Pastor's Faith Endures After Cancerous Brain Tumor

here is a video of matt chandler's interview on ch. 5 news this week.

an update on Matt Chandler.

here is an article written about Matt Chandler, my pastor at the Village Church.

one year later: an interview with Matt Chandler.

praise God for how he's using matt and his family to point people to the Cross in the midst of cancer.

video update on Matt Chandler

Matt Chandler Video: 2010 SBC Pastor’s Conference

Video: 2010 SBC Pastor’s Conference

I recommend checking out this video of Matt Chandler's SErmon at the SBC Pastor's Conference.

update on Matt chandler

here is a video update on Matt Chandler, pastor at my church. praise God.

new video update on Matt Chandler

video update on Matt Chandler

video update on Matt Chandler

video update on Matt Chandler

update on matt chandler

here is the video update on matt from today:

also, here's part of the email that matt sent out today:

Good morning, I pray you are staying warm and safe with all the snow. Today I finished my last day of radiation so we'll spend the next five weeks regaining strength and bolstering my immune system before taking an MRI on March 15. From there, I have six months of chemotherapy scheduled. It will be done as an outpatient, five days on, 23 days off. We won't know a lot until the six months of chemo are over. I continue to covet your prayers. God has been unbelievably gracious these last few months, and we are doing well. I have especially enjoyed preaching and am looking forward to resuming a somewhat "normal" schedule next week now that I don't have to drive to Baylor Dallas for radiation every day. I have provided another video update that you can view on our pastor's blog on our church Web site. The Flower Mound campus has been a blessing in hundreds of ways, but we are still having a few kinks and here is how you can help us. Christ is All, Matt Chandler Lead Pastor

marriage does not exist to make you happy

tonight while driving to and from fort worth for a wedding rehearsal, i listened to this sermon (sanctification in marriage) by matt chandler... twice.

if you are married... engaged... dating... or single... you should, actually need to, listen to this.

click here to listen.

matt chandler video update

when did i get so wrapped up in me?

God's been teaching me how selfish i am. i tend to get so wrapped up in my life, the struggles and stresses that i encounter rob me from truly experiencing the joy Christ intended for me to rest in. when did i get so wrapped up in me?

the lead pastor at my church, matt chandler, is fighting brain cancer. the example and message of his life, reminds me that my God is to be glorified in good and bad... in faith and struggle... in laughter and pain.

i pray that my life will be a testimony of the sovereignty of my God. may my anger never cause people to doubt the validity of my relationship with the Lord. may my conversations point people to the cross, and my words be laced with grace, love and the mercy i've been given.

God forgive me for my selfish pursuit of the easy life. you never promised ease... in fact, you promised the opposite in philippians 1:29, "for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for him."

God thank you for the grace you give me as i attempt to work through my stubbornness... and thank you for the lessons of sovereignty and grace you're teaching me through Matt.

to read a recent AP article on matt chandler, pastor of the village church, click here.

for shortened version of the article click here or here.

for updates on matt:

• www.thevillagechurch.net
• matt's blog
• follow matt on twitter

help me find this passage

i read a blog by a pastor at my church this morning and wanted to repost it here. almost daily i get phone calls, emails, facebook messages asking me where to find a certain passage... which i don't mind... but i do believe that we should put some effort into searching the Bible first before just asking someone else. there is value in the search.

the following is a blog posted by geoff ashley, from the village church:

Help me find this passage…

Geoff Ashley Writings 2010-01-12

“It is better to die in the desert than to live with a nagging wife.”

Matt mentioned this weekend that the book of Proverbs makes the above statement and yet if I were to search that phrase online, I would come up empty. Not a single translation includes this passage. Nowhere do I find these exact words as I search my ESV, NASB, NKJV, or even NIV.

Was Matt lying? Was he quoting some apocryphal Proverbs to which only pastors are privy? Was he just kidding?

Of course not. Rather, he was merely alluding to and summarizing an actual passage to give the idea and meaning which it conveys. Such allusion is a common tool of the preacher or teacher to communicate God’s truth without always turning to each and every passage and reading verbatim.

This habit of mentioning Scripture without quoting it directly can easily frustrate the efforts of those who desire to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and search out the exact text for themselves. Oftentimes, I will get e-mails from members or attendees who are looking for a particular passage which was referenced by Matt or another pastor from the stage—thinking I will have better success in my search.

