SteveWulf.com

Meet The Needs

2010-02-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen Connection Church's interview with Meet the Need on NBC's local news for Tampa Bay, you can do so by clicking the link below.

Meet The Needs

Toys For Kids

2009-12-14T20:52:00.002-05:00

Wow, I'm blown away by the response of all our Connectors this past weekend for our Toys for Kids campaign. Thanks to all of you, many kids from James Elementary School in Tampa are going to have a great Christmas!

Connection Church...YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

this year. The pic below says it all.

What's Slowing You Down?

2009-12-13T11:09:00.006-05:00

Tracy and I were recently having dinner with our friends Eric and Darlene Partin. As we were talking about life, Eric starting telling me about a boating experience they once had.

They were sailing the west coast of Florida and it was deep into the night. Eric went to get a few hours of sleep, leaving Darlene at the helm. She and her friend were having a wonderful time talking and sailing in the cool of the night.

When Eric got up, he noticed the sails at full mast capturing the wind and the wakes cresting from the bow of the boat, yet something seemed wrong. He checked his GPS, noticing that although it seemed everything was fine and it seemed they were moving along at a good rate of speed, the reality was that they were only going about 2 MPH.

Looking off the stern of the boat, he quickly realized they had snagged a string of crab pots and about 5 buoys that were attached with it. Once they cut them free, the boat began to pick up speed.

The story got me thinking about the times in all of our lives, when it seems like everything is going right, the sails are up, the winds filling them up, the wakes cresting against the side of the ship, yet in reality you're going no where fast.

I have to be constantly looking for those things in my life and ministry that is slowing me down and effectively cut it loose, This is key to moving into the blessings that God has for me.

It's a lesson that all of us could learn from. So, what is it that maybe slowing your life, your dreams, your passions down? Look around, take it to God in prayer, and find out what is needed to cut it loose...you'll be so glad you did.

Live Q&A Video Question #3

2009-11-24T15:15:00.003-05:00

Continuing with our live Q&A questions from Sunday, question #3 is, "Are Heaven and Hell physical Places?"

This theme was the first 800 lb. Gorilla that we dealt with and you can listen to that message in it's entirety at www.connectionchurch.me/listen-online.

Leave a comment if you wish.

Live Q&A Question #2

2009-11-23T18:35:00.001-05:00

We had an awesome service at Connection Church on Sunday as we answered some of your live questions. As promised, I am going to answer the questions we were unable to get to and I thought that doing so through video would be the best way.

The second questions that we are going to tackle is..."Why are we not seeing miracles like they did in the New Testament?"

Feel free to leave a comment if you wish

Live Q&A Video Question #1

2009-11-22T18:02:00.003-05:00

We had an awesome service at Connection Church today as we answered some of your live questions. As promised, I am going to answer the questions we were unable to get to and I thought that doing so through video would be the best way.

The first questions that we are going to tackle is..."How are we supposed to respond to the increasing "Evidence" of evolution?"

Feel free to leave a comment if you wish

Live Q&A This Sunday at ConnectionChurch.ME

2009-11-17T16:04:00.003-05:00

You don't want to miss this Sunday at Connection Church. We are wrapping up our "800 lb. Gorilla in the Room," series with a live Q&A.

We have already gotten some great questions, and I can't wait to tackle them head on.

Make sure you invite a friend...cause it's going to be awesome!

See ya Sunday!

The Wise and The Strong

2009-11-12T06:59:00.002-05:00

"The wise are mightier than the strong and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger." Proverbs 24:5

I love that first phrase, "The wise are mightier than the strong." Sometimes I think we get it all messed up. The strong get it done because they have money, raw talent, stature and if I could just get a little more, I would accomplish great things.

It's wisdom, which is the application of knowledge, that has the ability to get us so much further in life. Sure, it may make for a slower and less sensational start, but in the long run, it will take us much further and give us sustaining victory.

