Chris Hezlep

Everyone has people that speak into there lives, as a pastor one of those guys for me is Mark Driscoll. I just came across this video where he is discussing the seeker sensitive approach to ministry vs. being Missional. It will definitely make you think!

A great Steeler and a great man…Watch this!

My favorite song of the hour…EVERYTHING by Hillsong!

Well today marks the one year anniversary of me becoming the Lead pastor of Ridgewood Church (And the merger of two churches into one). When I look back at all God has done it’s really amazing to see how He works. Ridgewood Church is really an amazing place…it’s a family not just in name alone but in reality.

There’s a couple of things that I have learn / know for sure…God has a perfect plan that he will work out and as long as we hang with him he will never lead us astra. Second I’m living my dream…I believe that the best is yet to come!

I just watched this video on my friend Nick Poole’s blog. It was to powerful not post on mine. One day maybe I’ll preach like this…thanks Nick and Brian for showing it to him.

This weekend we finished our series called CHAZOWN. I have to say this was my favorite talk yet. Because It’s so awesome to know that God has a plan for our lives and that plan is for us to not just end up somewhere, but to end up right where he wants us to be.

As we talked about today, God has a purpose for each of us, he has a CHAZOWN, a perfect plan. And one day if you are a follower of Christ, when you leave this life, you will stand before Jesus Christ. All you will want to do is to worship him and he will likely embrace you, as he does he may say something like this “welcome to the kingdom I’ve prepared for you.” Then he may step back and again all you will want to do is worship him, then he will embrace you again and as he is he’ll say “well done my good and faithful servant…” That’s what we live for the second embrace…that’s God purpose for us all!

This weekend I was reminded of a truth that Jesus share in Mt. 18 where he said, “…you must become as a child…”

I was watching my kids and my daughter Madison was antagonizing her little sister Emma (as sister will do). Anyway, this irritated me and I reacted in a way that was wrong. Immediately I knew that I need to apologize for my actions…so I called her aside and told her that I was sorry.

Holding my hand she looking at me, her eyes full of love and said, “Daddy, I will always forgive you…” In that moment Mt. 18.3 came flooding into my mind. I guess it really is true…Out of the mouths of Babes!

Sunday was an amazing day for our community of faith. As most know a little over eight months ago we joined two churches into one. Evangel church and Ridgewood church became one church family. Well, Sunday that relationship went to the next level by becoming sovereign with the Assemblies of God. I don’t believe this was any accident in timing.

And as if things couldn’t get any better, we also took the day to a whole notha level by partnering with our sister church Pittsburgh City Outreach. I’m so proud of our church family for seeing the hand of God and practicing generosity by giving the former Evangel building to PCO. What a day…I can’t wait to see the impact these decisions will have for the kingdom.