II Cor. 10:3-4 “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (NIV)

Here is a picture of Conwy Castle that was originally designed to be the residence of King Edward I in 1283.  This English stronghold was built to control and contain the people of  Northern Wales.  Large, impressive and intimidating it is hard to imagine a fortress like this ever falling.  Yet, fall it did.  The English may have built it, but the Welsh people eventually took control of this fortress and made it their own.  Here was a fortress in their own land that didn’t belong.  it didn’t matter how big it was.  It would eventually fall.

What a great example for the church.  The bible tells us that we are at war with the spiritual forces of this world.  Our weapons are divinely powerful to destroy whatever fortresses the enemy has constructed that get in the way with the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  Unfortunately, many believers look at these obstacles as insurmountable or impossible to move.  They look at the sheer size of the fortress towering over their lives or community and shrink back in fear as the fortress continues to exercise influence it has no right authority to do.

I used this phrase several weeks ago at our services and I use it again here.  It is time for the followers of Christ to “pray big or go home!”  If our prayers are part of the divine arsenal God has given to us, then with the authority we have in Christ, we need to start praying for their removal.  We need to stop being impressed with the size of the fortress and start being impressed with the size of our God.  Our prayers need to start matching the greatness of the King we serve and the power and authority He wields.   The Bible says that if God is for us who can be against us?  Answer?  Nothing and nobody!  Our prayers need to reflect these truths.

God has sovereignty placed our church in this community to look at the fortresses impacting the lives of the people in our geographic area and fight for their removal.  It doesn’t matter how big they are or how long they’ve been entrenched.  They have no right or authority to stay.  God wants to transform a community.  It is time for us to “Pray Big or Go Home!”

Praying BIG with you!

Pastor Dale

OK…be completely honest.  What do you really think about prayer?  Do you view it as one of those necessary yet boring practices of your faith?  Do you see it as less than exciting?  Do you consider it rather monotonous, solemn, ritualistic, complicated, confusing, or even feminine?   Honestly, I think many people would use these or similar words to describe their experience with prayer.  I feel the way prayer has been portrayed in the Christian community over the past 50 years has led us to this conclusion.  The problem with this conclusion is that it is entirely WRONG!  I honestly believe one of the reasons more men don’t get excited about prayer is that we have made it into something that is more feminine.  This is why more women come to “prayer meetings” then men.  I don’t believe women are more spiritual than men.  I just feel that most men have a hard time getting excited about the way prayer is portrayed and offered to them in most churches.  They’re simply bored out of their minds!  I have a saying around here…”Whatever you do, don’t bore people with the word of God!”  I think this applies to prayer as well. ” Whatever you do, don’t bore people with prayer.”

Prayer should be exciting, challenging, edgy, dangerous, exhausting, with purpose and with passion.  How’s that for a description of a prayer meeting!  We have lost sight of the fact that we are involved in a cosmic battle between the forces of darkness and the Kingdom of Light.  Our prayers matter.  Our prayers effect the outcomes on planet earth.  The Bible says that the effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much!  It is high time for the followers of Christ to stop being casual observers in the spiritual conflict and embrace their role as warriors in the fight.

For the next three weeks, we are going on a prayer journey here at Foothills.  For the next three weeks we are going to Experience Power Through Prayer.  It is my goal to change how many of you think about prayer.  In fact, I may even make some of you uncomfortable.  At least I hope so.  It is time for Foothills to become a praying church.  Where God is taking us will require this from us.  We are going further into enemy territory for His Kingdom’s sake.  We need to be prepared and ready for what lies ahead.  The enemy has a strong hold on our community.  He’s not going to let go of it without a fight.

Just like this picture on my blog…”The Prayer Experiment”.  Will you be willing to experiment with prayer more than you ever have in your entire life?  Will you grow?  Will you learn how to pray strategically for those around you?  Will you learn to fight?  If you will, this prayer experiment will lead you down the road of transformation.  You will see the power of God in your own life and we will see the power of God transform a community before our eyes.

Looking forward to seeing you all this weekend.

Experimenting in prayer with you,

Pastor Dale

Beginning June 1st I will be on vacation for the next 3 weeks.  I have come to appreciate time away from ministry much more as the years have rolled on.  This year marks the 24th year in ministry for me.  I never used to understand the significance of balance and rest when I was younger.  Now, I see it as an absolute necessity.  I have come to understand that I cannot be the man of God that the church needs me to be; can’t be the husband or father my family needs me to be without it.  My family loves these times.  My children tell me how wonderful it is to not have to share me with anyone.  The “pastor hat” comes off and I get to be 100% dad for awhile. I get to make new memories with my family that are priceless and I will treasure for a lifetime.

