The Goings on and Work of Sam Mahlstadt

There are a lot of churches in America, and I would go out on a limb to say that most churches are barely surviving, and few are thriving. So, as I transition from a successful church to a church that is still forming (no, I don’t mean the building is under construction…the community is under construction) I am questioning what separates a busy church and an effective church. Every church has lots going on, regardless of how many people make up the particular church. Church programming can become a slippery slope that can lead to busyness and impotence. With this in mind, I am on the lookout for churches who are effective; who engage their community in what they are doing, and see people change to follow the way of Jesus. There are a lot of young flashy churches, that seem to have it all together. We must ask the question; does our church have any depth beyond your website and youtube page? Are people changing, and growing and giving up their lives to follow Christ? I desire to see heart change, not just numbers in an auditorium. I desire to be part of a movement, something that goes beyond self-help and reaches out a hand to those who are fighting alone. I want to be part of something that isn’t about me, and something that is oh-so-much bigger than me. I want to be part of an effective community of Christ followers boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God with love and grace.

I am leading a small group book study of The Organic God by Margaret Feinberg. We had our first gathering last night at a coffee shop in the Drake University area, and it was a great start. It’s always interesting when you bring people together to talk about their personal relationship with God. We live in a society that maintains faith is a personal issue, and should remain personal. Foundational to the Christian faith is a countercultural concept of needing each other in order to fulfill our purpose. It is cool to be able to bring people together to pray for spiritual hunger and for each other. Today I am praying for the small group, that we would create relationships that go deep and each experience an aching hunger to know God more. I am so excited for the group, because we need God and we need each other; that’s what the small group is all about.

So I made the comment last blog that revelation precedes revolution. I want to follow up on this a bit. I believe with all my heart, that we are on the cusp of a spiritual revolution, or revival, in this nation. We are the first generation to experience a post-Christian society, and I think that we are now the same generation that will be the leaders of the resurgence of the local church. People are tired of church, they are tired of Christianity, but they are still looking hard for truth, grace, and peace. They are still asking God-sized questions, and they are still directing those questions, for the most part, to the Christians in their lives who don’t carry the label of “hypocrite.” Questions about God, eternity, faith, predestination, fate, afterlife and the supernatural saturate our culture. When people see the church put flesh and blood on the scriptures, as Jesus did when he walked the earth, they will find what they are looking for. When the church stands united and becomes the Gospel, people will join the movement. What must happen first, is for the body of Christ have a divine revelation on what it means to live in unity, and carry the Gospel with truth and love. Then, the people who encounter the message will experience divine revelation in the very discovery of that which they long so deeply. Let’s be the movement, be the message, be Christ to a culture that is asking, seeking and knocking.

Revelation precedes revolution. I have some thoughts on this, but I would like to get some feedback; what do you think of this comment? What does it mean or speak to you? Where have you experienced it? Being part of the local church’s resurgence is very heavy on my heart, and I believe that revolution doesn’t just happen. A Godly revolution of love, grace and truth doesn’t happen without someone or a community getting a hold of a divine revelation. So, what is your take on “revelation precedes revolution”?

Dean Radke, leader of a CEO training workshop has been teaching our staff and other ministries around our state for the last couple of days on leadership and team building. It is his second stop in Iowa, and our church has hosted both times. He has a wealth of knowledge, and he is an advocate for effective, no nonsense leadership. There has not only been theory, which we all have, but systems and processes to help build teams and ministries.
I have to admit, I was quite skeptical when he came the first time. I wasn’t sure how much military and corporate training would transfer into ministry. It is fascinating how much better corporations are than ministries at building teams and addressing problems. I am impressed with his message, and his heart for pastors and leaders. A couple notable quotes:

• experience is the currency of leadership
• issues and problems need to be turned into opportunities
• celebrate noble failures…but not chronic failures
• encourage calculated risk taking
• average national church retention of 10-15% is an 85-90% opportunity for growth
• honesty is not mental gymnastics, it’s just yes or no

He has my indorsement…if that matters at all.

