Monday, March 31, 2008

SWEET SIXTEEN


Okay, guys... I am getting OLD! Today our middle daughter, Caley, turned SWEET SIXTEEN.

I can't stand it! She woke up this morning with this look on her face that reminded me of Mel Gibson in Braveheart, "Freedom!" Then, she couldn't stop smiling... Couldn't stop...

Janet took her to get her Driver's License. After four hours - yes, four hours - she walked out with a small piece of paper... Still smiling! I gave her the "Drive safe" speech for the 500th time.. She smiled... She drove by herself for the first time... Yep. She was still smiling...

We went out to eat with her and a friend. We'll officially celebrate on Friday... She drove... She was still smiling!

Watching her drive out of the parking, helped me realize again, my life has radically changed! Janet and I now have two teenage daughters who are driving.. "Heaven, help us..."

On a serious note, I thank God for my three daughters... They are ALL incredible gifts of God... I LOVE them and am humbled that they call me, "Dad."

As far as Caley, she is a great girl. This weekend we took a road trip together. We listened to great music! Rocked out to The Raconteurs... Ate some mexican food... Went to three church services together... Worshipped... Talked... Had an incredible time...

I loved getting to hear her talk and share her thoughts, hopes, opinions, ideas and dreams... She loves God. She loves her family and friends. She loves to laugh, smile, sing and dance... She loves life...

Happy Birthday, Caley! Keep smiling, baby... Hey, I'm smiling, too!

FOUR GREAT NEW CD'S!!!

I love great music... Here are a few notable new CD's you might want to check out!


Lenny Kravitz
It's Time For A Love Revolution

Okay, I'm not endorsing everything Lenny says, does, sings or believes... I've never bought one of his CD's before... But on the advice of my younger brother I downloaded Lenny's new CD. I'm SO glad I did... The CD is heavily influenced by great classical rock music, but the lyrics are something else... From the very first song you get the sense that Kravitz has a lot to say about his relationship with God... It doesn't end with the first cut... Several of the tracks not only reference God, but also challenge listeners to call out to Jesus.

Check out the track "A New Door." It's stark, beautiful and simply amazing...


Leeland
Opposite Way

Leeland Mooring is somewhere around 19 years old... But He's writing lyrics that reflect a faith that is deep, passionate, reverent and worshipful... This is an excellent sophomore release with great music and inspired lyrics...

Check out the tracks "Count Me In" and "Brighter Days." Awesome.


The Raconteurs
Consolers of the Lonely

I can only take the White Stripes in small doses... Come on! Let's get real. It's not rock and roll without a huge bass guitar pounding through your subwoofers...

With The Raconteurs, Jack White of the White Stripes teams up with Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler... Jack and Brendan share lead vocals and most of the writing... The music is heavily influenced by classic rockers like Led Zepplin... The music is original, inspired and quite frankly, on some cuts, amazing.

Check out the title cut and "Many Shades of Black." Great stuff.


Robbie Seay Band
Give Yourself Away

I had this CD on my IPOD for a few weeks before I gave it a serious listen... This CD is worshipful, creative and inspired... Robbie's voice is one of the finest voices in music right now...

The tracks "Song of Hope" and "Shine Your Light On Us" are two of my favorite songs right now... By the way, the CD is available on I-tunes for $7.99. Not bad, especially for a great CD.


THREE CD'S I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO:

P.O.D.
When Angels and Serpents Dance

I love these guys! The new CD hits stores in one week, on April 8. I'm counting the days... "I've got that Boom Bye Bye, so nobody disrespect, Jah love..."

Delirious
Kingdom of Comfort

These guys have been so instrumental in what God is doing in modern praise and worship music. Huge hearts for God. Loads of creativity. Unfortunately, they're a little "hit and miss" when it comes to consistency on their CD's, but I'm holding my breath for another breakthrough release. It hits stores tomorrow, April 1.

Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson Is My Friend

OK... I hate to admit it, but I loved their sophomore release... It was in regular rotation on my IPOD for weeks, especially during workouts... Tomorrow their new CD breaks... Should be a lot of fun... In fact, I'm taking my youngest daughter to their Green T Tour that hits B'ham on April 19. "Here we go, Let's take 'em to the show...whoaoh!!!"

Saturday, March 29, 2008

PUTTING PASTORS IN THEIR PLACE NOTES

Just found these notes on line for the message I referenced earlier by Driscoll. These notes were taken by a guy named Jacob Vanhorn and posted on his blog "Under Grace In Austin." Hopefully, this will help you get your head around an incredibly powerful message.

