Woodmen Valley Chapel was founded in 1980 as a nondenominational, evangelical fellowship of believers.
Today, we strive to be an authentic community where people can experience God, be encouraged in their spiritual journey and empowered for service as they entrust a legacy to others. Located in northwest Colorado Springs--not far from the U.S. Air Force Academy--our campus highlights a spacious and modern worship center, designed in true local mountain style and surrounded by a 500-seat chapel and small prayer chapel. Our western architecture blends well with the backdrop of the rugged foothills of the Rocky Mountains' Front Range and majestic Pikes Peak. As we work together to become fully developed followers of Jesus Christ, Woodmen Valley Chapel strives to reach out to believers and non-believers who are single, couples, families or retired. Each weekend, we serve nearly 6,000 worshipers who attend one of the four services (one Saturday, two Sunday). A comprehensive education program is available for children of all ages on WVC's worship campus and in the spacious Windchime Center nearby.
Our strong global commitment sends many members of WVC and more than 10% of our budget to support God's work beyond the walls of the church. Our missionary partners are at work across the world in countries including South Africa, Russia and Brazil and include affiliations with such organizations as New Hope International, Habitat for Humanity and many others.
Woodmen Valley Chapel is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and the Willow Creek Association.
5.12.2005
Megachurch google sightseeing: Woodman Valley Chapel
Woodman Valley Chapel is in Colorado Springs, Colorado the hub of the evangelical community in many a person's mind. Here's a description from their website:
5.11.2005
Megachurch google sightseeing: Cherry Hills Community Church
This is the church I grew up at (though I never attended it at it's current location). My parents still attend this church and Dr. Jim Dixon is a wonderful speaker.
Here's a blurb from their website:
Here's a blurb from their website:
At Cherry Hills Community Church, we’re committed to serving the greater Denver community. And we’re a true community of Christian faith, including people from a variety of backgrounds—Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and those who are exploring Christianity for the first time.
5.10.2005
Megachurch google sightseeing: New Life Church
The Google Sightseeing blog has inspired me to find satellite images of megachurches throughout the world. Here's the first: New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado pastored by Ted Haggard.
Here's a little blurb about the church from their website:
Here's a little blurb about the church from their website:
It has been said that New Life Church is the smallest big church in the country.
Though we number 11,000, we are a close family. We don't just meet together on Sundays -- we spend the whole week together, too. Through small groups that meet all over the region, New Lifers get together each week to have meals, pray, study, play, and serve the city of Colorado Springs.
New Life Church services occur four times each weekend in our sanctuary, called the Living Room. Our weekend gatherings are our lifeblood -- they are more like a family reunion than a traditional church service. We worship God and study the Bible in a lively but relaxed atmosphere. We catch up with each other and talk and laugh. We take care of one another. We give life to one another, and we learn what it really means to be a church.
Google Sightseeing
That's a B2 stealth bomber courtesy of Google Sightseeing. Check out this great fun blog! Lots of cool satellite images!
5.05.2005
Phil Mitchell and CU - The outing of a conservative
Dr. Mitchell spoke at our National Day of Prayer breakfast. Perhaps you have heard or read about him. If not, start here with this article from the Denver Post written by David Harsanyi who is according to Dr. Mitchell a Jewish Republican.
Betsy Hoffman's self-serving and phony warning about 'McCarthyism' at CU - in the middle of what should be an impartial investigation of Ward Churchill - was disgraceful.
But if the University of Colorado president needs a genuine case of discrimination at her school, here's one:
Beyond Foundationalism
Wow! This is quite the book.
It took me quite awhile to get through this one as it is written for the academy.
In this book, Grenz and Franke attempt to create a model for doing theology that is non-foundational. This is necessary because of the influence of postmodernism on our philosophy and world. Many people in a vast array of disciplines are questioning foundationalism and many modernist notions concerning how we know what we know.
One of the most convincing arguments in the book concerns the supposed objectivity we have as a result of foundationalism. We are finite beings often times incapable of ture objectivity. Our readings of scripture are influenced by our traditions, our backgrounds, our education, etc.
