Alan Jackson: Precious Memories

My Good friend Dan W. let me borrow his new Alan Jackson CD! Wow it is awesome!! If you are like me and you grew up with those old camp meeting songs, you will love this one!! I feel like I am back at Victory Camp in Columbus, Ohio! Alan Jackson does an incredible job at capturing that old time sound in the hymns that many of us grew up listening too. Check it out for your self HERE.



Thanks Dan!!!





Also, pray for Dan and I. Today Dan found an opportunity through the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts to share the Great News of Jesus Christ. He has been a Boy Scout Troop leader for years, and asked if I could be the speaker at this year's spring retreat. We are praying that God uses our efforts to speak to hearts.

Easter is here!! Celebrate the Great News!!

Here is a picture of our good friend Matt W. enjoying Easter breakfast at the church!! Matt is a good friend who is also apart of CrossRoad Ministries.


We had a great day of Easter. Our day started by being at the church at 6:45 to help set up for breakfast! Also, we had a little petting zoo for children to see baby chickens, bunnies, and rumor has it a goat...but i did not see that. Here is a picture of Danielle and I with some Chicken McNuggets.




The day ended with some guitar playing with Matt and Danielle. Matt is just picking the guitar up and really doing a good job. Danielle on the other hand prefers just to strum, while I do the chords for her=)

To all the Danielle Fans of the World

To all the Danielle Fans of the World here is another Great Picture of Danielle!! We went for a walk at Mukwonago County Park last week, and I snapped this shot of her. She is standing with a beautiful back drop of the rolling hills of Wisconsin. Come visit us before we move back to flat Indiana!!
Today, my Uncle Dale and Aunt Marilyn is coming over on their way back through from a speaking engagement in IOWA! We hope to show them a great time at [ http://www.primequarter.com ] PRIME QUARTER!!!!!
My new Favorite restaurant!!

Easter Prep

Hey Friends, as you know Easter is knocking at the front door, but Palm Sunday was a great day for Danielle and I. Our local church family celebrated the life of Christ through an all church drama. The choir sang, and members of the congregation acted out the diffrent characters in the story of Grace. We even had Pat R. be Jesus. He did a great job!! Here are a few pictures we snaped with our new camera!! Enjoy! What is your church doing for the season? Better yet, what are YOU doing to celebrate Grace?







I love this picture of Jesus at the copier!!! What if Jesus worked in your office!!!





Danielle and I dressed the part. I was John the Baptist and Danielle played a HOT blond Jewish girl...she played her part perfect...except for the Jewish part=)

New FE-115

Danielle and I just purchased a brand spankin new Olympus FE-115 Digital Camera. We are excited! Enjoy our first picture, of course we took of a picture of something cute=)

Hopefully you will see a lot more pictures of where we are currently living, as well as our new destination in Indiana. If you have any great pictures, we would love to see them!! Please send them our way!!

Oh yeah, all of you who love to blog, you have to check you People Fisher. I am currently a founding member, and would love to see you on there!! http://peoplefisher.com/johnfreed --come join me!!

Good night! That paper for my final class is almost done!! I am procrastinating right now!!

Last week of my 1st class

I have just started my last week of my first class of Grad work with Indiana Wesleyan Univerisity. I can't believe I am working to ge my Masters. If only Mr. Chapman from the 6th grade could see me now. I wanted to share something with you from a book I just finished called, "Managing the Non-Profit Organization" it's as good as it sounds. But Peter Drucker does an awesome job in this book, and my professor, Robert Whitesel jotted down a few of his favorite quaotes and I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy, and I hope you can use them to reflect on the management of your life, or ministry. If you ever get a chance to sit down and read a good book, don't pick this one up, it is pretty heady and not very entertaining. But a great resource!






Forum: Epilogue
Date: 03-31-2006 22:07
Author: Whitesel, Robert
Subject My Favorite Drucker Quotes

From Peter Drucker's “Managing the Non-Profit Organization”

“A leader needs to see himself in a position of indebtedness. Leaders are given the gift of leadership by those who choose or agree to follow.” (Drucker, p. 37)

“Even if you have market leadership, non-customers always outnumber customers.” (Drucker, p. 100). Elmer Towns said once: “As long as there is one person in your community who doesn't know Jesus as Savior, your church isn't big enough

“Write down what you expect to happen. Nine months or a year later, compare your expectations to what actually happened.” (Drucker, p. 197)

David Hubbard said, “I think a CEO has two primary areas of service. I have to care for the vice-presidents, whom I supervise…And I have to care for the trustees.” (Drucker, p. 173)

“Paying serious attention to self-development - your own and that of everyone in the organization - is not a luxury for non-profit executives.” (Drucker, p. 189)

Inviting each volunteer to answer two questions twice a year. “What have I learned? What difference to my own life has my [ministry] at the church been making?” (Drucker, p. 190)

Drucker's questions were great. “Where have I made an impact? Where do my clients need me-not just want me? Where have I been wasting their time and mine? Where should I concentrate next year so as not only to give my best but also to get the most out of it?” (p. 191)

Drucker maintains, “Probably the best of the nuts and bolts of self-development is the practice of keeping score on yourself.” (p. 224)

“Write down what you expect to happen. Nine months or a year later, compare your expectations to what actually happened.” (Drucker, p. 197)

“It is always painful for me to see how great the gap is between what I should have done and what I did do.” (p. 224

A letter to the ones we love

Dear Friends,


Almost three years ago, the Lord led us away from a group of people we loved deeply at Daybreak Community church in Lapel, Indiana. We were newly engaged and knew that we needed a full time ministry where the Lord would use us. At that point in our lives he led us right to Our Savior’s Wesleyan church.


For the past three years you have been so wonderful to us. You have showed us love, and given us such great encouragement. We have made many great memories, like the canon on New Years Eve, sledding in the front yard, Ultimate Frisbee in the summers, Winter Rush, Noah’s Ark, and of course youth camp. We have laughed together at Sunday Night Live and LiveWire, and cried together over an open chair. We have grown in our walk with Christ, some still just beginning. Through the years we have committed deeper to one another as a family in LIFE Groups and Sunday night worship. Danielle and I see each of you as brothers and sisters, and have grown to love you so much! God has blessed us with an awesome youth group.


When we first arrived in Mukwonago, we were nervous, lonely and scared. We quickly poured ourselves into ministry and into your lives. We have loved watching you grow up, and have success in your lives and we rejoice in what God is doing in and through you. So as that first year came, we learned how God wanted us to spread the message of Jesus Christ to Mukwonago.


We learned that you love to be honest and real, so we shared Jesus honestly with people, and talked to them about the real impact Jesus can have on a life. Many of us experienced Christ in a fresh way.

We learned that you love to serve the Lord. Through rake and run, soup kitchens in Milwaukee and the missions trip to the dangerous South Chicago, we were able to join in the work of Jesus Christ in places where people were desperate, hurting and in great need. And we loved it! We laughed, cried, and even picked up glass so other kids could play tag.

We learned that you are full of love. We feel so blessed to be a part of your lives. Each one of you has invited us into your life, and offered us trust and a big smile. We needed you, and you allowed us to be your friends. Best friends!

We learned that God’s plan for Mukwonago was much greater than the two of us. We have seen God use you, time after time to bring people to SNL! or LIVEWire! God has used you to start chapel services before wrestling meets, morning prayer groups, or inviting friends to “See you at the Pole”. God used you in incredible ways.


As Danielle and I served in Mukwonago, we began to sense Him building us into the couple He has created us to be. We learned how to work together and how to serve the Lord with one heart and one vision. We know that God has used the students of CRM to develop us, probably more than we have developed them. Through the years we have worked hard to pass on to you, our deep love for Jesus Christ. Our life mission is to tell people of the transforming power of Jesus Christ. We truly hope you have gained this.


However, in the past couple of months we have felt God calling us to another adventure. We are not exactly sure where God is taking us, but we do know that He is calling us to obedience, trust, and readiness. We pass this letter on to you and your friends as a token of love and hopefully a tool of understanding. We would not trade our 3 years in Mukwonago for anything. We love and appreciate all of you and we see clearly many reasons why the Lord led us here 3 years ago. We know clearly that God has a plan and a calling on all of our lives and we have to be open to Him and the plans He has for us. While this may be a hard spot in the plan for all of us, we have to trust God, and be confident that he has this all in his control.