You still need to listen to the message. Driscoll's delivery is passionate and powerful. Check it out.


Putting Pastors in There Place
By Mark Driscoll

In The Beginning
God is the first preacher. God proclaimed, God said, God said, God said, and life came from it. Preaching brings life.

Genesis 3 shows us that God is not the only preacher. The serpent preaches as well.

The question is not, “will there be preaching, but what will be preached”

God comes in Genesis 3:15 after we listen to the wrong preacher. God has raised up preachers/prophets since that time to preach with power and authority.

Jesus comes and the serpent preaches to Jesus in the wilderness the same temptation that he preached to Adam. Jesus responds with scripture. And from that time Jesus began preaching. It is not sharing, it is preaching! That people should repent.

You cannot repent of that of which you have not been forgiven of. If you do not offend people with the gospel then you offend God.

Book of Acts
Don’t go preaching until the Spirit anoints the preacher. One of the evidences of the work of the Holy Spirit is the preaching of the gospel. The NT church is birthed by the preaching of an anointed sermon. Proclaim the word with power and authority and people are saved and the church begins.

The air war and the ground war. People meeting in homes brought together for proclamation. Connect the groups to the sermon.

Acts 4 they continue preaching

Acts 6 they pick out deacons so they can continue in prayer and preaching. Do not allow guilt to take you out of prayer and study.

Preach from conviction from God. Guilt comes from people, conviction comes from God.

Acts 7 Stephen preaches

Acts 9 Jesus preaches to Saul

Acts 9:28 Paul preaches boldly

Acts 11, Acts 12, Acts 13 more preaching Acts 14 they continue to preach the gospel. They almost kill Paul and then he continues preaching! You’ve gotta have courage to preach and don’t miss that.

Acts 17 Paul preaches

Acts 18 Paul preaches

Acts 19 Paul preaches

Acts 20 Paul preaches to the Ephesian elders to be aware of wolves. We have to protect our people from wolves. A few wolves can do great damage in a young flock. Preach to our elders the guarding of the flock. Grace, mercy and kindness are for the flock, not for the wolves.

Paul then goes to jail

Acts 26 Paul preaches to Agrippa

Acts 27/28 Paul continues preaching

2 Tim 4 preach the word, you are worthy of double honor. You preach because of Gods call. Turn your critics into coaches.

Putting The Church In Its Place
The church is both universal and local

The church us both visible and non-visible.

The ecclesia means ‘gathering of Gods people’

The gathering DOES matter! The gathered believers are the church. It is both the large gathering and the church sent out.

Marks of the church
1. Jesus is the head. Jesus is not just humble, but a savior!

2. The local church must have called, local, male leadership.

3. The gospel is rightly preached.

4. The rights are properly observed regularly. Baptism and the Lords table.

5. Church discipline rightly enacted.

We must regularly preach the gospel, provide the sacraments and discipline people who claim the faith but do not walk in humble repentance.

Pride births all other sins. The lie is that we can be our own Gods. When we determine truth, the serpent is preaching and we have bought the lie that we can be our own Gods.

The lie that says ‘no preaching, no authority and no church discipline’ is from the serpent. These are all marks of the current house church and emerging church movements. We must be aware that much of today’s church movement is birthed from the postmodern view of the rejection of authority and truth, thus they reject authority and have no designated leader, they reject objective truth and the community determines truth. The rejection of authority also negates church discipline. The serpent still says, “you can be like God’

Two Last Questions
Is an Internet church a church? There is no sacrament, no baptism, no assembly, and no discipline.

Is multi-campus a church? We must think about what a church is. It requires sacrament, discipline, elders, etc. It is far more than gathering and proclamation. Each Mars Hill campus has a campus pastor, elders and church functions.

If we do not define what a church is, then the serpent says, “Since there is no definition of church then I will plant one myself”

The Final Preached Sermon
Revelation 14:6 an angel preaches

God begins with preaching, we continue preaching and an angel finishes preaching.

PUTTING PASTORS IN THEIR PLACE

I just listened to one of the best messages I've ever heard on the subject of preaching and the church. The message is by Mark Driscoll. Mark is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. He's also one of the founders of the Acts 29 Network and a key player in a movement called The Resurregence.

Mark is reformed in his theology, but also embraces the gifts of the Spirit. He calls himself "charismatic with a seat belt."

While I don't always agree with everything Mark says, I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend his book:

Confessions of a Reformission Rev

I just ordered his new book off Amazon: Vintage Jesus. Travis Johnson told me this is one of the best books he has read.