Though I found the book to be interesting and helpful, I can't say that I am convinced that the author's have truly moved beyond foundationalism. In some ways it felt like they are arguing for a new foundationalism. Perhaps this is my misunderstanding.
Most helpful in the book is the historical discussion concerning many of the developments in theology, the critique of modernism, the reminder of how much tradition and culture influence our theologizing, and the desire to do theology in the context of community, the trinity, and eschatology.
I'd love to hear what my cousin Phil has to say about this book if he's read it.
It took me quite awhile to get through this one as it is written for the academy.
In this book, Grenz and Franke attempt to create a model for doing theology that is non-foundational. This is necessary because of the influence of postmodernism on our philosophy and world. Many people in a vast array of disciplines are questioning foundationalism and many modernist notions concerning how we know what we know.
One of the most convincing arguments in the book concerns the supposed objectivity we have as a result of foundationalism. We are finite beings often times incapable of ture objectivity. Our readings of scripture are influenced by our traditions, our backgrounds, our education, etc.
Though I found the book to be interesting and helpful, I can't say that I am convinced that the author's have truly moved beyond foundationalism. In some ways it felt like they are arguing for a new foundationalism. Perhaps this is my misunderstanding.
Most helpful in the book is the historical discussion concerning many of the developments in theology, the critique of modernism, the reminder of how much tradition and culture influence our theologizing, and the desire to do theology in the context of community, the trinity, and eschatology.
I'd love to hear what my cousin Phil has to say about this book if he's read it.
Richard Foster on SermonCentral.com
Here's a great quote from Richard Foster on preparing to preach for spiritual formation.
Studying with our head. Studying with our heart. Studying with our life. All three are essential approaches to Scripture if we are to preach the Bible for spiritual formation.For my preaching, I ususally begin meditating on the scripture passage. I quiet myself with a Taize style service, listening to music from Taize and John Michael Talbot. After quieting myself, I practice Lectio Divina with the text that I will be preaching from. I have found that this time often is the best time for me in my sermon preparation. There have been numerous times the Spirit has spoken to me through the word as I meditate on the text I am preaching. Sadly, I did not learn this in seminary. After this meaningful time, I turn to the mind and studying commentaries and asking further questions of the text. Following this, I create a mindmap of what I am going to say. For those of you who preach how do you prepare your sermons?
5.04.2005
Rice and beans and National Day of Prayer
Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer here in the states. This is the National holiday of confusing Christianity with America.
Hopefully this picture will give us some of the least of these to keep in mind as we pray tomorrow for our national security, our leaders, baseball, and apple pie.
Hopefully this picture will give us some of the least of these to keep in mind as we pray tomorrow for our national security, our leaders, baseball, and apple pie.
5.01.2005
Worship set and what music does to your body
This article shares how researchers have recently discovered that music acts as a painkiller. "Music can help us transcend pain."
The article also says:
Perhaps this is why music is such an important part of worship for most people. And it seems the key to the effectiveness of the music is based on the individual's preference.
It seems it would be safe to assume that worship music functions the same way, helping us manage the pain in our lives and altering our moods. Sadly, many churches don't offer music that provides this for people. Many people are stuck with a style of worship that has been baptized as the correct or right style of worship. It would appear that someone's clamoring for a musical style in worship that is one which they prefer is valid. Worship is suppose to be an endurance test. It is not meant to test our character or our ability to stick with something that is boring, out of touch, and meaningless. It is meant to connect us with God, focus our attention on him, help us through the pain in our life. Is it an overstatement to say that only when we enjoy what we are hearing and singing do we truly reap the benefits of worship?
The article also says:
What music does: It makes listeners more optimistic, joyful, friendly, relaxed, and calm, and helps vanish feelings of pessimism and sadness.
Perhaps this is why music is such an important part of worship for most people. And it seems the key to the effectiveness of the music is based on the individual's preference.
