Pastor Richard's Blog

I'm Alive!!

2009-09-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

I have to admit a feeling of pure shame swept over me when I noticed how long it's been since I posted my last blog. I think it's a combination of a little bit of busyness but mostly a case of out of sight out of mind. I'm still relatively new to facebook, but I have started to check that on a more regular basis but the blog not so much. Here's a little update on my life and on Eaglepointe:

Our family is doing well. The kids seem to be settling into the routine of school and actually enjoy going each day. That's always nice.
I'm playing fantasy football again with some of the guys in the church, and let's just say I'm 0-2. I think it's going to be a long season. Oh well, it's still a blast to play!
The Cowboys broke my heart on Sunday! I'm a huge fan, but I just can't figure them out.
We are having an awesome fall so far at Eaglepointe! Two of the last four weeks have been records days for us, and it's been a blast getting to connect with new people.
Our new series called, "At The Movies" has been a lot of fun. Some of the clips that we've used have been hilarious, but the message behind some of these movies has been powerful. This Sunday we are using the movie, "Walk The Line". I can't wait!
Obviously, no one is certain about what the future holds, but I can tell you that I'm very excited about what God is doing in the church. Each week, you can feel the momentum build as we gather together in worship.

That was my little life update! I hope things are going well for you, and I promise to not let my blog be so quiet before my next post. Take care.

Endless Summer

2009-07-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

There is just something about the summer that people love. It could be that life moves at a little slower pace, swimming pools, vacations, or it could be for kids just the absence of school. Whatever the case, I have always loved summertime. Didn't the Fresh Prince(a.k.a. Will Smith) have a song titled "Summertime"? I can still remember some of the summers in my high school years and all the fun we had. When I really look at it, some of the greatest moments of my life have taken place in the summer. From when I received Christ in my life, to my wedding day, and even the night I felt God calling me into the ministry, they all took place in the summer. As I look back, the summer for me was a time of fun but also an awesome time of real growth in God. When I think about this summer at Eaglepointe, I want it to be more than just fun and the sun. My prayer for everyone in the church and those reading this blog is that you would have an awesome summer filled with not only great memories and fun, but also a time where you connect with God in a real and significant way. That is the way to experience the ultimate summer. When you think back about summertime, what are some of your best memories? I want to hear from you.

Love The Day

2009-06-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

The statement "Love The Day" sounds a little funny just saying it, but if you take time to think about the meaning it can be powerful. What does it mean to love the day? I know what you're thinking, "Does he mean Monday too?" After all, who can actually love a Monday! A few weeks back I attended a conference where a speaker challenged us with these words, and I am trying very hard to put "Love the Day" into practice. Here's what I know. We live in a fast pace world, and most of the time we have very little patience with waiting on things to come about in our life. Don't you think it's funny that we get a little annoyed in a drive through line after about 3 minutes? After all, it's fast food not instant food. We call those buffets, and I'm not a big fan. It is very normal and healthy to be driven and to have goals, but loving the day is also about enjoying the journey. If we're not careful, we can spend all of our lives focusing on where we want to be and what we want to accomplish that we never enjoy the ride along the way. I feel that God has really been trying to teach me this principle in pastoring this church. I want everything to happen yesterday and sometimes I forget that God is a God of process. When I look back over the last two years, it has been amazing how we've grown and what God has done in so many lives, but we all have this tendency to want things quickly. I have determined that I am going to love the day and enjoy this wild ride that God is taking us on. I told the church a few weeks ago that we are going to love God and love this community and just see where that takes us. As you go about your day today, I encourage you to not be impatient. Love the day and enjoy the journey. What do you think? Do you sometimes focus too much on accomplishing the next goal? Are you loving the day?

Yesterday's Catalyst Conference

2009-05-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was able to attend the Catalyst One Day Conference that featured speakers Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel at Bent Tree Bible Church in Carrollton. It was incredible! It was great getting to join a couple thousand pastors from around the area in worship and workshops on leadership. It's exciting because I know that I am growing not only as a follower of Christ but as a pastor and leader. I realize that across America the church as a whole has been in decline, but I really do feel that God is desiring to do something new through his church. It was just so refreshing to hear about the awesome things that God is doing among churches from different areas and even different affiliations. The truth is in reality we are one church with a unified purpose to share Christ's love as we engage this culture. I often reflect on not only what God is doing here at Eaglepointe right now but on his plans and purpose for us in the days ahead. It's just cool to be on this journey.