Mark is opinionated, fiery, passionate, God-centered, Jesus focused, biblically grounded and usually controversial. He reminds me a little of what Paul must have been like.

Click here and scroll down the page until you see the message Putting Pastors In Their Place 2/25/08. You can stream the audio over your computer or down load the message to I-tunes or your computer and put it on your MP3 player.

This message will be well worth the investment of your time, especially if you're passionate about the church.

After listening, let me know what you think...

Friday, March 28, 2008

SEEING THROUGH THE EYES OF GRACE

A cartoon that appeared in the classic Peanuts Comic strip describes the way most of us tend to do life.

Lucy and Linus are in the living room. Linus is curled up in a chair, quietly reading a book. Lucy is standing behind him, with that “Lucy” like look on her face…

She looks at Linus and this is what she says, “It’s very strange… It’s very strange… It happens just by looking at you…”

Linus responds, “What happens?”

Lucy calmly answers, “I can feel a criticism coming on…”

“I can feel a criticism coming on…”

That accurately describes the way a most of us tend to do life… We’re cynical, critical, judgmental and sometimes down right mean…

Here’s the problem: people will usually rise or fall to the level of your expectations. If we go through life like Lucy – “I can feel a criticism coming on…” - we’ll probably get just what we expect…

What would happen, on the other hand, if we started seeing people through the eyes of grace?

Paul the Apostle wrote a letter to a notorious first century church… Talk about a church with problems, this church had problems that had been “super sized.” This church was jacked up, BIG TIME.

Selfishness, competition, “one-ups-manship”, division, power plays, “me-first mindsets”, immorality and sin were common… The church at Corinth wasn’t the kind of church that gave the pastor a headache; it was the kind of church that puts most pastors into cardiac arrest…

But when Paul wrote to this group of Christians, this is how he began his letter…

1 Corinthians 1:1-2 (ESV), Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…


Wow! Stop right there. Paul wrote to this group of messed up, jacked up believers and said, “You guys are CALLED to be saints…”

Paul reminded these believers that they had been “called” by God – that God had initiated contact with them before they ever gave God a second thought… That God had reached out to make them his own…

1 Corinthians 1:3-8 (ESV), Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.


For fifteen chapters Paul is going to address the issues of sin and disobedience that are completely “out of control” at Corinth… He’s going to deal with these issues head on. By the time he gets through this church is going to feel like they’ve just been hit with an upper cut by Evander Holyfield…

But when Paul begins this letter, he begins by focusing on God’s grace that was so active in the lives of this group of jacked up, messed up people. Paul says, “I want you guys to know that I give thanks to my God always for you, because you guys are recipients of the grace of God… It has affected your speech and your thought life… You don’t lack in any spiritual gift… Furthermore, I know that God is going to sustain you, and ultimately present you guiltless on the day of the Lord Jesus.”

That’s an incredible statement when you consider the resume of the church at Corinth! But somehow, when Paul looked at the church at Corinth he not only saw their quirks, idiosyncrasies, fallen-ness and SIN, he saw God’s GRACE at work in the life of this messed up group of people.

What would change if you started looking at the people in your life through the eyes of grace?

Most of us are a lot like Lucy. But what would happen if we asked God to enable us to start seeing the Linus’s in our life through the eyes of grace?

What if we refused to correct or criticize someone unless we felt a profound sense of love and affection for them, and unless we saw huge potential in them?

Maybe, just maybe, we would be a lot less like Lucy and a lot more like Paul…

Try this experiment. Go for a day without criticizing anything or anyone. See if anybody misses it. I seriously doubt it! You might find that your family, friends and the rest of the world can get along just fine with your profound insight.

In the words of John Maxwell, “It’s just a thought…”

YOU'RE GONNA MISS THIS

Here's a great song... Take four minutes, click on the link and let God speak to you through an unlikely source...

Trace Adkins
You're Gonna Miss This

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

LET THE DEMOLITION BEGIN

Just read this thought provoking post by Tim Sanders.

Tim is an innovative and creative leader. He's also a best selling author and much sought after speaker.

What do you think about Sander's comments? What implications could this perspective have for those of us who "do church?"

Thought provoking stuff. I look forward to reading your responses...

Get The Demo Underway
Tim Sanders

Jacqueline and I are in the middle of some serious home remodeling. For over a year, we’ve spec’d, planned and dreamed about new doors, decks and a studio.

A few weeks ago, the wrecking crew showed up and started doing demolition work. They tore out walls, ripped off siding and carted away debris. While the demo work is unnerving, its also inspiring: Something new is about to be built!

