A few days ago one of my former co-workers at Park Community Church called me to tell me about the unlikely journey a couple had made to Park and it was all because of my blog. I was blown away by the story and reached out to them and asked if I could share it. To say I was humbled is an understatement. Read and you’ll understand why.

Several months ago, a friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to your blog post about a different kind of Christian demonstration at the gay pride parade.  I was touched and quickly forwarded it on to my husband who was also very touched.  Having read Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz, we had always loved his story of the “Confession Booth”, and knew that that was the kind of Christianity we wanted to be a part of, so to read this story was very encouraging to know that these Christians really existed!

Another few months had gone by and I was unable to sleep one Saturday night, so I started checking out some of the apps on my iPod.  I opened up the Catalyst app and found another one of your articles titled No One Cares About Your Church. I found myself agreeing with all of the points you made and thought “I need to find out what church this guy is from!” The next morning I was excitedly telling my husband about the article and how the church was in Chicago (a city we love!), and he was quick to respond, “Let’s get ready and go this morning!” So we did.  Once we got there, I think our whole family instantly knew that finally we had found our church home!

People are always surprised to hear that we drive an hour and a half one way to go to church. We are often asked, “Don’t they have churches in Lake Geneva?”  We use the drive to engage in good conversations.  We try to use our time in the city wisely and often pack extra lunches and leave early and hit as many exit ramps as possible before and after church, handing out food to someone in need.  We have a heart for the city of Chicago and love how Park reaches out to see the city for Christ.

Now, this is where the story gets personal. A year and a half ago, I found out that my husband had struggled with a lifelong pornography addiction.  I was devastated, to say the least.  He was exposed at a very young age and had been unable to get out of its powerful snare although it was something he desperately wanted to be rid of and went to great lengths to protect me from. So when I say I had no idea, I truly didn’t have any idea that he had this double life.  In dealing with this we reached out to several churches in our area but were discouraged at the counsel we received. Through God’s grace, my husband has been able to make great strides in dealing with this addiction even without the help of a church.

A little more than a month ago, he confessed that he had had an affair several years ago that stemmed from his pornography addiction.  It was something I had strongly suspected but continually tried to push out of my mind during the past several years.  After this painful disclosure, we turned to Park and my husband set up a meeting with one of the pastors.  After the first meeting we immediately felt hopeful that we had finally found Biblical help.  To my surprise, the pastor ended our session saying “I’m just going to say something…” and he proceeded to say that after what we’d told him that he didn’t believe my husband had ever truly become a Christian because of all the secrets and things he’d been hiding. He also said that either it had never taken root with me or that it had and I’d walked away from God.  Wow, I was blown away and immediately thought my husband would be devastated.  The pastor walked out of the room to give us a moment and my husband looked at me and said, “I’ve known that for a while now.”

When the pastor came back in, my husband thanked him for being bold enough to call him out on that, because he longs to have men in his life that WILL call him out when necessary.  That night we both prayed to receive and fully accept Christ as Lord and Savior in the pastor’s office at Park overlooking the Chicago skyline.

A few weekends later we were able to attend Park’s marriage retreat where we had some wonderful conversations, talked about some difficult but necessary things, and have learned so much about confession, grace, repentance and forgiveness.  We have been encouraged and committed to our marriage from the very beginning but what’s happened as a result of attending Park has made us even more hopeful that what was meant for evil, God can and WILL use for good. We feel like not only will we make it through this, we will be better than ever, and that someday I might even thank God for allowing this in our lives.  We ended the retreat sharing Communion as a couple and I’ll never forget the impact that had.  It was the first time I felt like I truly understood the significance of Communion and the price God paid to forgive my sins, just as I was being asked to forgive the sins of my husband and examine my own heart and seek forgiveness for my own failings as well.  After we took Communion, my husband grabbed my hand and prayed as we both wept and he asked God for a new beginning for us.  We truly feel like what happened at the retreat connected us on a spiritual level and in new ways that were never possible before until we were both willing to put God first in our lives and marriage.  While we still have a long journey ahead of us, I feel confident that with God’s grace and with the supportive community at Park, God will use all of this for His glory.

