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Nate
Temperance, MI
I am a church planter and Lead Pastor of Bedford Christian Community Church in Temperance, MI. This is our 12th year. We are a missional church community journeying together to become more like Jesus and make a difference both locally and globally. I have been so very happily married to Wendy for 21years. I have three great kids. I hate to lose in sports, and enjoy making the devil pay. I love postmodern culture and PMs.
Interests: Reading, dreaming for God, Playing bass guitar or piano, being with my awesome wife Wendy and my Kids, Abby, Gabe, and Levi. I play racquetball 2 or 3 times a week. I love to spend time with my family. I am getting into wood carving. I enjoy a good cup of coffee (Beaners) and I can't stand chasing my dog Skamper when he gets out. I drive a sweet Tracker I enjoy some gaming from time to time. I have a lot of things in my heart I want to do for God.
Recent Activity
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I have been struggling with my schedule as of late. Maybe you cannot relate to that, but I have to get back on it. I have made some changes to make sure things happen efficiently and consistently. Here are the updates Monday, day off after a full weekend with three gatherings and maybe some events Tuesday-Staff prayer at 8:30 am, staff meeting and pastors meeting following. Wednesday AM-Study and prep, Wednesday afternoon, office admin, Thursday-All Day Prayer/Study/Prep, Day of Fasting Friday-Appointments, Admin, finish up touches for weekend. Saturday, mornings are full, and evenings are gatherings. I am also coaching the boys in football. Practices are at 5 pm. I am trusting these changes will keep me on my Thursday, day of prayer and Bible study/sermon teaching prep. You can pray for me on that day. There is a lot of other things I have to work in this schedule, with emergency situation, agenda meetings individually with the pastors, meeting prep, counseling, and my presbyter duties. Just a little glimpse into my world. Continue reading
Posted Sep 7, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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I am sick of seeing the enemy steal from God's people. He is a thief, liar, and devourer. He is always trying to get us to give him rights to what he has no right to. We let him have authority where he has no authority in Jesus Christ. I know people who the enemy has devoured their finances, their marriages, their relationship, their heart, and ultimately their lives. Jesus Christ came to restore us. To make us new. To take back and possess what the enemy has wrongfully take. Sometime we need to repossess, what the enemy has taken, so Christ can restore it. I recently was told that we need to have a "REPO-TUde" . We need to have an attitude to repossess what the enemy has taken. We need to take back our lives, our families, our relationships, our hearts what is rightfully ours in Christ. Is there anything in your lives that Satan has stolen that you need to repossess? What needs restored in your life? Have an attitude that is a repotude! Take back what is rightfully yours in Christ! Continue reading
Posted Sep 2, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
We all have many choices to make. Some choices we need to make. Our lives and the lives of others are greatly affected by our choices. Here is what Moses said, when he confronted the Israelites with the choices they needed to make. This is found in Dt 30:19,20. "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God by obeying His voice and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers." Choose life today! Life in Christ, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him. Serving God is a great blessing, and it is an amazing privilege to be a child of God. Continue reading
Posted Aug 31, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
"Wherever you go, there you'll be." "The battle is the Lord's but the victory is ours." "You feel like you want to pinch their head off and tell God they died." "I'm not just another pretty face." "Bitterness will only destroy you." "I will forgive them Lord, and the Lord said to me, 'I do it all the time Glen.' " I would rather shoot at the moon and hit the lampost, then to leave my pistol in the holster." "It's not the problems we face, it's how we handle the problems." " Don't let the things of this world become your priority." "God's people will be tried." "Satan cannot hurt God directly, he hates God so he hurts God, by attacking his kids." What great gatherings. If you missed them please grab a CD or listen onI Tunes or our website (if it is up.) Continue reading
Posted Aug 26, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Between Pastoring BCC, and coaching football life can get busy. I enjoyed speaking Saturday morning at Rock Community Church's Leadership Retreat. What an amazing church Angelo and Kim Fleece have planted. I spoke on "Leadership Challenges in a Growing Church" and "Reaching this Next Generation." It was great. I drove back and we had a great Saturday night with Glen and Joyce Jeffrey. We enjoyed the next mornings gatherings also with them, and a great dinner as we hosted them in our home. Sunday evening we had a several new families come to our newcomers fellowship. I love those Sunday nights getting to know people that are investigating and praying about calling BCC home. AFter a funeral this morning for a precious family, I am going to mow the lawn, and then head to football practice. It's defense day and I am heading up the 4-4! Check out the great quotes by my good friend Glen Jeffrey, a preaching machine! Continue reading
Posted Aug 24, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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We had Glen and Joyce Jeffrey this weekend for our 3 gatherings. I was immensely blessed by the messages. So many people were ministered to. I have a journal full of quotes I am going to post tomorrow that Glen said. Thank you Glen and Joyce for coming to BCC! You are awesome. Continue reading
Posted Aug 23, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
Try and identify why you feel like this. --are you doing too much --encountering conflict in the church --neglecting your time. --Not disconnecting??? Take time off and go to a pastor retreat. Cedarly, or Under the broom tree, with your spouse. Don't think about the church so much, do something you enjoy. Read "Leading on Empty" by Wayne Cordeiro Get another pastor to share with and pray with. Get a Counselor if your marriage is in trouble. Let people do more, and don't give in to a pastor's control-freakish tendencies.