The ARC Pastor's Conference

2009-05-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

This past week was absolutely awesome! Shanon and I were able to fly to Raleigh, NC to attend the ARC Church Planters Conference with about 1,500 other pastors from around the country. It was a combination of refreshing, inspirational, educational, and motivating all at the same time. It was just amazing to hear the great things that God is doing in many of the churches in America. ARC is simply a network of churches committed to planting healthy, life-giving churches. Eaglepointe is now a part of the ARC family, and since it's inception in 2001 ARC has planted 104 churches across America. Bill Hybels said "The church is the hope of the world", and I believe that with all of my heart. This week I feel that God instilled a fresh passion for Eaglepointe and what He wants to do in Denton.

Speechless

2009-04-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have been missing in action for quite a while on my blog, so it feels good to be back. These last few weeks have been some of the craziest times that I can ever remember. It has been filled with huge events and some incredible experiences. Here's a few things that have been going on in my world.

1. Two weeks ago, we joined with 23 other churches from around city and were able to host Denton's Convoy of hope which despite the frigid weather we were able to feed over 1,500 people. It was an awesome event that I believe opened the door for the churches in our area to truly come together and make a difference. One of my highlights was seeing the volunteer rally that met the night before here at our church and seeing over 300 people in our building. Hopefully it was a sign of things to come.

2. Another major project that's been taking place is completely renovating our kids church room as we prepare to launch it on Easter Sunday. Over the last three weeks, we have had many great volunteers who have spent countless hours making this project happen. Words can't express how grateful and proud I am of all they've done. It's looking awesome, and I can't wait for the kids to see it on Sunday!

3. Another big event taking place is our Easter weekend here at Eaglepointe. Because of all of the growth, we are launching a second for Easter Sunday which I am very excited about, and this Saturday we are hosting a huge Easter Egg Hunt at the Pecan Creek Elementary play ground. We are going to have thousands of eggs, free hot dogs, face painting, inflatable bounce houses and slides, train rides, and tons of prizes to give away. It is going to be a blast!

Everyone of these events or projects that I've described have not happened just because I or others have had a thought or idea. They have happened because of people's love for God and their love for this church. They're belief in the dream of Eaglepointe is both overwhelming and humbling. For that, I am truly speechless.

Eaglepointe's First Billboard

2009-03-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Over the last year and a half, our church has experienced a lot of growth primarily through friend to friend, community events, and people finding us on the web. We've spent very little on advertisement, but putting up a billboard has been in my heart for months. We are very excited about it, and I hope it will be a great way to connect to more people who are without a church or without a relationship with Christ here in Denton.

Legends

2009-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Isn't it true that there are times when God just doesn't make any sense? It can be so confusing. God knew that we would face difficult situations where it would be tough to trust Him. During those times, He encourages us to learn from ancients, the legends, and discover how they got it right and at times how they got it wrong.

(Hebrews 11:1-2) “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

In our current series, it's been incredible to not merely read the story but to dive into their lives and put our self in their shoes. We examined the faith of Abraham and the dreams of Joseph, and I can't wait for this Sunday when we talk about Esther and how she seized her moment. I have no clue where you are right now in life. Maybe you are right in the middle of an incredibly confusing moment in your life where you don't have any idea what to do. I want to encourage you today to open up a Bible and take a look at one of the legends. I think in every story you'll find that God is faithful, and what He did for them He will do for you.

The Beginnings of a Great Year at Eaglepointe

2009-01-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

When I look back over 2008, I am so grateful to God for all of the amazing things that have taken place in the church. I have been the pastor here for a little over a year and a half, and I feel that much of what we've done has been laying the ground work for the things to come. 2009 has started off with a bang for sure with the last two Sundays being record days for us in attendance! Large attendance isn't the ultimate goal in itself, but more people hearing the life-giving message of hope in Christ is our goal. It's just awesome to see it begin to happen. I know that it's all a result of God's presence and His answer to our prayers. The great news is that the year is young and it's only the beginning of God's plan and purpose at Eaglepointe.

