

To the Numerous Others whom I may have forgotten to thank ...YOU PEOPLE ROCK!

Here Comes The Out-Laws...I mean In-Laws =)

I am blessed to have great in-laws. Wayne and Nancy are on their way to Morgantown, WV this morning. It's about a 20 hour driving trip from East Texas. We expect to see them sometime tomorrow.


We are looking forward to visiting with them. They want to go to Amish Country (not because of the recent news, but because of the crafts, culture, etc.). I think we will go to the great State of Ohio to visit with them (the Amish).

Please pray for my in-laws safety as they travel.

Prediction for October 7, 2006

WVU 28 - MSU 7

Be Bold!

I share this entry with you not to brag, but to encourage. This week has been a good week for evangelism. Russell and I shared our faith at another apartment complex this week, I had the opportunity to lead a 70 something year old lady to Christ, and I have had several opportunities to share my faith with people at Giant Eagle (a grocery store).

Through it all, God has spoken to me (not audibly), but very clearly. He has said, "Jason, Be Bold! If you will be bold I will continue to do great things through you and your church."

My fellow Christians, Why are we seeing a decline in church attendance today? Why are there so many problems within the churches? Is it because we are not focused on evangelism? Is it because we are too worried about what everyone else thinks, instead of what God thinks? Is it because we are content with the people that we have in our churches? Is it because we are doctrinally pure and everyone else is using trickery or deceit to lure people into their services? Only God knows the truth! But, if we will do our part in carrying out the gospel to the nations, God will bless us individually, and our churches.

Be Bold!

Facebook

I am officially a Facebook member. As soon as I am accepted into David's world of friends I will become the oldest member in his friends list. Yea! =)

My Heart Breaks For The Amish

The faith of the Amish has been ridiculed by many people. I really don't know much about their customs, beliefs or way of life, but I respect them. Listen to what one paper said about one Amish man's thoughts concerning the tragedy.

"Sam Stoltzfus, 63, an Amish woodworker who lives a few miles away from the shooting scene, told The Associated Press that the victims' families will be sustained by their faith.
"We think it was God's plan, and we're going to have to pick up the pieces and keep going," he told AP. "A funeral to us is a much more important thing than the day of birth because we believe in the hereafter. The children are better off than their survivors."

What a tremendous testimony of faith in the midst of such horrendous tragedy!

My heart breaks for these people.

Everyone's Hero

Check out this Movie Trailer. Everyone's Hero looks like a good movie. Maybe it will be at the Warner on November 5, 2006. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Great Job, David

I give MAD PROPS again to David for his abilities. Not only can the guy sing, but he can design. We are so blessed to have him on staff at StoneBridge. Here is the first draft of our invite cards for our upcoming Birthday Bash!

BTW, I know that Russell has already posted this pic, but there may be some who haven't seen it yet. Plus, I wanted to give David more props for the work he does for our church. If there are any church planters or pastors who need work done I definitely recommend him.

God Did It Again

I am happy to say that God saved another one today! This afternoon, Russell and I surveyed another apartment complex in Morgantown, but this is not where the person accepted Christ.

After spending two hours in one complex we decided to call it a day. There were some good conversations, as a matter fact, I talked with one young man for over an hour. He was close to giving his life to Christ, but didn't. "Almost, persuadest thou me to be a Christian."

After surveying the complex I decided to spend some time in the Word studying for tonight's HomeTeam. After my study time was over, I was heading for Kroger when I saw this special lady walking home from work. She was carrying a Duffel Bag and a Dollar General bag. God truly impressed upon my heart to turn around and pick this lady up. So, I did. God gave me an opportunity to lead a 70 something year old lady to saving faith in Christ. Thank you, Lord!

The trip took about 10 minutes to get from Point A to Point B. The entire time I was driving I was sharing my faith with her. In a ten minute time period I found out the lady was a widow, she had lost her husband in 1978 (massive heart attack), and she was a former Methodist. I asked her if she attended church, and she said not anymore. So, I began sharing Jesus with her. By the time we pulled in her driveway, she was ready to accept Christ, and she did!

God did it again!

What Does It Mean To Be A Leader?

Here are some random thoughts about Leaders who do not delegate:

There are times when you have to pull the church trailer, unload it, set up church equipment, change light bulbs, sweep and mop floors, greet guests, fold worship guides, make coffee, and then, preach a sermon that is relevant to all listeners from ages 8-55. This is just a few things a pastor does when he doesn't delegate.

First of all, I desire to be a good leader. I desire to be a man who equips the saints for ministry. But, I find myself doing a lot of the work that someone else could do. There are so many jobs people in our church should be doing, but we (the leaders) have yet to release them to their inheritance. To their inheritance...what does that mean? Joshua 24: 28, "28 So Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance."

Joshua had delivered his "State of the Nation" address in Joshua 24:14-28. In verse 28, Joshua let the people depart (released them to the ministry). I realize that if new churches (like StoneBridge) are going to make a significant impact on their communities the leaders must release people to do ministry. There are people in our churches ready to work, but we have yet to release them. Therefore, we struggle with larger tasks, because we have not released others to work the smaller tasks.

So, how do we change this perpetual problem? Let me give an example.

Let's just say you start a new job and your boss says, "Alrighty then, we are glad you are now an employee of Frank's Italian Restaurant. Here's your new uniform, good luck, we'll see you at the end of the day." You say, "What am I supposed to do? How do I make Spicy Meatballs, Homemade Spaghetti, and delicious Garlic Bread? Isn't there any on the job training, (boring) videos, or folders describing my position?" He says, "Nope, this is it baby! You are going to do great." Strange, isn't it? This is exactly what most spiritual leaders do with their people (including me). We expect our church people to know what to do, but yet, we haven't given them any on the job training, no boring videos and definitely not any description of what is expected out of them.

If we are going to see change, we (leaders) must make the change. Leaders are called to equip people for ministry. Too many times we are afraid to delegate because it might not get done the way we expect it to get done. Or, we are to afraid to ask people to do it. If StoneBridge is going to go forward, we must learn the art of delegation. If we don't, we'll continue to be a church with a cool worship leader and mediocre preaching. Oh yea, we'll be able to brag that we're the only church in town with cup holders (that is, until Chestnut Ridge Church finishes their building).

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to vent a little.