The impact that Park has had on our lives has been truly life changing.  We’ll always be so thankful that the pastorwas willing to call us out during that first meeting. And we’ll always be thankful for your blog and way that it led us to Park.  We truly feel like the adventure is just beginning.  I don’t feel like it was coincidence or by accident how everything has happened.

First, I want to thank this family for having the courage to share this story. It’s remarkable to see the journey God has led them on and it’s humbling to hear how they found their ways to Park and ultimately, back to Christ through two blog entries of mine. I’m so thrilled to hear how they have not only come to know Christ but are in the process of building a stronger, honest and Christ-centered marriage. I’m thrilled they’ve connected with Park and are able to begin to share their story and their journey.

I don’t share this to pat myself on the back but simply to express to the rest of you out there that you have no idea who will be impacted by the words you share. Our online presence can play an important role in the lives of people we don’t even know, helping them find their way back to God. This story serves as a reminder for me of why I do what I do. Beyond sharing ideas, insights, conference notes, and the occasional rants, I hope to create content that inspires the church to communicate more effectively with the ultimate goal of seeing people connect with Christ. That’s what it’s all about. And, in a crazy way, sometimes as in the example of this story, God can use your stories to help people find their place in His Story.

Keep sharing. Keep writing. Keep connecting. You never know who is on the other side of the screen or the journey God has them on. Fight the resistance. Post content that scares you. Be honest. Be authentic. Be willing to take some risks and speak the truth with love and grace, not compromising the message but with a humble heart to help people see the Church and Jesus differently.

Let me explain…

About a year before I left my former church, a co-worker who was into gardening gave me a plant for my office. While I am generally a very responsible person when it came to caring for the plant… notsomuch.

There was the one time I didn’t water it for about a week, or the time I unknowingly put it on top of  a heat register and left it there over Christmas break, or the other time that I had opened the window [in January] to let some fresh air in and nearly killed it. Needless to say, horticulture is not my forte.

Fortunately, one of our maintenance ladies, Nancy, saw my neglect and began to care of my plant. Every few weeks when she’d come to water it she’d say, “Tim, you know you’re going to need to get a new pot for that…” I’d nod or tell her it was on my to do list and would return to editing the bulletin or whatever else I was working on. I never got one.

The first church I worked at was church where I grew up. I got my start in church communications there, made a ton of mistakes, and grew through the entire process. I had strong roots there and when I felt God nudging me forward to transition to Park it was hard to imagine why leaving a place that had such significance in my life and in my journey even made sense. I almost envisioned myself there as a “lifer.” But, God’s call on my life and the desire He put in my heart to be involved in a city-centric church was stronger, and despite the strong roots that held me there, I knew that God had something more for me.

As I was packing up my office Nancy stopped by as she did every day to get my trash and asked me what my plan was with my plant. Knowing that it would more than likely die without her, I told her she could keep it.

She was so excited that she went out that afternoon and got a new pot for it… a bright gold one.

She came into my office to show me and she said, “Tim, I had such a difficult time getting that plant out of that pot. You would never believe how root-bound it was to that pot! I didn’t want to come out of it!”

I realized then that plant was a powerful picture of my life and my ministry at my church. I was root-bound and it was a tough for me to leave, but for me and my growth it was absolutely necessary for me to transition to new place… to get a new pot.

Even after I was offered the job by Park I hesitated on whether or not to accept. I sought counsel from friends, prayed, cried and went through some intense emotions, even grief, over the thought of leaving. Honestly, there was no reason for me to leave… and I think the thing I’ve learned now after being the church for over 10 years is that when there’s no reason is absolutely the best time to go. It’s harder, but in the end so much better, to transition when things are going well.  I’m not going to lie, the transition wasn’t easy, but in the end, what God has done in my life and the growth that has taken place in my life has been more than I could have ever imagined.

I stopped by my former church office about two years ago and of course, our cleaning lady had something to show me. She took me into the break room and there was this MASSIVE plant… and wouldn’t you know it, it was in a bright gold pot. My little plant grew up to be HUGE… and all it needed was a new pot.

