From the Pastor's desk...

Red Letter Day Week 3 - Talk it Over

2010-03-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

Message Notes - Red Letter Day Week 3

2010-03-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

Click here to download the message notes for Red Letter Day Week 3

Red Letter Day Week 2 - Talk it Over

2010-03-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

Message Notes - Red Letter Day Week 2

2010-03-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Click here to download the message notes for Red Letter Day Week 2

Red Letter Day Week 1 - Talk it Over

2010-03-07T10:31:00.002-06:00

Message Notes - Red Letter Day Week 1

2010-03-07T10:31:00.001-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for Red Letter Day Week 1

Once Upon a Marriage Week 4 - Talk it Over

2010-02-28T10:31:00.000-06:00

Message Notes - Once Upon a Marriage Week 4

2010-02-28T10:30:00.000-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for Once Upon a Marriage Week 4

Once Upon a Marriage Week 3 - Talk it Over

2010-02-26T02:22:00.003-06:00

Message Notes - Once Upon a Marriage Week 3

2010-02-21T10:30:00.000-06:00

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Message Notes - Once Upon a Marriage Week 2

2010-02-14T10:30:00.001-06:00

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Message Notes - Once Upon a Marriage Week 1

2010-02-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for Once Upon a Marriage Week 1.

Message Notes - Margin Week 4

2010-01-31T10:30:00.000-06:00

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Message Notes - Margin Week 3

2010-01-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

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Message Notes - Margin Week 2

2010-01-17T10:30:00.000-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for Margin Week 2.

Haiti - Giving & Prayer

2010-01-16T19:38:00.005-06:00

If you would like to give to the relief efforts to help the people of Haiti here are two outlets I would recommend:

LifeChurch.tv

Compassion International

Also - on Monday, January 18, 7:00 CST there will be an online prayer gathering (click here) for the people and nation of Haiti.

Message Notes - Margin Week 1

2010-01-10T18:07:00.003-06:00

Great message today. Craig personally kicked my rear end, but I needed it. Can't wait to hear the next message in this series.

Click here to download the message notes for week 1 of the Margin series.

One Thing Review & Links to Fasting Posts

2010-01-03T16:48:00.004-06:00

I hope all of you will pray through the questions from Craig's New Years message titled One Thing. Here are the questions from the message:

What ONE THING do you desire from God?
What ONE THING do you lack?
What ONE THING do you need to let go?
What ONE PROMISE do you need to claim?

I also hope you will consider joining in on the 21 day fast I talked about this morning. I believe fasting is for every believer, not just the superhero believers. So, don't be intimidated by the thought of wasting away and dying... fasting is not as scary as a lot of people make it out to be.

As I promised this morning, here are the links to previous posts on fasting to teach you more about this biblical practice:

Fasting - part 1
Fasting - part 2
Fasting - part 3
Fasting - part 4
Fasting - part 5
Fasting - part 5b
Fasting - part 6
Fasting - part 7
Fasting - part 8
Fasting - part 9
Fasting - part 10
Fasting - part 11
Fasting - Conclusion

One Thing - Message Notes

2010-01-03T10:30:00.001-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for this weekends message titled One Thing

Stop Acting Like a Christian - Message Notes

2009-12-13T10:30:00.002-06:00

Click Here to download the message notes for Stop Acting Like a Christian

A Disturbing Question

2009-12-08T12:38:00.003-06:00

I heard John Piper ask this question recently:

"The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?"

Uhh... thanks for that one John.

That question has disturbed me since the day I heard it. What do I really want?

Do I want peace, or do I want Jesus?
Do I want joy, or do I want Jesus?
Do I want the life I have now without any downside, or do I want Jesus?
Do I want _________, or do I want Jesus?

That's a tough question. It's a tough question because it threatens to expose my true motives and thinking. It's a tough question because it reminds me that the point of everything we do is about Jesus, and knowing Him more. Talk about getting to the heart of the matter - that question does it with extreme prejudice.

What about you... could you be satisfied with heaven if Christ were not there?

Blessed - Week 4

2009-12-06T10:30:00.001-06:00

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Blessed - Week 3

2009-11-29T10:30:00.002-06:00

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Blessed - Week 2

2009-11-22T10:30:00.002-06:00

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Blessed - Week 1

2009-11-14T13:45:00.002-06:00

Click here to download the message notes for Blessed Week 1

Supernatural Week 4

2009-11-01T11:00:00.001-06:00

Click here to download the message notes from Supernatural week 4.

Supernatural Week 3

2009-10-25T11:00:00.001-05:00

Click here to download the message notes from Supernatural week 3.

Supernatural Week 2

2009-10-18T11:00:00.001-05:00

Click here to download the message notes from Supernatural week 2.

Supernatural Week 1

2009-10-11T11:00:00.003-05:00

Click here to download the message notes from Supernatural Week 1

My Hiatus

2009-09-19T19:45:00.002-05:00

If you follow this blog then I suppose you know by now that I've taken a little hiatus from blogging. Blogging had gotten to the point where it was draining me not energizing me. Sometimes you just have to get off the merry-go-round long enough to get your balance back.

Well I'm ready to jump back on.

C.S. Stuff

2009-07-28T11:58:00.000-05:00

"There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven, but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever wanted anything else."

C.S. Lewis

My Favorite ONE Prayer Moments - Part 1

2009-07-12T18:55:00.000-05:00

"God does things His way because it’s His universe. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe."

Loved that moment from Francis Chan's message "God is... strength". If you don't get it, you weren't there.

ONE Prayer - Prayer Guide 6-22-09

2009-06-22T05:12:00.000-05:00

Today's prayer is for people who serve our countries. The scripture reading is Jeremiah 29:7.

ONE Prayer Prayer Guide 6-21-09

2009-06-21T05:08:00.000-05:00

Today's prayer is for blessings and protection for our children/future generation. The scripture reading is Proverbs 22:6 & Ephesians 6:4.

ONE Prayer Prayer Guide 6-20-09

2009-06-20T06:06:00.000-05:00

Today's prayer is for guidance and strength for parents. The scripture reading is Deuteronomy 6:1-7.

