Preston Mitchell's Blog

Blood Tests

This morning I had labs done.  Once a month (sometimes more), the lab tech takes a gallon of blood and runs it through a bunch of tests to see if my body is doing what it should.  I get numbers back that tell me how my body is interacting with my new kidney.  Blood tests are essential to good health because blood never lies.  It always tells the truth about what is happening with every organ in your body.  Blood is a fascinating fluid.  It gives life, it gives truth and it gives hope. 

I've had a lot of time to think about blood.  When I was in dialysis, I spent hours watching blood leave my body through a tube, route through a dialysis machine to be cleaned, and flow back into my body through another tube.  I am always amazed at all the things blood carries in its stream.  It delievers nutrients and energy to the cells and removes toxic waste from the cells. 

Blood is the cornerstone of our faith.  It gives life, it gives truth and it gives hope.  In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was sacrificed for forgiveness of sin.  In the New Testament, Jesus became the blood sacrifice for our forgiveness of sin. It took His blood to clean the toxic waste of sin in my blood so that I could have life, truth and hope.   As long as Jesus' blood is flowing through my veins, I have nothing to fear.

One of my favorite hymns growing up went like this: 

"What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus.  O precious is that flow, that makes me white as snow, no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus."

If I give you a blood test right now, what truth would your blood reveal?  

2009 Oscars

The Academy Awards are a joke.  I have never seen a room so full of pride and ego and selfishness and silliness.  Here is my take on the winners:

Slumdog Millionare                Dirty Joke

Sean Pean                            Abstract Joke

Kate Winslett                        Goddess Joke

Heath Ledger                         Joker

Penelope Cruz                       Bad Joke

How about some others?

Steve Martin and Tina Fey           Hilarious Joke

Mickey Roarke                           Sad Joke

Hugh Jackman                           Song and Dance Joke                      

Like I said, the whole night was one big joke!

Looking Back and Looking Forward

This year's C3 was the best conference we have ever had at Fellowship Church.  The Holy Spirit's presence was unmistakable in the speakers and the audience.  The speaker lineup was powerful.  Here are a few observations about each of them:

Jentezen Franklin - his talk on mercy was outstanding.  Our churches need to be houses of mercy, not houses of judgement and condemnation.  He made me rethink my lack of mercy because I am a cynic in many ways.

Christine Caine - I had never heard her speak before.  She is a preaching nuclear reactor.  Christine spoke several times during the week and at our weekend services.  She reminded me that although we are not of this world, we are still placed in the world to make a difference. Too many of us try to live secluded from the world which is the opposite of what Jesus teaches.  She said that we are too busy doing church to be the church.

Craig Groschel - He has one of the most unique speaking styles of any pastor I know.  Craig has the ability to present his thoughts in a clear and concise manner without a lot of "tricking it up."  He challenged the church to "cut the crap" on all the programs that are not important and stick with the basics.  He also talked about trying to please people.  His best line was "becoming obsessed with what people think is the fastest way to forget about what God thinks."

Bil Cornelius - Bil is one of the most humble guys I know.  His talk on prayer was right on.  What Bil is doing in Corpus Christi is incredible.  He has been a great friend and leader to me over the years.

Ben Young - Ben is one of the most intellectually gifted pastors I know.  Yet, he can bring it down to my level.  He is so unique in his thoughts that he will say things in a way that I have never heard.  He always brings it back to the truth of the Bible.  You cannot doubt it or explain it away!

Tommy Barnett - after all these years, he is still consumed with reaching people that most churches won't reach.  The homeless, the broken, addicts, prostitutes, etc.  Tommy's church and ministry has made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people in LA and Phoenix.  Now he is starting a church in NYC.  Does it surprise you?  Not me.

Bishop Jakes - what can you say?  His talk on Elisha and the widow was excellent.  He taught that we need to let God flow out of the capacity God has given us.  The more we increase our capicity, the more God will allow us to pour into the lives of people around us.  God has an infinite supply of whatever we need, if we have the capacity to receive it.  Flow and pour out, flow and pour out.