Is Drinking Alcohol A Sin?

2009-11-05T16:59:00.002-05:00

800 lb. Gorilla continues this week at Connection Church. This weeks Gorilla is a pretty hot topic in the church, and frankly has been for many years. It's the subject of drinking alcohol and whether it is right or wrong, in the eyes of God according to what the scriptures teach.

Gabe is going to tackle this issue head on...and I've gone over his message and let me tell you it's going to be a great one.

Make sure you invite a friend, tweet it up over the weekend, and come prepared to experience what God would speak to us through his word.

See ya then!

Victory May Only Be A Moment Away!

2009-10-21T09:18:00.003-04:00

It's no secret that I'm a die hard Philadelphia Phillies fan. Have been ever since I was a kid. So, you can imagine how much fun the past few years have been for me. (I don't think my wife would share my sentiment, because I have repeatedly awaken her with a loud cheer during many of their late night, post-season games.)

Needless to say, I think everyone would agree that being a part of a winning team, whether it's on the field or in the stands, is extremely fun. In fact, there's not a whole lot of feelings that are better...except for...well never mind.

It took a good part of two and a half decades for the fightin Phils to play like a championship team. Those were frustrating years, to say the least. We all know what it's like to go through times where you feel like you push and push and don't get anywhere, but when you stick to it, continue to be vigilant through the down times, a winning year(s) does eventually come (that is, of course, unless you're a Cubs fan).

I believe this to be true for anything in life. Winning comes at a price...the price of pushing through the dip, the price of striving over and over even when it seems like all that lies around the corner is another loss. However, if a person keeps pushing through, sooner or later, they will experience the win they've been longing for.

What is the win you've been longing for? Whatever it is, don't give up, keep pushing ahead, because victory may only be a moment away!

YouVersion Live Comming to Connection Church

2009-10-08T20:17:00.004-04:00

This week at ConnectionChurch.me, we will be using youversion live for the first time in conjunction with our service.

What is youversion live? It's a way that anyone with an iPhone, Blackberry or any mobile devise that has a browser can interact through with the message/conversation.

Follow the links below to make sure you youversion iPhone and blackberry app is up to date.

iPhone update: http://www.youversion.com/mobile/iphone
Blackberry update http://www.youversion.com/mobile/blackberry

Link for any browser http://www.youversion.com/groups/connectionchurch

Can't wait to see you Sunday!

800 lb. Gorilla in the Room - Starts this Sunday

2009-10-08T16:40:00.005-04:00

New Series Starting This Sunday At ConnectionChurch.me

So let's just come out and say it. You know what we're talking about — that super sensitive, oh-so-controversial issue that no one will touch with a ten-foot pole. It's as if there's an 800 lb Gorilla In The Room that everyone's ignoring yet desperately longing to expose. In this new series we'll be tackling these daunting gray areas of life that everyone loves to avoid, especially the church.

So here's a quick run down of what we'll be talking about over the next 6 weeks.

Hell...Does it exist? Does God send people there? Am I going?

Bringing Sexy Back...We'll be spending two weeks talking about...that's right...SEX!

Church, Politics and Culture? Do they mix, should Christian's get involved?

Drink, Drank, Drunk - What the church should believe about drinking and other vices.

Q & A - We'll wrap the series up with a day of live Q & A. All though out the series, you'll have a chance to text, email and ask any questions that we'll answer live.

What's happening at Connection Church.me

2009-10-04T21:37:00.003-04:00

I haven't been keeping up on my blog recently, so here are somethings that have been going on at Connection Church in the past month.

