Back Home

We pulled back into town last night a little after 11PM. Let's just say it was a much better ride going down than coming back. I got up and had breakfast with a couple of guys I meet with each week and then had a three hour staff meeting, had lunch, and cleared all my emails out. Can't say I like being back right now. I'm recovering from the "vacation" Still, it's good to sleep in my own bed.

Been Thinking

It's really hard for me not to "work" when I'm away and "on vacation". Just ask Claude....I've probably called and talked to him 15-20 times since last Mon., not to mention the other calls I've fielded. Sometimes I think it's because I still don't know what to make of this "thing" we're doing in starting Discovery Church. I mean, I sometimes wonder why people would come to a new church that has no history and no real reputation. I wonder that almost every week....will people actually come today? But they do, and they leave encouraged and sometimes excited about what God has done or is doing in their life or through their life. It's really a strange thing.

Another thing I've been thinking about is how to connect more people with the cross. Everytime I read my Bible and look at how people flocked to Jesus, I wonder why they don't flock to church. Could it be because...it's hard to find Jesus in church? There, I said it. I think that in too many churches it's hard to find Jesus there. Could be any number of reasons...trying too hard to please the people already there, not being Jesus out in the community but inviting people to come "find Him" in church, or so much planning and programming and very little prayer. I certainly can't say we're perfect, but I know what we're working on and it's in each of those areas I listed. So how do we connect people? Work to build relationships with people outside of church - neighbors, co-workers, students and strangers. It takes work. It takes time. It will take commitment.

WARNING: change in seriousness
Also thought about how many people will end up with food poisoning this holiday season....heard it was expected to be around 48 million? And what about Larry Coker? Sure he was like 55-15 but he had a bunch of thugs and he's not the leader of that gang. Thought about "Black Friday" - tell me why normal people will get up at 4AM to go spend money shopping for presents? I might consider it if someone was giving away money, but not if I'm expected to pay them. Finally, I've been thinking about babies. They're so cool and I love mine, and now I've got former students who are going to be having babies. Aron and Cessie Rice just texted this morning that they had a baby girl! Congrats.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving

So on Tuesday we drove over to Brandon, ordered a dozen pizzas, and spent a few hours with a number of our good friends who support us both financially and prayerfully. Actually, there were over 70 people who came out. I didn't get to talk to everyone near enough and some I barely got to speak with. Still it's great to see faces and just get a hug. I'll make it another year for sure. I just want to say thanks to everyone. It's such an encouragement to see folks and hear from them how they keep up with us through this blog and pray for us everytime we send out a prayer update. (you can subscribe yourself at www.discoverychurchonline.com)

Yesterday I got to meet with the pastor of a Christ Community Church in Winter Haven, FL that's only 5 years old. He took a good bit of time to meet with me and Lora and then with me later in the afternoon again. We were interrupted by terrible news. A family that had visited the church there was in the middle of a crisis. The father tried to kill his wife in front of their ten year old daughter and then succeeded in killing himself. Even though they hadn't even been to the church since May, they knew who to call and who would care. I hope Discovery Church has that kind of reputation in our community. We care for the hurting when they're hurting. Anyhow, that pastor gave me some good encouragement and it was great to explore their brand new building. Check out the church at www.aplacetobelong.com. God's really blessing them.

And now it's Thanksgiving...and a Happy Thanksgiving it is. It's about 75 right now with sunny skies and a light breeze. Don't know what it's like back home in NC, but I'm willing to bet the farm it ain't this nice. Plus, I'm at my parents so I'm with family and we'll be with Lora's parents again in a few days. So, if you're reading this on Thanksgiving Day, get off the computer and go spend time with your family like I'm about to do.

We Made It

So right after church,we load up five kids and two adults along with all related luggage into the minivan for a long drive to Florida. For the most part it went better than expected. No real problems or screaming babies or excessive stopping. The funniest part was Sarah, continually shouting from the back either Mommy or Daddy with everyone trying to get her to be a little more quiet so she wouldn't wake up Hannah when I shut off all sound and gave Sarah on more exasperated "what Sarah!?" After a second she answered..."My bottom hurts, I'm tired of sitting" Since we were nine hours into the trip I could understand. I turned the radio back up and thanked God for a sleeping baby and a two year old that had done so well for so long.

Why I Don't Like Going To The Doctor

Ok, yesterday I had to go to the doctor. I'm about to join the exclusive all-male "V" club and needed to go in for a consultation before they could schedule me an appointment. So I go, I meet with the doctor, listen to the speil and wait for the nurse to witness my signing of some formal/legal document so I can make my appointment. Then, the nurse informs me that since I haven't had a physical in the last year they can't schedule an appointment for me.

You mean to tell me that since I haven't been to the doctor, haven't been sick or hospitalized, and don't even have a primary physician because I haven't needed one since we moved here 16 months ago, I can't get an appointment? On top of that, I need to make an appointment to be accepted as a new patient so I can make an appointment for a physical so I can then make my original appointment. Sounds crazy. Oh, and did I mention that the earliest I could get in to a primary care doctor would be April or May? Yeah, that ain't happening. I found a walk-in place that can take care of doing the required physical without even having an appointment. If I say "appointment" one more time, somebody shoot me.