God uses these times to replenish me.  I never realize just how tired I am until I step away.  I run on adrenaline way too much.  When it stops pumping through my veins, I feel exhausted for several days.  These are times for me to relax at a level that is simply impossible during the course of the year.  These are holy days for me.  They are times when I truly get to “be still and know that He is God.”

It is a strange thing being a pastor.  It is one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life, yet it is also the hardest and most exhausting thing I have ever done as well.  I have stopped feeling guilty for taking time off.  I admit I used to feel this way.  God has set me free from this.  This time is needed; it’s necessary, it’s even commanded in Scripture.  I am convinced all of us would be a lot more healthier if we heeded the command of God to embrace “Sabbath rests” more often.  In our culture we value productivity not rest.  I choose to embrace both!

May God bless all of you this summer.  May you embrace the rest God wants you to have…even commands you to have.  Please pray for me and my family as we enjoy some much needed time together.   See you all in 3 weeks!

Pastor Dale

What kind of image do you think of when you think of the church?  I want to give you three images that I believe are accurate ways of thinking of Christ’s church that will protect us from many of the pitfalls.  We live what we believe.  If we believe incorrectly about the church we will behave incorrectly.

Therefore, I would love for God to burn these images into the minds of everyone at Foothills.  Let’s briefly look at each one.

1.  First the church is a battleship NOT a cruise ship.  A battleship is all about the mission.  It follows the orders of the commander and chief.  The crew is willing to make sacrifices and endure hardship for the mission.  A cruise ship is all about comfort.  This is not what the church is about.

2.  Secondly, we are Pioneers not Settlers.  Pioneers are on a journey.  They endure hardship and take tremendous risk in order to travel to their destination.  They don’t stay in one place very long.  They are constantly on the move.  This is the church!  We are on a journey.  The journey requires great faith and risk.  The destination we are traveling to is worth every bit of effort!

3. Finally, we are to be rivers that channel the resources of God NOT reservoirs that try to stockpile the resources of God.  We should never worry about running out as long as we continue on the mission and commit to the journey.  God never runs out; never has a recession, and is looking for people to channel His unending resources through.

My prayer is that Foothills will continue to grow and become ever more like these images.  God will continue to do supernatural things as we continue to trust Him, follow Him, and think correctly about Him and His church.  May we be God’s battleship in this battle.  May we embrace the journey He has us on in this geographic area.  May we trust Him enough to be rivers so He can continue to bless us with the resources necessary to accomplish all he has called us to do.

Thinking correctly about His church,

Pastor Dale

What can I say…I like the Portland Trailblazers.  I have been a fan since I watched them win the NBA Championship back in 1977.  They are currently in the playoffs as I write this playing the Houston Rockets in the first round.  Do I have hope they win?  Of course I do!  I even have a hope they will return an NBA Championship to Portland again someday.  Who hasn’t rooted and hoped for their favorite team to win?  Hope really is an amazing thing.  We all know what it’s like to hope for your team to win only to see that hope not be realized.   Now we have to deal with the disappointment of unfulfilled hope.  The Bible says that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”.  In other words, hope that is lost; hope that is unfulfilled; hope that is not realized will make your heart ache.

Because of this, it is so important for us to have our hope fixed in the right place.  The hope of my life is not placed in whether or not Portland will win in the playoffs.  That would be a false hope.  I hope they do, but if they don’t, my heart will not ache…at least not too long.  My hope is fixed and rooted in my relationship with my unchanging God and His unchanging word.  This is what I base my life, my decisions, and my future on.  The Bible says that “those who trust in the Lord will never be disappointed.”  I love this promise.  Everything else in life will disappoint us.  EVERYTHING!  If I am placing my hope anywhere else but God and His word I am set up for heartache and great disappointment.

Where is your hope fixed?  Be honest!  Is it in your job?  Is it in your money, bank account, or your portfolio?  Is your hope placed in relationships with imperfect people?  Maybe it’s in a President who you hope can get us out of the mess we’re in?  Maybe your hope is in yourself?  If you are placing your hope in any of these things you are going to experience some heartache.  Why?  Because they will ALL eventually let you down.  Now, you are left without hope.  May I suggest a change in your hope strategy?  Put your hope completely in your relationship with God and in your obedience to His word.  What you will discover is that the Lord will NEVER disappoint you.

Portland may lose tonight and that will be disappointing.  BUT, it is impossible for God to lose.  I think it best to align my life with His.  That is hope fixed in the right place.