In order to help equip in this area, I thought it might be helpful to gather my own thoughts on the process by which I would go about this type of search if I was not a pastor with fancy Bible software (shout out forLogos). Here is how I would conduct my search:

• I would first search for the phrase exactly as I remembered it.
• I would next search for only the key terms in the phrase (for example: desert, nagging, wife) with no conjunctions, prepositions, interrogatives, articles, pronouns, etc. I would try various combinations of those key terms.
• I would then think of or consult a thesaurus for as many of the synonyms or overlapping terms as I could find for all the major words:
  • wife: woman, bride, companion, partner, mate, helpmate, spouse, etc.
  • nagging: annoying, quarrelsome, fussing, pestering, berating, etc.
  • desert: wilderness, uninhabited places, wasteland, etc.
  • As I came upon new synonyms or related words, I would initiate a new search in a concordance or online site for each of those terms in the book of Proverbs and see if any qualify.
  • Honestly, if that did not work, I would probably just take my time and read the entire book of Proverbs. Even if I did not find what I was looking for, I would still benefit greatly from the process.
  • I would next ask my Home Group leader or a close friend if I still could not find it.
  • If all of that failed, I would then shoot an e-mail to a pastor for his help.

All of this could make it a long and somewhat laborious task, but the joys of discovery along the way should certainly make every effort well worth the time and energy which you invest.

Having familiarity with the text of Scripture (especially one particular version) is probably the biggest help in our searches. For example, when I received an e-mail about this passage, I immediately knew that the word “nagging” was not going to be helpful because I have not seen that word in the text of the ESV. At the same time, I remembered that there are a number of passages that speak of a “quarrelsome” wife. Therefore, I simply had to search for the word “quarrelsome” and immediately found there were only five options from Proverbs. The more you read the Scriptures, the more you should be growing in your ability to narrow down future searches.

Here are a couple of searchable online Bibles to consider as resources:

www.esvstudybible.org

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

http://net.bible.org/bible.php

By the way, Proverbs 21:19 (ESV) says, “It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.”

this song is stuck in my heart

listen. you will be blessed... hallelujah, God is here (via the village church)

update on matt chandler

click here to see a video update by my pastor, Matt Chander, from The Village Church.

Jesus wants the rose - AMEN.

hope and desire - an update on Matt Chandler

the following are reposts. one tells an update on matt chandler (the lead pastor at my church), the other is a response to the update... and it was a reminder that i needed today.

update on matt:

Dear church,

In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all “serve to advance the gospel” of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.

On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it.

Matt, who is being released from the hospital today, is meeting with a neuro-oncologist this week to outline the next steps of the recovery process. There is a range of treatment possibilities but the exact course of action has not yet been determined. He will continue outpatient rehab.

The Lord is calling Matt and Lauren and The Village Church body to endure this trial. It will be a challenging road for Matt, his family and our church body. The gospel is our hope and the Lord is our strength. Matt and Lauren continue to find solace and hope in Christ. They weep facing this trial, but not as those without hope and perspective. The gospel clarifies their suffering and promises more of Christ through it all.

You have done a wonderful job respecting the family, and we ask that you continue to do this. They are processing all of this together and need you to give them precious space. Please do not visit them at their house unless personally invited by the Chandlers. The best way to serve the family is to continue to be faithful in prayer. Specifically, pray for the following:

• Wisdom for all the coming decisions


• Strength and peace to endure


• The kids’ (Audrey, Reid and Norah) hearts; pray the Lord is merciful as they process and that their little hearts do not grow embittered


• The Chandlers and The Village would suffer well because of the gospel and for the sake of Christ’s name

As you hurt and weep for the family, do not do it alone. Gather with your home group and with other believers in homes and pray together. This is a time to walk together with others and to endure this trial in community. If you wish, send cards and letters to Matt and Lauren at 2101 Justin Road, Flower Mound, TX 75028.

We will continue to keep you informed as new information is made available. Please be patient with the frequency of the updates. May God strengthen us all and may His glory shine brightly through this.

hope and desire - by jr vassar

December 16, 2009

Thinking of my friend Matt Chandler and the difference between Hope and Desire

I write this today because I need to. I need to tell myself these things. I just read the pathology report from the Village Church on Matt Chandler (http://ow.ly/MM81). I have known Matt for many years and love and respect him deeply. I am praying for him and for his sweet wife Lauren, and their kiddos, and the Village. And, I am praying with this in mind: there is a difference between desire and hope.

I am praying with great desire. My desire is that God would heal Matt, hand him to Lauren and the kids to be her husband and their daddy, restore him to the pulpit, empower him to preach his heart out for the magnification of Jesus, and one day let him play with his grandkids. I think God wants me to desire those things and ask Him for them, knocking until my knuckles bleed, making it clear to God how I desire Him to respond. And, those desires are good. But those desires are different than our hope.