It seems it would be safe to assume that worship music functions the same way, helping us manage the pain in our lives and altering our moods. Sadly, many churches don't offer music that provides this for people. Many people are stuck with a style of worship that has been baptized as the correct or right style of worship. It would appear that someone's clamoring for a musical style in worship that is one which they prefer is valid. Worship is suppose to be an endurance test. It is not meant to test our character or our ability to stick with something that is boring, out of touch, and meaningless. It is meant to connect us with God, focus our attention on him, help us through the pain in our life. Is it an overstatement to say that only when we enjoy what we are hearing and singing do we truly reap the benefits of worship?
4.22.2005
Christians leaving the church
Here's a quote from an article from Charisma Magazine Online
Many people are disenfranchised with the institutional church. And for good reason.
Many churches are dead. Others are all show and no substance. Still others are all tradition and no relevance. Some are intolerant to the point of sin and others are so open-minded that their brain falls out.
I often struggle with my place in the current church landscape. I find I am a mutt when it comes to polity and doctrine. I feel that no category fits me or maybe I don't fit any categories.
My spirituality is contemplative and studious, contemporary and ancient, congregational and hierarchial, liturgical and free, incarnational, missional, relational, relevant.
Maybe that's why I pastor yoked congregations that are very different in polity and practice. I would feel cheated if I only pastored one and not the other.
Yet at the heart of the church is to be love. Love for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love for others. Remember these are the two greatest commandments.
Yet many times lack of love, not polity or doctrine or worship styles, is what drives a wedge between my churches. And sometimes that makes it so I want to leave...
But where would I go? Maybe I'll stay home.
But even those with serious concerns about the results of so many Christians bailing on church commitment see a potential silver lining in it--if, rather than just deciding that they don't like what church is, those leaving get serious about what they think it should be.
'I'm happy that people are asking the questions,' Hunter says. 'I'm sad that it is keeping them away from church.'
Many people are disenfranchised with the institutional church. And for good reason.
Many churches are dead. Others are all show and no substance. Still others are all tradition and no relevance. Some are intolerant to the point of sin and others are so open-minded that their brain falls out.
I often struggle with my place in the current church landscape. I find I am a mutt when it comes to polity and doctrine. I feel that no category fits me or maybe I don't fit any categories.
My spirituality is contemplative and studious, contemporary and ancient, congregational and hierarchial, liturgical and free, incarnational, missional, relational, relevant.
Maybe that's why I pastor yoked congregations that are very different in polity and practice. I would feel cheated if I only pastored one and not the other.
Yet at the heart of the church is to be love. Love for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love for others. Remember these are the two greatest commandments.
Yet many times lack of love, not polity or doctrine or worship styles, is what drives a wedge between my churches. And sometimes that makes it so I want to leave...
But where would I go? Maybe I'll stay home.
The Mindjet Blog
I recently received a request from a pastor asking about my mindmapping sermon practice. I am hoping to write about this more in the coming weeks but I haven't been able to lately as I have been too busy. To help wet your appetite let me steer you to the Mindjet blog. Mindjet is the software that I use to create my sermon mindmaps. Check it out, it's full of lots of great information on mindmapping and the Mindjet software.
4.21.2005
Wind power in Wray
Found this great story from the Denver Post today about a teacher in our church who is working hard to use the windpower to generate electricity for our local school and community.
4.20.2005
4.16.2005
Young Adults Search Spiritually
Check out some stats and quotes from a recent study regarding spirituality among young people. No wonder the Disciples of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA) are in decline!
Check out this quote:
Is this criticism true of our churches as well? And finally:
So kids are often not continuing in the religious practices of their parents. I wonder why that is? I know that my spirituality and relationship with God looks rather different than my parents. And my sister, who is Catholic, also has a very different experience.
While 44 percent of respondents called themselves 'religious,' 35 percent said they are 'spiritual but not religious' and 18 percent said neither.
At Roanoke College, in Salem, Va., where he has been chaplain for more than 20 years, Paul Henrickson said he is quite familiar with the 'spiritual but not religious' phenomenon.
