Dr. Jay's Blog

Though many of you who may be kind enough to read this space, may wish you

In a few short hours, 30+ years as Sr. Pastor of North Way will come to a close. It's with great humility and joy that we come to this final day of the "formal" transition process.

Over the past couple of weeks I've been receiving a whole lot of very kind cards, notes and even small gifts regarding my pending "retirement." Very dear friends and well intended folks have gone out of the way to express their love and appreciation for the 37 years of ministry here in Pittsburgh and particularly the 30 years here at North Way.

The difficult thing for me to do is to recognize that I don't need to "correct" their perception. The reality is that I have a full time position that I am going to assume called "Founding Pastor" of this church and a rather substantial list of responsibilities that I will be tackling after a short break following this weekend.

The word retirement has all kinds of potential positive implications, but the Lord has clearly led me to see this next season of my life as a further investment in the Kingdom in a way that I believe will give me an opportunity to pursue the things that will benefit our church, the greater body of Christ and, in some ways, my family and friends, unencumbered by the very significant weight of the daily operations of the church.

I am blessed to be in this position and thankful for a great team that will be picking up those duties and advancing the Kingdom forward while I am freed up to follow Jesus in new paths of obedience and discovery.

So, I'm not retiring, just repositioning myself to let the Lord use me as He sees fit!

Thanks to all of you who have expressed your well wishes and personal appreciation in these past weeks.

I am deeply blessed by you all,
Pastor Jay

In these days leading up to the "Transition weekend" I am called upon to give answers to some challenging and rather humbling questions about how we managed to be in the 1/10th of 1% of all pastors that last 30 years in the same church.

This is not an achievement that I attribute to any of my preparation or diligence or hard work; but rather to the grace of God and the incredibly devoted people that have come around us over the years to help us "push back the darkness" and lift up the Light of Life who is Jesus alone.

In our staff meeting today, there was a sense of the magnitude of the transition that we're facing and the reality that the anointing of God will be shifting from one pastoral leader to another; but not in any way lifting from the church. This is important to recognize and embrace as what is taking place here is not about a person or his unique giftedness but about the people who have hungered for all that God has for them and are satisfied with nothing less.

If you're in the area, hopefully you'll join us for the celebration this weekend and give thanks a little bit every day for all that we have been blessed to share together in the past 30 years!

In His love,
Dr. Jay

For those of you who are familiar with our leadership here at North Way, the following will come as no surprise. However, I’m certain that there are some who read this space who may not know that after 30 ½ years of providing the primary leadership to this wonderful community, I am delighted to be “handing off” those responsibilities of leadership to my good friend and colleague Pastor Scott Stevens this weekend.

In scripture, there are numerous illustrations of “seasons” of responsibility in leadership. Jesus, for example, stayed completely out of the public eye for the first 30 years for his life. His primary ministry season lasted only 3 ½ years, but was perfectly aligned with the Father’s will concerning his mission to provide atonement for the sin of the world as well as living an exemplary life. The Apostle Paul had seasons of public ministry and seasons of restoration and reflection (see Galatians 2).

In our fast paced world, we basically see life as one long run and then we’re done. I’ve been blessed to have a number of seasons throughout my pastoral calling and I’m about to enter a new one that will provide encouragement, input, teaching, leadership and some perspective to the outstanding team that God has assembled here at North Way.

On the other hand, it’s amazingly difficult to think back over the past three decades and begin to summarize some of the primary learnings that God had graciously allowed me to experience. In the coming days, maybe even weeks, I’m going to attempt to do that in a way that is somehow transferable and applicable to your circumstance.

For now, I simply want to express that I’ve never been more appreciative of the grace of God or the people that He has placed in my life to be conduits of that gift to my family and me.

I’m looking forward to a great week!

Blessings,

Pastor Jay

Today I needed to have a very minor procedure done to help alleviate some of the more chronic back pain that I've learned to live with over the last nearly 20 years.