Sometimes desires are not fulfilled. But, our hope is. Hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). Our hope is certain and sure. Our hope is that none who trust in Him will ever ultimately be put to shame. Our hope is that in Jesus we are forgiven, given his Spirit, adopted as sons and daughters of God, and will one day be revealed as such (Romans 8:14-16; 1John 3:2-3). Our hope is that Jesus has defeated our greatest enemies of Satan, Sin, and Death and through Him we will triumph (Romans 8:37). Our hope is that God is sovereignly moving heaven and earth to secure the good of his elect and bring about their glory and joy (Romans 8:28). Our hope is that we who are in Christ are the eternal objects of God's love and that nothing, absolutely nothing, can change that status or rob us of its privileges (Romans 8:38-39). Our hope is that these momentary and light afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2Cor 4:16-17); that the things we suffer are not worth comparing to the glory that God will reveal to us (Romans 8:18). Our hope is that God will not leave us nor forsake us so that even as we experience ten thousand shadows of death come over us, we shall not fear because He is with us (Psalm 23). Our hope is that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us into his presence (2Cor 4:14). Our hope is that if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united to him in a resurrection like His (Romans 6:5). And, our hope is that Christ, who is our great treasure, will be exalted as such whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20). This is Matt's hope. He knows this hope; he lives this hope; he preaches this hope. Lauren knows and lives this hope as well, and Matt is blessed to have her at his side.

I just needed to tell myself that today. I need to remember that as I voice desires to be fulfilled and as I plead with the "God who is able," for Matt's strength and healing and restoration, I must not confuse my desire and my hope. I am holding tightly to hope and finding my comfort in the God of Hope. Praying we all will. Apostles Church will be praying for the Chandlers.

an update on Matt Chandler.

here is a video that was shown at church this weekend during The Village worship services. It was made before Matt's surgery.

i am so thankful for his continual leadership and pastoring, even in the midst of this.

if you are viewing this blog via facebook, click the link above to see the video).

a repost...

My pastor, Matt Chandler, will be having surgery in a few hours to remove a tumor on his right frontal lobe. Here is the blog entry that was posted from him today.

--------------------

My Heart is Full... I am Thankful.
By Matt Chandler

The last seven days have been some of the most interesting of my life. I have felt anxiety, fear, sadness and a deep and unmovable joy simultaneously and in deeper ways than I have felt before. I am grateful for this heightened sense of things. Today at 10:45 a.m. CST I will have a good portion of my right frontal lobe removed. I head into that surgery with a heart that is filled with gratitude and hope.

Here are some of the things I am thankful for in no particular order:

1. I am thankful for the thousands of you who have prayed and fasted for my health. It has brought far more tears to Lauren’s and my eyes to receive this kind of attention from the Church universal than this tumor has.
2. I’m thankful for health insurance because I’m guessing they aren’t doing my five-hour surgery for free!
3. I am thankful that I have deep, real friendships at The Village with Michael Bleecker, Josh Patterson, Brian Miller, Chris Chavez and Beau Hughes. They have been such a comfort to me and my family this past week. Pastors should have good friends on their staff. It’s risky but worth the risk
4. I am grateful for the men of God in my life, namely John Piper who taught me to hold my life cheap and to join with Paul in saying “I don’t count my life of any value or as precious to myself if only I might finish my course and complete the work that He gave me to do to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. I’m nothing, I just have a job. God keep me faithful on the job and then let me drop and go to the reward.” Without this strong view of God’s sovereign will, I’m not sure how you don’t despair in circumstances like mine.
5. I am thankful for my wife Lauren. “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
6. I am thankful for my children. Audrey the Beautiful, Reid the Valiant and Norah the Joyous. Being a daddy to these three is one of the greatest joys of my life.
7. The privilege of seeing and appreciating all of life through the grid of a heightened sense of my own mortality.
8. I am thankful for brilliant doctors and surgeons who have been given a real gift by our great God and King to repair things as complex as the brain.
9. I am thankful for The Village Church. If there is a place that loves Jesus more, takes sanctification as seriously and wants to see the lost love the great King deeply I am unaware of it. These last seven years have been a spectacular joy!
10. More than anything else I am grateful to my King Eternal, my Lord Immortal, for my God invisible. He alone is God. All Glory and Honor, Forever to You O God. I am overwhelmed in these moments by God Himself and the assurance of a future inheritance of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken and where all things are made new (Hebrews 12).

Christ is All,
Matt Chandler