I’ve shared this story with some friends over the past few years as they’ve made hard decisions about leaving, staying, or transitioning. And, more recently, as I navigated another season of transition in my own life, this story was just a reminder to me of God’s faithfulness and the rich rewards of choosing to be planted where God places you.

I think when any of us are in seasons of transition our natural inclination to stay in the context we know… that’s always the safest option. I’m sure if I would have stayed at my former church I would have continued to do great work but my growth would have been hindered by the confines of the pot I was inside. Moving to Park brought new challenges and opportunities and provided experiences for me to grow and be more fruitful. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if I would have stayed. I needed a new pot.

We are all capable of doing more. We are all capable of flourishing, being fruitful, and “being a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor” (Isaiah 61:3). We just have to be willing and have the faith and trust to allow God, the Master Gardener, to transplant us into new pots and new contexts where we can grow and do great things for His glory.

A few months ago as I began to feel God leading me into a season of transition this metaphor came to mind and I went and got a potted plant and have it in my home office [which is now my main working space!] as a visual reminder of God’s faithfulness. [And for the record, I've kept it alive so far!].

What about you? Are you feeling confined? Do you still have space to grow? Do you feel like God has put something inside of you that’s bigger than the context where you currently find yourself?  Has God put an opportunity in front of you but you feel rooted down to where you are right now?

Remember… “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, They will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish In the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, They will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, And there is no wickedness in Him.” Psalm 92:12-15 (NIV)

Take a risk. Step out. Get a new pot.

This year over 200,000 people visited this little blog… thanks for reading, I’m blown away! I posted exactly 189 blog posts [about 1/3 of which were conference notes!], but only 10 could make the Top 10 of 2010!

#10 Decisions
All of our lives are marked by moments of decision. In this post I shared about a step of faith I took in making a decision to leave Park staff without having another job. Fortunately, God provided and I start the new adventure next week!

#9 Stop Speaking in Tongues
It’s not what you think I mean, I’m a charismatic kid at heart. However, many churches are speaking in tongues, using language that’s hard for people to understand. In this post I share some ideas on how to make sure you’re clearly communicating and not leaving people scratching their heads.

#8 What Happened to Wonder?
As my friend Blaine Hogan says, “the artist is the new pastor.” In this rant I share some thoughts on the loss of wonder in churches and the role the arts will play in saving the  Church.

#7 REWORK-ing Church Communications
I was honored to do a breakout session at the ECHO Church Media Conference inspired by this post where I shared ideas to help church communications directors rework the way their churches communicate. You can read notes from the session here or grab an audio copy, along with other great content from ECHO 2010 here.

#6 No One Cares About Your Church
Again, the contrarian in me. Synopsis: People don’t trust advertising and definitely don’t like the church, so why do we try and market the Church? I argue that we have to earn the right to be heard. This article was also republished by Catalyst.

#5 Delivering Happiness :: Q&A with Tony Hsieh, Jason Fried, and David Heinemeier-Hansson
As a part of the Delivering Happiness Tour, Tony Hsieh from Zappos.com made a stop at the 37signals offices in Chicago to do a Q&A with 37signals’ Jason Fried and David Heinemeier-Hansson.  I was one of 37 lucky people who was able to sit in on the Q&A and I was sure to take some notes! There’s some great insights here on office culture, hiring, customer service, and more.

#4 Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit Notes
Ok, so this isn’t an individual post but a collection of all of my notes from the Global Leadership Summit. I was honored to serve with the Willow Creek Association team helping to lead social media and blogging for the Summit. There was some great content from people like Bill Hybels, Jim Collins, Christine Caine, T.D. Jakes, Daniel Pink, and more!

#3 Announcing OUTSPOKEN
Probably one of the big highlights of the year for me personally was announcing the collaborative book project I’m heading up called OUTSPOKEN: Conversations on Church Communications. Over 60 church communications leaders from around the globe are contributing to one of the most comprehensive books on church communication. Release date is Spring 2011!