Change is tough, but God calls us to change. Jesus said we had to "change and become like a child" (Matt. 18.3). The Spirit in us calls us to constantly be changing. It is called transformation. There is a great need in our world. It is the need people have to see Christ. Lost people need to see Jesus in us. We has Christians need to keep changing to be more Christ-like. Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." The power of the Spirit, the Word of God, time in His presence renews our mind, and we are changed. But still know, change can be uncomfortable because we are at ease in what we know the best. God is calling us to change, to be more like Jesus, and to desert anything in us not reflecting Christ. Continue reading
Posted Aug 21, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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I am learning one thing about life, family, myself, and the church..change is inevitable. It is going to happen and is happening right now. The average person, fears change. Why do we fear change? Change threatens security. We all love to be secure. Change may affect the power one has over something. Change takes away predictability, our cozy, comfort zone can be rocked. Those who have the power resist change and view change agents as adversarial many times, incorrectly judging their motives and hearts. Change extinguishes the familiar. Change is about the future, the future is about faith, and we all need more faith. Change is so positive as it brings about improvement because we have the sight of the past and history to help us improve. I believe change means we are continuing to improve and be better whether it is at our churches, homes,marriage, families, and personal walk with Christ. We need change! The fear of change is to confess that things as they are, are totally perfect and have no room for improvement. Think about that. It is ludicrous. Everything has room for improvement. So why fight change. Why try to stay, "the way we have always done it." Be a catalyst for improvement, embrace change, and strive to please Christ is everything we do! Why do you think people fear change? Continue reading
Posted Aug 19, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
We had an amazing day on Saturday. Over 100 volunteers from BCC came out in the 90 degree weather to give out 58,000 pounds of food. That was the accurage weight. Everyone worked hard, and much ministry was done. We were at Highland Park in South Toledo partnering with Vision Ministries, Pastors Josh and Joy Hester. They did an amazing job organizing that massive block party. Then we jetted back for the Saturday night session. With Rick on vacation Fred Betcher, youth pastor in Troy, MI came a led worship. Sundays gatherings Aly Reed led. They were all amazing. I spoke on Hope in the midst of suffering from Romans 8. Click here to listen or go to I Tunes. We jetted from the last gathering to go to Morenci to the Elarton Reunion, then stopped and saw dad. My bro Steve and Darlene were at her folks and they came over. It was great to see everyone. Then we jetted to Hudson to have dinner with Wendy's family. Randy is doing great after his knee replacement. The kids love to see their cousins and we enjoyed the evening, with them and Rachel and Eric. We crashed here and will head back to Temperance today for football. Continue reading
Posted Aug 17, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Saturday is the day. We will be serving Vision Ministries church, pastors Josh and Joy Hester in south Toledo at Highland Park. We will be reaching our city, sharing the love of Christ, and handing out at least 20 tons, (40,000 pounds) of food! We are living our mission. We are be glocal in mission. Globally touching and locally touching the world for Jesus Christ. I am blessed to see that we have almost 100 volunteers ready to serve alongside of our brothers and sisters at Vision. It is going to be a great day of loving God, loving others, and serving the world! thank you to Josh and Joy Hester for their vision to plant this church and touch Toledo for Jesus! They are awesome! Continue reading
Posted Aug 11, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
Here's the link, if you are curious about my bacon comment this weekend. This is very funny. Just click here for more bacon. Continue reading
Posted Aug 9, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
We are getting ready to check out and head to the airport. this GC has been a great blessing! We have been filled, encouraged, movtivated, and spoken to by the Holy Spirit. We have had the pleasure o fmeeting new friends and seeing some we have not seen in years, as people from all over the country and the world came to GC. We are so proud of our youth and youth pastors at Fine Arts and we were blessed to be here with them. I am dreaming with the Lord on the plans he has for BCC. I believe our evangelism must accelerate. People need Jesus, not a nice comfy church, with everything being perfect to bless the blessed. We must move out in unity and in force. God is speaking. I know the vision and we are praying. Are you ready BCC. This is a vision from God that will take God to see it happen. God working in the unseen, God moving in hearts to jump out of comfy Christianity, God's Spirit providing the money needed through God's people. Are you ready for an amazing challenge, change, and the pursuit of lost people? I am ready, and I need BCC to be ready too. It is going to be an amazing journey of missional faith and action. Continue reading