We want you to know that we did not go looking for a new church to serve in. We did not send out resumes, we were in the midst of our everyday ministry here when we received an invitation to explore the possibility of ministering in Fishers, Indiana. We took the invitation, after much prayer, and spent a few days with the people there. After more prayer, we were offered the position there, and we felt deep in our hearts that this was the next step in God’s plan for us. Many of our hearts

desires and personal goals were met in this new position.


We understand that our decisions seem very confusing, and not very concrete. And we understand if you feel very angry with us. But we want you to know that we love you, that this decision was extremely difficult for us. We hate the idea of moving from Mukwonago, and the people we love so much, but at the same time, we must be obedient to God’s calling on our lives. We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirits guidance to new places.


We would love to talk with each of you about this, and hear your hearts. We hope that in the next couple months you would call us, and let us know how you feel. We want to share with you; our hearts, and hopefully this letter will help a little. But we want you to know that this decision is not based on anything that this church or you did not offer us. It is based on a calling God has placed on our life, the same calling that led us here to you.


God is good in all He does. For us to teach that, we must be willing to live that out in every aspect of our life. We teach and talk with you all the time about the plan God has for your life, and at the same time, we are trying to live out God’s plan for John and Danielle. While moving is going to be so hard, we know that our new adventure will be exciting and God centered.




We love you,



“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:3-8

Worship in my life

2 Core Beliefs I have made about Worship

For my personal devotions I have been reading Leviticus and Exodus. Both books are very clear about how God communicates and dwells with His people. Here are a few things I have come to a conclusion about in my own personal life concerning worship.

Less always equals More:
The less of myself in the worship time, weather in music, in the Word, or quietly hiking through the woods, the more I can focus on my Heavenly Father and less on me, the more of Him I will experience and rest in.
As I read Leviticus and Exodus, I am seeing a chosen people who complain and groan about their issues, and give no concern to the work or power God is displaying all around them. Have I done this? Would God’s anger burn against my selfishness? Does this show up in my life? These are all questions I have been asking myself as I read through the scriptures. I can’t help but reflect on what John the Baptist said concerning Jesus, “He must increase I must decrease” John 3:30

God Directs Worship, I only can participate:
The God in the Old Testament is the same God of March 2006. I believe longs to be worshiped; I believe He longs to direct our worship. We participate in the moving of a Holy God when we worship. Worship, is giving worth and ownership of our lives to something. For me, worship is only given to the God the Bible outlines. As I read God’s Word I am worshiping, as I take out the trash, I worship. Worship is not something we step in and out of, it is much greater, much deeper. Worship is a lifestyle, a holy participation of our spirit participating in the work of the Holy Spirit. David describes this as “deep calls to deep” Psalm 42
Do I really live this way? Or do I emotionally, or rationally step in and out of a worship task in my life? If Sunday morning worship is not my style, do I feel like I have not been filled, or have not worshiped? Is it possible that worship is not about what I do, but deeper, to who I am? Or is Worship just as much what I do, and less of who I am right now?

John

Subway Vegi Max in our House

Danielle and I are so happy tonight! We have had a great day, we bought a new TV...paid off our Car...and found our favorite veggie burger at Wal-Mart.



For the past 9 years i have loved Subway's Veggie Max veggie Burger sandwich, which is not found in all parts of the nation. But when we moved to Mukwonago, Wisconsin, i introduced Danielle to them...and she loved them! They are really awesome. So for the past 3 years we have been enjoying these delicious veggie burgers at Subway. Well Danielle was tired of paying the Subway price and she did some research and found that we could buy them at our Wal-mart. They are awesome and a perfectly delicious midnight snack while we watch our new TV!



I recommend running out right now and picking up a pack for the people you love! Yum Yum!



Morning Star Farms Garden Veggie Burger!

Some more Pictures of fun in New Mexico

Here are some more pictures of the adventures we had with our great friends Mike and Tina. They used to live in NM before moving to Wisconsin, and before it got cold and gray, we took a quick trip out west. It was an awesome time!:::Thanks Mike and Tina for a great time! We have to do it again!!! This time Texas!!

Sick, but remembering New Mexico

Danielle and I are really sick this week, and really don't have time to slow down. but we found our CD of pictures from our recent trip to New Mexico and we wanted to share then with you.

Remembering New Mexico!

Danielle and I are both really sick this week! We have stuffed up heads, and horrible sinus headaches. Here are a couple of pictures we have been looking at that reminds us of our vacation out ot New Mexico this past September. It was an awesome trip and hopefully we will be back out there soon!!





Big thanks to our friends, Mike and Tina Cybularz for introducing us to Green Chilis and Balloons=)

STOP! Hammer Time!!!

Yeah we all love him! I even wore his pants in the third grade! Now He is a LINK on my Blog. I am so proud to call him Brother! If you get a chance, swing over and take some hammer time and check out what the coolest rapper in town is doing. For me, I have recently downloarded "Can't Touch This" on Itunes...just to reflect and rap with.

Can't Touch this!
jf

scared, but ready for my new adventure!

well, today I am sitting in Dr. Bob Whitesel's grad class at IWU. I am scared, as I looking at the next 2 years of masters classes. Pray for me! But at the same time i am excited, and motivated. This is the best time in my life to do this!

If you have not considered Indiana Wesleyan University...you are missing out on a great education!

10 Reasons Why I Love Danielle

Well as you all know it is Valentines Day this Tuesday! Are you ready? Danielle and I will be at IWU starting my grad work, so it will not be real romantic. But we are planning on driving down to Indianapolis for Mongolian BBQ, one of our all time favorite places to eat!

So I would like to share with you, 20 Reasons Why I Love Danielle Freed [in no particular order]
1. Her playful attitude. She is always looking for new ways to have fun
2. She is an awesome cook. She can whip up anything!
3. She loves the little things in life...like the snow tonight
4. She is picky, which may be annoying to some, but I find joy in knowing she picked me
5. She is cheap, I have never met anyone who knows how to save a dollar better
6. She loves to watch “Starting Over”
7. She falls asleep in every movie…even at the movie theater
8. She loves to stare at people with me in the mall
9. She knows how to make a Carmel Macchiato with an extra shot, sugar free vanilla, skim milk, 3 splenda, whip cream, extra carmel-dry. And she sounds really cool when she orders it at Starbucks.
10. She loves Diet Coke Black Cherry Vanilla
11. She shares an office with me
12. She plays GameBoy before she goes to bed
13. Her hard drive on her phone is almost filled with pictures
14. She wears retainers when she sleeps…it is so cute to hear her slur her words
15. She still sleeps with a teddy bear and blankie
16. She is my partner in every aspect of ministry
17. She buys me Fat Free Ice Cream
18. She encourages me in my grad work
19. She has a beautiful laugh…it makes everyone smile
20. She lets me hold the remote, but we have to watch her shows.

I just love that girl!

The Diet...or Die trying

Well, I am on a diet. Yeah, I have gained 10lbs give or take 10lbs since I have gotten married, and I really need to loose it. So I have cut out all sugar and going Low Fat. It is tough, but going well. I would like to loose 20lbs by April. Danielle is really healthy, but I am just not good at eating right. Any good advice? Drop me an email.

Snow Boarding with Kate and Sam

Danielle and I have a hobby. It may sound a little weird, but we love it. Because our schedules are so flexible, and we don’t have any children, people always ask us to house sit for them. At first we agreed to the responsibility out of love and friendship. Now, we volunteer because it is always an adventure. One house we love to house sit has a hot tub, and another has a wonderful dog to play with. Every house is different every house sitting is fun!

Danielle and I love people as you know. Sometimes at the mall we just buy a drink and watch them. So interesting, every one different, everyone has a different story. Imagine if you could spend a week living in their house…doesn’t that sound like fun?

This week we are hanging out with our two good friends Samantha and Katie McGinnis, while we are house sitting for their parents. In the morning we see Sam and Kate off to school and then we head to work. In the evening they come home, we have fake family dinner and then they do homework and we all sit by the fire and share stories about the day. It is an awesome time with us to really get to know these girls and see life from their angle. They are really great gals. It is just like playing house, but with a real house, and real kids, and real dogs, and real responsibility. This is fun!

Tonight, Sam and Kate invited Danielle and I to go snow boarding at ALPINE VALLEY SKI RESORT 10 miles from our home. This was our first time snow boarding, but we felt confident going because Sam is an instructor.

Well the night was full of spills and crashing falls. But we figured out the 3 most important elements of snow boarding.