May God’s hope be yours in abundance!

Pastor Dale

Yes, this is a picture of your pastor and his daughter Rachael.  What are we doing?  We are hundreds of feet above the Pacific Ocean parasailing in Mexico.  That’s not really fear on our faces.  We just thought while we were up there, we’d at least pretend to be afraid.  It was an amazing experience I must say.  The views were spectacular and the feeling of just floating above the water with the only sounds being the wind was surreal.  It was the ride of my life.

Parasailing reminds me a lot of what it means to follow God.  If we are willing to truly put our trust in Him, we are in for the ride of our lives.  Just like parasailing, we have to trust someone else; we have to give up control; we have to get harnessed together with other people; and what makes us soar isn’t our power but someone else.  Oh, and let’s not forget, the views are just spectacular!

Are you having the ride of your life or is life taking you for a ride?  Let me encourage you to truly put your trust in God.  Take that step of faith that is causing you so much fear.  Stop trusting yourself so much.  Let’s face it, we’re all not that reliable anyway.  Give up control.  You really can’t control much anyway.  Get harnessed together with other people by developing close friendships who are moving spiritually in the same direction.   Besides, as long as you’re going for a ride with God, you might as well have some great traveling companions.  Finally, quit working so hard trying to soar.  That’s not your job, that’s God’s job.  He empowers our lives to go where only He can take us.  If you’re willing to do all this, the views will be spectacular!  God will show you things you never dreamed imaginable.

Don’t miss out on what God has for you.  Trust Him with all you have and He will take you on the ride of your life!

Enjoying the ride and the view!

Pastor Dale

Aren’t you glad this is true?  The resurrection of Jesus changed everything!  The empty cross and the empty tomb transforms our empty lives.  The hope that we experience now becasue of Jesus is simply amazing.  We have forgiveness and our guilt removed; we have His presence and His power for life; and we have an eternity that is secure and waiting for us.  Easter has changed the shame of my past, given me a purpose for the present, and provided a hope for my future.  Yes, Easter changes everything!

Because of all these glorious results of Easter, I hope you are looking forward to celebrating this life altering event here at Foothills in a week.  I want to encourage you to be considering not just how you are going to celebrate Easter, but also how God may want you to influence others.  The power and significance of Easter is not something to be kept to ourselves.  It is something to be shared with the world.  Therefore, as Easter approaches, let me encourage you how to consider others this year.

1.  Are you praying for those you are going to invite to Easter services?  Who has the Lord put on your heart to ask to come with you to Foothills this year?  Let God use you to influence another life for eternity!

2.  Will you come to an alternate service besides 10:30am?  This is the service where the majority of our guests will come to.  We are concerned with having enough room.  Will you be willing to come to either Saturday night or 8:30am service on Sunday?

3.  Will you PLEASE not park in front of the building on the paved parking lot.  If you need to because of your physical condition, this is completely fine.  BUT, for the rest of us, would you please park behind the building or on the bowling alley side in order to make room for visitors.

4.  Finally, will you pray every day that God would use our Easter services to draw people into His Kingdom.  Would you pray that the reality Easter would change everything for many people who are in desperate need of life change.

I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to celebrating Easter.  It is going to be an amazing weekend.  Aren’t you glad that Easter changes everything?

Pastor Dale

I’m back!  I know I haven’t posted anything in a few weeks, but here I am back in the groove.  Today I want to just give you a bit of insight into my life.  I know that I encourage transparency here at Foothills.  I also know that it is important for me to model this quality.  I hope the following post helps to accomplish this and encourage others to do the same.

I am completely sold out to the course that God has called me to, but that doesn’t mean staying the course is easy.  Many people have asked me and those close to me; “How’s Dale doing?”  “How is he holding up with the three services.”  People have been concerned with me burning myself out.  So for those who want to know, let me answer some of these questions.

During the first week of march Lisa and I took a week off and spent it in Arizona.  Some dear people in the church blessed us and allowed us to stay in a home they own.  This picture is from that trip.  This was the first time in 22 years of marriage that just Lisa and I have spent a week together without kids or anything relating to ministry.  Needless to say, we had an amazing week together.

If I am going to stay the course and be the Pastor God wants me to be and Foothills needs me to be, I must have time away from the ministry.  You see, I was tired.  I was mentally, emotionally, and spiritually spent.  The three services were taking more of a toll on me than I realized.  I’m an adrenaline junky.  I can run this way for quite a while, but over time, it takes a toll.  Working 6 days a week every week is demanding.  Please understand that I am not complaining.  I LOVE what I do.  It’s just not easy.  The difficulty is not a physical issue, but an internal issue.  The lifestyle that I lead is internally demanding and draining.  I know that I may give the impression that everything just flows so effortlessly in my life but this is far from the truth.  This course is hard and it requires great effort to walk it successfully.