ONE Prayer Prayer Guide 6-19-09

2009-06-19T05:56:00.000-05:00

Todays prayer is for victims of worldwide natural disasters. The scripture reading is Matthew 25:37-40 & Isaiah 58:10-12.

ONE Prayer Prayer Guide 6-18-09

2009-06-18T05:15:00.001-05:00

Today's prayer is for orphaned and abandoned children. The scripture reading is James 1:27 & Matthew 25:37-40.

Daily Prayer Guide

2009-06-17T23:37:00.002-05:00

If you are participating in the daily reading and prayer aspect of ONE Prayer, then follow the link below for a pdf of the entire schedule for the month of June.

ONE Prayer Daily Prayer Guide.pdf

Tuesday - ONE Prayer fast day

2009-06-15T21:38:00.003-05:00

I saw a few minutes ago that the number of believers participating in ONE Prayer 09 just topped 1 million.

Every Tuesday is a fast day during the ONE Prayer series. Imagine if the 1,000,000 believers represented by the ONE Prayer churches all participated in the fasting and prayer. I wonder if God might hear our prayers?

This Tuesdays (6-16-09) fasting and prayer focus is:
Protection for those sacrificing their lives to work in the mission field, and the prayer verse is Psalm 91:14.

Click here to view the ONE Prayer calendar

The ONE Prayer site

2009-06-09T18:13:00.001-05:00

Follow the ONE Prayer daily reading, fasting, and prayer points here.

"God is _________"

2009-06-06T00:04:00.000-05:00

Sunday kicks off the ONE Prayer series for us and 1,700 other churches.

Last year the theme of the ONE Prayer series was "Make us ________", and the different pastors who participated in the series were asked to fill in the blank with their one prayer for the church.

The theme this year is "God is __________". I'm looking forward to exploring who God is with believers around the world.

Right now I have ONE Prayer... Jesus, let me sleep... g-nite.

Blogging Hiatus

2009-06-04T23:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. Things have been busier than busy lately, and the blog is the thing that got sacrificed as a result.

With that said... I hope you are looking forward to the ONE Prayer series that starts this weekend. If you would like to invite someone, the new evite is up on the church website and is just waiting to be used.

Start praying and come with a heart that is ready to hear and receive what God might speak to us during this series.

Blessings to you.

ONE Prayer 2008 Mission Update

2009-05-13T11:06:00.002-05:00

Last year we joined in the ONE Prayer series with over a thousand other churches. During the series we took a joint offering with those churches with the goal of planting 500 churches in Cambodia, China, India, and Sudan within 18 months. That was a little over ten months ago. I'm honored to tell you... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Here is the progress of the ONE Prayer mission initiative so far:

Cumulative ONE Prayer Figures YTD 2009
Pastors Enrolled: 609
Evangelistic Contacts: 65,563
Bible Study Participants: 44,618
Baptisms: 7,112
Churches Planted: 667

Don't forget that we will be taking a ONE Prayer offering again this year. Start saving money for it, and keep praying that God would accomplish great things through the ONE Prayer series this year.

iSin

2009-05-06T09:08:00.004-05:00

This weekend we start our iSin series. I'm looking forward to talking about our international pastime. The Evite for this series is up on the church website. Put it to use this week.

E-vite Tutorial

2009-05-05T21:13:00.005-05:00

If you have someone you would like to invite to our new series, but have trouble doing it face to face... try sending an Evite (email invitation). It's simple:

1. Go to the church website and click on the link that says Send an Evite.

2. Once the E-vite page loads simply put your name in the name box (optional). Then enter the email address of each person you want to invite, separating each address with a comma, and then click on the submit button. It will automatically send the Evite to everyone you have listed.

If you like, you can practice on yourself (send yourself an e-vite).

Cinco De Mayo

2009-05-05T09:37:00.003-05:00

I have a lot on my heart this week - the problem is I don't have a lot of time to say it (uhhh... write it I mean). What I can do is point you in some other directions until I can write again.

One of the blogs I read on a consistent basis is written by pastor Mark Batterson of National Community Church in Washington D.C.

One of the things we've been talking about on here is the idea of Kingdom creativity. Mark had a guest speaker at his church this past weekend that is a good model for putting kingdom creativity into practice.

Here are links to a couple of Mark's posts:
I Have a New Hero
We All Need a Paul and a Saul

The Bailout

2009-04-30T06:01:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had that person in your life that you loved deeply who continually put themselves in a bad position through stupid choices they had made? Maybe it was a brother or a sister. Perhaps it was your child. Maybe it was one of your best friends.

What was your role in that persons life? Did you offer advice? Did you lecture? Did you cry with them and show your support with unconditional love? Or were you the person who bailed them out every time they got in a bind?

Not all situations are the same, and I guess all of those things have their place, and serve their purpose at one time or another. However, the one on that list that rarely seems to work is “the bailout”.

I know why we do it – our tendency is to try and soften the blow, and ease the pain the person we love is feeling. But you know what… I think many people go “the bailout” route not because it helps the person they love, but because it makes them feel better. It hurts us to see the people we love suffer. Helping them eases our pain of having to watch them go through what their going through.

Never underestimate the power of pain. Pain is a powerful teacher. It teaches us things we won’t learn any other way. Without pain we could cut ourselves and bleed to death and never even notice.

God will often allow us to suffer the consequences of our actions, so that our pain will lead us to repentance and life change. And by taking that pain away I wonder if we short circuit what God wants to use to teach and grow them. It may even be that God wants to teach us something as well… that placing the situation in His hands and trusting Him with it is the best thing you could do. Maybe the reason we don’t do that is because we just can’t trust God with the situation.

As painful as it is for everyone involved… sometimes not helping someone is the best help you could give someone.

There is an old story about a moth that illustrates the point beautifully...

Kingdom Creativity - Part 4

2009-04-29T05:48:00.000-05:00

The One Prayer series is right around the corner. One of the key components of the series that I would like for us to incorporate this year is the serving aspect.

The idea is that we would find some way to serve our community, and in the process show them the love of the God who pursues them. The hope is that process would also change our view of the world, and give us fresh perspective of the needs that are around us.

With that in mind… let’s get creative. Let’s ask God for some kingdom creativity.