#2 10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working for a Church
Let me be clear: I LOVED working for a church but in this post that was inspired by my favorite book of 2010, REWORK, I shared some of the things that drove me crazy about working for a church. This post went on to be featured on the Catalyst blog, the Christian Post,Monday Morning Insight, and even garnered a counter-post from Tim Stevens of Granger Community Church.

#1 A Different Kind of Demonstration at Gay Pride
With over 106,000 views, 27,000 Facebook “Likes”, and over 1,000 tweets, this post took the prize for #1 by a long shot. In this post, I shared the moving story of a group of Christians who took the streets with during Chicago’s gay pride with a different message… an apology. I also wrote a follow-up to this post, Church Communications Lessons from the Gay Pride Demonstration.

It’s been an amazing year, that’s for sure.

I’ve had some amazing experiences and opportunities and am thankful to have had you join me along the way. Thanks for reading, Liking, commenting, tweeitng, and sharing!!

2010 has been a great year and I am so excited for what’s ahead in 2011!

I made a weekend trip to visit them and on a frigid Sunday morning in January 2007, we braved the elements to attend a service. The church didn’t have a building of its own yet, so they met in a school on Clark Street in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Despite the frigid temperatures, the auditorium was packed with 20-and-30-somethings, young families and children. We were late getting there so the ushers took us to the only free seats in the place… on the front row. The energy in the room was electric. That particular Sunday each of the church’s elders took turns teaching, sharing the vision of the church. As I sat there, heard the vision, and imagined with them at what was possible, I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.

The following day I went on their website, and to be honest, I was quite surprised. It was a great website but it didn’t quite match what I had experienced in person the day before. Armed with some courage believing that I could help them out, I drafted an email and threw together and a resume and portfolio and clicked “Send.”

A few phone calls and three months later, I began an incredible, nearly four-year journey, of being the Director of Communications at Park Community Church. On my first day I blogged, ” I know I’m jumping into something that is going to take me on the ride of my life.” Those words could not have been more true.

I’ve spent most of this week going through all of my files, reflecting and remembering what has been an incredible journey serving on staff at Park. Looking back over my time here the word that keeps coming to mind is grateful. I am so incredibly thankful and grateful for this experience, and more than humbled by the opportunity and gift God gave me in leading here.

A lot has changed at Park.

When I started on staff we met at Francis Parker School with about 800 people in average weekly attendance. Our building was just a shell of an old warehouse in the changing Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Our staff had about 18 people. We rented office space in Old Town above a Starbucks and a Thai restaurant and later moved to the 21st floor of the John Hancock Center before moving into our building in 2008.

Today, well over 2,500 people attend Park in three locations in neighborhoods across the city. Our staff is over 30 people and our building, which opened in 2008, has not only served our church but has become a fixture in our local neighborhood, hosting various events and outreaches for our community. Park is reaching new people every day and is living out its vision to be a biblical community where the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms lives, renews the city, and impacts the world.

In my time serving at Park I’ve caused a bit of a ruckus… I helped rebrand the church, launched a new website [and 2 iterations since!], transitioned to an almost paperless communications strategy including killing the weekly bulletin, leveraged texting and social media to engage with our congregation, and helped to shape Park into what it is today.

Over the past few years there have been so many highlights and things I could share but I have to be honest… the highlight of my time at Park wasn’t so much the work I did or was a part of, but what God did in my own heart and life through this season. I feel like I came here bright-eyed and still wet behind the ears, and in my time here have grown up, matured, found my voice, and most importantly, found myself and God’s calling for my life. God has worked in my life in some deeply significant ways and revealed Himself and His strength through my weakness.

I’ve learned how to navigate and lead a somewhat normal existence in the chaos of city life [and absolutely LOVE it!], have found an incredible community of friends who are like family, and learned so much about God and myself in the process. I’ve had some of the most amazing opportunities, been a part of some incredible experiences, and have met people who I know will be friends for life. It hasn’t always been easy and there have definitely been challenges, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

I leave Park today with nothing but respect and admiration for the leadership and thankfulness for the opportunity to serve here. When I look back and see how God brought me here and what I’ve been able to do while I’ve been on staff, I’m just in awe of His faithfulness…. it’s been through Him, by His grace and for His glory.