I relate to the apostle Paul who says in 2 Corinthians 4:16 "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

What a true picture of what all of our lives are like, but more so as the years advance.

The great news is that there is no limitation as to how this inward glory can continue to grow despite whatever physical limitations we might have.

That reminds me that we must necessarily pray for many who are afflicted in ways that many of us would find difficult if not unbearable. It's not unusual for people to suffer in silence rather than to be surrounded by people who will express or demonstrate support, love and encouragement.

And so, why not share some of the inward glory by caring for those who perhaps find the outer self in a time of distress. You'll be blessed as you do so and they will find great reward in your care.

I look forward to worship this weekend where we celebrate the eternal truth that our destiny is one of ever-increasing glory!

Blessings,
Dr. Jay

Just today, my daughter came in to seek my help in assisting one of her friends to "jump start" her SUV because the battery had drained off from the morning storms where the lights were left on.

It's a simple process, really. If you make the right connections there's an immediate infusion of more than sufficient power to turn over the average engine and restore full power in about 10-15 minutes of regular driving.

On the other hand, if you make the connections incorrectly, you can literally short circuit the wiring in both vehicles and, worse case scenario, even cause an explosion in one of the batteries.

Likewise, in our spiritual lives there are days or even seasons when we need a "jump start" from another believer who is fully powered. It takes a bit of humility to recognize you "left your lights on" and have been drained off, but overcoming that is no big deal in comparison to being unable to move.

Strangely enough, it sometimes simply takes one start to get you running again and back up to speed. On the other hand, if done incorrectly, it can throw you off and cause you even more damage, so choose your "charging partner" wisely!

At it's core, this is the essence of encouragement as seen throughout the New Testament and something that we can do intentionally or simply as a by-product of loving relationships.

Have a blessed day,
Dr. Jay

There's no doubt that my current circumstance is requiring me to look "down the road" and take stock of some pretty major decisions in my life.

On the other hand, I've learned that the best way to navigate life's "big moments" is by living fully in communion with the Lord a day at a time.

This may sound somewhat naive or even short sighted, but the reality is that the Lord gives revelation to us on a daily basis and rarely for months and years ahead. Occasionally, we'll get a glimpse of what He's going to do in our lives through us that affects things way into the future, but my experience is that that is a rarity indeed.

Instead, if we cultivate our fellowship with Him daily and listen to the voices that He sends across our path, we are more likely to make wise decisions on a day to day basis, which cumulatively lead to the assurance of His will being worked out in our lives.

It's in His will that we find peace, assurance and revelation for the future. It's in His will that we find the favor and blessing that we desire that brings great fruitfulness in our lives and through our lives to others.

Whatever you might be facing today, whether it's imminent or down the road, remember that all you need is to know His will for today. Live fully in that and you will most surely succeed in all that He has planned for you!

Blessings,
Dr. Jay

In doing some reading on the "marks of spiritual maturity," one of the things that has bubbled to the top is that graciousness is a key mark of those who are truly placed by God in positions of authority.

What that simply means is that we, at whatever level we've been given, never have to exert or apply authority; we simply reflect the authority of the Lord to others. We can, therefore, afford to be gracious to them because it's not us who is giving them permission or empowering them to minister, it's really God!

Graciousness is not defensive, argumentative or critical. Graciousness responds to negativity with a certain sense of peace because it knows that God is ultimately the One that dispenses His favor.

Graciousness is cultivated by times of communion with the Lord and then making choices to respond not out of the carnal mind, but out of what the Lord reveals to you.

I know this is a little deeper thought than normal, but it is a great bench mark for us to pursue.

Growing with you,
Dr. Jay

Along with million of other Americans, I have been spending significant time

There is a very well known, but challenging scripture that I want to reflect on today.