1. Don’t look back, keep your eyes in front of you! You can only go forward, so be aware of where you are going, don’t be concerned about where you have been.
2. Keep your knees bent. You do not use your upper body in snow boarding. All the control is in your legs and stance.
3. Keep yourself centered on the board. If you are ahead or behind on the board, you will fall.

If you’re a youth pastor, you can probably see the topics now. I have already decided to start a series next month called, SNOW BOARDING THROUGH LIFE or the Snowboarders Guide to Life, should be interesting.

Well here are some pictures of our adventure tonight. Danielle has a fat knee from falling, and I almost crushed Sam when she was showing me how to slide slip.

Well tomorrow we are off to LaCross, Wisconsin, where Danielle and I are leading a Youth Event for Sand Lake Wesleyan, should be fun!

If anyone needs us to house sit, just let us know. We are really good at it.

The Shirt

First, let me start by saying thank you to all of you who have called, and emailed your encouragement to Danielle and I. It really has been a huge blessing to know that our friends, and family were there praying for us. Prayer is such a gift from God.

We have been doing a lot of talking with many of Clare’s middle school teachers. They were instructed not to talk about the events of Clare’s suicide, so that left a lot of imagination, and unanswered questions. But the Lord has graciously opened many doors for Danielle and I to minister to people who need to hear about Jesus.

Thank you for joining us in this journey.

Well, on to more issues. Christmas for us this year was hairy. We traveled a ton, and celebrated 5 different Christmas parties. The first being the Freed family Christmas in Detroit during Thanksgiving week, second being with our youth ministry Christmas shing dig, third with the Walls Family Christmas in Lapel, Indiana, the onto Cole Christmas and finally a quiet little time with just Danielle and I. Each one was so special and perfect. We really had a wonderful Christmas.

But the laugh is this, Rosie and Danielle bought me a gag gift. They purchased this rainbow shirt as a joke, and when I opened the package, I really liked it. I don’t think they were expecting this response from me, because Danielle quickly told me, it was for a laugh, and that I was not allowed to wear it!!



But I did, because I really liked it. However, we made a deal, I would wear the rainbow shirt to Sunday Night LIVE! (one of our youth programs) and allow the students to vote if I should keep it or not. Well, the vote was pretty clear, and I no longer wear the rainbow shirt. But I would love to know what your thoughts are of my cool rainbow shirt?

You have style right? You know what is cool?

What do you think? Should I ever wear this shirt again? Should I pull it out of retirement, turn my back on my Wisconsin friends and wife, and wear the rainbow shirt loud and proud?

Either way…I still like it…but probably will not wear it…bummer


For more of what we do, surf over to our ministry site. www.ShowMeCRM.org

Tramatic Time for us

Hey Friends,
Well it has been a long time since my last post. My plan was to post a long Christmas/Thanksgiving/New Years Summary of my life. Much has taken place since my last post. My life has been extremely busy. Danielle and I put more then 60 hours of driving from Detroit, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, and many trips to the Windy City for shopping and site seeing. Chicago is beautiful at Christmas.

Thanksgiving was great with my brothers James and Joseph, and Mom and Dad. It is awesome how God has blessed my parents in the past year. My mom has lost almost 150lbs in almost a year. My father is senior Pastor at First Missionary Church of Clarkston, Michigan. Which is the same town as Kid Rock.

Christmas was great also. Spending time in Indianapolis with Danielles parents and little bro Micah. It is crazy to see your little bro-in-law be 15 years old and tapping 6.2---and I know he isn’t finished growing!!



The many showers of gifts from our families, friends, church family, and youth ministry blessed Danielle and me. We are truly blessed, and look forward to seeing our family again.

At the beginning of January we went to LOGOS5 with a group of student in our youth group worship band. Danielle and I did not offer this trip to our entire youth ministry, because we wanted to invest the time, and energy into a few. So we took 10 students to LOGOS05 and had an awesome time. We were challenge to read God’s Word through in a year.

For me the most challenging time for me at LOGOS5 was the talk my Maralin Lazalo [sp –sorry]. She challenged my heart, and my passion to tell people about Jesus.

While at LOGOS5 I was asked to program a Battle of the Band with IWU. Danielle and I used this as a leadership development project for our students. They did an awesome job setting up the stage, passing out bead necklaces and showing other high school bands where to set up, and what to expect. I was so proud of them, and how much patience they had, and willingness to serve.

I start grad classes in about a month through Indiana Wesleyan University. I am excited about this next educational adventure.

Also, my friend and mentor Chris Conrad has recently moved to Indiana to take a new position at the Wesleyan Church headquarters. So I have been in search for a new mentor. Which is nothing new for me, because since the age of 18, I have had a mentor. Someone who was usually an, older, wiser person who I could rub shoulders with. To learn from them the wisdom and knowledge they have gained through the years. So, when I first came to Wisconsin, Chris adopted me and took me under his wing. Monthly we would try to get together and share our hearts about marriage, ministry, and personal growth.

My father planted a church when I was 12. The drop zone style of church plant was very hard, and difficult for my family. I am grateful for the experience, and much of who I am today, and my passion to tell people about Jesus, is because of that stage. But the idea of church planting has always been a passion of mine, but also a deep fear. Chris, helped me move passed that fear, and tone my vision for church planting. Thank you Chris!

So, since, I was with out a mentor, I began my search again for a new person to learn, experience and gain wisdom from. I found Mark Vincent from Design for Ministry (which can easily be found on the www). Mark’s children have attend our youth ministry for a few years now. Mark and his wife Lori both have done youth ministry, and many different ministry leadership positions. These are two people Danielle and I, would consider heroes. Mark has agreed to meet with me for the next 6 months as I start my grad work, and begin a new step in my method of disciple making.

Danielle is starting her 2nd semester as Children’s director of Our Savior's Wesleyan Church. It has been awesome to see her pour into these kids, and really sink her teeth into a new type of ministry for her, leadership development. We have both grown a ton, in our ministry styles in July. Sharing an office space, and ministry goals has opened so many new doors for marriage growth. We have learned to work together in a deeper way. We really depend on each other a bunch! I really don’t know how to do ministry with out her.

With all this said---I have to tell you the real reason Danielle or I have not posted. As many of you know Danielle not only works for Our Savior’s Wesleyan Church, she also works for our local school district as the LINKS After School program director. Every Wednesday a bus pulls up to the church’s front door and 15-20 7th and 8th grade students unload for an afternoon of hilarious games, relaxing, homework help, and mentoring. I help out too by training, and encouraging the sr. high student mentors. Danielle has had this program for almost 3 years.

Two years ago a young lady in the 7th grade came to the after school program. Her name was Clare. Clare was a bright, talented young lady that displayed a unique ability in art, and design. She would always wear clothes that were not in-style, but were her style. She would always use the church parking lot as her canvas. Danielle and I would supply the side walk chalk. When people were sad or down, she would offer to draw their picture. Which always brightened people’s day.
For three semesters of school Clare came to LINKS. Every Wednesday, she would walk off the bus and into our lives. We laughed together, and often times shared stories about how we each grew up. Clare was always invited to our Youth group, but she could never convince her parents to bring her.

Clare, graduated the 8th grade and went into the 9th grade. Which means she no longer could come to the after school program. Which meant Danielle and I lost touch with her since Sept.

This past Monday night, Clare committed suicide in her brothers bedroom. This was a kick in the gut for Danielle and I. Our hearts have been broken. Many feelings of guilt, and “what if’s” run through our minds. We have not slept a full night yet. Last night we went to the funeral, and today, I did not go to work. We have been living in shock.

However, in the midst of this storm, God has been speaking to us. Through His Word, long times in silent prayer, and talking it out with other believers, Danielle and I are mourning, and being stretched.

For Danielle, it has been a constantly in her thoughts, she has had a really hard time sleeping, and constantly is thinking about the whole situation. For her it is like an ache in her heart. She tries to find relief, but has found she just needs to go through the pain of this loss.

For me, I have gotten boldness out of all of this, as if someone has released a hungry man deep in my soul. I have never had a greater passion or fervor to tell people about Jesus. Every time I meet someone, or have a chance to have meaningful talk with someone, I am driven to tell him or her about things that matter. I want to tell them about Jesus.

I am torn up inside to think that Clare may have come into my church, through an outreach my church had, and I may have not told her about Jesus. Sure I may have been a nice guy, and even driven her home once. But did I ever really come out and challenge her stance in life. Did I tell her about Jesus? Or just play fun games with her, play Christian music, and hand her a flyer with the next great youth event CRM was having? Did I tell her more about my youth ministry than I did Jesus?