Ed - I saved the best speaker for last.  Ed did a great job of talking about the chairs in our churches and who the chairs represent.  His talk on teenage spiritual maturity was great.  The talk he did on depression struck a chord with almost every pastor in attendance.  We have all been in the dumps before and Ed gave practical and biblical wisdom about how to get out of the hole.  He used the life of Elijah as an illustration. 

Volunteers and Staff - As great as the speakers were, our staff and volunteers brought the conference to Super Bowl status.  It takes a lot of work to put on one of these conferences, but it can't be done without the hundreds of people you don't see you make it happen.  Our staff is awesome and this conference impacted us in a way we will never forget. 

Worship - over the top cool and creative.  It was a great blend of music and elements to focus our minds and hearts on God.  Our worship leaders have a heart for worship, which is not always the case in many churches. 

I can't wait to get the CD's so I can really break each talk down and meditate over the words and scriptures.  My life will never be the same.  I pray that everyone who attended felt the presence and power of God.  We will be praying for you and it won't be long before 2010 is here!  Make plans to be in Dallas next year.

Check out the C3 Recap on www.fellowshipchurch.com and edyoungblog.com.

C309 Wednesday Night

What a great kick off to the conference on Wednesday night.  Jentezen Franklin open it up by talking about the mercy of God.  He told a great Aggie joke about the star athlete who had to pass a test to play in the big UT game.  After special tutoring, they brought the athlete on Kyle Field to ask him 5 questions.  If he answered them right, he could play.  First question, what is 2+2?  "Four", he said.  The crowd exploded.  Questions #2, what is 3+3?  "Six," he said.  The crowd at Kyle Field went wild.  Questions #3, what is 3+4?  The athlete started to sweat, and with great concentration he said seven.  The huge crowd of Aggies at Kyle Field starting screaming "give him another chance."  That's what God does for us. He gives us another chance.  The church is about taking in the unmerciful and showing mercy.

Christine Caine was next.  I had never heard her speak so I was excited.  She was incredible.  She talked about the role of the church in the world.  She said that we are too busy doing church than being the church.  She talked about being "of the world" and "in the world".  Her point was that too many of us turn out the lights in our community because we don't want to be in the world.  But if we are not "in the world", where are we?  We are hiding behind our church walls trying to be "of the world." She talked about the lost in Matthew.  The sheep was lost because it was preoccupied.  The coin got lost because the woman was careless.  The son was lost because he was unprepared.  Most lost people are not "big, bad, terrible people," but they are just preoccupied, careless and unprepared.  We can be the light in the world for those people.  That is our job, our calling, our ministry our only reason to be.

Wow.  I am going to listen to the talks again and again to get it all.  This is just a drop of what we have learned. Stay tuned.

C3 2009

It is here! We kick off C3 tonight with an incredible time of worship and teaching from Christine Caine and Jentezen Franklin.  I feel a sense of urgency like I have never felt before.  I believe God is about to do something miraculous during this conference.  If you haven't registered, come tomorrow morning and walk up.  There is still time.

Ed will be twittering and blogging from the conference.  Check out his blog at edyoungblog.com and get the latest on his thoughts and feelings during the conference.  Make sure you are also following him on twitter and Facebook. 

I pray that all the attendees will have safe travel and God will prepare their hearts and minds for what He has to say through our speakers, worship and time together.  If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call the C3 number at 800-230-8860 or go online at www.creativechurchconference.com.  You can also email me at preston.mitchell@fellowshipchurch.com. 

See you here!

Get Ready! Get Ready! Get Ready!

It is finally C3 week!  We have been looking forward to this conference for a long time.  Most of our staff has put long hours into making this the best conference in the country.  I know there are a lot of conferences out there, and I have been to many of them.  But I still believe our conference does the best job of speaking directly into the lives of pastors and church leaders who want to take their ministry to (as Ed would say) "a hole nutha level!!" 