There are two things in particular that I love about my job at Cornerstone. The first is that we play 4-square as a staff during our all-staff lunch day. The second is that anywhere you go in our building, chairs are straightened perfectly. Our offices may be messy, but any community space always looks very prepared. It says, “welcome, we prepared for you” which says, “we care about you.” Even our lobby space, which has some very comfy couches and a couple games on the table is arranged in a way that says, “welcome, we want you to enjoy yourself.” It is casual, but very neat.
Back to 4-square, I love the game, and we have a lot of fun, but the reason it is my number one thing about being on staff at Cornerstone is what it says for our Pastor and leadership team. We deal with many tense and sensitive issues, as anyone in ministry is familiar with. We have long meetings and we all work very hard. But on Tuesday at about 12:30, we all get together to have some fun. Every week, like clockwork, a line forms at the 4-square court (which is located in the middle of the waiting/lobby area) and we play. Our leadership team understands the importance of having fun together. It breaks the tension that ministry naturally creates.
About the chairs, I already said how I believe a room can speak your heart. When you make a space look ready, you welcome people into that space and let them know you prepared for them. People like to know that you were ready for them, and that you care enough to clean up for their arrival. At Cornerstone, our maintenance and housekeeping departments are diligent in their attention to detail and ensuring that we are always prepared for our family and guests. Man, I love this place.

I remember when I read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, I was surprised and grateful to read his thoughts about God’s will in our lives. He was using the example of praying for safe travel and, essentially…comfort. He then said, what if we quit praying for safety and started praying for God’s will to be done, however it needs to be done.
Now, that is my horrible paraphrase of his comment, because I don’t have the book at my desk, but nonetheless, you get what I’m saying. We often times have this deep sense of needing to be comfortable, and we quit chasing after God. Dare I say, if you are comfortable, you are probably not in the will of God. I came across this quote on Church Marketing Sucks discussing church branding. Very interesting.

But some “felt needs” are inherently unbiblical. The “need to be entertained at all times.” The “need to be safe.” These are not biblical imperatives, they are cultural ones. And the church is not obligated to meet all the demands of a worldly society. Evaluate the felt needs of your congregation, and ask whether they are truly biblical. Sometimes they feel a need, and it is your obligation to explain to them that there is something greater. Church marketing demands we put the gospel and lifestyle modeled after Christ above all else.

It is imperative to ask God’s blessing divine protection over our lives, but when that becomes our focus, we have lost track. Our focus must always be His kingdom, and how we establish our place in the success of “your kingdom be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That is our focus, and everything else are merely benefits. May we seek first the kingdom of God.

Here is the last message I was allowed to share at 63rd and Park, Clear and Uncluttered. Quick turnaround this time! Enjoy. Something was going on with the sound in our recording booth, so there is a hum…I may also post a link to the message on Sunday, for better sound quality.
Also, here is the link to Take and Eat, the message I shared with 63rd and Park a month ago.
What a blessing to be given the opportunity to share twice in one month! I am still soaking it in.

Today I began working with the Creative Media Department, and I am the new guy all over again. I have to admit, I love it. I love change, and rearranging, and learning new things. Also, I go from cleaning bathrooms to graphic design and website maintenance, so this job doesn’t require rubber gloves or a bottle of disinfectant…I don’t think. This is a great start to the week after a great weekend.
My big weekend is over, and I am extremely happy with how it went. I was given to share a message in all three services, one on Saturday night, and two on Sunday. I had never preached a message in more than one service, so it was new to me. We have a great staff here, and everyone made sure that I had what I needed and was really helpful. Aside from the preaching, they were all really good services, despite the freezing rain that coated the area in a sheet of ice on Saturday night. Our people came out in the cold and ice, and experienced really great services.
I realized that the different energy levels of audiences really does have an impact on the delivery of a message. The crowds were more interactive as the services went on, which helped me in how I communicated. On Saturday night, we have a group that internalizes, and doesn’t provide much feedback. I knew this going in, so it didn’t surprise me, but it did make me stay on task and not try to earn a response. By the third round, the crowd was very responsive, and it felt like they pulled the message out of me. Way different experience. One is not better or worse than the other, just different. Different is not bad, it’s just different. I am so glad to have had the opportunity, and it was a great experience. I am thankful for a pastor who would allow a young voice like myself to step into the pulpit. He took a chance on me in order to help me grow and step into the calling on my life, and I am extremely grateful for that. You know that you serve under a great leader when they take a chance, not to benefit them, but to benefit those they are teaching. What a great learning moment I was allowed to have!
I will link the service here in the next couple of days.

Here is the link to my message, Take and Eat.
I will be sharing a message tonight called, Clear and Uncluttered. I think it will be a good topic for conversation as we head into a new year. I am thrilled and honored to be given another opportunity to share in our church. Tonight’s crowd is very different than Sunday morning’s, so it will be interesting seeing that difference from the stage. Stay tuned, and I will post it here.