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things

2008-12-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that we are just a day away from Christmas. It's true that the older I get the faster time flies. As I think about Christmas, I think back about the birth of Christ and wonder what it was like on that night? The story itself is still so amazing that God would love us so much that he would send his Son down to this earth to experience this life first hand and ultimately become our saviour. We know that is what Christmas is really about, and that's why we celebrate. However, there are many other awesome things about Christmas with regard to family and traditions. Some of my favorite are watching the "Nativity" movie with Shanon and the kids on Christmas eve, drinking hot cocoa and roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, watching the excitement of the kids as they go to bed and get ready for Santa, and of course giving gifts on Christmas morning. These are a few of my favorite things. What are some of yours? Merry Christmas!

My Last Texas Stadium Memory

2008-12-19T14:08:00.001-08:00

This last Sunday night I got to experience one more great Texas Stadium memory up close and personal when my dad and I attended the Cowboys vs. Giants game. It was incredible! Not only was it a great win for the boys this season, but it was just a great memory for me with this being the next to last game being played in this stadium. When I think back, I have experienced a lot here. I watched high school football playoffs when I was a kid. Being from Irving, I actually had my graduation ceremony here. I experienced God here in an awesome way at a Men's Promise Keeper event. Last but not least, my dad and I have some great memories here. This is so much more to me than football, because I will never forget all the fun that we had together watching our team and the bond that was formed. As I write this, I realize that tons of people go through life with little or no relationship with their father, so when I think about Texas Stadium it reminds me of my dad and what a blessing and hero he's been in my life. I will truly hate to see it go.

Hope

2008-12-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

When you take an honest look at the world around us and some of the tragedies that seem to frequently take place, it's easy to get discouraged and become depressed. If you combine that with our present economy, it's no wonder that people are struggling so much right now. During this time, it's easy to lose hope, but that is the one thing we must never let go of. Hope is a small word, but it packs quite a punch. I love what King David said in the Psalms, "But as for me, I will always have hope." If you have hope, it doesn't matter what life throws your way. My prayer for you today is that God would give you a fresh dose of hope for whatever you face. Hope is actually the title of our new Christmas series that starts this Sunday. It would be awesome to have you as our guest this Sunday. Maybe a little hope is just what you need.

Amazing Connections

2008-11-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a friend or maybe a company you worked for totally hook you up with great tickets? A few years ago, when we lived in Houston, Shanon and I received the sweetest tickets to any sporting event we had ever attended. It was to a Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons game. They were virtually courtside. We were on the third row and so close to the players that they were looking back at me, because they could smell my barbeque sandwich! I wanted so bad to say, "It's yours for a thousand dollars!". It was an awesome game, but I don't think that it was worth the $450 ticket price. I didn't have to pay it though, because we had a connection. Sometimes good fortune and God's blessings come our way and we get the royal treatment. We don't really deserve it, but it was all because of a friendship or an amazing connection. Today when I took the time to think about all that God has done in this church over the last year, I have been completely blown away. One of the main reasons has been the amazing people that I feel that God has sent to Eagle Pointe. We have been able to meet and connect with some of the coolest people that have such a sincere desire to know God and serve others. They have come from as far as New York, California, Virginia, Hawaii, and as close as Corinth. It continues to serve as a great reminder to me that this is God's church, and he is the one that is building it. As fun as it's been so far, I know that the best is yet to come.

Opportunity Knocks

2008-11-18T12:38:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we'll be concluding our current series titled, "Opportunity Knocks", and I can't wait to see how everything is going to end. This series is not only about teaching but also a game show. Who doesn't like a good game show? The show has been hilarious the first three weeks, and those on the show have walked away with some pretty cool prizes. However, this Sunday we are also having a drawing for everyone, and we'll be giving away a brand new couch and love seat that was donated to the game show by a local on-line furniture store called Max Furniture. This series has proven again that church doesn't have to be predictable and mundane. We have had a blast, but we have also taught on some great subjects like relationships, marriage, and purpose. This Sunday I will be sharing a message titled, "Opportunity Knocks at the Door of our Family" where we'll be discussing the incredible opportunities we have before us to have and maintain the awesome families that God always intended us to have. I really hope to see you there!