Ed is pumped up with passion!  God has given him some incredible stuff to share.  We have experienced a lot at Fellowship this past year and we are thrilled to be able to share with you what God can do in your church and in your life.  Ed has some HCO's - hot church opinions - that he is ready to share.  The music is going to be off the chain.  And C3 Nights will be a double dose of praise, worship and teaching that everyone can enjoy.  This week is NASCAResqe in it's non-stop, action-packed schedule of events.  You will leave C3 emotionally energized, spiritually supersized and creatively calibrated to make a difference wherever you live.

I am looking forward to catching up with friends from all over the world. There is nothing like hanging out and talking about the church.  I hate that the economy is keeping some people from coming, but I understand!  We will be praying for you as you stay back at home and continue the work God has given you.

During the conference, I'll do my best to let you know what is happening behind the scenes.  To me, that's the best part of the conference.  If you are coming, yell at me!  If you can't come, we will miss you. 

Keep in touch!

Life Begins With Death

This morning our staff, friends and family said "see you later" (not good bye)  to Jimmy York. The memorial service was awesome as the Chapel was packed with people that were touched by Jimmy's life.  A memorial service or funeral is always a good time to contemplate the meaning of life.  The one thing that I have discovered about life is that it comes from death.

It seems a contradiction to think that, doesn't it?  How can life spring from death?  The spirng is almost here and all the dead plants, grass and trees will be blooming with life.  Nature begins with death.  Jesus had to die so that we could have life - eterenal life. Our spiritual life begins with death.  We have to die in Christ to be raised alive.  Jimmy also gave physical life to people who were facing death because he donated his organs to transplant patients.  Death brings life in nature, in the spiritual and the physical.

As much as we hated to lose Jimmy, death was the only way for him to experience all the promises of scripture. Maybe it's my age, but as a follower of Christ, I don't see much wrong with death any more. The question we all have to ask ourselves is "are we ready to die?"  Until we answer that question, we will never be ready to live.  Depending on how we answer impacts our eternity.  As a follower of Christ, I can be ready for death because I know the outcome - eternal life with Christ.

How do you answer the question?

Thoughts about a "good 'ol boy."

Today is a difficut day for the staff of Fellowship Church.  Late Saturday night, Jimmy York passed into the eternal security of heaven.   He was a valuable member of our Home Teams ministry and worked with hundreds of people to connect them to our church family.  Jimmy worked for me years ago and I was always impressed by his loyalty to the vision of Fellowship Church, his love for people and his godly actions as a husband and father. 

One weekend, Jimmy invited me, my son Cameron (who was probably about 13)  and Todd Hamilton to go fishing.  His family had a house and a boat on a local lake.  It was a good time to fish for white bass, so we loaded up and spent the weekend fishing.  The first afternoon of the trip, my son hooked a bass and was trying to get it into the boat.  I reached down to get the fish just as Cameron decide to give one final pull on his rod.  The treble hook ended up buried in my skin between my thumb and index finger.  OUCH!  We went back to the house and tried to get it out.  Then we went next door where a guy was sitting at a table smoking and had beer cans stacked all around him.  Jimmy told me this guy knew everything about fishing and he could help us.  After the guy pulled out a rusty pair of pliers and tried to push the hook through my hand, I decided to take my chances at the local emergency room 17 miles away.  Jimmy and Todd drove me to the hospital, the doctors removed the hook and I get to see the scar every day.  As I look at the scar this morning, it brings back a lot of memories.

This morning as I was studying, I ran across a verse that I had never really thought much about.  It's found in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 and this verse describes Jimmy's life:

18What is the best thing to do in the short life that God has given us? I think we should enjoy eating, drinking, and working hard. This is what God intends for us to do. 19Suppose you are very rich and able to enjoy everything you own. Then go ahead and enjoy working hard--this is God's gift to you. 20God will keep you so happy that you won't have time to worry about each day.  