Posted Aug 7, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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A Missions tour after the morning service. it was a eurasia experience. 2 billion people in the least reached part of our world. This is amazing. We need to reach the world. Continue reading
Posted Aug 6, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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What a joy and honor for Wendy and I to be here at the General Council in Orlando. As I write this from my phone there is a powerful presence of Jesus! Our hungry hearys are being filled with God's presence, comfort, faith, and power! Continue reading
Posted Aug 6, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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They did a great job today. Continue reading
Posted Aug 5, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Here with our youth. Its the kick off for the National Fine Arts Festival and packed with thousands of kids that love the Lord!! Continue reading
Posted Aug 3, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
Wendy and I are heading this morning to Orlando, not driving, (PTL!). For $117 bucks a ticket, i would be dumb to drive! My assistant, Vanessa can find the deals! I am looking forward to Seeing Abby and our team at the Fine Arts Festival (same location), seeing God-given friends, and attending the business sessions and the amazing services every night. I am glad to go and look forward to refreshing and filling. Here is the link to the live webcam at General Council in Orlando . I will be tweeting (twitter) more than normal, which also posts directly to FB. I will post encouraging quotes and some funny stuff I am sure. Thank you all for the prayers for my family this week. Please continue. Wendy and I appreciate the love from our BCC family and friends. Pray for us this week. We appreciate it! Continue reading
Posted Aug 3, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
I've never really appreciated people telling me what to do. Maybe it is just the sin nature, or maybe it is that horrible rebellious attitude. Then on August 16, 1981 I gave my life to Christ. Something that I never valued in my life, instantly became one of my core beliefs...to please the Lord. No longer could I be an independent person, making choices and pursing the things that would only please me, I now wanted to please the Lord. Brother Tom Skoog (from adrian and now with Jesus) calls this "the crucified life." We are no longer in charge but we need to die to self, live for Christ in total obedience. That is truly the only way to be close to the Lord. It is the only way we can move forward in life without fear. We know that our life's goal is to bless Jesus Christ and be obedient to him. We learn submission, denial of self, and we grow in Christ. I believe the principles of Dt. 6 need to be reviewed again. let's put them in hearts, so they become our identity, not just in our heads. These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes... Continue reading
Posted Jul 31, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Hey check out our student's missions trip to Newport, TN, and Atlanta. They finished up, their mega sports camp today, and leave for the Atlanta dream center in the morning and then on to Genral council for National Fine Arts. Check out their Vlog site here. Continue reading
Posted Jul 29, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Wall are great things when they protect us and help us. They are a bad thing when they keep people out of our lives, or keep God at a safe distance. To grow closer to the Lord, we have to have courage to confront the walls that may be in our lives that prevent growing close. Walls of unbelief, pride, sin, spiritual apathy are a few. I know people who can't get close to Christ because of the walls of lies they believe about God, based on some terrible Christian people they have known in their life. I also know people who have walls because of trust issues, and control issues. there is also a wall built because of conflict. We actually struggle with the truth of God's word. It conflicts with our life, or what we want to believe that is contrary to the truth. We can put up walls instead of submit to God's Word, and his will. We cannot allow walls to exist that prevent us from getting closer to the Lord and living the life that He wants us to live for him. Continue reading
Posted Jul 24, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Singer, songwriter, Author, and Christian communicator, Bob Kilpatrick will be in our Saturday Night Gathering on August 1st. Admission will be free. We will take a love offering for him. Continue reading
Posted Jul 23, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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I taught this out of I Kings last Wednesday. It is the story of Elijah's "crash" after the amazing victory at Mt. Carmel. The text is I Kings 19. So many things in life can drain us spiritually. Things like ministry, serving, spiritual battles, attacks, physical challenges, bad diet, lack of sleep, sin, compromise, neglect of your soul, and times of intense ministry. Here are five keys. Get rest, food, and more rest (19.5-8) Keep focused on God, not on yourself, or your accomplishments, feelings, etc (19.14). Don't Believe Lies! Have faith and don't feed into fear (19.3). Don't forget God's faithfulness in the past. He is the same God today! Don't get spiritual drained! Make sure to take time to be filled with the Spirit! Continue reading
Posted Jul 20, 2009 at Nate Elarton's Blog
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Jul 19, 2009