Fall Block Party in the Preserve

2008-10-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about our block party coming up this Friday night. We live here in the Preserve subdivision in South Denton, and our neighborhood is a blast at Halloween. There are so many cute kids dressed up for trick-or-treating, so this is the perfect place to host a block party for the community. It will be this Friday night from 6 - 8pm, and we are going to have bounces houses, free hot dogs & drinks, and of course tons of candy. It's going to be right in the middle of our neighborhood in the open field at 4601 Heron Pond Lane, so if you live in the area stop by. This is going to be so much fun, and I know the kids will have a ball.

Lovin This Weather

2008-10-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

I am wearing a jacket right now, and I'm not ashamed to say I'm excited about it. The weather this week is such a welcomed surprise and just reminds me why I like the fall so much. This week at my son's football practice I told the other coaches that this just felt more like football. Yesterday, I got up to ride my bike but it got so cold I opted for jogging instead. Living in Houston for seven years, I pretty much lost the whole concept of fall, so it's nice to have it back. Hopefully, you'll have some time to enjoy this great weather this weekend.

Our Crazy Economy

2008-10-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Some of the things that have happened this year in the financial world are absolutely crazy to say the least. Things begin to look so shaky and unpredictable, and it creates a real sense of fear and uncertainty in a lot of people. What is the answer and what are we to do next? First of all, I know God's answer isn't for us to freak out and have that whole "Chicken Little - the sky is falling" mentality. He promises us in His Word that he will never leave us or forsake, and I see know reason why He should start now. Secondly, in Matthew 6:25 - 33, Jesus tackles this issue head on and promises that if we will seek first his kingdom and his righteousness all these things(or our needs) will be added to us as well. That is where we get "Seekonomics". This week I will be sharing the second part of that series titled, "Act Your Wage". What is your take on what is going on in our economy and how do you think it will shake out? Hope to see you Sunday.

Eaglepointe's Growth Track

2008-10-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

It is Tuesday afternoon, and I am in my office at the church working while the rain comes down in buckets. I love it when it rains especially in the morning on a day off. That's perfect sleeping weather. Anyway, I am not here to blog about the weather but about the launch of the second phase of our growth track. What is a growth track you might ask? It's basically a process to help people connect to the church, grow in their relationship with Christ, and find a place to serve God and others in ministry. One of my pet peeves is when Churches don't really challenge people to grow or provide a process to help bring maturity into their lives as a follower of Christ. The first step we started was our 101 class, and that's a class to share with people the heart and the vision of Eaglepointe. We also cover what we believe, and we provide an opportunity to become a part of the church. Our second step that we just launched this past Sunday night went awesome. We call it our "Essentials 201 Class", and this class focuses on four key habits that every person needs to grow as a follower of Christ. It is being held on the second and third Sunday nights each month. It was a total blast to teach on the basics of prayer and Bible study and watch the excitement of those attending. We encourage everyone to be a part of the growth track, because it will not only help you grow spiritually but also give you an opportunity to connect with the church and discover how you can get involved. I hope you're having a good week.

Murphy's Law in Action

2008-10-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those times where anything that could go wrong did go wrong? Sometimes it can be big things like a car accident or something small like speeding and getting a ticket. You can be driving safe forever, and then the one day you're in a rush you become a police officer magnet. This morning I had one of those moments. It was no big deal, but it was definitely Murphy's law in action. We were feeding the kids breakfast before they headed off to school, and I got some water for my daughter to take her vitamins. In our fridge, we have a 3 gallon water container with a spout on the front of it. I got the water, and we headed out the door to school. I am on my way to the office when I got the call from Shanon to help her clean up my mess. She almost broke her neck when she later came down stairs, because almost the entire tile floor in the kitchen was covered in water! Apparently, I had the container to close to the door, and when I closed the door it opened up the spout and about two gallons of water began to pour out in my fridge. All of the bottom shelves on the door had water in them, and the crisper drawers were about half full of water! After a while, the water made its way to the floor. It's funny now, but it wasn't funny two hours ago. Have you ever had a moment like that? I want to encourage you today that no matter what life or Murphy throws your way, you and God can handle it. Have a great Friday and an awesome weekend. Do you have a Murphy's Law moment of your own?

Male Bonding & Monday Night Football

2008-10-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last night's game was awesome! I can't believe that all of those crazy plays happened in one game. One of our life groups that we launched this fall was Men's MNF, and it has been so much fun. Every Monday, we have guys from Eaglepointe and from my neighborhood come over to our house for food and football. We can't always count on the game to be a good one, but the food(thanks to Shanon) and the time with friends has been great. Now that we have a couple of fantasy football leagues going in the church, it's also a great time to talk trash and brag on your team. My team, Uncle Rico's Revenge, had a rough game on Sunday. Oh well, there's always next week. If you have a fantasy football team, tell me your team name and how you're doing this season.