'You have a lot of kids that understand in their hearts that there is a mystery about life that is larger than they are and larger than they understand, and they would call that 'spiritual.' And they are very interested in that,' Henrickson said.
But, he added, 'they pursue that in private ways' and 'in kind of a shotgun approach. They'll look at all kinds of things from Eastern religions to yoga to New Age stuff to the standard Christianity. But they are unlikely to have that solid commitment to a religious institution (like) church membership.'
Check out this quote:
The survey's authors challenged American colleges and universities to be more responsive to the spiritual hunger of their students. They said previous studies have indicated older college students are disappointed with how infrequently they have been challenged to think about "meaning of life" issues in class.
Is this criticism true of our churches as well? And finally:
Previous research by Chris Smith, a University of North Carolina sociologist and adviser to the UCLA study, found 13-17 year-olds are highly conventional in their religious practices, following how they were raised. But just 9 percent of the UCLA respondents said they felt compelled to follow their parents' religious practice. While 42 percent described themselves as "secure" in their spiritual and religious views, 10 percent said they were "doubting," 23 percent "seeking" and 15 percent "conflicted" (respondents could choose more than one response).
So kids are often not continuing in the religious practices of their parents. I wonder why that is? I know that my spirituality and relationship with God looks rather different than my parents. And my sister, who is Catholic, also has a very different experience.
Bethel Church of San Jose - Pastor's Page
I haven't blogged in quite some time as I have been really busy. Here's a quick link to a tribute page for my aunt and uncle, Don and Loretta Steiger. They are leaving their ministry at Bethel in San Jose and moving back to Colorado. Don and Loretta, we are praying for you! If you ever get the chance to come out to Wray, we'd love to have you!
4.08.2005
50 people see the Eiffel Tower
Check out these great averaged "photos" from flickr. The creator wrote code that grabbed 50 different photos tagged with in this case the Eiffel Tower.
This got me thinking about interpretation and religious tradition. I am currently reading Grenz's book, Beyond Foundationalism and find that much of the book resonantes with me.
Maybe this series of photos is an illustration of what happens with reading and hermenuetics. Each person "sees" the truth in the text but when compared to what others "see" we find that the images can be very different. Yet, the original concept is still there.
I'm just playing around with this idea but for some reason this concept is resonating with me today.
Perhaps the "truth" does lie there somewhere within the readings and interpretations however varied they may be just as the true image of the Eiffel Tower is in this rendering.
Blogs give us an opportunity to do this; in a sense "50 people see...God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, truth, culture, whatever.
Yet the "norming norm" is still there. In this picture the norming norm is the Eiffel Tower. In interpretation the norming norm is the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the biblical text.
This got me thinking about interpretation and religious tradition. I am currently reading Grenz's book, Beyond Foundationalism and find that much of the book resonantes with me.
Maybe this series of photos is an illustration of what happens with reading and hermenuetics. Each person "sees" the truth in the text but when compared to what others "see" we find that the images can be very different. Yet, the original concept is still there.
I'm just playing around with this idea but for some reason this concept is resonating with me today.
Perhaps the "truth" does lie there somewhere within the readings and interpretations however varied they may be just as the true image of the Eiffel Tower is in this rendering.
Blogs give us an opportunity to do this; in a sense "50 people see...God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, truth, culture, whatever.
Yet the "norming norm" is still there. In this picture the norming norm is the Eiffel Tower. In interpretation the norming norm is the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the biblical text.
Wray from space
Here's a picture of Wray from space thanks to Google maps new satellite feature. So that's what a town of 2000 looks like from space!
4.05.2005
4.04.2005
TallSkinnyKiwi: Are We A Threat to the Gospel? (Restored)
Here's an excellent response to D. A. Carson's recent pronouncement that the emerging church is a threat to the gospel.
New Scientist :13 things that do not make sense
I took astronomy in college and it has lead to some of the most fascinating questions I have ever pondered. Here is a list of 13 things that do not make sense. Many of them come from astronomy. Enjoy the list!
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