Who is He calling you to be?

As you know I have not been blogging for a while. Over the past month or so I have been going through a lot and I am only wanting to be the person God calls me to be and nothing else. Through my years in ministry I have sadly fallen into the cool factor of ministry. I can sit back now and see times in my life when I wanted to be cool and fit in with other pastors. Now as I look at some of those pastors all I see is pastors who are not called just cool and fitting in. I have gone through my twitter and Facebook and not following those anymore.

All I want to do and be is only what God has called me to be and nothing less. I think that I have been more on the less part of life and ministry. So I just thought that I would let you know. From here on I am no longer going to be mister cool pastor but rather a shepherd of His people, a man always and only wanting to be used by Him for His kingdom and for His glory.

So here it is.

As you know I am a guy who does and will speak my mind. I am not afraid to let you know what I think about some pastors. One thing that God has been doing in me for the past few months is helping me how more grace because with out that grace I would not be saved.

So why am I saying this? What am I about to say?

I am sorry if at anytime I have made you upset by something I have said. I feel as if I have become known not so much for my love for the gospel and for Jesus Christ but more for being angry about things. As a Christian I want to be known as a man who is saved by God's amazing and unbelievable grace.

I just wanted to let you all know what God has been doing.

A Mom's pride.

I am sitting here in my office reading Matthew 20:17-21 and can not believe what I am seeing. Jesus is talking about Him being betrayed and crucified and that He will return in three days from the dead and the first thoughts of the mother of Zebedee's son's was OK Jesus that is fine and all but make sure my sons sit with you in heaven.

Sometimes in our lives we can become so full of pride that there is no way to see our own sin. We are all ,sadly, full of pride and self but if you truly come to the cross and want to be humbled by it your pride will start to melt away. It takes years for it all to fall away but by the grace of God He helps us every step of the way.

The other sad thing is that as I read this story I can see my self in her shoes. Here Jesus is painting the bigger picture and all she sees is her own little world. We as called to be people that are kingdom focused and not self focused. So may we all pray for this to happen in our own lives as well as for those around.

Some thoughts on Love Wins

The past few weeks or so I have been listening and reading what a lot of pastors are saying about Rob Bells new book Love Wins and I just want to let you know where I stand on this peace off work. First I want to say that over the years I have learned a lot from Rob Bell. I really think that the way he communicates is amazing. He can tell a story in ways that I could never. However, his theology and doctrine is so far out of wack it is not even funny. I have seen over the years Rob Bell fall further and further away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now as this new book has come out He truly has become and false teacher. I known that there are people who would say that I am judging him by saying that but I am only looking at what he teaches and testing it to the Word of God and it does not line up.

We do not know if someone goes to hell or heaven. It is not for us to judge that but God is the Judge. There is a real place called Hell Jesus himself preached about it and called people sons of hell. If there was not a place of punishment then I would say that God is not a father at all. God as our father does not want to send people to hell but if someone does not believe in him then they are punished. It is just like a father when there son or daughter does not obey him he punishes them. To me the God of the bible ,who is the God I serve, would not be that God if everyone was welcomed into heaven. Then tell me what is the point of Jesus on the Cross and being or sacrifice for our sins. This would be pointless.

This week I will be preaching on how we as Christians need to test everything to God's word before we let it influence us and so I say church do not let this false teacher and his other gospel influence you.

Rob Bell I will be praying for you but as for me and my house you are not aloud in it anymore.

Keep your facebook post to your self.

Over the past year I have seen how facebook is good and also how it is bad. Let me first put out there the good of facebook.

1) Facebook is good to reconnect with old friends

2) Facebook is good to spread the gospel.

3) Facebook is good to know what other people are thinking about things.

4) Facebook is good to post funny videos.

Now let me share with you why Facebook is bad.

1) Facebook is bad because you can reconnect with old "flings"

2) Facebook is bad because there is ,at times, to much openness.

3) Facebook is bad because you can share to much about what is on your mind.

4) Facebook is bad because it can hurt people.

I want to hit on this last part for a little bit. Facebook is bad because it can hurt people. Over the past year our so I have seen and heard how people in churches us Facebook to hurt people. They use it to slander people and because of that I have seen churches ripped apart. When it comes to posting thing on Facebook you really should keep in mind the thought of "if you can not say anything nice do not say anything at all". Now as I write this I know that I have ,at times, not followed this. However God has been doing a lot of work in me the last few months and this is one thing that I have watched at times.