Begin to pray that God would give us creative ideas on ways we could serve our community during the ONE Prayer series. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to be effective… it just needs to be a way to show the love of the kingdom as we bring up there-down here and live like then is now.

Start praying and let me know what you come up with.

You can’t fix the world’s problems unless you fix the stuff that’s on your doorstep first.

Jesse James of West Coast Chopper fame

Kingdom Creativity - Part 3

2009-04-28T12:34:00.005-05:00

Still don’t think you are a creative person? Let me give you another idea of what kingdom creativity might look like in your world…

I’ve often heard believers say that they want everyone to meet Jesus. Well so do I, but usually what happens is we say we want everyone to know Jesus… and then we tell no one about Jesus.

I understand the problems believers have when it comes to sharing their faith. Maybe you have a problem with shyness. Maybe you are afraid you will say all the wrongs things and just make a huge mess out of it. Or, maybe you just chicken out. I won't knock you for any of those reason because I've been guilty of all of them at one time or another.

I think maybe one of the problems is that ‘everyone’ is just too big of a target. Personally I’m not a fan of just walking up to random people and trying to share the gospel with them. That’s just awkward. (BTW that’s why I don’t do the door to door thing) One of the things I like to tell people is don’t try to reach everyone for Jesus – just try to reach one person with the message of the gospel. This is where kingdom creativity comes in.

There is probably someone in your world who doesn’t know Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has probably given you a burden for that person on multiple occasions. What if instead of praying that everyone would meet Jesus you just prayed that _____ (put your friend, co-worker, neighbors name, etc. in the blank) would meet Jesus? What if you began to pray that God would give you influence with that person? What if you prayed that God would give you creative ways to serve that person? What if you prayed that when the time was right, and the opportunity presented itself, that because of the influence and relationship you had with that person you would be able to help that person take steps towards Jesus? What if you prayed that the Holy Spirit would give you the power and enablement to be an effective witness in that moment? What if you did all that, and then that person was brought to faith in Jesus and stepped into the kingdom of God as a result?

That would take focus and creativity… kingdom creativity…

So,… who is your one person? Find them and then unleash the creativity!

Coming in June

2009-04-26T20:29:00.003-05:00

Kingdom Creativity - Part 2

2009-04-22T12:59:00.003-05:00

OK, so maybe you are the person saying I don't have a creative bone in my body.

I bet you do, you probably just need to expand your idea of creativity beyond the idea of the arts.
If you still don't think you are creative then you need to pray that God would give you His creativity when it comes to doing your part to manifest the kingdom of God in your life.

God is the creator, and ultimately I think all kingdom creativity flows from the heart of God. If you ever open your heart to the reality of the kingdom of God, then God will begin to fill your heart with kingdom ideas.

When you pray for God's heart and His creativity, and you begin to pray, 'Jesus help me live as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven in the here and now' - don't be surprised if Jesus begins to:

move your heart with the things that move His heart.
open your eyes to needs, and to the people in need who surround you every day.
give you a heart that longs to serve those people.
give you creative ways to serve and bless them.

If you will keep your head (and heart) on a swivel, and look for opportunities to live out the reality of the kingdom of Heaven in your everyday life... then you will begin to understand exactly what Jesus meant when He told people, "the kingdom of Heaven is near", and "the kingdom of God is within you".

Kingdom Creativity - Part 1

2009-04-21T09:19:00.005-05:00

Some people think that only those involved in the arts (music, painting, writing, etc...) are creative. I think creativity is a trait that all humans share.

You can be a carpenter and be creative. You can be a housewife and be creative. You can be a desk clerk at a doctors office and be creative. In some way we are all artists... we just use different tools and mediums to create our art (we'll follow up on that idea some other time).

Sunday morning we talked about the kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of heaven is that place where things are as God wants them to be. Jesus told us our prayer should be, "Thy (God's) kingdom come, Thy (God's) will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." As believers we shouldn't wait until we die to live like we are citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. We should live like then is now. We should be intent on bringing up there, down here (at least in some measure).

So here is a question... what if business men and women, who also happen to be followers of Jesus, could tap into their creative side and find a way to do business in a kingdom minded way? If they did the story might look something like this...

If you want to know more about Toms shoes, or buy a pair, go here.

REMINDER Cover Charge - Coming to a Church Near You!

2009-04-18T16:38:00.001-05:00

About a month ago I put up a post titled Should Churches Have a Cover Charge? (click here to read it) The response I got from you guys was very much in favor of instituting a cover charge.

In the meantime I've kept my eyes open for an opportunity to partner with another church that already had a food pantry or food bank ministry, and to help them by giving to it. Tonight I found that opportunity, so starting Sunday morning Liberty Outreach Church has a cover charge.

Try to bring a canned food with you every week, and we'll help stock this other church's food pantry. I'll give out the name of this other church after we get everything rolling.

P.S. If you would like to be the person who takes the donated food to this other church every week, let me know.

Countdown to Trouble - Part 5

2009-04-18T05:40:00.002-05:00

If a believer does fall (and is repentant), or if we see a brother in danger of falling, how should we respond to them? Here are few scriptures that tell us what we should do:

Galatians 6:1
James 5:16
James 5:19-20
Jude 1:22-23

My advice would be to approach everyone (especially believers) from a place of grace and truth.

Grace says I'll love you no matter what, and truth says I'll be honest with you no matter what. I've heard it said that grace without truth is Christianity without a backbone, and that truth without grace is Christianity without a heart. Let's be a people who can hold to both without sacrificing either!

Cover Charge - Coming to a Church Near You

2009-04-17T20:01:00.001-05:00

Countdown to Trouble - Part 4

2009-04-17T05:13:00.000-05:00

You can read part 1 of this post here
You can read part 2 of this post here
You can read part 3 of this post here

I ended part 3 with this statement - God doesn't let you fall to pay you back, He let's you fall to win you back.

Look at the scriptures about Samsons fall one more time and notice what comes after it:

²⁰ Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.²¹ Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.

²² But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

Judges 16:20-22

As Samson suffered in prison as a consequence of his sin - something began to happen... his hair started to grow back. If you read the story of Samson the source of his strength was in his covenant with God, and his hair was the sign of that covenant. A razor had never been used on his head. As Samson worked through the consequences of his sins, his covenant with God was restored, and his strength would eventually return. God would use him in a mighty way one last time before his death.