Life @ Eaglepointe

2008-10-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks have been pretty crazy, but they have been a blast as well. Over the last five weeks, we have continued to see new growth at Eaglepointe and have new families connect here. Each weekend I look forward to the new friends we get to meet and especially those who make fresh commitments to Christ. Fall should always be a time of growth for churches, but I am still amazed at all the things that God is doing. Our current series "Myth Busters" has been a lot of fun as we tackle the common myths that people have about God and the church. This Sunday I will tackle Myth #3 - The Church is Full of Hypocrites. What are some other myths that you feel many people have about God or the church? I hope to see you Sunday.

Eaglepointe's New Series Starting This Sunday

2008-09-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

How do separate fact from fiction? When do you know that something is the truth or just an urban legend that has been told for so long that people eventually believe it? Just as these myths exist in the everyday things of life like “If you were to sneeze with your eyes open, your eye balls would pop out!” (That’s a myth!), they also exist when it comes to Christ and the church. We want to invite you to be a part of this great series as we have a little fun busting some of own everyday myths and also bust some common myths that people have about God and the church. Hope to see you there!

Helping Our Friends On The Gulf Coast

2008-09-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

I just went to weather.com for the latest on Hurricane Ike, and it's simply astonishing to think about the size of this Hurricane. Obviously, we need to keep all of those in harm's way in our prayers and also pray for all of our emergency personnel. I just got off the phone with one of my good friends who is a captain for the Houston Fire Department, and he says that it doesn't look good for them with regard to flooding. The questions we have to ask during this time is how can I help? It's easy to view a tragedy and think how sad it is, but when we have the ability we have to try and do something about it. You may be able to volunteer at a shelter in the area for those who have evacuated, but you can also help with donating to some of these disaster relief organizations. One that I want to highlight is called Convoy of Hope. They are an international organization that brings needed relief and supplies literally all over the world, but they also have a U.S. Disaster Relief Department. In every major event, they are there with boots on the ground providing help and hope. They were there on site during 9/11 in New York and D.C., Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi, and even at Hurricane Gustav. After Gustav came through on Labor Day, they had set up a fully functioning relief center in New Iberia, LA by 7 am Wednesday morning handing out food, water, and ice to over 2,000 families by mid-afternoon. They have trucks heading to the Texas Coast as I write this. Our church donated to them last week and plan on giving again after Sunday. If you want to get more info and how you can help go to: convoyofhope.org

Highlights from College Day

2008-09-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

We had a blast on Sunday hosting our very first College Day. Besides Easter, we had our biggest crowd ever to Eaglepointe! We had an awesome service. The music was amazing, and I think the give-aways were a big hit. For a college student, nothing says I love you like cold, hard cash. After the service, the cook-out went over really well. I have never seen so many hamburgers, dogs, and potluck! Around here, we use the word "Connect" quite a bit, and that's what I loved the most about Sunday. We had many that connected with Christ with new commitments in the service, and I think we connected with a bunch of college students and made many new friends.

College Day @ Eaglepointe

2008-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

I realize that everyone is different, but I love living in a college town. I have heard people complain about the crowds, but I love it when school starts again in the fall and everyone comes back from summer break. I just like college students. I think they're a blast to be around, and their life is filled with so much promise. That is probably because I worked for over 15 years with teenagers and young adults in youth and college ministry. The last couple of weeks we have gotten to be a part of two events held on the UNT campus that were so much fun. At the Concert & Cones event, we met so many new student while playing beach volleyball outside of Kerr Hall. At the Mean Green Fling, we passed out info on the church while giving away bottled water, Ramen noodles, and hi-quality toilet paper(Much better than dormitory grade). Needless to say, the noodles and toilet paper caught their attention and brought a smile. This Sunday we are taking time to bless all of the college students with door prizes and of course free food at a huge cookout right after the service. If you are a student at one of our universities, we want to invite you out this Sunday. Our cafe opens for a free breakfast at 10am and the service start at 10:30am. Hope to see you there!