Danielle and I have been blessed to have a growing vibrant ministry. Every student we have has been a blessing from God. And we work our tails off weekly to disciple, develop leaders, develop methods of discipleship, and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God has doubled the size of our ministry every year since we have been here. Not because of anything we have done, but because of the huge need this community has. But often times I fall prey to having a heart that cares more about the marketing of youth ministry than I do of the evangelism of Jesus Christ. THIS WHOLE SITUATION HAS BEEN AN AWAKENING.

Tonight, there was a student led candle light vigil at the local park. Danielle, a group of students and myself went. With my candle in hand I asked God for an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. Just someone, who is lost, hungry and hurting. As we arrived their must have been 40-50 student huddled together trying to stay warm on a cold Wisconsin night. As we began to light our candles, Megan, the group organizer asked if I would share. She said, she was not sure what to say, but knew something needed to be said.

Tonight, at Field Park in Mukwonago, I told them about Jesus. I told them that His love is great. I told them that His healing goes deep, and that life doesn’t have to end. I told them of salvation and new birth. I told them nothing about my youth ministry, or about the cool event we are having on Saturday. I just told them about Jesus.

Pray for us friends. We are hurting, hungry, and ready to move from this heartache. God’s been moving and breaking new ground in our hearts. I am not sure exactly for what reason. My prayer for you, is that if you get the chance, and if you don’t get one, make one, but tell someone about Jesus. You may not have them next semester.

The friend we lost

Our Friend Clare at LINKS last year.
We will miss you forever Clare.



Clare is our blond haired Friend sitting in the chair on the far left.

Danielle at home

Here is Danielle in our kitchen cooking holiday goodies.

Christmas Visit from family

It was awesome to have Danielles family here for a few days in the begining of December. I have been meaning to share this picture with you.

Thank you, Gandma and Grandpa Cole, Nancy, Charity, and Rosie for spending a couple days with us! We love it!!

Thanks MOM!

Thanks Mom for the chocolate fountain---Danielle and I love it!!

See more pictures of the CRM Thankgiving PITCH-IN @ www.ShowMeCRM.org

Sir Do you know why I pulled you over?

Friday night, Danielle and I ended a romantic evening in Chicago with a speeding ticket coming home on 41 North. I was going 61 in a 45---so that is $105 less in our checking account. I honestly had no idea I was going over the speed limit. The speed limit when merging onto 41 north from 94 north was 55---I thought I was safe. But I guess the speed limit changes to 45mph as you travle


Needless to say, we will never be taking 41 north to get home.

The Freed Family

God thanks for not giving me a normal functioning family

Thanks God for brothers

Well Danielle and I are in Detroit at my parent’s home in the suburb of Clarkston. My parents live in a really cool place. They live on the same lake as Bob Seger and Kid Rock! Sometimes, they can hear music on the lake from Bob’s house and my mom has bumped into him at Kroger one or twice.

Being home for the Thanksgiving is interesting for me. It is always good to reconnect with my brothers and mom and dad. but it always reminds me of why a man leaves home to cling to his wife. I can appreciate my family, and love them a ton, but I feel good about moving away and starting my own home. It is awesome how that happens so naturally.

Right now I am watching Seinfeld with my brothers, just like old times. I have to admit I do miss them. They are the only guys on the face of the planet who really know what it was like to grow up in this house.

They are the only guys in the world that know how to really tell when dad is mad.
They are the only ones in the world that know where the “silence of the Lamb’s” cardboard cutout is hidden in our house.
They are the only guys that know how Joseph screwed up Christmas morning one year and made mom cry…we will never let him live that down.
No one else in the world knows what it is like to celebrate a FIREFIGHTERS Christmas at Kimball Township Fire Dept.

I love these guys! Thanks God for my great brothers…and thanks for giving us a relationship that is deep and real.

Happy Thanksgiving from the quietest one in the Freed family…no joke!!

Paul COLE!!!

Paul Cole got married today....congrats Paul!!!
Elopping is crazy!!! WOW!!!!! See you at Family Christmas!!!
nothin but love from the Freeds in Wisconsin!!!

Jodi and Paul Cole :::: WOW!!!!!

Blue Print: reflection of Titus 2:12

-And we are instructed to turn from godless living, and sinful pleasures and we should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God.- Titus 2:12

This week a group of men and I that I meet with weekly have committed to tattooing this scripture to our hearts. It is a powerful verse that is really a blue print for how we should respond to life.
I am forced to respond to life, through my behavior. If your attitude is the only thing you can change, the only tool of change is your behavior.
Tuesday night Danielle and I and a bunch of friends went to “THE RAVE” and awesome club here in Milwaukee that features all kinds of concerts through out the year. On Tuesday when we were there, and the only reason we were there was to see RELIANT K and MXPX. This was an awesome concert!! But one thing almost ruined it….

THE RAVE has a main floor and balcony that wraps around the entire perimeter of the room. You can literally look over the shoulder of the artist as they rock out. Not wanting to get caught in the mosh-pit with sweaty teenagers, Danielle and I sat in the upper right side of the room, just behind the shoulder of the bass player. We had a birds eye view of everything!! We could even hear the small talk of the band to each other in between songs. It was as if we were on stage with them. But from the stage…something disturbing was sitting in the front row. That if you were in the crowd or mosh-pit you would have totally missed it, but from Danielle and my seat…we heard every word.

The enemy sat in the front row of this concert. When Reliant K took the stage the 500+ people in the room erupted in praise, except for the 5 people in the front row. They hurled insults, swear words and number of hand gestures that you would not be able to find in a sign language dictionary. For the next hour between songs, this small group of people screamed at the lead singer of RK[reliant K]. At one point, the screaming was so intrusive to the band, the band members actually paused before starting a song…just to grasp their bearings. The enemy was in the front row.

The concert ended, the crowd was pleased, Reliant K had hit a home run for Jesus in their final song, that sang about forgiveness, and grace. But the enemy sat in the front row. No one probably heard them, except for the band, and no one cared, except maybe the band. But I watched in anger, in frustration, in deep hurt, because I could not do anything to protect the band. I could not yell enough praise to them or cheer them on enough to dismantle the enemy in the front row.

Here is wisdom I walked away from this life experience with…….

1. The enemy is always in the front row of our lives. He is Screaming out discouragement, and tearing us down, declaring that we, -F-in suck-, and we will never amount to anything.
2. Though the crowds cheer us on, it only takes a few voices to really change the direction of our hearts. How many times have I listened more to the enemy in the front row, then the crowds the sing a different tune.
3. The enemy is not looking to defeat you, just take your focus off what is important. When our focus is off what is meaningful and lasting, we will destroy ourselves.
4. The only way you can respond is in your behavior, behavior is chosen through your attitude. When the enemy seeks to destroy, and sits in the front row of your life, you have to make a decision. How will you respond?


The ability to Choose is the most beautiful, and most ugly thing God created. Daily I am faced with choices, to honor God in my behavior, or fall prey to the enemy. There is a beautiful spiritual reaction that our lives go through when we choose to live a life of self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God. There is also a very ugly bitter reaction that happens to us spiritually when we live godless lives, and live by our sinful pleasures.

Choice is what makes us human it’s what makes us able to love. Love is more of a choice then a feeling, or emotion. Maybe, when we reach back into our lives, and pull out these elements of self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God that make up a Christ driven life. We really are swimming against the current of the world around us, we are making a choice that goes against the grain of our fall nature. So maybe being a follower of Jesus Christ is more about Holiness then happiness? Hmm…..this is another topic….for another blog…

Ok, now I am ready to tattoo this scripture to my life.

This is Don Freed doing my favorite thing...making steaks on the grill. To this day, I have never tasted a better steak. However, he did have two heart attacks, and today can not eat much steak...but in this picture [july1979] he is loving life.

And if you are wondering...he is smiling...that is my Grandpa...happy.

love you Grandpa Freed!!

