JUNE 2012

DISCERNING GOD'S WILLBY JASON McBRIDE

CIP GARAGE SALE We're holding our annual garage sale to support the Commmunity Impact Project.

VBSPre-K–5th grade will learn about who they were created to be & the armor of God.

6/26

SECOR GOLF TOURNAMENTSupport SECOR's mission by playing golf at Pradera for their 2012 Golf Tournament.

6/11

MEET THE PASTORSCome meet Southeast's pastors, learn about the church

and our vision.

6/17

MEN'S BREAKFASTGuys can attend the Men's breakfast with featured speaker, Bill McCartney.

6/16

“God, it looks like we’re going to need to make a decision on a car—should I put more money into repairs on the old one, or it is time to replace it? What kind of car should we buy? Do you even care, God, which car I buy? Should I stay in my current job or start looking for another one, in case the plant shuts down? And while we’re talking, should I have a banana or this donut for breakfast?”

These questions, typical of the kinds of decisions we all have to make in our daily lives (including the banana option), sometimes cause us as Christians to ask some deeper questions:

“How can I discover God’s will for my life?”

“How can I be sure of God’s guidance in my decisions?”

“What does God want me to do?”

Practically all believers have struggled with questions like these, especially when faced with important decisions. Some believe the will of God is the choice that brings the most money, success, or personal gain, while others claim the opposite: that God’s direction can be found in the most painful or self-sacrificing choice. Some open their Bible and expect their finger to fall upon God’s guiding plan. Still others use their God-given brain and make a list of pros and cons.

So what is the ‘right’ way to discern God’s will?

Biblical discernment is more than just decision-making; rather, it is about being in relationship with God, engaging His presence daily, and learning to listen to Him. Discernment is a growing relationship with God that is cultivated through prayer, Scripture reading, and time. It is based on:

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Southeast Christian Community, It is with great excitement and thankfulness that I introduce who will serve as our new principal for Southeast Christian School, Mr. Brett King. Some of you may remember that as we completed our accreditation with ACSI several years ago, Mr. King served as the chairperson for the accrediting team. He worked closely with Southeast in our preparation, documentation and site visit. It was a pleasure to work with him and see his commitment and dedication to Christian education. Since then, I have had the opportunity to connect with Mr. King on various occasions through ACSI events and meetings.

Mr. King comes to us with 20 years experience in Christian schooling. He earned his BA in Elementary Education, Psychology and Music and his MA in Curriculum and Instruction. Last year, Mr. King completed a one-year fellowship at the VanLunen Center for Executive Management at Christian Schools at Calvin College. He has served at Rocky Mountain Christian Academy in Niwot as the founding Headmaster/Chief Executive Officer since 1999.

Under his leadership, the school grew from 4 Kindergarten students to over 500 preschool-8th grade students and 60 staff at its peak. Prior to this position, he served as a middle school teacher for 6 years. He has also participated in cross cultural missions with Youth With a Mission.

Mr. King is excited to serve as a K-8 Principal. When asked to describe his Christian philosophy of education, he said, "Christian education is all about cooperating with the grace of God to foster a student's transformation into Christ-likeness. It is about preparing students to take their place in the kingdom of God and their place in this world. It is learning how to integrate one's intellect, emotions, social relationships, body and will into a meaningful and unifying whole under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is about giving students a hunger to cultivate and apply the wisdom of God into every sphere of life. And it's about equipping students to defend their faith and influence their culture in a way that gives them the ability to discern what is true and good and beautiful--and the courage to do something about it."

We are grateful for God's provision of a principal with incredible leadership experience and a passion for Christian education. I want to thank the parents, some board members and staff who served on our interview committee for their time and insight over the past couple of months while we have completed our search. Their wisdom was immeasurable throughout the process.

We welcome Brett, his wife Alisa, and his children: Sawyer (9), Taylor (7) and Skylar (5) to Southeast!

Thank you again for your prayers during this process. I am confident of God's provision and look forward to seeing God continue to grow our staff, students and families.

Grateful –

Vernon W. Walters, MDHeadmasterSoutheast Christian School

SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

“How do I deal with difficult people who cause turmoil in my life?”

“Are we to be friends with everyone?”

“How do we love the unlovable?”

Difficult people are everywhere, aren’t they! They stand in front of us in store lines, share our road space, work beside us or at least down the hall, and some even show up at our family gatherings—or even live in our own homes. Boy, aren’t you thankful that we aren’t those difficult people?