We have reached the 80+ mark in worship for over 4 weeks in a row. That's over 90% growth in the past 3 months alone! I'm humbled and thankful for God's grace in the growth that He is giving us.
Our staff set a goal to break the hundred mark in the next 6 weeks. I was a little hesitant in sharing this with our congregation because it attaches a tangible number that isn't always the best measurement in what God is doing, but I felt like this is so doable and it gives us a goal, that in the words of my father-in-law, is a S.A.M. goal (Simple, Attainable, and Measurable). It's going to be fun to watch and experience, so Connectors, let me encourage you to keep investing, keep inviting, and keep the dream alive in your hearts.
We just finished our series called Re-Sync, in which we talked about four areas that our lives need to be continually synced to: Eternity, Repentance, Grace and Generosity. You can listen to any of them here.
In today's service we challenged our people with the generosity challenge. Basically it challenged those who aren't giving to start, those who are giving to move closer to the 10% mark and those who are at the 10% mark to move above and beyond. I was so encouraged by the amount of people who took the challenge. God will show himself faithful to you.
Next week we start our new series, "800 lb. Gorilla in the Room." We will be having a conversation about some very hot topics that everyone knows is there, but no one is talking about. It's going to be a series that may ruffle a few feathers, be a little uncomfortable at times, but most importantly give some Biblical perspective to the world around us. You don't want to miss it.

Tail Gate Party this Sunday At ConnectionChurch.me

2009-09-18T17:29:00.003-04:00

This Sunday at ConnectionChurch.me. Wear your favorite NFL or college team colors and join us after church at CiCi's pizza for a tail gate party...I know, I know, it's not much of a tail gate party if it's inside. But hey...It's bazillion degrees in Florida so CiCi's is the place!

Ae You Tempting Jesus?

2009-09-14T17:17:00.003-04:00

So, I was reading in Luke the other day about the temptation of Jesus. As I was reading this thought struck me. Is it possible that we tempt Jesus in the same way that Satan tempted him?

Satan first tempted Jesus by saying, "if you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread." Ever heard yourself say something like this..."If you are truly God, then bless me with money, take away my trials, make me comfortable and satisfied."

The second temptation was Satan taking Jesus up to the highest mountain and saying, "all this belongs to me, and I'll give it to you if you bow and worship me." Sound familiar? No, perhaps this does... "I am in charge of my life, and I'll worship you Jesus only to the extent of what is comfortable for me. I'll pick and choose what I believe."

The last temptation was Satan challenging Christ to throw himself off the temple and have his angels come to his rescue. Here's an all familiar saying... "if you are truly God, Jesus, then prove it by showing yourself strong on my behalf."

James tells us that God can not be tempted, yet it's amazing how we still try. Christ words of rebuke to Satan that day have implicit meaning for us today.

"Man does not live by bread alone." Message: Be less interested what I can do for you and more interested in what I can do in you.

"Worship the Lord your God and serve only him." Message: I'm not interested in conforming to anyone, but if you want to conform to my ways, I'll give you the grace to do so, and by the way...this is where life truly begins.

"You must not test the Lord your God." Message: You'll be much better off when you stop trying to test me and just start believing me.

Just a thought.

Upcoming at ConnectionChurch.me

2009-09-01T07:33:00.003-04:00

ConnectionChurch.me has had an amazing summer. Since we made our move to the AMC24 on Anderson Road, we have seen so many new faces and have added many new people to our church family. It's been exciting to see growth right in the middle of a time when most people say churches don't grow...summer.

We are charged with great expectancy for what this fall is going to bring. New systems have been put in place that will effectively enable us to minister to many more people who will be coming to ConnectionChurch.me.

Take a look at some of the things we will be embarking on this fall. Get excited, invite your friends, and experience God's favor as we move forward in him.

September

New Series starting on September 13th - "Re-Sync." September is always a "Back to" month. Back to school, back to work, and back to the routines of life. It's a great time to stop, Re-Sync and get back to the basics of our relationship with Christ as well.
Discover ConnectionChurch.me luncheon. For all newcomers at Connection Church, join us Sunday, September 13th at 12:15 pm at Logan's Roadhouse for a luncheon and a time to hear what Connection Church is all about.
Sunday, September 20th...NFL DAY at ConnectionChurch. To celebrate the opening month of the 2009 season, we want everyone to wear their favorite team colors, jerseys, etc. After the service we will have a tailgate party and enjoy some fun, food and fellowship.