Dear Don Freed

Dear Grandpa,
I love you! Thank you for being a man of God, and sharing that with your three boys. I remember as a little boy coming over for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and every night before bed, the whole family would all kneel and pray. I know this was a tradition from your father, which you shared with your family, and then with your grandchildren. That was powerful in my life, and to this day I kneel to pray. Also, every Monday night, I have a Bible study of 30 teenage boys who meet at the church, and I tell them the story of my Grandpa, and how he is a man of God, how he loved his wife Lucy, and their three boys. I tell them about how you are a man of prayer, and conviction. I always tell them of your love for Jesus. So on Monday night with those young men, we all kneel to pray, just like you.
Grandpa, I hope I grow up to be like you. I love you so much, and pray for you often. You have always been a spiritual hero in my life, and many times I have faith in Jesus, because of my grandpa’s faith in Jesus. Thank you for loving Jesus.
Finally, thank you for the nicknames. Pumpkin toes, Hunk of Bologna, and my favorite, JohnBoy. No matter how old I become, I will always be JohnBoy.

I love you Grandpa,

JohnBoy

Danielle and I this summer

Here is a great picture of Danielle and I this past summer at Youth Camp. She is so beautiful!!!

Books I am currently reading:

Ok my hope is to read these books by the end of the year. I have started all of them, but hope to finish all of them by Jan.1

What happens is every 3-4 months I make personal reading goals for myself. The reason I do this, is because i buy lots and lots of books...with dreams of reading them all...then slowly read them...so for the past year I have been setting reading goals for meself...it has helped a ton. here are the books i am reading now....

ENTER THE WORSHIP CIRCLE by Ben Pasley [Relevant Books]
This is a great book...I laugh out loud when he the Author talks about coffee houses, and the art work inside. Very good insights so far in worship, and life style worship. I have always loved the CD's and now the book also.

THINKING FOR CHANGE by John C. Maxwell [Warner Business Books]
I have read all of John's books...and if you have read one...you really have read them all. But I enjoy his illustrations and quick insights...a mile wide and inch deep...but an easy easy read. Very encourageing to me. I enjoy all of John's books because they are fast read, and practical....much like my life.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel [Zondervan]
I have been meaning to read this book for a long time. and I am reading another of Lee's books this month, so I thought I would zip through this...but most times with Lee's books...it is a slow walk. He always has great stuff to point out...He has a great way of thinking....and causing you to think.

CONTROLLED CHAOS--Making sense of Junior High Ministry-- by Kurt Johnston
I am reading this book because in our ministry we have just split Jr. High students from the Sr. High students. I am not all that good with Jr. High students. So I am reading this book looking for direction and help...hopefully it will solve all my worlds problems. Kurt is a great youth pastor I have learned a lot from his other books.

THE DISCIPLE-MAKING CHURCH by Bill Hull
I am looking forward to reading this book. mostly because it is my passion. I have never read a book by Bill so this should be good....first two chapters are intence.

INSIDE THE MIND OF UNCHURCHED HARRY AND MARY by Lee Strobel [Willow]
This has been a great book...it is really a look in side the mind of Lee. The feelings he felt as a professional journalist for the Chicago Tribune and his feelings when he first came to church with his wife. He does a great job at painting a picture of the seeker, and the type of greeting they expect from a church. and the type of greeting they need to recieve from a church. I do question this book a tad...the first church and only church he visited as a seeker was Willow Creek, and he was a white collar professional from the City, from a boomer generation....these all play a part in a seekers mind...still waiting to see if he talks abou that.... So far though a must read for anyone who wants to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ....also for anyone who read my last Halloween post...

Chooseing To Cheat by Andy Stanley
A preacher hero to me, Andy writes great stuff...but repeats a ton in a lot of his books. I have read many of his books, and I am getting alot out of this one. I read Andy's "Visionariing" book for desert after a long day at the office....that is a great book, and my dad says this one ranks up there with it. We will see...so far...OK....but the middle is always the filler for Andy's books...he does best in the first 4 and last 4 chapters....especially in an 8 chapter book.


Hope I finish these things...I have 61 days as of today...

3 Main Ingredients to a Successful LIFE

1. Purpose [aka: Direction or Compose]
Having this defined at the front end of your life, will keep you on the path to success. This works in all ways of life. That’s why “PURPOSE Driven LIFE” has been a successful book. Because people have found that when you have purpose, it is like having a compose for your day to day activities; whether that is a meal with friends, or a marriage.
KEY QUESTION: Why are you going in this direction?

2. Goal [aka: Destination]
Having clear goals allows your to track progress in the direction you are going. ALL successful people have goals. What are the goals you have for life? Having clear goals allows you to track where you are going, and how you will get there. Having Goals in life, is like having a map.
KEY QUESTION: What do you want to accomplish?

3. Strategy [aka: Vehicle]
Having a clear strategy for how you will accomplish your goals, which are directed by your purpose, will give you the easiest way to success at what ever you do. Nailing down a strong strategy will give you a vehicle to your goals. Having a strong strategy, will give you confidence and momentum in accomplishing your goals. With out a strategy, you will never accomplish your goals. For many school is the vehicle for accomplishing their life goals. I recommend always linking yourself with a mentor. A good mentor will challenge your strategy, requiring you to really make good choices, and proper steps through life. My ministry is to link people with strong LIFE Coaches...take a look at "MY WORK" under links.
KEY QUESTION: What methods will you take to accomplish your purpose?

Why I think Jesus would participate in Halloween

I grew up -trick or treating-, in Ohio, and Michigan. My father who is a pastor would map out the best way to collect the best and most about of candy. Halloween was a big game to him. His enthusiasm for the sport of collecting free candy, really sparked in me the whole idea of Halloween.
Halloween is a kids dream come true. Everyone in your neighborhood for miles around gave away free candy. And all you have to do is dress up in a cheesy homemade costume. It is so much fun to dress up and get real creative on what you will be that year. Every year it seemed I was the super hero from TV I was currently in awe of. However, every four years, I was always the current president. I have been Ronald Regan, George Bush and one year my brothers and I were Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, and Bob Dole. We got a lot of laughs that year, and that was what we were looking for.
In my growing up years I was only allowed to -Trick or Treat- until I reached the 6th grade. Then after the 6th grade I only could help my brothers go door to door. We never decorated our home in orange and black, and we were allowed to carve pumpkins, but only with smiles or Christian symbols. One year, my mother actually won a pumpkin-carving contest sponsored by the local hospital. We were very proud of that pumpkin. Also, in my family we were never allowed to dress up like witches, wizards, ghosts, or anything scary. Halloween was a time to laugh, smile, and of course free candy. My father who was a strong Christian man laid out for my brothers and I the reasons we don’t celebrate Halloween and the reason we participate in Halloween. These truths have stuck with me.

One house, and the only house I ever remember going to for candy, was a Christian man on the corner of a long street. Don’t ask me the name of the street, as a little boy on a bike, you only know streets by the length you have to peddle. This man on the corner of the long street I knew was a Christian because and only because of Halloween. He always decorated his house real bright, with many crosses, manger scene, which I always thought was neat, and beautiful scene of Jesus with little children. Scripture was placed around his yard on signs for people to read as they approached his house. This was a house everyone wanted to be at on -trick or treat- night…not because of the décor…but because of the candy. This Christian man always gave HUGE full size candy bars away. Not those cheap, nasty, -Sweettarts- or -candy corns- that everyone else gave out, and you always were disappointed to see. This Christian man gave out the good stuff, and always wrapped around the candy bar was the entire salvation message. On the back of the wrapping the gospel was written in children’s terms, and on the front a more in depth, more adult focused message of salvation. Everyone respected that Christian man’s message. Everyone felt loved, and not judged. Everyone one knew that the Christian man loved kids, because he always had a Huge sign in his front yard that read, -Jesus loves the little Children-.

I Find Christians are on different sides when it comes to Halloween. For example in some church families, people don’t participate or celebrate Halloween. Many even speak out against it. some even throw a Halloween Alternative at the same time as the town’s scheduled -trick or treat- time. So that there children don’t feel the pressure to participate in the -Trick or treat- time.
Other church families celebrate Halloween by doing different activities during the season as a Christian response to the pagan holiday. For example the church I was a little boy in, always through a Harvest party after -trick or treating- so children could come show their candy they had collected and enjoy fresh donuts, and cider. Then my father would share the Gospel of Jesus and how He is the great provider, and Lord of the harvest in our life.

So here is what I think…I think you can either MAKE or MADE HALLOWEEN…and you say what??? Let me explain

Some Christians MAKE something out of Nothing:
Halloween to the world is a fun holiday where children dress up and -trick or treat- door-to-door. People who do not know Christ, and maybe do, decorate their home with silly cheap decorations they buy from Wal-mart [which begins promoting Halloween right after school starts]. Most times the decorations deal with scary, dark supernatural symbols. To the world, it’s cute and silly. However, to Christians, who are used to thinking in the supernatural, these things are very dangerous feeling. Christians understand the horror of sin and the slavery and bondage it puts people in.
However, most times Christians make something out of nothing. While the world would not care if Halloween disappeared we as Christian make something an issue that is not even an issue to the world.