The truth is, relationships are messy. So what are we to do about the relationships that feel nearly impossible to make work, or about the person who continues to cause havoc in our

lives? How are we supposed to like them—let alone “love” them? What does Jesus ask of us?

Looking to the Bible for answers, we find Jesus saying to his followers, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) On another occasion he states, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44).

As followers of Christ, we are to love all people, including the difficult and “unlovely.” Someone once said that we are never more like Jesus than when we are loving our enemies. God invites us to enter the messiness of relationships in ways that will transform

us to be more like Jesus, reveal the reality of God’s love, and hopefully restore others to relationship with God.

So what does it look like to love another person? Beth Moore once shared these three principles about loving others and I think they are very helpful in answering our question:

1. I MUST KNOW AND RELY ON THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR MEIn the Bible, John states, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) John is saying that he has experienced and is relying on God’s love for his life.

Therefore he is free to love others with God’s love, knowing that his value and significance does

not depend upon the response he receives from another person. When we experience God’s love and allow our identity to be in God, then we can love others like Jesus did, and as God

LOVING DIFFICULT PEOPLEBY JASON McBRIDE

AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WE ARE TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE

We are proud of all the 8th grade class and their accomplishments. We wish them the best of luck in high school and college! God Bless!

CONGRATULATIONS 8TH GRADERS!

As you are growing in your relationship with God, here are some suggestions on growing in discernment:

REGULARLY ENGAGE GOD’S PRESENCESpend time in prayer and reading Scripture, focusing on His love and goodness. Pray for God’s wisdom and direction (James 1:5).

DEAL WITH PERSONAL ATTACHMENTS AND AGENDASConsider what it means to be totally attached to God’s agenda and will. Confess any idols of your heart that block your trust. Pray to recognize and relinquish anything that takes priority over God’s will.

CLARIFY THE QUESTION OR DECISION AT HANDWhat are you asking direction about?

EXAMINE THE MATTER THOROUGHLY

THE BIBLEWhat does Scripture say? This is the first and number one question of determining God’s will. Does Scripture address this issue? If so, then there is no need to ask God’s opinion about your decision; he has already given it in the Bible! Scripture is the only resource that

stands on its own merit. Everything else I mention should be confirmed with the Bible and never in opposition to Scripture. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 14:21; Rom. 12:1-2)

THE LIFE OF CHRISTI am to grow in likeness to Jesus, so is this choice consistent with what I know of Christ and his redemptive purpose in the world? Will it bring glory to Jesus? (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 10:31)

MY DIRECTION AND CALLINGDoes this current choice enable me to fulfill God’s calling on my life? (Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Peter 2:9-10; 2 Cor. 5:14-21)

WISDOM AND COMMON SENSEIn light of my past experiences, current circumstances, and future hopes, what is the wise thing for me to do? (Phil. 1:9-10)

CHARACTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENTWill this choice nurture what God is doing in my character and spiritual growth? (Gal. 5:16-26; Col. 1:9-10)

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVEDoes this choice reflect the value of what is eternal and permanent, rather than what is transient and impermanent? When I reach the end of my life, which choice would I wish I had made? (2 Cor. 4:16-18)

WISE COUNSELSeek the counsel of Christians gifted

QUESTION #1 CONTINUED

A GENUINE DESIRE TO OBEY GOD’S WILL

TRUST IN GOD’S DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE WITH US

BELIEF IN GOD’S GOODNESS, LOVE, AND TRUSTWORTHY NATURE

COMMITMENT TO A DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH PRAYER AND THE BIBLE

DEPENDENCE UPON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL TRUTH AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE

A DESIRE TO SET ASIDE ONE’S OWN AGENDA FOR GOD’S GLORY

OPENNESS TO DEAL WITH BARRIERS, LIKE SIN AND REBELLION

WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW TIME FOR CLARITY AND DIRECTION

FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WITH OTHER BELIEVERS, WHO CAN PROVIDE INPUT AND COUNSEL

in discernment. Am I willing to open up every facet of this decision to a trusted spiritual friend for his or her wisdom and insight? Am I being honest with myself? (Prov. 11:14; 12:15; 15:22)

COMMUNITY AND LOVEWill my decision help or hurt others? Does it help or hinder my ability to love others well? (Gal. 6:9-10; 1 Cor. 10:32-33)

CIRCUMSTANCESWhat can I learn from the circumstances surrounding this decision? God often works by opening and closing doors, though we should be careful not to make circumstances our primary means of guidance. (Rom. 1:13)

FEELINGS AND INNER PEACEWhat direction excites me and gives me hope? Which choice brings the deepest sense of life, inner peace, and freedom? Is there a growing sense of wholeness, authenticity, and congruence with who I am in God? Or might this decision draw me away from God? Is my spirit heavy in any way? (Phil. 4:6-7; Col. 3:15; Acts 15:28; 2 Cor. 2:13; Acts 24:16)

ARTICULATE THE DECISIONOffer your decision to God, asking Him to bring your heart, mind and spirit into agreement. Do they all confirm this course of action?