To remember my first Sunday attending Park, hearing the vision and imagining what was possible, and to see where we are today is just a remarkable thing. To have been a small part of a significant chapter in the life of the church is something that I consider an immense honor and made for some of the most exciting and fulfilling seasons of ministry I’ve been a part of to date.

I am so excited for what God has already done at Park and know that even greater things are yet to come. The vision of and the heart of Park’s leadership will continue to see the church grow in size and influence, but most importantly, see more people find life transformation through the Gospel. I am so expectant to see what God will do!

I’m thrilled that in my new role I’ll continue to be able to work with the Church on a larger scale and recognize that none of this would have been possible without my time and work at Park. I cannot thank the team at Park enough for their support, encouragement, trust, grace when there were typos, and their willingness to take a risk and try new things. My experience here has built a platform for me to share and influence others and will now be a gift to other churches.

To Jackson, Donna, Steve, Jonthan, John, JR, Ty, Kensen, Joe, Scott, Bill, Kevin, Zach, Emily, Meghan, Laurel, Alicia, Sharon, Sandy, Alisha, Sheri, Laura, Mabrie, Josh, Jen, Bret, Lisa, Christine, Megan, Bob, Lindsey, Mario, Lyndsay, Annika, Rachael, Terry, Debra, Andrea, Whitney, Matt, Tim, Curtis, Andrew, Brian, Aaron, Jason, Mary, Becky, Joseph, Jim, Laura, John [and anyone else I forgot!]… it’s been a privilege to serve with you at Park. You are all some of the most remarkable people I know and it’s been an honor to be on this exciting adventure with you. I’m thankful for all of you and for the impact your life has made on mine.

To Josh Burns, who is taking my spot at Park… Dude, I am so excited for you! The first time I met you I had this sneaky suspicion you’d have my job one day and who knew it would come so fast. It’s been a blast working with you and I am so thankful for your friendship and passion for the Church… I know you are going to do great things Park and am excited to follow your journey.

To all of you who have followed along through this blog, thank you! I so appreciate each one of you and am so thankful for the work you are all doing in your own churches… keep up the great work!

As one chapter closes and a new one begins, I’m grateful for what God has already done and expectant for what’s in store… for me and for Park!

I thought it would only be fitting to close this post with this song… Love you guys!

[BTW, this song is a complete joke... ]

A blizzard hit Chicago this weekend and I spent a majority of it inside. Thank God for Netflix, wifi, and GrubHub. This was the view out of my window:

]]> http://www.timschraeder.com/2010/12/13/monday-morning-mind-dump-7/feed/ 4 http://www.timschraeder.com/2010/12/07/new-christmas-tunes-from-park/ http://www.timschraeder.com/2010/12/07/new-christmas-tunes-from-park/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:25:08 +0000 Tim Schraeder http://www.timschraeder.com/?p=4316 Charlie Brown, Mariah Carey, and the “Rat Pack” make up a majority of the artists in my Christmas playlist. This Christmas I’m adding a new CD to the mix, Christmas Songs Vol I, a collection of songs from the bands at Park.

Park has a unique approach when it comes to music… we don’t have a traditional “worship team,” we have bands. Under the leadership of Joseph Tenney and Matt Marron [formerly of Pomeroy], we have a number of bands who each have their own unique style and genre that create original music as well as updating hymns. Instead of having a short list of musicians and singers and plugging them in where they fit, we put band leaders through extensive training, host auditions of musicians and singers and form bands that not only create great music but do life together in community.  It’s a different way of approaching worship but one that is resonating well with our congregation.

Christmas Songs Vol I is a collection of classic Christmas carols as well as original songs performed by nine of Park’s bands. It released at our church over the weekend and is now available for purchase on iTunes. It’s all over the place musically [in a good way] and captures the creative approach Park is taking with our band model.