If you have fallen as a result of your private sin being made public - then yes there will be consequences, but I hope you know that God wants to restore you. His intention is not to pay you back, but to win you back - big difference!

Click here to read what the writer of Hebrews had to say about what God is up to in our times of discipline...

Countdown to Trouble - Part 3

2009-04-16T05:12:00.002-05:00

You can read part 1 of this post here
You can read part 2 of this post here

20 Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him. ²¹ Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.
Judges 16:20-21

Whenever someone finally falls as a result of their hidden sin being made public there are a lot of intense feelings and emotions that take place. People are hurt, shocked, and often become disillusioned with believers or church leadership as a whole. And the person who falls they experience embarassment, shame, and the pain of feeling like they not only let God down but everyone else as well.

For Samson it looked like this:

He lost his vision (they gouged his eyes out)
He was bound to his filthiness (another translation for being bound in bronze shackles)
He became a slave to sin (forced to push the grinding wheel in prison)

I've heard how some believers talk after someone is caught in a sin, and If you listened to them you would begin to believe that God exposed the person just to pay them back for their sin. To the person who has fallen this is the thing that often hardens them against the work of restoration that God wants to do in their lives. They feel as if God is against them, and they know for sure that the people who once enjoyed the gifting of God on their life ARE against them.
Healing the wounds inflicted as a result of a big fall can take a very long time. Many people will never trust the person who has fallen again... regardless of their gifting. And the person who has fallen they may never again experience the influence that they once had. Sin always carries consequences.

BUT...

This is important, so listen up... if you have fallen, or if you are on the countdown to it... know this - God doesn't let you fall to pay you back, He lets you fall to win you back.

That changes everything. To be continued...

Countdown to Trouble - Part 2

2009-04-15T05:44:00.001-05:00

You can read part 1 of this post here

I think the story of Samson contains one of the saddest scriptures in the whole Bible. Read Judges 16 and you will see that after Delilah tricks Samson into giving up the secret of his strength, the Philistines come in to take Samson prisoner:

20 Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

Judges 16:20

Samson jumps up and takes for granted that God will be with him. He relies on his gifting just like he has done on many other occasions... only this time he would find out that God would not be backing him up.

If you are skirting the character issues in your life because your gifting is carrying you, then you need to know something - God won't put up with it forever. There will come a time when God will say, 'enough'.

God is not impressed with what other people think of you,... he is not reading your press clippings. Your gifting may cover your flaws in the eyes of people, but God sees past the gifting and knows your character. And although God may have gifted you in incredible ways you should know He is more interested in who you really are.

If it takes an embarrassing fall for God to straighten out your character, then He will pull the trigger.

Thankfully for us, the story isn't over at that point...

Smile and Add a Few Years to Your Marriage

2009-04-14T23:10:00.007-05:00

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:

Proverbs 15:13

Having a merry heart will make you smile, and having a great smile just may help your marriage (click here to see what I mean).

Countdown to Trouble - Part 1

2009-04-14T14:03:00.004-05:00

Have you ever seen someone who was an amazing leader, or preacher, or teacher, or singer, or fill in the blank... have you ever seen them get caught in a sin? We can't believe it because we looked at them and could see how anointed they were. We wonder... how could someone so anointed and gifted by the Holy Spirit do something like that?

It's because spiritual gifting does not equal spiritual maturity.

Just because someone is incredibly gifted does not mean that they are incredibly mature. If you don't agree with that statement then go read the story of Samson in the book of judges. In the story of Samson you see a man who is gifted by God with great strength. At one point in the story Samson is slaying a thousand Philistines by himself, and then not long after he is slipping off and sleeping with a prostitute. At that point it was just a countdown to trouble because Samson would soon fall as a result of his sin.

Having been in, and around, ministry for a long time I have been around many gifted people who had huge character problems. Most of them neglected the character stuff and relied on their gifting... all the way to their fall. And the ones who haven't fallen hard (or big enough for people to care) are still falling back on their gifting.

Jesus said this in Matthew 7:15-16, "Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say."

It is possible for someones gifting to take them to heights that their character can't sustain. I think this may be why the apostle Paul gives qualifications for leaders and not just a spiritual gift assessment. May God bless us with leaders and people who have both gifting and maturity.

He Died, But on the Third Day...

2009-04-12T06:18:00.002-05:00

Resurrection

Welcome

2009-04-11T18:54:00.004-05:00

It is my honor to introduce the newest member of Liberty Outreach, and the newest addition to our home group... Luke Justice Street. Congrats Steve and Christy!

The Day We Killed God

2009-04-10T12:26:00.003-05:00

Not really sure why we call the most horrific day in Jesus' life Good Friday - I should probably read up on that. However, I can give you a few reasons why I would call it Good Friday:

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10

Lord's Supper Service

2009-04-09T15:37:00.002-05:00

Tonight @ 7:30

Vision

2009-04-07T17:06:00.004-05:00

Helen Keller once said the only thing worse than being blind would be to have sight, but have no vision.

What about you? Do you have sight, but no vision? Jesus talked about those who "hear but don't understand", and about those who "see but never perceive". God reveals Himself to those who search for him. Seek and you shall find...

I haven't put one of these up for a while. If you would like to enlarge the picture just double click on the image. Enjoy.

The Scriptures That Bother Me

2009-04-07T16:11:00.002-05:00

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.”

Mark Twain

Here in the south we affectionately call the Bible the "good book", which is funny because this book rarely makes me feel good about myself. The content of this book consistently prods, pushes, digs, exposes, and rebukes the darkness in me. Because it consistently prods, pushes, digs, exposes, and rebukes the darkness in me... it also encourages, strengthens, and draws me closer to the only hope of my salvation - Jesus.

Funny how that works... I guess it is the good book after all. Reminds me of another quote, "don't just read the bible, let it read you!"

Quote of the Day 4-2-09

2009-04-02T17:04:00.001-05:00

"We exaggerate yesterday, overestimate tomorrow, and underestimate today."

John Maxwell

Is Jesus Enough?