FAITHFUL OBEDIENCEFinally, step into the decision and continue to discern God’s leading and direction each day. Remember that success is faithful obedience to God and abandoning outcomes to Him. Outcomes are God’s business, not ours. It doesn’t have to look like a success to the world for it to be the right decision.

Jason McBride is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at Southeast. He plays a big role in helping people connect with small groups and more. He is also part of our speaking team. If you have any questions regarding the material in this article, please visit our website at sechristian.org.

asks us to, not because the person has earned it or deserves it.

2. I MUST LEARN TO LOVE WITH GOD’S LOVEWithin myself and my own strength, I don’t have what it takes to love another person the way that God expects. That kind of love is only possible when I am experiencing God’s love and allowing his love and grace to flow through me to another person. In Romans 5:4, Paul states, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” God is continually pouring his love into our life through his Spirit. As we learn to daily engage God’s love, He will transform the way that we view and interact with other people.

3. I MUST LEARN TO LOVE WITH WISDOM AND INSIGHTIn Philippians 1:9-11, Paul states, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that

comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Our love for others is to be filled with wisdom and insight. As we try to love those who seem hard to love, we must wrestle with questions like:

“Is this person acting this way from a wound or hurt in their past?”

“Who is God for this person and what is he currently doing in their life?”

“How does God want me to respond to this person?”

“What does this person need from me and others?”

“What are healthy boundaries for this relationship?”

Loving someone does not mean that we give them what they want, remove healthy boundaries, allow them to hurt us, or even give them significant influence in our lives. It means that we seek God’s direction and give them what they need. We may need to draw

closer to these people and journey with them in their pain. Perhaps we need to confront and speak truth into their lives. Sometimes the most loving thing I can do is set strong boundaries, pull back from the relationship, and hold them accountable to those boundaries. But in order to discern what the appropriate and loving response is for another person I must be growing in God’s wisdom and insight myself.

Here are a few resources I have found helpful when dealing with difficult relationships:

BOUNDARIES: WHEN TO SAY YES, WHEN TO SAY NO, TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFEby Henry Cloud and John Townsend

THE PEACEMAKER: A BIBLICAL GUIDE TO RESOLVING PERSONAL CONFLICTby Ken Sande

EVERYBODY’S NORMAL TILL YOU GET TO KNOW THEMby John Ortberg

SAFE PEOPLE: HOW TO FIND RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOU AND AVOID THOSE THAT AREN'Tby Henry Cloud and John Townsend

EXTRAORDINARY RELATIONSHIPS: A NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT HUMAN INTERACTIONSby Roberta Gilbert

RESOURCES

QUESTION #2 CONTINUED...

appeal to you, therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

Jeff Percival serves as our Worship Pastor here at Southeast. He is the face you see on the stage most weekends, guitar in hand, song in mouth. Jeff also does a large portion of the planning for those services. When he’s not leading, planning, or rehearsing, he is

worshiping with our staff and elders. He is a songwriter and has also recorded and produced a number of worship CDs for Southeast. Jeff is quick to point out that his musical talents are probably not extraordinary. Some might disagree. Inarguably, what makes him extraordinary is his remarkable love for the Word, his willingness to be changed and molded into this holy and acceptable living sacrifice, and his desire to use his gifts for God’s glory.

Early in his life, Jeff was pursuing a career in music, producing various CDs, and traveling to Nashville quite often. Although he was raised in the church, his knowledge of the grace of God was more intellectual than experiential at this point. Jeff recalls the moment when that changed for him with a degree of fondness only evident in one who has firsthand knowledge of God. It was in the middle of the night as he was turning the pages of the final chapter in Max Lucado’s In the Grip of Grace, that it became clear to him just how much he needed God’s grace. This personal experience of grace marked an unmatched period of clarity in Jeff’s life. In the past he had avoided Christian music due to his upbringing in

the Church of Christ. Now it became clear to him that he could use all of the musical talents he had been given for God’s Kingdom.