I think it will make a great addition to your Christmas playlist so much so that I’m going to give away 5 copies! Just comment below and let me know your favorite Christmas carol. I’ll be picking the winners randomly now through tomorrow at Noon.

Either way, check it out and get yourself a copy… all proceeds from the purchase of the sale of the CD will go to benefit Renew Chicago, Park’s outreach arm that partners with other ministries around the city to make a difference!

The decisions we make form the chapters and fill the pages the story that God is ultimately writing in each of our lives. The decisions we make shape us, our future, and make us the people that we become.

Some decisions are easy and others are difficult. Some are made with absolute certainty of what will happen next. Others are made in faith, trusting that the leading and impulse of the heart will guide us into an unknown, but exciting future.

A few years ago I made one of those crucial, uncertain decisions.

I left a church that I had called home for most of my life as well as family and friends, and embarked on a new journey, moving to Chicago. I knew it was what I was supposed to do and while it was difficult, the risk was worth it.  I cannot even begin to articulate in words what an incredible blessing these past four years have been.

I came on staff at Park in a critical moment in the life of the church. About to open a new building in the heart of downtown Chicago and firmly establish a presence in the city, I was able to be a part of the rebirth of Park. I helped take what we were doing at Park to a new level from rebranding, to killing our weekly bulletin, rethinking our website, using text messaging in services, and much more. But more than that, it’s been so humbling to see how God has grown Park in size and influence, and how we are seeing lives impacted by the Gospel every day. That’s what it’s all about.

Along the way, I’ve shared what I’ve learned with all of you through my blog and twitter stream. It’s been crazy to see who I’ve been able to connect with, the opportunities and experiences I’ve been able to be a part of… it’s just overwhelming as I look back over the past few years. I see God’s faithfulness everywhere.

And it all happened because I took a risk and made a hard decision.

I read Seth Godin’s book Linchpin earlier this year and it challenged me and messed me up in a good way. It really made me think about what I do, what I’m passionate about, and ultimately the work I feel I’m called to do.

For nearly ten years I’ve served in two different churches as a communications director. I started at age 18, inexperienced and uneducated, but full of passion to make an impact. I made many mistakes, learned a lot, took copious notes at conferences, and did all I could do share what I learned and connect with others.  And now, nearing age 28 in less than a few days, I’ll be embarking on a new adventure and taking an enormous step of faith.

Last week I met with some of the leadership team at Park and let them know about a tough decision I had been wrestling with in regards to my future… I announced my resignation from my role at Park.

It was a decision that was made with a lot of prayer, soul-searching, and time in reflection [which I’ve had plenty of in the last month thanks to the mono!], and I feel absolute peace about this decision. There was nothing amiss or weird,  I just felt and sensed it was time for me to move forward and will be concluding this chapter of my journey sometime in January.

As far as what’s next… I have no idea! I don’t have a job or any prospects on the horizon but trust God’s whisper and know He will provide. It’s a huge step of faith and a decision that is either absolutely crazy or absolutely the right one, and regardless, I have peace about whatever lies ahead. I’m confident, excited, hopeful, and trust that as one amazing chapter closes that this decision will mark a new beginning filled with new opportunities [and a paycheck … if you have any leads, email me!].

I plan to stay in Chicago and want to continue to be a voice in the conversation about church communications. I don’t see myself working for another church but hope to work for the Church through coaching, consulting, speaking, as well as getting OUTSPOKEN released sometime in the spring, and helping to make Cultivate11 happen! I’m sure I’ll be able to keep myself busy.

I have nothing but respect and admiration for the team at Park and absolute thankfulness to have been a part of the unfolding story of what God is doing through Park in Chicago. I’ve served alongside some of the best men and women I’ve ever had the privilege of working with, and will miss them immensely.  These next few weeks will definitely be bittersweet but I know that it was the right time for me and the right time for Park and trust that God will provide for both of us!

To all of you, readers and friends, I want you to know I appreciate all of you who have been a part of the journey so far and hope to have you along for this uncertain but exciting next chapter! Greater things are yet to come…

“When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.” – Patrick Overton