Here is what I see happens when you MAKE something out of nothing:

Christians look scared::::::::::::::::::::
When we make Halloween an issue, and have “Halloween Alternative” we make something out of nothing. The world wonders why Christians get so scared and defensive around Halloween. IT makes us look like we are not confident in the supernatural power we claim to worship, and claim has all the answers.
I talk with many new believers, and many non-believers in my week. I really seek them out about topics like this. Search their heart, and really find out what they are thinking. They are very confused why we make something out of nothing, like Halloween. Personally I have to agree brothers and sisters. I have never once met someone, who did not come to Christ because of Halloween. But I have met many who will not give Christians an open heart to the Gospel, because of our response to Halloween.
The Truth is church, we worship a God that is stronger and more powerful then a small American holiday like Halloween. Our response to Halloween by making it an issue comes across as fearful, judgmental, and with out power. We do not worship a weak Lord, but one that is ALIVE and moving. How have you expressed that to your neighbors this year? They all wanted to bring their children to your front door, you had the opportunity to share with them your goodness through a simple piece of candy. That could have been an open door to their lives. Instead, Christians will lock their doors, turn off their lights, and not answer, or worse, leave the neighborhood to huddle up in their churches. Connecting with only people who think and act like them.
Where is the powerful God you worship, the one who eats with sinners? Where is the Jesus you worship that came for the sick? The hurting? The lost? Is He only at the church?
As for this Pastor, I will give out BIG Candy Bars with the Gospel message lighted on my front lawn, and wrapped around the great treats I have for the children.

1 Corinthians 1:21-25 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Christians Give Halloween Value:::::::::::::::
Often times, when you give nothing attention, time, and energy, you give it value. For example, I have always felt BEANIE BABIES were the dumbest things ever. They were worthless, small, bean bags in the exact same bear shape. However, companies like McDonalds new they could sell them, as collectors items. Why? Because people gave them attentions thinking they were cute and meaningful, time, searching for them. I worked at McDonalds when I was fifteen and Beanie Babies were hot items. People would call around, and search for specific collector Beanie Babies. Great amount of energy went into these stupid things, thus giving them value. Since then, many attics, mine includes, have a box tucked away holding these stupid Beanie Babies, thinking someday they will be worth something.
Christians give value to Halloween and it’s meaningless decorations, and hype by making it an issue. If Christians spent more time responding with Love, it would give more credibility to our message then our position for or against Halloween. Don’t cast your pearls church among swine! The money, energy, and attention your going to give a Halloween Alternative, turn around and put that into spreading the Gospel and making disciples. The great commission never said to defend your Christian position.
As Christians we often allow the worlds supernatural thinking to come on the same playing field as our own Holiness pursuits. Halloween is childish, but the idea of salvation, justification, and regenerations is heavenly. The theology of Holiness is not comparable to the cheap theology of Halloween. Halloween will be stuffed in boxes and stored in the garage for most of the year, but our talks of holiness with our children should be around the dinner table every night. When you compare the supernatural thoughts of this world, with the Holiness pursuits of your brothers and sisters, it cheapens the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is like comparing the Green Bay Packers with your local Junior Varsity football team at your local high school. They are not even on the same page.

1 Corinthians 3:19-24 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephs or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Choose to Make LOVE not Divisiveness:
A dark empty house says something to a community on Halloween. It is not saying love that is for sure. It is being closed off from society, and worse neighbors. It is judgmental, and divisive. It is not the Gospel of Love it read about in the scripture. It is not the Jesus followers I read about in Acts. The Bible commands us to be a LIGHT to our neighbors, not a judge, a City on a hill, not a court.

Brothers and Sisters I urge you to be LOVE. Open, inviting, trusted, friendly, honest, patient, kind, and respectful. Be love, so that people will be open to your message.

1 John 4:17-21 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

How A Christian Made Halloween Something out of nothing::::::::::::

1. Point To LIFE!
Show that LIFE with Christ is stronger then death with the world. We live with out life when we are separated from the creator of Life. I heard Mike MacNeil say it this summer and it has stuck with me ever since, WE WORSHIP THE GET UP GOD. Death no longer has a sting. We are more then conquers through HIM! At Halloween point people not to death like the rest of the world, but use your life, your home, your costumes to point to a NEW Life in Christ. Be joyful and announce that the Prince of Peace is alive and ready to give NEW LIFE. Brothers and Sister do not be fearful of this world, but teach your children that the world is a place fallen from God. Thay is why there is death, but we worship a living God. A God of hope, peace, and Love!

Luke 7:36-50 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.

Jesus answered him, Simon, I have something to tell you.
Tell me, teacher, he said.
Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?
Simon replied, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.
You have judged correctly, Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.
Then Jesus said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
The other guests began to say among themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins?
Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

2. Advance the Gospel
Speak the Word of God courageously and fearlessly. Use Halloween to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. The man on the corner when I was a child, told hundred and hundreds of Children about Jesus. Just by investing His time, money, and energy into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is an example of us all of using the negative things of this world, as a positive platform to share the Gospel. I really believe that we have a problem in the American Church. We have believers who will make more of a fuss about abortion, Halloween, politics, democrats, and Supreme Court decisions, than they will for spreading the Gospel. This shows me a church with pride problems.

4 Ways to Use Halloween to Advance the Gospel:

Trunk or Treat: If you live in a rural community, open up the church as the community center for “trick or treat” invite families to the church, where member so the congregation decorate their trunks with BIBLE Themes. Some great trunk themes have been, Christmas, David and Goliath, Calvary, Acts Church, Noah, Creation, and Lazarus raised from the Dead. At each trunk a child has to say, Jesus Love Me and when he or she does, they will receive a piece of Candy, or course wrapped in the Trunks, story from the Bible. When the Child returns home, or inside the church for donuts and apple cider, they have 30-40 Bible stories, and 30-40 great pieces of candy.
My favorite was an older gentlemen, who did not feel he was very creative. He merely showed up and opened his trunk. He passed out big candy bars, but his trunk was not decorated like the others. When the Children asked why his trunk was empty, He would smile, and explain that His trunk was decorated to show the story of his LIFE before he asked Jesus to come inside; boring, and plain. He then would tell how he accepted Christ, and why they should too. I believe even an empty trunk can speak more of love, then a dark home, on Halloween.

Gospel Tracks with BIG Candy Bars: Make kids want to come to your home. Give away big candy bars, with a big message of LOVE! They will read those messages, I always did! Also, parents will be curious of the message your giving their child, and read the message also.

Christian Symbols: Symbols are a big part of Halloween; for example, black cats, witches, ghosts, black kettles, or dark scary things. Now one wants to really live in a world like this. So give them another option. Decorate your home with beautiful Christian symbols that speak of new life, and fresh starts. Decorate your home that speaks a nonverbal message of a great God!

Throw a Halloween Costume Party!: This is my favorite, because I always love a good party; especially a costume party. As adults, we still love to be childish and creative. Invite adults to your home for a costume party. Invite not only believers, but also non-believers from your work, or neighborhood. Invite them with a great invitation that really sets the mood for the evening. Have a costume party, with a prize that’s worth being creative for. Then at the end of the night, tell the group you want to share with them the GOOD NEWS that changed your life. Share your personal testimony and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Give them an invitation to talk to you more about your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Tools to Teach your Children about Halloween:
Often times, Children reap the most from Halloween. So use Halloween to spark conversations around your home….here are a few of my suggestions.

1. Teach of Supernatural things, such as demon possession, death, SIN, and how God is larger then all these things. Teach that the world is curious of supernatural things, because they don’t understand, but the Bible is very clear on these topics. [1Corinthians 7:29-31; 1John 2:16-17]
2. Teach God is greater then Death. The world does not understand death, because they do not have HOPE in Christ. Explain the Good news of Jesus raising from the dead, so that we may go to heaven.
3. Halloween is a great time to talk with your children about sin, and hell. Explaining to them that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to escape hell.


Let’s not Make Halloween an issue church, let’s say we made Halloween worth something…

My Space....make it your space

hey i have started something new...check it out...

www.myspace.com/johnfreed

WOW! The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few

There are 51 Million children under the age of 18 years old
80% of all children in the US do NOT have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
40 Million Do NOT know Jesus

Before I am 35 (10 years) the US will no longer be able to consider itself a Christian nation.