In Romans 12:1-2 Paul the apostle exhorts us to "present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

I've been thinking in recent days about what it means to "present my body as a living sacrifice" which certainly includes things like

• presenting my mind to the Lord for Him to fill with thoughts that are uplifting and encouraging as well as kingdom focused. This is not as easy as it sounds as I am tempted, like so many, to want to rest my mind in front of the TV or computer and often veer away from this simple exhortation.


• - I need to present my hands and feet to Him as well. This has to do with carrying for others, acts of service and compassion and being willing to go where the Lord calls when He calls. This, too, requires a slaying of the "ego-centric" ways that I'm so often pulled to take care of myself and my own needs first and get to others if I can.

I am sure you could think of many other applications of this scripture to your life just as I can. The goal is that we "not be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our minds" and that is a life-long process which we engage in one day at a time.

Growing with you,
Dr. Jay

Over the past weeks I've been reflecting on the very swift and noticeable decline in the influence of many churches and non-profit ministries that bear the name of Jesus in our part of the country and nationwide.

It seems that in very subtle, yet clearly perceptible ways, the name of Jesus has been erased from the public square and even the ministries that once were established to lift up His name and carry out acts of kindness, care, compassion and justice.

Last evening I visited a ministry that was established under the covering of 30 some churches in an area of our city. There are fine people that are leading that ministry and it's doing a significant work in alleviating the needs of the poorest folks in our city; but I have doubts about whether or not Jesus is being exalted in the midst of what's taking place.

It's no wonder, then, that many of the churches that once supported that ministry have ceased to flourish because they have abandoned the gospel as well.

None of us do this perfectly. However, that's no reason to not continue to examine everything we do and make sure that it's rooted in bringing glory to the Savior that gave His all for us.

Wayne Cordeiro, of New Hope Church in Honolulu, clearly stated that any ministry that ceased to touch the lives of people in the name of Christ, probably had no room in the agenda of a truly evangelical church. I'm seeking to examine everything that I do and that our church does through this lens and I pray you might look at your life in the same way as well.

The blessing in all this is yours, of course!

Following Him with you,
Dr. Jay

After a relatively hot and soggy Labor Day weekend, we're back in "high gear" personally and as a ministry team looking with great anticipation toward the weekend.

Having some days when the schedule wasn't so full was a refreshing boost to both my inner and outer self, but it's also awesome to be engaged in a purposeful pursuit of sharing our life changing message of the cross of Christ with others in the days ahead.

We're anticipating this weekend's service with Kamal Saleem, a former PLO terrorist turned messenger for Christ since the 9/11 attack first happened.

I've found an amazing amount of openness in the minds of people who are not church goers to hear this message and would encourage you to pray for these many people that will be coming to hear what we have to say on this day of remembrance. (Please check our website for more details www.northway.org)

All of us were changed by what happened on 9/11/01. I wonder if that same dynamic can be released in a positive way through an encounter with the Lord this weekend?

Blessings,
Dr. Jay

In just the last day, I have had several exchanges with different folks from around the city that seem to be going through incredibly challenging and difficult circumstances.

It is very inappropriate to be detailed, but it is also worth reminding you that many people face unbelievably difficult challenges and do so in a way that cannot be shared or told to others.

I would expect this is the most difficult kind of “suffering”. That which you have to do alone. It is so much better when you can have community around you or at least a few individuals with whom you can share the travails of your heart.

Fortunately, we always have the Spirit of God who draws near to us in our time of need, but I want to encourage you to be walking through your day with your eyes open toward every person that you meet. Ask the Lord if there is some way you can be an encouragement to them whether it is a colleague, someone at work, a neighbor friend or someone in your family.

Encouraging words are deeply needed by so many in the days in which we live. You won’t know just how much this means to someone who may be going through the trial of a life time, but just can’t share it with you.

What I have found is, after the trial has passed, they will come back around and tell you how much your sensitivity and positive spirit meant to them.

By the way, the Lord promises that if you take care of the ones He loves, he will take care of you!

Blessings,
Pastor Jay