2009-03-31T11:35:00.002-05:00

I think the number one question a minister has to ask themselves before they begin in the ministry, and from time to time after they are in ministry, is this - is Jesus enough?

Having a great work ethic is good. Being driven to succeed is good. Having goals is good. Working hard and pursuing excellence is good. But those things are only good if they are born out of a sanctified motive, and you will know they are sanctified motives if Jesus really is enough for you.

It would be a shame to be a full time minister, and only be a part time follower of Jesus.

BTW - that's true for any follower of Christ at any level of life. So ask yourself - is Jesus enough for me? If I never have any of the other stuff am I still satisfied in Him?

Quote of the Day 3-31-09

2009-03-31T02:14:00.004-05:00

"Most people don't lead their lives - they accept their lives."

Unknown

Having a victim mentality is a stronghold that restricts many people. It's very easy to accept your current position in life and try to place the blame on someone else. It is much harder to take personal responsibility and lead your life to a different place. If you are in Christ - you are not a victim so don't act like it.

Rewind and Play it Again

2009-03-30T19:26:00.004-05:00

One of the questions that I get asked from time to time is if we’ll ever start a Sunday night service, or add a midweek service. Well I’ve learned you never say never, but the answer is probably not.

When I was a kid we went to church every week and here’s what we did:

On Sunday we sat in rows and listened to a sermon/message…
On Sunday night we sat in rows and listened to a sermon/message…
On Tuesday night we sat in rows and listened to a sermon/message…
Yes we also had music - usually a congregational song or two and somewhere between 3 & 7 special songs (no we didn't have that many talented singers in our church... hey, I'm just saying).
The rest of the week,… well I don’t know what we did, but I’m pretty sure it was nothing and it was probably because we were used up from going to church.
And before you bust me for not being spiritual enough... you do that for 20 years without missing and trying to be a part of what is going on. Do that and then come talk to me.

I'm not dissing people who do that, but I do hope we will be able to think differently about what church is and isn’t. Listen - anybody who stops and thinks about it would agree more church services is not really the goal. The goal is to build a people who are growing in their relationship with Jesus and with His church. More church doesn't necessarily ensure we reach that goal. So - for us the goal is not to increase the “church service” slice of the pie. The goal for us is:

How can we get people to take all those hours they’ll spend outside of church and leverage them for the kingdom of God?
Can we create a conversation that continues into the rest of the week?
Can we build a group of Christ followers that focuses on the application of a message instead of just stockpiling more and more Bible knowledge that they don’t put into practice.
How we do help people take a step this week in their relationship with Jesus?
Can we really build a church that is constantly reaching out to those who are far from God (1’s & 2’s) by using their influence with them to draw them closer to God.
Can we get believers (3’s, 4’s, & 5’s) to engage in the process of helping disciple new believers (3’s) and their fellow believers (other 4’s & 5’s)

For me personally, when I hear a message I get way more out of it when I meditate on the truth in it and think about all the implications of it. Quite honestly I never had time for that when my calendar was filled with service after service… my mind was programmed to jump to the next thing without taking the time to consider what I had just heard. Feel free to disagree (you have that right), but I say why bother listening to 3 messages when you can’t even remember one of them.

By the way… I do eventually want to add services - I would like to do 2 or 3 services on Saturday, and 3 or 4 services on Sunday. But those extra services wouldn’t be added so that the same group of church people could go to church over and over, but rather they would be added to handle the load of new people that our people were constantly bringing to be discipled and to experience the body of Christ. It will happen... to be continued

What God Does For you

2009-03-30T16:22:00.001-05:00

"The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life." Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: "The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them.""

Galatians 3:11-12
The Message Bible

Ouch

2009-03-27T15:12:00.004-05:00

"I may have become a Christian, if not for Christians."

Mahatma Gandhi

That's more than a little indicting. Don't be the believer who causes someone to say that.

By the way... if it bothers you that I would post a quote by Gandhi on here I would ask you how many times have you repeated the quote "Hate the sin, love the sinner"? Yeah that was Gandhi also... one of many Gandhi quotes you have probably repeated more than a few times. That reminds me of a quote that Brad Brinkley once said.

"Truth is truth regardless of who says it."

Brad Brinkley

Doesn't it just sounds ridiculous when you quote yourself?

Quote of the Day 3-27-09

2009-03-27T12:46:00.003-05:00

"Transition years never bode well for a leader. That's practically a no-win situation for a leader, unless the transition happens to be fast and the success comes quickly. But when you're dealing with a God who's zealous about being thorough, transitions don't go quickly and success has a whole different definition. For a restless, uncooperative crowd, that's a problem.

What God defines as patient endurance and laying the right groundwork, the world (and much of the church) defines as a serious lack of leadership. God's plans rarely mature quickly, but the wait is always worth it. And it takes a patient leader to steward the maturation process.

We need to remember that God's plans are being accomplished at multiple levels even when we can't see how. The truth is that Israel was on the way to the Promised Land even when they were wandering in the opposite direction, because "on the way" in God's eyes involves things like developing character and establishing firm foundations in addition to visible movement."

Chris Tiegreen

If God has called you to lead put your head down and keep those legs churning. That goes for pastors, parents, small group leaders, teachers, husbands, and ________. And remember the process is just as important as the pot of gold at the end.

Technology Gone Bad

2009-03-25T10:27:00.003-05:00

If you follow this blog then you know I'm not adverse to the use of technology by churches and people. It can be a useful tool, and I think the greatest way churches can utilize it probably haven't even been discovered yet.

That said... I really hope this is a joke, but I don't think it is (click here to see what I mean). When technology is used as a stand in, or replacement, for our relationship with God and others, and not as tool,... it is no longer useful.

I Wish I Could Hear God...

2009-03-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Check out this video and then finish reading this post to understand what the point was.

The above video was part of an experiment done by the Washington Post. The name of the gentleman playing the violin is Joshua Bell, a grammy winning violinist, and widely considered one of the nations finest violinists. The experiment was this; would ordinary people recognize genius in a mundane surrounding, during rush hour in Washington D.C. - and on a $3.5 million dollar instrument no less. On the day this video was made 1,097 people passed by, only seven stopped to listen to him, and only one recognized him. Amazing. People would pay hundreds of dollars a pop to hear this guy in a concert hall, but in a metro stop during rush hour... not so much.