So what are you using Facebook for? Are you using it for one of the good or is your reason on the bad list?

Don't Use E-mail to Correct Others

This is so true. At my last church there was a lot of slander and rumors going around and it was all done through email. When it comes to dealing with major issues do not use email. Be very careful in your words and what you say. If you think that it will go bad for you in an email then don't send it. Give that person a call or even as James Macdonald says just breathe before writing an email and have a right heart.

Hall Pass is trash.

Last night Kim and I went out on our weekly date night and I saw a preview for a movie called Hall Pass. I can not believe that I heard some Christian friends say that they can not wait to see this movie. This movie is trash and we as godly men and women should not see it.

Long story short it is a movie about two guys that get "hall passes" from there wives. A hall pass is a week off of being married and gives them the OK to hook up with other women and do what they want.

When I think about this movie it truly makes me sick. This is what the bible would call adultery. God does not take that as a joke. As a Christ follower you should not want to support a movie like this. Do not let impure thoughts into your heart. Instead of seeing trash and wasting your money on this just take a second to sit back and think " what would I think if a pastor in my church would get a Hall Pass ". Would you think it is funny then. Would you go pat him on the back and say way to go? No you wouldn't so why turn to Hollywood and do the same thing.

This is a toxic influence and should be avoided in every way it can be.

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee (run away) from youthful lusts but pursue righteousness, faith, love with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

It is more then a religious action.

So as I have been studying and reading 1 Corinthians 10 today I stopped at 14-22 and it has caused me to do some thinking.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.Consider the people of Israel: [fn] are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Sadly in the church today most people come to the Lord's table a lot like the church in Corinth did. They come and take just because they have to. But the Lord's table is so much more than a religious act. But sadly most people do not get it.

I had a friend one time ask me why I take communion and at the time I really did not know and so he told me to go to the back of the line until I get it. Today I do not even think about coming to my Lord's table unless I have come in repentance an thankfulness. It is not just something you do in church but we should strive to come to the Lord's table humble and thankful and take it seriously because Christ does and so shall we.

Thirsty People

As I preach I pray that people to become fans of me but I pray ,as I hope you do fellow pastor/elder,that the church will become fans and thirsty for the living water from God. Do not entertain your church with funny jokes but instead give them passion, the passion for more of God.

We all need to become like a deer, thirsty for more of the stream.

Short and sweet

So the other day I was looking at my twitter and saw a post from a youth pastor that said "didn't have time to finish my sermon tonight for youth so going to let the kids cut my hear instead". WOW really dude.

When I read this I got pretty upset. When I look at some of the old dead pastors that I read and some of the pastors today that I look up to they all put a high standard on preaching. They put writing there sermons up there before anything. Paul himself tells us to let the deacons worry about the other things so that you can put your time into teaching the truth rightly.

This is one of the things that I feel is wrong with youth ministry today. So many youth leaders just get by by playing games and feeding students pizza and not teaching God's word. I feel that if you do not have time to study God's word so that you can teach it then it is not effecting your own life so why should it effect others.

Well my rant is over now. You can go back to doing whatever you are doing.

Deal with it.

I was part of a church once where because of sin the church fell apart and is now at a slow death. One of the problems of what happened was that the elders just wanted to sweep the sin under the carpet instead of dealing with it. We do this all the time in our own life's as well. Lately I have heard and seen sin in myself and others like Idol worship, pride, greed and the list can go on and on.

We are called to go to the cross and deal with our sin. We are always going to be sinners but we are told to always stay close to God and repent and be humble. I was just reading today Romans 12:21 that tells us how to fight a good fight Paul writes " Do not be overcome by evil,but overcome evil with good". We feel at times that we are to weak to fight the sin that we deal with always but if you feel like that then you are not believing the words of Christ when he says in Matthew 28:18 that All Authority has been given to me. Christ live's in you so if He has the power then you have the power to fight and deal with your sin.

As I write this I want you to know that even though I am writing this I am not saying that I am perfect. Just as Paul says that all have fallen I have fallen but because of the cross we have hope and grace. Do not let sin run your life but put on Christ and do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Matthew6:1) but deal with it. Be strong my brothers and sisters.

WOW.

So this morning I was writing and I started to think about the year I have had. Talk about a roller coaster.