This is the biblical description of a "good 'ol boy."  Solomon writes that we should just enjoy the life we have.  if we do that,we won't worry about the end of our life.  I think that's the way Jimmy lived his life.  He loved to fish, watch and play sports, enjoy time with his boys and love his wife Tricia.  He worked hard at connecting people to community at Fellowship Church.  When you had the opportunity to be around Jimmy, he was calm, reserved and friendly.  If you started talking sports or fishing, you could get him excited. But Jimmy never played the over bearing "I know it all" person.  He never lost his sense of humor and even keeled personality.  He was the best "good 'ol boy" I ever knew.

I am going to miss Jimmy York.  He has been a constant on our staff for several years and we will not be able to replace his uniqness and God-given passion for people.  Pray for Tricia and the boys as they go through this very difficult time. 

His life ended too soon on earth, but he is at home now in heaven!

   

Friendships Under Fire

Several years ago, I had an opportunity to attend a reunion of the 42nd Rainbow Division with my Mom and Dad. During WW2, my Dad drove around Germany and France hauling a cannon with a 4 man crew.   These guys could stop, position, load, aim and fire a cannon in seconds.  When we lived in Germany, we would take drives through the beautiful countryside.  More than once, Dad would casually point out a place where his unit was surrounded, where they hid, where they fought...it was crazy.  42nd Rainbow spent months on the front lines in Germany and France. Rainbow freed the Dachau concentration camp near the end of the war. 

My Dad passed away 10 years ago and today there are fewer and fewer WW2 veterens left.  But at the reunion years ago, I had a chance to meet the three guys who lived and fought with my Dad. The amazing thing to me was their love for one another, despite the years they had been seperated.  It was as if they were still in Rainbow waiting for their next mission.  I saw a side of my Dad I had never seen.  He was always pretty quiet and reserved and never talked about the war.  But with these guys, he lit up!  I'd never seen him laugh so much.  And the stories they told were like reading a book on military history.  I was fascinated. 

Friendships like that are rare.  Their friendships were molded together by intense fear, pride in their duty and survival.  That's the secret to a special friendship.  The people who have your back, stand with you during tough times and follow the same vision you do will always be there.  When you enter into your first battle, see who stands with you when it is over.  Fifty years later, you will be laughing and tallking about the old days with a love and thankfulness for your friends.

Real Life Marriage

The fight is on at the Mitchell house.  Do we or do we not move to a smaller home?  Maybe even a town home.  Dedo and I have been debating this decision for several months.  Most of our kids have left the house and the last one is getting close to leaving.   As I get older, the less I want to do around the house.  I am tired of paying money for a pool we never use, for a huge lawn and landscaping costs, electric and gas bills that are out the roof....you get the picture.  Dedo, on the other hand, wants to have a house large enough to sleep 12 - that is if our kids and their familes want to stay with us.  It looks like all of them are going to live around here, so do we really need that big of a house?  She wants a home that is large enought to have 50 people over for dinner.  I don't even know 50 people. She wants square footage, I want less footage . I want to travel.  She wants to host events.   Seems like a train wreck about to happen.

This is the age old question - who decides the deal?  According to Scripture, I am the head of the household.  When a decision cannot be reached by mutual consent, I have the final say.  Sounds good until you are faced with that decision.  But after 28 years of marriage, I would not make a decision unless Dedo agrees with me.  I trust her judgement more than I trust my own.  She is right more times than I am. God gifts women with a discernment that men don't have.  Any man who thinks they know more than their wife is kidding himself.  

So I have decided to put a halt on moving.  The economy is so wacky and there are so many unanswered questions in my life that this is not a good time to make a major decision.  Dedo and I have mutually agreed that later this spring, we will revisit our decision and see where we think God is directing.  I've decided to look at refinancing and working on things around the house that need fixing. 

We feel great about that decision - and we made it as a team.  God knows best how to wire a marriage together.  And when we do it His way, it always works for the good.