Believers want to hear from God. Well, here's the thing... God is always speaking. The problem is most of us are too busy to stop and listen. God is right there... in the middle of it all... just waiting for someone to recognize Him... waiting for someone to pause long enough to notice the Master at work in the middle of the mundane.

There are also other hindrances to hearing from God. One of the things that really bugs me is that so many believers are so preconditioned by church and religion to only be able to hear God at certain time and in certain ways. It's as if God only speaks when there is a large audience gathered, or if it comes in the form of sensational fervor and pomp, or if it is preceded by a "YEA GOD SAYS UNTO THEE..." pronouncement.

One of our core convictions is It's All About God. The reason why it is one of our core convictions is because all of life is an expression of worship to our great God, and that God is in those small moments just as powerfully as He is in those great moments. I'm not against the big moments, my problem is that people are so preconditioned towards them that they often can't experience God any other way. I feel sorry for them, and am ashamed of leadership and a way of doing things that has created people who can't fully enjoy God every moment of every day.

I've discovered that if you'll slow down long enough to listen, and pay close attention, that God is constantly trying to speak to us. The other thing I've discovered is that the most gratifying experiences that I've had with God have come in the seemingly mundane moments of life. God will speak to you in those moments with your children. God will speak to you in the waking moments of your day. God will speak to you in line at the grocery store. God will speak to you when you are at work on your job. God will speak to you when you hear a song, see the stars, walk the beach... and every one of those moments is just as great as the most glorious church service you've ever experienced, because every moment with God is a moment to be treasured. I hope you find that God. I hope God becomes a friend that you feel that close to at all times.

There is a story in the Bible about a prophet named Elijah who had an encounter with God. It went like this:

Then he (Elijah) was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."
A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

I love that passage because I'm reminded that the quiet whisper of God is greater than hurricanes, earthquakes, and fire.

Hey you reading this... God is right there... right now... don't ignore Him, and don't wait for the big moment to connect with Him. RIGHT NOW IS THE BIG MOMENT - DON'T MISS IT. Remember the Divine is present, even in the middle of the mundane. Stop and enjoy God today.

Biblical Freedom Has It's Advantages

2009-03-23T19:25:00.003-05:00

Reasons why I'm glad I'm a gentile: Pork chops, pork ribs, pork roast, tenderloin, ham, sausage, bacon (honorable mention - pork rinds).

Inside Out

2009-03-22T22:06:00.003-05:00

Today we talked through our core conviction Inside Out. It's a little comical what was added to the gospel and thought of as necessary for salvation in Acts chapter 15. Although it seems a little comical to us, to those of a certain sect in the early church it was a major source of concern.

We want to be a people that remembers that it is so easy for us to try to add to the message of Jesus. We want to remember that if we add to the message of Jesus that we are in danger of working against what God is trying to do in the life of outsiders If we can remember to keep the message simple then God will be able to use us to reach those who are far from Him. Remember... you were blessed to be a blessing, so always keep your focus Inside Out.

Just Keep Showing Up

2009-03-20T23:57:00.006-05:00

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever reached the point where you hit the wall of futility and you ask the question - what's the point? The writer of the book of Proverbs said, "hope deferred makes the heart sick." Futility can become a paralyzing feeling...

The writer of Proverbs also observed this: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all."

The question is - what do you do when you hit the wall of futility? Well, if you know your steps are ordered of the Lord then my advice is - just keep showing up. Don't let frustration conquer you, but just keep showing up.

Do you have a stubborn child that constantly rejects your love... then just keep showing up.
Do you have an unbelieving spouse... just keep showing up.
Is there a situation that seems hopeless in your life... just keep showing up.
Whatever stands in your way... just keep showing up.

Something has to give when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force.

Now I'm Just Mad

2009-03-17T22:23:00.004-05:00

“There are no perfect churches to serve in, no perfect pastors to work for, and no perfect environments.”

From the book Mad Church Disease by Anne Jackson

I'm confused because I thought I was perfect...

Real Grace

2009-03-16T15:37:00.004-05:00

One of the things that people say about the biblical idea of grace is that it just seems too easy. Grace only seems easy to people who don't yet understand it. When you understand the cross, then you understand there was really nothing easy about grace.

Because...

grace is not this...

Real grace is this...

Big difference. Don't forget it.

Sunday Night Thoughts

2009-03-16T01:18:00.002-05:00

Amazing God, and an amazing day. There is no other way to describe the grace God has made available to us than amazing. The essence of the gospel is so simple, but it is the power of God to save those who believe.

I have heard this mornings message 5 times, and it still has the same effect on me every time. That story is so powerful. It is powerful because you can see the change that the gospel of Jesus can have for the person who believes it. I constantly need to hear about the grace of God because I am so prone to forget it. Thank You Jesus for taking my life and giving me yours.

Save Me Brad

2009-03-14T22:56:00.002-05:00

My group has been reading through the book of Galatians again, and one thing is very clear about salvation, you don't/can't earn it by your works. If you could be good enough to earn salvation, or to maintain your salvation, then your salvation could be attributed to you. Read this... If you could earn your salvation then there would be another name under heaven whereby you could be saved... YOURS! Don't ever be arrogant enough to believe that lie.

The sooner you understand this the better off you will be... being saved is not about what you can do for God, it's about what God has done for you.

Your "works" should never be attempts to earn your salvation. Instead they should be acts of gratitude for what Christ has done. We do what we do because Christ did what Christ did.

Awesome.

Should Churches Have a Cover Charge?

2009-03-13T17:56:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking of implementing a cover charge at the church. Bars do it all the time so why can't churches? I can hear it now,... "dude, you have to pay a cover charge to get into that church!"

It might sound crazy, but what if the cover charge was a canned food or some useful household item. My thought is we could give it to a local food bank, or find a way to get it into the hands of people who need it. Just a crazy thought of something we might be able to do that could meet somebody's need.

Of course if someone showed up without the cover charge item we'd still let em' in... maybe...

Sound off - what do you think of the cover charge idea? Do you have a better idea for the cover charge? Maybe we could charge different cover charges through the year to cover different needs. Let me know what you think.