In Arizona at the time, Jeff and his family became part of Christ Church of the Valley, and Jeff began working with the worship team there. Jeff attributes this four-year period with much learning

I

HIS LOVE FOR MUSIC IS AS MUCH ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF SOUND AS IT IS ABOUT THE

PLEASING MELODIES TO THE EARS

CIP: GARAGE SALEWe want this year's Community Impact Project in August to be our biggest yet. We need some additional funds to buy materials to complete the projects, that's why we're holding our annual garage sale on June 9. Start collecting your items, in good to excellent condition, to drop off June 6–8. Learn more about donating items and opportunities to volunteer at cip.sechristian.org.

SERVING FAIRThere are a lot of great ways to get connected at Southeast. The weekend of August 25–26, we want to invite you to explore our serving fair. You will get to look over and consider ALL the serving opportunities at Southeast. We'll see you there.

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COURAGEOUS WEEKENDWe hope you're keeping Father's Day weekend open, because the Men's Ministry at Southeast has some great events for guys and families.

It starts Friday, June 15 with the movie "Courageous", a film stressing the importance for men to embrace the role of father and spiritual leader in the home. We encourage families to share in this event together. You can register online for free for the movie. We'll have concessions available for purchase, and opportunites for men to learn more about and get involved in Courageous study groups.

MEN'S BREAKFASTFamilies are invited to watch the movie Courageous at Southeast. Concessions and study guides are available for purchase. Also, Men's Breakfast with Bill McCartney on Saturday morning at 8:00 am, $10 tickets.

about ministry and leadership. In early 2004 he met Jeff Spille at a conference, and it was not long before God made it evident that he was calling the Percival family to move to Colorado.

Whether it’s major life decisions or the production of our latest Vacation Bible School CD, Jeff is one who does not prefer to be rushed. Sometimes accused of being a perfectionist, he has a meticulous attention to detail. His love for music is as much about the science of sound as it is about the pleasing melodies to the ears. Jeff points out that, while others may be able to get up there and just sing a song, he still works hard each week to make sure that he has his parts down. He has seen how even the slightest error can distract the congregation from worship. It is not about him, not about his voice or his music, but about what happens when the whole body shows up and sings together to our God. He references Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:19 as the key verses that

drive his approach to ministry, saying, “If the church is not singing, I am failing.”

Aside from his musical talents, Jeff’s love for the Word is exceptional and it is, in part, that commitment to know God through his Word that makes Jeff’s role here at Southeast look so effortless and natural. Jeff has a heart for seeing others grow relationally toward God, to see people exchange lies for Truth, and to see people set free. He says that our worship on the weekend is really the result of each of us laying our lives on the altar each day, all week long, and then coming together out of the overflow of God’s presence in our lives. Jeff points to the first section of Romans chapter 12 as he defines what worship is. These verses perfectly sums up what he does every day here at Southeast and what he is encouraging each of us, as members of this body, to do each day.

PROFILE: JEFF PERCIVAL CONTINUED

CHILDREN'S MINISTRYHelp us welcome more children and give their parents a chance to worship by serving in children’s ministry during the service time of your choice. Just ask any staff member in the children’s areas.

COFFEE AT ELEMENTSHelp us welcome guests with fresh coffee and a warm smile. More help is needed especially for the 11:00 am service on Sundays. Learn more at sechristian.org.

WEEKDAY RECEPTIONISTWelcome guests to Southeast, many of whom stop in for their first time on a weekday. Training provided! Choose a weekly or bi-weekly 3-hour time slot.

FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE

CONTACT LIBBY HELLINGER AT

LIBBY.HELLINGER@SECHRISTIAN.ORG.

3 WAYS TO SERVE

SHELLY BURKEY is the Preschool Director at Southeast. She loves spending time with her family and seeing kids grow spiritually & relationally with God.

or we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Adrienne Green has been a part of Southeast for many years, but even before that her heritage was also tied to this church. Adrienne’s grandparents were among the first members of this body, but Adrienne herself began attending in December of 2003. It was those strong family ties that kept her coming to Southeast despite the fact that it was not close to her home at the time.