It's Christmas Time!

Since we won't be home the day after Thanksgiving (which is when we traditionally decorate for Christmas) we decided that today was the best day to deck out the Ebeling house. This morning we pulled out all the stuff from the attic and went at it. The inside is pretty good to go (tree is up, cookie jars are out, other "stuff" is where it goes) and the outside may or may not get done before we leave. Haven't done this house before so it may take me a little longer this year. I love this time though. The first Chrismas song to play in our house is always....It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year. After the tree was up, I saw Sarah and Chandler lying under the tree with santa hats on. I about lost it - like cried. I told Lora that we just have a a few years left with these guys. I love 'em so much. And looking at them lying there...I miss the innocence. I almost can't remember what it was like to wonder what I was going to play next or what toy I really wanted for Christmas or how they could make the Christmas lights twinkle. Thank God I've got kids to remind me. And thank the Lord...for Christ. I love Christmas.

7 For 1

We sure got a deal. Lora is speaking to a bunch of ministers wives in Greensboro and the organizers were good enough to put us up at a nice little hotel. The only catch is that "us" means seven bodies. That's a lot when I see it in writing and I've confirmed that it's a lot of people in one room when we tried to sleep last night. Lora and I shared one bed, Chandler and Tanner shared another (until Tanner lost control and got to spend the night alone in the bathtub - yeah, yeah...how cruel - he slept well though) Tyler slept in a recliner, Sarah slept in the crib they put in our room and Hannah slept on the closet floor (with the doors mostly closed). Hannah made sure half of us were up around 5AM so let's just say it wasn't the greatest night's sleep, but it was fun...seriously. We're on our way to go pick up Lora and see how things went and then head home. We do have some interesting times.

How It's Going

So it's Wednesday and we're sitting in Panera Bread with their free wi-fi and we've now been here occupying space for almost 5 hours. That's way too long to be at Panera Bread. Anyhow, we've got the skeleton planned out for all of 2007 and are working on filling in some of the details so that we can be better prepared for everything that we do next year. That should mean better marketing, better messages, better ministry (gotta love the alliteration). When I step back, I'm excited about what we've come up with, but in the trenches, this is just plain hard work. We've done well to have all of us on the same page stay involved for most of the time....once in a while one of us drifts off (Claude needs a nap, Dusty needs to talk to his cats, Brent wants to read his encyclopedia - all true) but we take a break and get back to it. I guess this means we won't be leaving today like I had hoped. Oh well...it should be worth it

Off We Go

In about an hour the staff and myself will drive a few hours away and work to lay out the foundation for 2007. We'll be gone until Thursday and I hope that's enough time. The direction and goals of Discovery for 2007 will be set in place and we'll work to design opportunities for us to be successful in reaching our goals. This is a new step for me. In my past ministry experience, this is something that's never been done. I'm hoping that even without a solid example to follow, this trip and process will be productive for everyone involved. I guess we'll see.

How Can We Help?

The more I talk with parents and people around here, the more I'm tempted to do something really crazy...start a business. At least then I'd be dealing with more a more objective reality of bottom lines, dollars and cents and inventories, not subjective stuff like life-change and eternal impact. I'm not saying planting this church isn't important. It's vitally important. I'm not saying it's too hard either (although it's harder than I ever thought it would be). I am saying that there's a need in this place and I don't know how we can meet it. This place has very little for students - middle school and high school and even college students. There's no real place to hang out besides the theater (which is a stand alone theater), the bowling alley, or one of the downtown clubs/bars. Parents know this. The police know this and the students definitely know this.

I've thought for a while that it'd be a good idea to open up a marketplace ministry. A place where the church not only enters the marketplace and does business, but where we also engage the people more on their terms than on ours. I just think it might be more effective to invite a friend to join you someplace they'd probably go anyway (restaurant, club, entertainment center, etc) then to almost beg them to try church with you. Maybe the church should go to them - hmmmm, maybe the idea's not that original even though it's not all that common.

I realize that Discovery Church is a new church. We're not very big with less than 150 people. We don't have much "pull" in the community. Heck, we don't even have office space and we rent our worship space. Our church supplies all fit in a 20' trailer. Our budget is so variable that none of our staff take a salary from it. To top it off, there are days when I wonder what in the world I'm doing. So how can we help? I've got some ideas...what about you?

Twas A Happy Halloween

Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho A Pirate's Life For Me....

We went out last night in the neighboring neighborhoods (not ours...houses are too spread out) and handed out candy. Us and others from church hit different spots with "No Trick, Our Treat" packs of candy with a card attached telling them this was our way of saying 'God loves you' All the kids here got dressed up and delivered them to people's doors. Of course, some insisted on giving the kids candy back and we told them it was ok, but not to ask or wait for it. So they got some candy, neighbors got suprised (I heard a lot of them saying "that's so nice") and we got to do simple ministry as a family.


Princess Sarah


Pirate Hannah (amazing makeup work done to turn her into a "he")