BTW - If you think the cover charge idea stinks then maybe you'd like this idea better... The more generous you become, the more generous our church can become.

Master Artist

2009-03-12T18:50:00.000-05:00

Art is a funny thing - two people can look at the same picture and see two totally different things. In a lot of cases both of those people are dead on in their interpretation.

God is the ultimate artist.

God is the kind of artist that other artists imitate, but never outdo.

One time God created a work of art, and it was so popular that it has become the most re-created piece of artwork in human history. Did you know there has been more artwork dedicated to the subject of Jesus on the cross than any other event in history? The beautiful thing about this masterpiece is that there are so many things to see by those who behold it:

One person sees truth.
One person sees grace.
One person sees justice.
One person sees mercy.
One person sees pain.
One person sees joy in the making.
One person sees a tortured prisoner.
One person sees a mighty warrior.
One person sees death.
Countless numbers of us have seen life.

The cross is one of those rare moments that holds so many opposing ideas together in a beautiful tension. Here's a quote that expresses this idea...

"If you want to see how much God hates sin - look at the cross.
If you want to see how much God loves sinners - look at the cross."

Unknown

What do you see in the picture of Jesus in the cross?

No Mo Breakfast!

2009-03-12T18:45:00.002-05:00

One of the little known facts about our fearless worship team leaders, Joe and Marsha, is that on a previous ministry stop they were part of a televised morning show. Joe and Marsha are modest people who don't like to boast of their exploits for the kingdom of God, so you'll never hear about it from them. That's where I come in... I can bring attention to their awesomeness!

During a recent visit to the Bailey house I snatched a video from their bookshelf. I did this to show you the musical mission work they did in that faraway land of Tupelo, Mississippi. Now if you get confused as you watch this just remember - you have to wear lots of make-up on television. The only thing I'm not sure about is what Joe has against breakfast...

Look at the Little Kitty

2009-03-10T09:57:00.002-05:00

Have you ever been to the zoo? It’s cool to see all the animals, but at the same time I feel sorry for them. The cheetahs don’t run - they just sit there. The lions don’t roar - they just sit there. The tigers don’t pounce - they just sit there. It’s sad because the animals don’t chase or hunt, instead they get fed. They’ll never get to experience what it is like to be an untamed animal. They’ve been domesticated. Most of them have been bred, born, and raised in captivity. They’re probably okay with that because they don’t know any different.

If you want to see what the animals are really all about you have to see them in the wild… in their natural surroundings. I would be willing to bet that somewhere deep inside of those zoo animals their natural instincts are laying dormant just waiting to be unleashed.

Have you ever been to a church building? It’s cool to see all the believers, but at the same time I feel sorry for them… most of the time they just sit there (if you’re the person who says, “then they should jump and shout”… I hear you, but you are missing the point of this post). They are caged animals. They are domesticated. They are like those zoo animals that are put on display for people who will never have the chance to see them in the wild.

I hope you know that as a follower of Christ your natural habitat is not in a building on a Sunday. Do you realize the average follower of Christ will spend at least 20 times more time at work than they will in church services? That’s one of the ways we want to be different around here. We don’t want to remove you from your natural habitat, we want to be a church that releases believers out into the wild and encourages them to unleash the wild faith that is within them. Don’t keep it locked up in a cage! Don’t do all your roaring in controlled environment! It’s not scary when you do that… it’s just pathetic.

"Your workplace is your pulpit and your colleagues are your congregation."

Mark Batterson

If you want to see what a real live believer looks like… you have to see them in the wild, in their natural habitat. Out in the wild can be a scary place, but it’s the only place for a believer who wants to unleash what’s inside of them. I hope you will hear the “call of the wild”.

Run Jody, Run!

2009-03-09T18:43:00.003-05:00

Our resident drummer, Jody, is running in the Music City 1/2 marathon. He is partnering with Team World Vision to raise money for poverty stricken areas. The money raised will go towards working with children, families, and their communities to provide things like clean water, health care, nutritious food, education, and economic opportunities.

You can sponsor Jody and help him raise money by clicking here. The official slogan to use when you see Jody is now... "Run Jody, run!" (and when you say it, say it just like the little girl from the movie Forrest Gump)

ONE Prayer 2008 Mission Update

2009-03-09T18:25:00.004-05:00

Last year during the ONE Prayer series we took an offering that went towards planting 500 hundred churches in Cambodia, China, India, and Sudan over an 18 month period. That was 8 months ago.

Here are the ONE Prayer mission updates (as of the end of January):

Planters/Pastors Enrolled - 465
Evangelical Contacts - 33,368
Bible Study Participants - 19,672
Baptisms - 2,723
Churches Planted - 250

One of our Core Convictions is that The Church is the Hope of the World. Jesus is being glorified through the churches that are being planted through the One Prayer initiative, and is already making a difference in the lives of many people. If you would like to read some of the stories and testimonies you can do so by clicking here. Keep praying for this work, and for wisdom on how we can personally get more involved in it.

It's a Small World and It's Getting Smaller

2009-03-08T20:09:00.004-05:00

Technology has changed the way we communicate and do life together. Some people think it's for the better - some think we're worse off for it. I personally predict that in the future our children will be born with their heads cocked to the right, and their hands stuck in the I'm holding the cell phone to my ear pose.

Regardless of what you think, the fact is that technology is even shaping the communication strategies of the church. We now have video church venues, internet campuses, and a plethora of social networking tools that give us all kinds of instant messaging and networking capabilities.

Check out this video clip I found of Craig Groeschel talking about the reach of the innovative strategies being employed by LifeChurch.TV.

Countries Online from LifeChurch.tv on Vimeo.
The future is wide open. The way I see it you either maximize the potential of technology, or you spend the rest of your life running from it.

Quote of the Day 3-8-09

2009-03-08T15:52:00.002-05:00

"People cannot discover new lands until they have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Andre Gide

Free Stuff Sunday

2009-03-08T05:51:00.000-05:00

Church Planting Network is giving away a free e-book of leadership learning from bloggers. I'm not sure how many posts they have compiled in this document, but it looks to be several hundred blog posts from 22 different leaders.

What's Your Style?

