ScotLongyear.com

Sexual Healing

Scot — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:30:10 +0000

One of the best videos I have seen in a long time. Fantastic one liners.

What is Christianity about? It is really this simple.

Scot — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:14:31 +0000

Roadblocks to Hearing From God

Scot — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:15:34 +0000

I believe that God speaks to us all the time. The problem is that we have some roadblocks that stop us from hearing from him. Half the battle is knowing the roadblocks.

Live from the MCC Pastor’s Advance

Scot — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:26:22 +0000

Would you Fast for your MCC Pastors?

Scot — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:25:38 +0000

Next week I will be taking the MCC Pastors away on a Pastor’s Advance. Some may call it a retreat, but we don’t retreat; we advance! On Monday, the team will kiss their families good-bye for a few days and will vacate to a condo that has been donated to us for the week. We have six main goals for the Advance, many of them focusing around firming up our mission and vision as well as establishing our strategic plan. Each Pastor will leave the Advance knowing where MCC is going as well as their role in getting us there. Our Pastors have done tons of preparation for this week and we are eager to do more hard work.

As you know, prayer is a huge value at MCC. To that end, each of our seven Pastors are taking a different day this week to fast and pray. We are asking God to met us in a great way while we are at the Advance.

Last Sunday I challenged the people of MCC to fast one meal this week and use the time to pray for the Pastor’s Advance. You guys are stepping up! As a matter of fact, my daughter Mariah fasted lunch yesterday (you make Dad proud).

If you have not already, would you join us in prayer and fasting? Maybe you could fast from a meal this week or next and pray? Maybe you are not able to fast; we still invite you in joining us by praying. Here is a list of your Pastors and when they are fasting.

Pastor’s Fasting Week: Jan 8-14: Sunday: Justin Hoeppner. Monday: Jason McLeod. Tuesday: Rob Ball. Wednesday: Scott Telle. Thursday: Scot Longyear. Friday: Dan Gisel. Saturday: Vince McFarland

The Advance will take place Monday – Friday, January 16-20. I will be doing some updating along the way. Follow me on facebook or twitter for real-time updates.

Photos by lel4nd and stuck in customs

Sunday Recap Video

Scot — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:50:14 +0000

Why We Need a Lonely Place

Scot — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:09 +0000

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. – Luke 4

Jesus often went to desolate, lonely places. It was here that he was able to speak with the Father and re-center his busy life. Who are we to think that we don’t need to do the same thing? We need to push ourself into lonely places. A lonely place can give us great advantages.

1. It helps us connect with the Father. Sometimes life is too loud and too busy to hear the still, small voice of God.

2. Time slows down, setting our body and soul back into rhythm. The rhythm that we call “normal” is often unhealthy. Can we really continue life at an insane pace?

3. We are able to get a big picture view of life. We need time to work on our life, not just in it.

4. We can breathe deep and rest. There is value in rest. Grab a nap in the lonely places. It may be one of the most spiritual acts you can do.

5. We are away from the distraction of constant emails, texts, and phone calls. With nothing else to fight for our attention, we are able to listen more closely to the words of God (see #1).

We need some lonely places in life. Most of us can’t walk out of the office and tell the boss we just need some lonely time. (He may respond with giving us an extended amount of lonely time). However, we can find lonely times during the day. A silent commute, a few moments of quiet as you are on break or standing in line, a few minutes at the start or end of the day. Lonely times are not as far away as you may think. Even Jesus took time away in desolate, lonely places. Shouldn’t we do the same?

Go be lonely.

photo by funky64

Richmond Wandera shares about Compassion International

Scot — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:46:11 +0000

I am thankful for a girl named Heather. At 15 years-old, Heather sponsored a child through Compassion International. Almost immediately she began to change the world of her sponsored child, Richmond Wandera. Richmond, in turn, began to change his world. Fast forward a few years and we find that Richmond is now the Director of the Pastors Discipleship Network, a growing ministry helping to resource and train Pastors in East Africa. The world is different because of Richmond. Richmond is different because of Heather.

Someone probably told Heather that 15 year-old girls can’t change the world. I’m glad she didn’t listen. Neither should you. Go change the world.

Profile of a Great Boss

Scot — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:55:57 +0000

What makes Vince McFarland one of the best bosses in the world?

A tenacity for the kingdom that I have seen out of few men.
Exceptional wisdom
An ability to be led by the spirit of God.
A willingness to take risks.
An ability to let his staff dream, experiment, succeed, and sometimes fail.
Exceptional leadership of his family (props to Sandy in that department as well).
Compassion displayed toward me on the golf course.
An unending pursuing what God puts in his heart.
A love for the local AND global church.

The list could go on. Vince has led Maryland Church as Sr Pastor for the past two decades. He has taken the hits and has advanced the kingdom. But what makes him beyond exceptional in my book is this: He is giving me his job.

Read all about it here and here.

How to Live Fearlessly

Scot — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:38:44 +0000

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ”Fear not, I am the first and the last,18 and the living one. – Rev 1

Fear. It’s a terrible monster. It keeps us from chasing the dream, asking her out, travelling, having kids, or asking for the promotion. Worst of all, fear can paralyze us from taking a risk for God.

To open the book of Revelation, Paul is told to drop the fear. A nice request, but how do we live without fear?

The first step to living without fear is to realize who is with us. Anytime we do something with someone else, the fear level drops dramatically. The simple presence of someone else makes us more brave than we would be on our own. Paul reminds us of what we often forget. Not only is Christ the beginning and the end, he is also the middle – meaning that he is present. He is with us. He is the living one. If the living one is present with us, what should we fear?

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.

So as we begin a new year filled with both hope and fear, let’s remember that as we follow Christ, he is with us. And if he is with us, what is there to fear?

Carry on fearless lovers of God.