In order to stay the course I have to look at strategic times away.  I have to monitor my life even better.  I have to do the things that put back what was spent.  This requires that at times, Lisa and I need to be away from the Molalla area.  I know, you’re thinking why does he have to leave Molalla?  Because not only am I the Pastor of a large church in a small community, I also grew up here.   For a moment, just try to imagine how many people know me in this area.  I literally cannot go into a store in Molalla and not know someone.  Please know that I love this fact 95% of the time.  But there are moments when I don’t want to be “Pastor Dale”.  For me to recharge, I have to be away from that title and the expectations that come with it.  Therefore, sometimes Lisa and I just need to step away geographically.

So pray for me as I do my best to stay the course.  When you notice I’m gone at a weekend service, know that Lisa and I are off somewhere recharging letting God replenish us internally.  Remember that this time is strategic to be able to stay the course for the rest of my life.  This is never time wasted.  It is time invested.  The pace at which the ministry requires of me will probably mean I will be away a little bit more than I used to be.  I just ask that you would be supportive of this knowing that I am trying to be the Pastor that you need me to be.  So no, I’m not burning out.  I am staying the course!

I love all of you.  Serving you is one of the greatest joys and honors of my life.  The course may be hard, but it is truly glorious and worth every ounce of effort.  Thank you for sharing it with me.

Pastor Dale

Have you started praying yet?  If you don’t know, we are on a corporate prayer journey for the next 40 days praying for our city.  I want to just encourage you to give yourself to this course.  Maybe you have never prayed for 40 days in a row.  Here’s  your opportunity.  I love what it says on the back cover of this book.  “In drastic days, pray for great things.”  I just love that saying.  If there was ever a time for the believers of our area to rise up and pray it is now.

As you look around, what do we see people experiencing right now?  I know what I see is a lot of despair.  People are just weighed down with the circumstances of their lives and they are losing hope.  We have a tremendous opportunity to be hope dispensers in these drastic days.  As you pray you will discover how God will pour His hope into your life and allow you to dispense His hope to others.  As you pray, God will do amazing things in you.  Yes, we are praying for God to do great things in our area, but what you will discover is the first great work God will do will be in relationship to you.  As you seek God for the city you will experience the heart of God longing to seek after you.

So please don’t look at this prayer book as some religious exercise you “should” do.  I pray you discover and experience the heart of God through this journey.  As we pray through this for the next 40 days, talk to others at Foothills about it.  Share your experiences.  Encourage others to get on board.  Let’s together capture the heart of God for our city and live to see the days when God brings transformation.  I believe I will live to see that day.  I will also pray for it until I see it.

Praying for our city with you,

Pastor Dale

Talk about the crazy train!  I think it’s time for some additional options for transportation.  I use this picture to illustrate a point.  We have three services at Foothills.  The problem that we are facing is that our Sunday, 10:30am service is running out of room.  We don’t look like this train yet, but we have had some Sundays where we have literally run out of chairs.  Praise God for such a good problem.  Yet, it is still a problem that needs to be addressed.

Therefore, what I am asking of you is that many of you be willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others.  What do I mean?  We desperately need many of you from the 10:30am service to be willing to go either to our Saturday night service or our 8:30am Sunday service.  We have plenty of seats at both of these times.  We have visitors at all three services, but most first time visitors attend Sunday at 10:30.  This is the service where we need to create more room.

Everyone is excited about the growth God is bringing, but we need to grow in a wise and understanding way.  If a visitor cannot find a parking place or they struggle to find a place to sit this does not motivate them to come back.  Being overcrowded hinders us from ministering to them and helping them feel welcomed.  We really need to balance out our three services better.  I am asking those of you who can to make a switch, maybe even a sacrifice, so others can come in and find hope in Christ at the 10:30 service.

Remember, we are here to reach the 1000s of unchurched people in our geographic area.  This will require those of us who are already committed to Jesus and the vision of this church to be inconvenienced for the cause of Christ.  Those of you who read this blog I am asking you to spread the word.  Tell others to read this.  Make the switch and drag a few families with you.  Remember why you do this.  Don’t lose sight of the vision.  Don’t forget that God has called us to be pioneers not settlers.  Embracing inconvenience is just part of the process of reaching the destination.

May God give you the grace to embrace some change for His Kingdom purposes.

Pastor Dale