2009-03-08T05:49:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday we talked about seeking first the kingdom of God. One of the things I said at the end of service was that everyone draws near to God differently. You need to discover the things that stir your affections for God and seek Him with all your heart.

If you are into this sort of thing, or are maybe just curious - there is a worship style assessment tool called The Sacred Pathways Assessment that can help you discover what style you most relate to God through. You probably already know what stirs your affections for God, but I thought some of you might enjoy the third party assessment.

Click here to go to the Sacred Pathways worship assessment

One More DST Reminder

2009-03-07T07:30:00.002-06:00

Turn those clocks forward tonight!

The Evening News with News Anchor Ima Tellingall

2009-03-06T05:53:00.000-06:00

One of the personal values that guides my life is the 6:00 news principle. Here is what that means ... Live your life in such a way that you wouldn't be embarrassed to have it reported on the evening news. It's an impossible goal to keep, but I will still try. And here's why: Credibility is hard to earn and easily sqaundered. I don't want to forfeit hard earned influence because I didn't have the good sense to conduct my life in a way deserving of that influence.

One of the blogs I read regularly is from a business guy named Seth Godin. He is not necessarily speaking from a 'Jesus point of view', but there are so many transferable principles in his posts that I keep reading. He had a blog post the other day that reinforces my 6:00 news principle (click here to read).

In our day and time it may be a good idea for you to add the 6:00 news principle to your own life. Would you be comfortable with people typing your name into an internet search engine?

Special Request - Reposted

2009-03-06T00:30:00.004-06:00

Since it snowed last weekend, and many of you didn't get to make it to our weekend gathering, I have reposted this special request from last week.

If you are one of those people who are offended by offering requests... STOP READING NOW AND SKIP TO THE POST BELOW THIS ONE!

If you are still reading then I have an offering request for you to consider. Our sound mixer here at the church is starting to experience some (more) breakdowns. We were about 30 minutes away from starting service on Sunday morning when we had to do some serious troubleshooting to get thing operating at a decent level. We have already gone all MacGyver on it with chewing gum, duct tape, and a swiss army knife... but long story short - it's time to upgrade our sound board.

We can be a church without a soundboard, but I haven't given up on being a church with a soundboard. I know things are tight financially for a lot of people right now, but if you are one of the financially blessed would you consider giving beyond what you normally give so we can go ahead and purchase a new sound board? You will be glad you did when the friend you are going to bring with you to church is not distracted by the major sound breakdown that is impending. (like the way I threw that in there?)

I'm not going to make a special ask for this on Sunday, so if you feel led to give just put it in with your regular tithe or offering.

If you are the person who is sowing the $1,000.00 dollar offering we need... place you hand on the screen of your computer right now and repeat after me... JUST KIDDING...

Thanks.

Coming This Weekend...

2009-03-05T19:30:00.001-06:00

An awesome event happens this weekend...

Don't forget to run your clock forward Saturday night before you go to bed!

Do as I Say, not as I Do

2009-03-05T14:22:00.007-06:00

I’m always on the process of trying to learn something. I do it when I watch movies, go to stores, go on vacation, visit other churches, listen to interviews on television… doesn’t matter what it is, I’m always paying attention to, and learning from, the details.

It’s a sick little habit I have… I just can’t seem to turn it off. Please don’t pray for me – I kind of like it.

I picked up a leadership lesson once while visiting a mega church. It wasn’t spoken but I observed it in the details. One of the things I heard the pastor of this particular church talk about on several occasions was his churches philosophy of children's ministry. They believe children and parents should share the children's ministry experience together.

One of the things I did while visiting this church was go to their children's service in between their Sunday morning services. Guess who came in and sat down with his family directly in front of me… this pastor. At that point I believed everything this particular pastor had said about their children's ministry.

Here is what I learned – don’t try to lead others to do something if you aren’t modeling it in your own life

As a leader:

Don’t ask people to tithe or give offerings to your church unless you personally tithe or give offerings.
Don’t ask people to take part in a small group if you aren’t part of a small groups yourself.
Don’t encourage people to build relationships with those outside of the church and invite them to certain events unless you are doing it yourself.
Don’t tell people to help meet the needs of the poor unless you are actively engaging in that activity yourself.
Don’t tell people to take a Sabbath to rest unless you are taking a Sabbath to rest (that’s why you won’t hear me talk about that one… not yet anyway).
Don’t ask people to _________ unless you personally _________.

To the person who leads on any level, read this: talk all you want to, but only expect people to follow your lead in what you do. I understand no one measures up 100% of the time, but consistently live what you communicate, and over time you’ll establish solid credibility. Do as I say, not as I do... just doesn't work.

Would You Like to Join Me for a Walk?

2009-03-04T21:30:00.001-06:00

One of our Core Convictions here at the church is Don't Tell People, Take People. There is an old saying that goes like this: Tell me I'll forget, show me an I'll remember, but walk with me and I will understand.

In the time we live in beliefs are a dime a dozen. The current generation has seen more variety of spiritual beliefs than you could probably imagine. If you plan to reach the next generation for Christ, quit asking them to believe what you believe, and start inviting them to do what you do.

This generation doesn’t want to hear about what you believe. They want to see your beliefs in action. The cry all around us is for authenticity. People are looking for a faith that is real, and they’re extremely turned off by people who don’t live what they claim to believe. Going to church is just not enough for them. If faith doesn't go beyond that, then it's a waste of time for them.

The believers who will be daring enough to live like Jesus, and invite others to join them on the journey... they're the ones who will have a shot at reaching the next generation.

There is another quote that sums up this idea of discipleship :

The Faith is about three-quarters caught and one-fourth taught.

George Hunger III

I think that's discipleship Jesus style. Don't Tell People, Take People!

Consumed Pic

2009-03-04T20:55:00.000-06:00

ONE Prayer Mission 2009

2009-03-04T12:04:00.002-06:00

ONE Prayer 2009 is still a few months away, but I would like for you to go ahead and start praying for it now. In this post (click here) I asked you to start preparing to give to the ONE Prayer mission initiative this year.

If you would like to see the ONE Prayer mission goals for this year click here.

Looking forward to ONE Prayer and praying that God does something amazing.