I was at a church for only three months when the pastor told me about a few families that wanted him out. My first church meeting in January I saw how ugly people and sin can really be. After the meeting that lasted about four hours they kicked the pastor out. I was only the youth pastor now without a senior pastor. In just 6 months I saw and heard things from people in a church that would make some people wanna throw up. It was sick but yet God kept helping me to fall in love with The Church , His bride. During everything that was going on with people cursing other people out right before and during the service God was growing the youth ministry. I can remember times that we did not have enough room because of the kids that showed up. Students where getting saved and being baptized and it was sweet. In October Kim and I left there and are now at a church named Mosaic in Highland ILL. God is doing so many things in and around our ministry it is really cool.

Kim and I over the past year have grown so much and I am so thankful that God has done the things in my life and marriage that he has done. This year I have learned a little more of what it means to be a pastor after being a husband. God has also blessed Kim and I with a child that will be born in June 2011.

As you can see God has been up to a lot just in my life and it is so cool. I am really looking forward to seeing what God does in 2011. I pray that I will stay close to him and never stray from hearing His voice. May God bless you in 2011.

Church Planter By Darrin Patrick.

Church Planter by Darrin Patrick is a great book and I believe a must read for any pastor and/or Church planter. Most people think that when you pick up a book by this title that it is going to give yet another method on how to plant churches. Let me tell you that you are far from the truth here. Darrin does ,through out the book, give you ideas for the how's and whens of church planting but this book goes right at the type of man called to plant a church. Darrin Patrick does not waste anytime getting at you about your calling,doctrine and comes right out and asks you the question are you called to plant a church.

At first I started to run through this book but after the first few pages it caused me to sit back and do some thinking and talking with my wife and fellow pastors. If the idea of planting a church is in your head at all then I must say go now and pick this book up. But let me give you a heads up that while you are reading it you are going to be forced to ask some hard questions of your self. This book is not for people wanting to "play pastor'. This book is for men who are called by God and are ready to get there hands dirty and do the work. I highly recommend this book to any man wanting to plant a church and to pastors to challenge yourself while ready it.

Young and Dumb.

As a young pastor I am always trying to stay humble and open to things that I need to work on. Last night I got an email from a older man that carried enough about me and my ministry that he sent me this email just to say hey I am seeing and heard this just wanted to give you a heads up. When I called and talked to him he was wanting to make sure that he did not tick me off by sending it. I told him that I would be stupid to be mad about the stuff that he brought up to me. Him and I talked and after I sat back and thought a lot about some of it and I am grateful that he did this.

Why am I telling you this? As a young pastor or even just a young man we need to always have a older man to speak into our lives. I have a few guys that I have given full rights to knock me up the side of the head if need be. There are times that they do and I am so grateful for it. I feel that I am a better man today because of this. We will never learn if we can not take a few gut shots from time to time to learn.

If you do not have someone to speak into your life or even beat you up from time to time let me be the first to tell you go right now and pray that God would give you one or two. This will help you become a better man.

The Well. A New Church coming to Lebanon

Some may already know this but I wanted to let you all know what is going on.

In October of 2006 God laid on my heart a church called The Well. After much prayer and seeking Him and listening to Him He has called Kim and I to plant a church called The Well in Lebanon IL.

The Well is a church where people are restored by the cross and serve there city.

We will be starting this March meeting in Lebanon and I can not wait. God is doing so much right now that I do not have time to write it all out and tell you. If you would like to know more information please feel free to shoot me an email mhampel82@gmail.com.

There will be much more information on this coming very soon. Right now this is what I am going to ask you. PRAY for us. Please pray that God's will will be done in this new church. Also please pray about maybe seeing if God would have you be a part of this new church. Starting in January we will be sending out invites to people for some informational meeting and calling people to join us on this journey.

War on Christmas? What a Joke

So I know even now as I write this that I am going to make people made but I want to let you know some of my thoughts on this "war on Christmas".

First Jesus Christ is the main purpose for Christ but people it is not the only holiday that is being celebrated. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and many others. For us to say that this time of year is only about us (The birth of Christ) is I think kind of prideful. Jesus Christ was not born in December it was around the fall.

Now do not get me wrong here. I am not saying ," Let's coexist then". All I am saying is that can we stop this WAR ON CHRISTMAS crap and stop being prideful about Christmas and telling other people that they can not celebrate what they want to. Paul tells us to be all things to all people. So instead of yelling at people if they do not wish you a merry Christmas instead share Christ in your actions and words and be humble and ready to be used by God to reach out to the lost.