October

New Series kicking off in October..."800 lbs Gorilla in the Room...important issues that no one is talking about." What issues are before us everyday, but the church just isn't talking about? Sex? Hell? Drinking? Politics? We'll explore a range of things and find out what the Bible says about those thing and follow up each message with a live time of Q & A.
Friends Day, Sunday, October 18tth. Do you have any friends that don't go to church. We are designing this day just for them. Make your list now, begin praying for them and invite them to come and see what ConnectionChurch.me is all about.

Get 'em God!

2009-08-26T09:14:00.004-04:00

I was reading in 1 Kings 21 today and I came to the conclusion that I would have hated to be an Old Testament prophet. Why? Well, check out the story...

Ahab was king of Israel and according to the scriptures, he was the most evil king they ever had. One day he was walking around his palace grounds and decided he wanted his neighbors vineyard. He offered to buy it from him, but he wouldn't sell.

So, Ahab goes home and cries like a baby to his wife Jezebel...who was more wicked than him. What does she do? She kills the guy and leaves his body in the streets to be eaten by the dogs.

It was at this point, that I'm furious and I'm thinking...I hope this guy and his stupid wife get what is due them...death!

And what do you know, God tells Elijah to go tell Ahab he's going to do just that. The message he gave was filled with the strongest words I've read...Ahab and his wife's bodies are going to be eaten by dogs, flesh torn apart, blood everywhere...I was ready to stand and shout...YEAH GOD...GET THEM GOOD!

Then, when Elijah tells Ahab, Ahab actually repents in a big time way, and God tells Elijah..."Did you see Ahab...he's really sorry...tell him I'm not going through with what I told him I was going to do."

I was ticked when I read that, and I couldn't help but think that Elijah may have been as well. After all, Ahab was a pathetic excuse for a leader who only was concerned with himself...why would God would you let him live.

Then it hit me. God is not about retribution and revenge...he's about repentance. That's what sets apart the men from the boys all through out the Bible. A man or woman after God's heart is a man or woman who lives a life of repentance.

J.I. Packer says that Christianity is a religion about one thing...repentance. Not retribution, retaliation or revenge, but simply repentance...the ability to say I need forgiven.

For that, I have to thank God for his sparing Ahab...why? Because when I was in sin, he spared me. He's after my repentance not revenge or retaliation...and for that I'm thankful that he shows it even through a horrible man like Ahab.

It's all about me

2009-08-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning starts our new message series "it's all about.me

-- Post From My iPhone

When God Frustrates Your Plans

2009-07-29T20:52:00.002-04:00

Ever experienced that? You plan and plan, apply this strategy, take this route and still it seems like something is blocking all your efforts. Sometimes this is the very hand of God, and it's not in effect to hurt you, but really to shape you and to show you that His plans are the ones that really matter.

Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

I recently came across this poem written by an unknown soldier that fought in the war between the states. It sums this up so perfectly...enjoy!

I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy.
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all the things that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might endure all things.
I got nothing I asked for
But everything I had hoped for...
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

Give It Away

2009-07-13T21:55:00.003-04:00

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 is an old Hebrew idiom that says, "Cast your bread upon the waters and after many days you will find it again." The meaning of it is to give to charity and it will be returned to you.

I think one way we can keep going and gain hope during these hard times is to look for ways to give, even when you may not have much yourself. There's always something you can do, so be creative and look for ways to give it away.

For some reason, God has set it up in his economy that when we give, especially out of our own struggles, it has a way of coming back to us. So what are you going to do, how are you going to give? You won't be sorry, so go ahead and give.