A persons moral foundations are generally in place by the age of 9

Most American Christians have accepted Christ by age 12

What person believes by age 13 is what they will die believing.

85% of Parents in the US believe it is their job to teach their kids about Spiritual Matters and Moral beliefs.

Only 11% said they believed it was the Churches job to teach children about spiritual matters.

In the Protestant churches across the US only 1 in 5 parents were given any instruction on how to Teach children about moral beliefs and Spiritual matters.

In most typical US Churches 4 of ever 10 people a church ministers to are children. Yet 7 our of every 8 dollars are spent on adults.

Why I wish church was like our NEW SUPER WAL-MART

Praise the Lord, Super Wal-Mart opened it’s doors in my town at 7:30am yesterday morning. People were rushing in and out of the coffee shop to see it. I found myself feeling anxious as I waited for Danielle to get off work, so we too could zip over and see the Materialistic Temple.

Super Wal-Marts (SW-M) are very hard to find in Wisconsin. Only one in the Greater Milwaukee area, unlike Indiana where we have migrated from. In college we would spend hours just wondering the aisles see all the pretty things we will own when we were out of school. And today, I bought speakers, and a sub-woofer…why? Because I like loud music. And as I sit here and reflect on my present location in my journey through life, Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the Love” is rumbling through my speakers.

So back to my title of my reflection…why I wish church was like the Materialistic Temple we call Super Wal-Mart?

I have a few reasons:

1. They remember the ONE THING: No matter what day you walk into SWM you will know what the main thing is…the price-the cost—the MONEY! That’s right, SWM open all across this red white and blue nation with the one goal in mind. Make money! Sure they ALWAYS (which they now own that word) want the lowest price for you and I. But the truth is, they want our hard earned money.

Church is a little different, and when I say church I am talking about your church, and my church, and that church on the corner where your grandma used to go, before the young preacher came in, and that church that sits in circles and guy with dreads sings with a guitar, while we try to figure out the tune. And I am talking about the church where everyone wears a suit on Sunday, and have like a billion kids in every family. Church has lost it’s ONE THING. I bought a book a year ago called “THE ONE THING” great book, as it explores Martha and Mary and sometimes we need to be a Martha in our work, but most times we need to be a MARY and just chill and rest at the feet of Christ.

I am reflecting on the church as a whole, so I am making big generalizations. Buti feel today, that the church has lost it’s one thing. We are so caught up in ministry we forget what the ONE thing is. We forget what every person that walks through our doors want and need.

The one thing: GRACE: Salvation Grace, Discipleship Grace, Evangelistic Grace, Servant Grace.

2. Wal-Mart figured it out…it takes more then one product to get your money. They know they could not have a SWM only selling clothes, or just food, or just oil changes. They have figured out that, to make the most money, they need to have products for everyone of our needs….and most of all WANTS

Wal-mart feeds to our nature to want things we don’t need. Maybe the church can learn something from this. Except turn it around. Feed to the need, not to the wants of the people. Yeah people want to be entertained, but seriously, where in the Good Book does it show eternity as entertaining. And if Children’s ministry is so important in today’s church life…why are we so bent on entertaining the children and not feed the family’s need for deep relationships, practical virtues, and honest communication?

The church needs to simplify, cut out the fluffy fat that’s been holding us back from truly running the race for the prize. As a preacher, I want to give people what they need, not what they wanted.

Do people like it? Not really, seriously, I am sounding like I like it. But I am the first who wants to be entertained, the first to be spoon fed the message every Sunday. But the truth is, people stopped following the message of Christ because it was to hard. It required so much, it required all of us.

Well, it’s 9:46am and I need to get back home to my beautiful bride, she is probably sleeping in…I love that about her. She knows how to enjoy the mornings. This is my day off…why am I here?

Any way, I will probably swing by the new 3rd largest in the country SUPER Wal-mart on the way home. It is right across the street from my 800 sq. ft. apartment. What a beautiful world. What a beautiful Mukwonago!

Times are ALWAYS changing...

Today I read an article over a new cup of coffee. I don’t know which one I enjoyed more, the Carmel Mocha Freeze or the article on the new in coming college freshmen. Now it was only 6 years ago that I was a college freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Some of you remember my freshman year…and I again apologize for all of that. I am definitely like a fine wine…am getting more enjoyable every year. But anyway on to more important things that me…this coffee freeze was amazing. As you know my wife is a professional barista…for a coffee drinker, that is like an alcoholic owning a bar…it is a beautiful relationship. Any way, I was enjoying this coffee when I found this article on 7B of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which by the way is a horrible paper. But it is all we have in these parts. So if I am going to read it, I read the good stuff with a good cup of joe.

This article was really interesting. I guess every year the Beloit College publishes the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the worldview of each incoming class. And it came out today!! Yeah!! And the paper thought it would publish a few of it’s findings. I have listed them here for you to enjoy with me…but wait….get that coffee I had…it is so good…

The Culture of the College Freshman

1. Born in 1987
2. America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has always been on the air
3. A man named George Bush has been the president for more then half their lives.
4. They grew up with pay-per-view, voice mail on their phones, dirty dancing at school dances, and the United States as the only superpower.
5. The class of 2009 has never known Andy Warhol
6. They have never seen Jimmy Swaggart preach on TV
7. They have never seen a show of Arsenio Hall.
8. They all grew up with home computers
9. They have never known life with out a digital camera
10. Souped-up car stereos is not new to them.
11. Television has always blurred the lines between news and entertainment
12. This freshman class has no concept of the 6 o’clock news
13. Most freshman guys do not know how to tie a tie, let a lone own one
14. My favorite: They have always had “Starbucks”


I found this article intresting, and felt led to add some of my own. Since I do work with youth at many diffrernt level I thought I would add what I have picked up:

The Culture of a High School Student…

1. They have never known life with out a Wal-Mart in their town
2. They have never had basic Nintendo as their only game system
3. MTV has never played Music video’s
4. They have always had 3D video games
5. Sad but true…Dumb and Dumber (the original and only funny one) is too old to quote. They don’t get it…it is so so so sad. Does anyone want to hear the most annoying sound….blank stares….that is all you get…blank stares…so sad.
6. They have no conception of a military draft
7. They want to be around people who are different
8. They respect adults more than previous generations
9. Rebellion comes in different forms then just smoking, drinking, or sex, Rebellion is done publicly and openly
10. Homosexuality, has always been accepted
11. The church has always been for their parents
12. Coffee drinking is cool
13. They don’t know life with out email, or cell phones
14. AOL has always been around
15. AOL Instant Messenger is a primary way of communication
16. Text messaging is growing fast then a 30 year old trying to text “fast” on his or her phone.
17. Returning bottles is a foreign concept (except in Michigan where I am from)
18. Having a paper rout is so Andy Griffith…wait….they don’t know him either.
19. DVD players are old hates
20. They have always known school with shootings and open drugs.

WOW, as a person who invests His life into youth, I really have to be on the watch more then I am today, or the changing culture that is around me. If you have any more…please email me and let me know.

I got worms……….blank stares….blank stares….so so sad…

Thoughts from my reading over vacation

Ok, so I am now in Indianapolis, Indiana, visit my father and mother in-law. It was is always good to see them, relax by their beautiful big pool and just refresh. I have really enjoyed our vacation these past couple of days. We have been from Milwaukee, to Detroit, down to Dayton, Ohio, and now in Indy. On the way I have been reading a book called “We Believe” by a bunch of different authors including one of my favorites Thomas Oden, and J.I.Packer. I find these guys simply deep…I say simply deep because they take you deep with simple terms and thoughts. I hope someday to be able to do that with my writing. But today, I am bloggijng on what I have learned from my vacation.

First I have learned, I have a lot of holes. In fact if you were to fill me with water, I would leak. I have been reading some J.I. Packer and he was writing about how messed up our lives really are with out Christ. He concludes that people are “perverted”. What a crazy way to put it! But think about it, we are really messed up. Turn on the television at 5:00pm, the radio; open up the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee's horrible so called newspaper) and you will find a group of perverted living creatures. Why do we act the way we do? How can we stop the violence, bring peace in the middle-east, stop the big corporate scandals, hold back the gas prices, and convince people not to shoot other people? Why is sex the main focus of everything on TV? Why does there have to be more then chicken wings at Hooters? Why are we this way?