What a Day.

So today was such a cool day. Kim and I went to the doctors and heard baby Hampel's heart beat. WOW you wanna talk about being amazing by God just do that. I am really looking forward to the day that I get to hold my child in my arms. June 16th 2011 that should happen but until then all I can do is pray for my child and keep kissing it through Kim's belly. :) I like that part just don't tell her LOL.

There is one more thing that I am doing and wow it is so cool. This past February I went to the desiring God pastors retreat and they gave us a book with a bunch of blank pages in it and it says romans down the side. We are suppose to write out the book of romans for us to study but I am writing the whole book of Romans and one day give it to our first born. On days that I write and something happens, like today, I write at the top of the page the date and what happened. So I am really looking forward to leading my son or daughter to know the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reaching the lost.

So today I went had coffee with a fellow pastor and I asked him a question that I am glad I asked. The question was" what are some ways he reaches out and shares the gospel with people?".

Wow we had a good talk and we came up with an idea for the next time we meet ,which is every other week, we are going to start going around to places like Denny's and so on and start sharing the gospel with people and being a part of peoples life's. We also talked about how we can do this on a regular basis.

Here are some ideas.

1) Ask your waitress right before you pray for your food how you could pray for her

2) Start working on sharing the gospel with people in 30 seconds.

3) When you go to Starbucks while you are waiting for your coffee talk to the people waiting around you about how is life for them. Don't act like you care but really care about them.

4)Bless someone with a cup of coffee and tell the person waiting on you to tell the next person in line that the coffee is free and so is God's Grace.

These are just some of the ways that I will be trying to share the gospel of Jesus Christ more. Go for it and try it. It is easier then you think.

Write it down.

As some of you know I journal. I do not do it as much as I should but I do and when I do it I love it. Today I was reading a blog post on Purifying Grace and they gave some helpful tips for journaling that I would like to pass on to you..

"First before I discuss the what of journaling, let me first talk about the length of journaling. This weekend my wife and I were briefly discussing journaling, and she was encouraging me to journal as she knows how difficult it is for me. Then she mentioned that I should just journal every time I commit to no matter what I write, even if it is just, “I hate journaling and I don’t feel like journaling today.” Simply the point is to write something down on paper.Now there are six basic questions that can be answered extremely quickly or even for the over-achiever, elaborately. They are FAST VG!

1. Feelings: What feelings did I experience today and/or have right now?
2. Acting Out: What, if any, acting out did you do today?
3. Struggles: What struggles did you experience today?
4. Temptations: What temptations did you experience today?
5. Victories: What victories, no matter how small, did you experience today?
6. God: How did you see God (or your higher power) working in your life today?

These questions can be answered in a wide variety of ways. Feelings are feelings, and they are as fickle as the weather. However, it is good to have a record to begin to see patterns of behavior. Acting out can look differently every day. I personally including any ritual behaviors or preoccupational thinking here too. Struggles I often relate to life, and sometimes to my faulty thinking. Temptations are my triggers. Victories are anything from pushing a thought out of my head to turning off the laptop to walking away to calling someone etc. I typically answer #1, #2-4 altogether with each event that I discuss, #5 and then #6. #6 has been more difficult for me than I expected; however, it is getting easier.So what about you? What do you use to journal?"

I hope that this helps you and let me say go now grab a journal and start today writing. It helps me and I know that you will be blessed by it.

Don't be like Men.

Tonight I will be preaching on be imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1 esv) and as I sit in my office and read I picked up Calvin's sermon on this text and wow it hit me. Check this out.

"The world is also of its own accord, inclined to a misdirection imitation and after the manner of apes, strive to copy whatever they see done by persons of great influence.We see,however, how many evils have been introduced into the Church by this absurd desire of imitating all the actions of the saints, without exception. Let us, therefore,maintain so much the more carefully this doctrine of Paul that we are to follow men, provided they take Christ as their grand model, that the examples of the saints may not tend to lead us away from Christ, but rather to direct us to Him."

John Calvin

What more needs to be said. There are to many people in the world trying to be other people and pastors trying to be like famous pastors. I will tell you what I heard John Piper say one time " I am a weak man and no one should want to be like me but strive to be like the one I strive to be Christ"