Close To Home

2009-07-13T21:17:00.002-04:00

On my way home today, I saw a guy walking through the neighborhood with a stack of green brochures in his hand. I didn't think much of it, until I got home and read the green sliver of paper. On it was a plea from one of our neighbors asking for any work. From mowing lawns, to running errands, this couple was willing to anything to just survive. My heart was so sad for them.

Hitting so close to home, I can't imagine anyone in our sub-division not wanting to give them something to do, but if they are like we are, there's not enough cash going around to give them any work. In fact, I wonder how many people are only a few weeks away from the same kind of desperation.

Times like these are extremely tough yet in all these things, we must never lose hope that God is here. It may not feel like it, you're bank account may not show it, but his word promises us that he is and that he will never leave us.

If there is one thing I've learned over the course of my life it's this simple rule...no matter what happens, no matter what comes your way, no matter what you're facing...don't every quit! God will get you through in some way, and at the end of the storm you'll be glad you put your trust in him.

Sunday Thoughts

2009-07-05T20:44:00.002-04:00

Today was debut service of ConnectionChurch.me in the AMC 24 on Anderson Road in Tampa. Some things that are on my mind concerning the day...

Set up was pretty rough, but that was to be expected. Changing from an old routine to a new one always creates that kind of mayham, but our team did a great job scrambling to get everything done.
Special thanks to everyone on the dream team who came an hour earlier (some 2 hours) to help with set up. Give us a few more weeks of that and we'll be back to our normal times. You guys rock!!!
Special thanks to Pete for building a stage...it really made a difference.
I realize that the goal for us at this point is to come up with a way to make as few trips from our storage container to the theaters as possible...we're gonna be working hard on that one.
Our greeter team did a great job welcoming everyone, including those people who came to see a movie. Keep up the great work guys.
We had a lot of amazing connections with people who came to the theater and was wondering what was going on. One example came when two girls heard the Gabe and the worship team playing and asked what was going on. I said "Church," and they responded, "this is church!" That's exactly why we made this move.
We started "God At The Movies" today and looked at the movie I Am Legend. Great conversation on why evil exists and the answer to it.
Gabe's new video (which you can see by clicking here) was amazing and worked perfectly into my message. Gabe...you the man, keep up the great work.
Our guitar player Rei is getting married next Saturday and then moving to South Carolina. Today was his last Sunday with us. We love you Rei, thanks for the last year and all the hard work you put into Connection Church. We wish you and Whitney the best of luck and God's blessing on your new life together.
It's now Sunday night, and I'm extremely tired, but can't wait to get up and do this all over tomorrow. There's nothing else I'd rather do, and no one else that I'd rather serve with than the incredible volunteers at ConnectionChurch.me

Real Connection Starts With .ME

2009-07-03T14:10:00.001-04:00

Check it out Gabe's new video for our new .me campaign!

ConnectionChurch.me

Comming Soon

2009-06-25T21:01:00.001-04:00

Here's the teaser to our new series coming to ConnectionChurch.me. Series starts July 5th!!!

Big Changes at Connection Church

2009-06-18T08:16:00.002-04:00

There is so much going on at Connection Church right now. We are so blessed to be part of what God is doing in the city of Tampa. Here are a few details that you are going to need to know.

On Sunday, July 5th, we will hold our first service at our new location. The AMC 24 (Veterans 24) will be our new venue. We are so excited about this move. The amount of traffic that this place sees on a Sunday morning is amazing. We are truly looking forward to being in the cultural center of our community.
You may have noticed that we have been referring to our church in a little different way. It's not by accident. When we make the move to the AMC 24 we will also be modifying our name. The point will be dropped and we will simply be known as Connection Church. We will be changing our web address to www.connectionchurch.me.
Our service times will also change. Starting on the first Sunday of July, we will start our service at 10:00 am.

We have really prayed through this and we are convinced that God has led the way and we are simply jumping on board with Him. Please pray as well, as we continue to raise the God level in our community.