At this time the addition to the building, which was to include the entire south wing, the large sanctuary, the lobby, and a bookstore and café, was being constructed. Adrienne’s stepfather was researching options for the bookstore. With a background in retail, Adrienne was recruited to help him with that research to determine if Southeast ought to take on a franchise or become its own privately owned bookstore. As things began to take form, details were worked out, and decisions made, it came time for the church to hire someone to man Elements, the church’s own bookstore

to be. At the time Adrienne was unsure that God could use her, but her step-father encouraged her to apply for the position. She wasn’t sure that this would be a good fit, but with a young child and a new baby at home, it seemed to be the smartest thing to do. Adrienne was hired for the position in 2004.

In January 2005, as Adrienne was being promoted to Elements Manager, it became apparent that her marriage was ending. Unsure how the staff would react to news of her impending divorce,

afraid she would lose her job, she told her story to her supervisor, Shawn Wells. It was at that moment when she was brought in, prayed with, embraced, and accepted, instead of judged and condemned, that Adrienne knew that this was not just her job...this was her church. Adrienne says about Southeast, “It is not a place of perfect people. Everyone has a story.”

Adrienne’s administrative gifting and ability to refine systems within the church quickly led to more responsibilities as Elements became the central registration point for basically every event happening in the church. Also, as the building grew, so did the capacity for people to gather here. Adrienne began helping with events, showing that it was possible for a gathering to become less of a financial strain on the church. Her insight has surely helped Southeast to continue to flourish and out its mission, even in times of economic hardship.

As all of this was unfolding and evolving, Adrienne began to have an idea for a whole team that would come alongside the ministry leaders, the heart of the church. This team would be the hands

F

IT IS NOT A PLACE OF PERFECT PEOPLE.

EVERYONE HAS A STORY.

BEGINNINGS TOOLBOXReceive Beginnings Toolbox directly to your RSS Feed each week! Go to sebeginnings.tumblr.com to sign up.

Each week you will receive information on the upcoming lesson, the memory verse for the week, notes for parents on the texts, encouragement and ideas for building faith at home.

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SECHRISTIAN.ORG9650 Jordan Road • Parker • CO • 80134 • 303. 841.9292

and feet, but also the brain, in a sense. This would free the pastors and ministry leaders from having to think about much of the administrative details involved with providing for the spiritual needs of the people. As her vision was cast, so it became apparent that Adrienne was the person to head up this team. In 2007, Adrienne became the Events Coordinator at Southeast. Within two years, as the needs of the church and staff shifted again, so then did her title once more to Operations Manager, overseeing not just Elements and events, but also Paid Childcare, Guest Services, and the daily operations of the building.

She describes her job as being the ‘behind-the-scenes person,’ though

she is almost always on the scene. It is Adrienne’s hope is that anyone who enters this building never even thinks about how clean the restrooms are, if the tables are set up correctly, or any other detail about the facilities. She wants people tto, when they leave, have only given thought to how good the

message was, how great Bible study was, how fulfilling the fellowship was. She is charged with making this church of thousands feel like home to all who walk through its doors each week. Adrienne and her team are truly God’s fellow workers in this field, which is also His building (1 Corinthians 3:9). Her passions are evident in what she does

here every day and even just seeing a glimpse of that makes it ironic that she ever wondered whether Southeast would be a good fit for her. She is the self-described Mama Bear and wouldn’t have it any another way. She loves community and is passionate about caring for it. Adrienne counts it her

fortune to be allowed into the stories of those who worship here and be able to see the mighty works that God does in this place, in these people, over and over again. God works in her and through her to present this body as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish (Ephesians 5:27).

PROFILE: ADRIENNE GREEN CONTINUED

ADRIENNE COUNTS IT HER FORTUNE TO BE ALLOWED INTO THE STORIES

OF THOSE WHO WORSHIP HERE

MEET THE PASTORSSoutheast can seem so...BIG. So, we invite you to Meet The Pastors the third Sunday of each month. You'll have the opportunity to meet most of Southeast's pastors. They will talk with you about the church and our vision. Our next one is Sunday, June 17 at 9:00 am. Register online at sechristian.org.

CAREERS WITH A PURPOSECareers with a Purpose is a bold, uniquely Christian approach to helping men and women find their God-breathed calling in life. Learn to connect your career with your faith as you network with others and learn practical skills in searching for a job. Sessions begin Monday, July 9 from 9:00-11:00 am. Register online.

SPORTS CAMPSKids ages 4–12 can participate in clinics for basketball, soccer, flag football and cheerleading. They'll get quality sports instruction, practice drills and also get to take home Bible studies. mentary ages. Register online at sports.sechristian.org.