Sin is a subject many preachers today fail to tackle? I don't know if it is because it is to big to totally label? Or we are afraid to step on toes. Maybe sin is to big for one preacher to talk about, to much in us to point out in others. Maybe we are not supposed to point anything? But what about sin. Is it talked about in your life? Do you deal with it? Suffer from it? Is it a desire or disease in your life?

James, (the book not my brother) talks a lot about sin. I have been studying this book on Sunday mornings with some friends. We gather for breakfast and dig deep in this book, trying to find and discovers what God has for us through this letter written by James thousands of years ago. James writes that our desires married with evil gives birth to sin. First time, I read that it didn't really catch, it's one of those Bible things that jump out on you in every day life. My desires are not sinful, but desire to serve my wife and love her with all I am is not sinful. But turning those desires onto myself, or another women, other then my wife would be a sin. See how sin works? It takes the good of this world, things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control….the things we are naturally drawn to, the things we all long to have in our lives, and Sin or better said, the evil one, perverts those things, making them destructive, like a cancer to our lives. Sin takes for example; love and perverts it to lust, or joy and turning it to anger, and bitterness. These things eat at our lives, our nature, and unfortunately, it has been in our lives since the womb.

We are full of this cancer when we are born, passed from one generation to the next. No one ever has to teach a kid how to lie, or cheat, or be selfish. No one had to teach me how to be perverted in how I live. It is in my nature. Like it's in the nature of a lion to kill and eat, it's in my nature to sin.

So how do we change this course we are on? Can we? I mean can you and I change the life in which we are living? Like a broken car needing a total overhaul of the engine. Can my life be changed by me? Can the car fix itself? Can the computer rid itself of a virus? OR does it take an outside force? Does it take something greater then the car to fix the car?

I know the cure for the world. I really do. I have experienced it, and right now in this Starbucks where I write this, I am experiencing it. Not for the first time, or the last, but for all time. How about this…if I had the cure for aids, which kills hundreds of thousands a month. Kids in other countries are dieing horrible deaths because of this disease. If I had the cure, and you had the disease…would you want it? What would you do for it? Would you kill for it? Would you steal for it?

Remember James? Not from brother but the book in the Bible that I mentioned before. Yeah, that guy, well He died. In fact he died for the cure. He died sharing the cure with others. He was killed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The cure my friends for this disease of sin is Jesus Christ. In fact Christ died so that you could be saved. Christ paid the price for the cure; He wanted you so bad to be delivered from the bondage of the disease that He died on the cross so that you and I could be free from the bondage of Sin.

But if you know me, and you do, or you wouldn't be reading this, you would know that John Freed is full of sin. He is not right. But friend, God is still working on me. Just like a car needing a complete overhaul of the engine, John Freed needs a complete overhaul of his heart. Sin has perverted his heart, soul, mind, and strength. But Christ says, love me with all you, and I will give you all ME. Walk with Me and I will walk with you. He says in John 15, “I am the vine you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing”. I really believe that John Freed apart from Christ can do nothing. Nothing, that isn't perverted or distorted.

Holiness, is the process in which Christ moves in your life making you pure, and perfect. So it isn't you who fixes you…it is Christ, and Christ's Spirit releasing your spirit to be all He has created you to be.

So I have a few questions for those of you who finished this thought…
1. Do you have sin in your life?
2. Do you realize how it is destroying you?
3. Are you trying to fix it on your own?
4. Have your surrendered all of you to Christ?
5. Have you searched Christ out for a new life?

It was a good vacation so far, Friday we head home and it is back to work on Saturday.

If you wondered what I looked like since College

Many of you have called or emailed and wondered what i look like since college. Brooks Sayer had a bet with his wife on the subject of my beard and whether or not i would still have it or not, so here is a picture of me in June...in case you wondered how i turned out!

my Beautiful Awesome Wife

This past tuesday was my 2 year Anniversary to my beautiful Danielle.

She is awesome!!!

My vacation

My vacation is going great this year. Danielle and I are traveling to Detroit to visit my parents in their new home and church. It was great seeing how God had moved and provided in their lives and to see how many people they will have the chance to share Christ with. A year ago, we were praying that God would provide a ministry for my father (Bud Freed). A few years ago he came out of a really hard season of ministry. Ministry had become more of a job, than serving the Lord, and he understood he needed to get his feet under him and draw closer to the Lord. So, for three years he has worked as the Chaplin for a hospital in Coldwater, Michigan and in the shipping and recieveing area of that hospital. But today, he is the senior Pastor of a church in a beautiful lake town just outside Detroit. They are loving this season of ministry and enjoy being able to be used by God in a fresh new way.

So we are over here for a few days visiting them, then on Friday and Saturday we are heading to Ottowa Lake near Toledo (exit 5 on Hwy23) where Justin and Lindsay will tie the knot..........................spring forward to the future.........................that wedding was beautiful!! Justin and Lindsay make an awesome dynamic couple. Justin has always been a huge smile in my life. He is one of those guys you love to be friends with because he makes you a better person. Justin has always taught me how to be open, real, and authentic with others in my spiritual life. Lindsay is a beautiful lady, who is passionte about her faith. I was thinking yesterday, when her father was walking her down the isle...boy i hope my daughter, someday, turns out in love with Jesus like she is!

We are back in Detroit, and we are planning on leaving tomorrow for Dayton, OH. where I will show Danielle where i grew up and went to high school. It will be fun seeing old old old friends, and reconnecting with them.

Then after Dayton, (we have no schedule of time) we will head to Anderson, IN. where her parents live. We are looking forward to this..because they have a pool, so we plan on just sitting around doing nothing.

While i am on my vactaion i am reading a few books. I hope to have them done when i return home. One is "Chirst Plays in 10,000 Places" by Eugene Peterson. Which is a great book on Spiritual Theology. It is a tough book!! But i am enjoying it. Also i am reading "We Believe" which is a basic Christianity book by many old time authors. And then finally i am reading, another book my Eugene that i can not recall the title....but i proimse you it is good. If you would like to borrow them, drop me a email.

If you were wondering, i do miss our students. It is like we have left our kids with grandma and grandpa. I think about them daily, and just earlier I was showing someone our website...i really love those guys and gals.

well, i better get going. Danielle is napping on the couch, and i am chillin on the porch. I will try to check back later...but you know how I am at blogging.

What am i doing now?

Ok seriously, i am not a good blooger. This is exactly what happens when I try to journal. I get a great start..and then boom...real life kicks in and I loose it. I get not lazy, but too busy. Almost as if everything i was doing was more important then journaling...or blooging. So do i get guilty? Do i get angry? Do I stare aimlessly into the night? NO! I FIGHT BACK!!!

My wife had a good idea...she said i should put my "To Do" list on my blog, giving people a great glimpse into what I do on a daily basis. Since I am sure everyone wonders what a pastor does all day...besides prayer, practice weddings, and listen to Christian raido.

But next week I have to preach...no, i don't normally have to preach...but well it is coming to that time of the month again, so the topic I am speaking on is..."What Jesus wants to do when life hands you garbage to work with"...long title i know...but i could not think of a better way to shorten it. Unless I went with: "Jesus + Garbage = Todays 30min sermon".

Well today it is 78 and beautiful in Milwaukee. Could not ask for a better day. Danielle is coming back from Chicago where she took Veronica (our good friend from Arizona) to the air port. It is an emotional ride, because Veronica will not be back for sometime. So Veronica, Wisconsin and our hearts...are growing colder until you return.

Tomorrow if you really want to know: CRM (www.ShowMeCRM.org) is having a Car wash to raise money for youth camp, and after that i am off to Oshkosh for LIFEST!! Should be a ton of fun!

Well, I tip my glass to those who struggle. It is sad to think...if it were not for Christ being the unfailing God...the unfailing love...my whole life would be nothing more then a failure. Sure I fail, and often. But what if failing is all i can do? What if somewhere deep inside of me is this cancer....this broken peice of me...and all I will ever do is fail? Then what?

John 15:5--->when ever you start to get it.

Love you Father, keep close, pull me back, and urge me out into a deeper walk with you. You make it so easy...help me not to make my spiritual life so hard. I just have a way of taking it back, and making my spiritual life about me...and less about you. When in fact you want to create in me a clean, pure, powerful, rich, barbaric, heart, that desires to have all of you. Yeah...that sounds good.


p.s. if you have not noticed....my grade school English teachers FAILED in a grand way with me...i take no responsiblity for my education...i was merely a by stander=) or so it seems.