Until the wrecking ball tears something up, all you are doing is talking about change or remodeling or redesign. This applies to your business life too. You can’t do a radical makeover on anything (company or home) unless you are willing to tear down some structures. And you aren’t underway unless the demotion’s done. You see, demotion leads to restoration. It sits there, an ugly hole where something used to be, begging for action (not talking).

No matter how hard it is to get your crew started, once they knock something down they have no choice but to proceed onward. So quit talking about change, and break something! Change something! If you want to rethink your business model, tear up your mission statement or take your product off the market.

ON THE THIRD DAY

I love the music of Easter. It celebrates the most significant event in human history - the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

One of the most lyrically beautiful musical celebrations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and all the hope it brings appears on a CD by Michael Olson titled Where Fear and Faith Collide. The song is titled "On The Third Day." It was written by Matt Maher and Marc Byrd. The lyrics of this song move me every time I hear them.

You can discover more about Michael by clicking here or here. You can actually hear the song by clicking here.

Matt Maher and Marc Byrd

Why not take a four minute break, log on to Michael's site, sit back and let the lyrics and music of this song wash over you.

On The Third Day

Creation brings an offering
As autumn leaves turn to gold
The trees bow down in highest praise
Now made bare before Your throne

The western sky's an amber blaze
At the end of the day
For everything must die and rise again

The winter's chill, a bitter cold
As sin and shame leave us to fall
The clouds now form a newborn snow
For grace to come and save us all

Within the darkest night of man
Was found Your saving hand
For everything must die and rise again

On the third day behold the King
On the third day death has no sting
On the third day we're forgiven and reconciled

The earth it groans in labor pains
As flowers stretch to heaven above
Your creatures sing the prophet's song
To be a gift of selfless love

The sun is rising in the east
And Your Spirit is unleashed
For everything must die and rise again

On the third day behold the King
On the third day death has no sting
On the third day we're forgiven and reconciled

And so we wait in joyful hope
For You to come and take us home
And so we join beneath the cross
In suffering from whence we go

The greatest act of sovereign grace
In the universe displayed
For everything must die to rise again

On the third day behold the King
On the third day death has no sting
On the third day we're forgiven and reconciled

On the third day the saints rejoice
On the third day we lift our voice
On the third day we're united and glorified

AN OPEN LETTER TO BRITNEY SPEARS

Tim Stevens is the Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church. He is a gifted leader, author and blogger.

Today Tim had this post on his blog, "Leading Smart." I think you'll find this post profound and moving. Perhaps it will remind you that you've never locked eyes with an individual who doesn't matter to God. Maybe it will move you to pray like never before and open your heart and hands to those who desperately need to experience the love of God.

Here's Tim's post...

It is way too easy to condemn pop culture and its flawed icons. That's why so many church leaders do it often and with great flair. But what would happen if we represented Christ by showing compassion for the broken people who comprise pop culture? Could we possibly change the world by loving instead of judging? By expressing care instead of condemnation?

One such icon has been in my prayers lately, and it is to her I offer these words (reprinted from my column in the current issue of Collide Magazine)...


Open Letter to Britney Spears

Dear Britney,

I wish I had a few minutes to talk to you. I wish it were possible for me to send you a letter and be assured that you would get it. If I had just a few minutes of your time, there are two words I would want you to hear and believe: You matter.

Your life has value. You are not defined by what you do or don’t do. Your value is not determined by what you own. You are more than all of that. You are a precious child of God who has a purpose for living and hope for the future. You matter.

I realize you don’t believe that right now. You feel utter despair and deep loneliness. As I write this, you are being held against your will at the UCLA Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. I would guess you are feeling as hopeless as you’ve ever felt. You want so much to be a mommy again and hold Sean and Jayden close to your side, but the world around you won’t allow it. I cannot imagine the pressure you are under. You grew into your fame while still a child. You were reduced by the world to nothing more than a product to be touched, squeezed, used and discarded. When you were at your best, everyone wanted to be associated with you. But when your marriage collapsed and your aunt died, your personal life started to fall apart. And many people—including some of your friends—ran away as fast as they could. Others hung around like vultures to see if they could profit from your fall.

Now you probably have a hard time figuring out who your true friends are. You must suspect everyone around you. Do they want something? Perhaps they want your money. Perhaps they want to write a book about you. Perhaps they want to be famous. But where are the people who truly love you? Where are the friends who will be with you and listen to you without expecting anything in return? You thought Dr. Phil might be that person and invited him to the hospital. But he left your room, held a news conference and planned a television special about your demise. That probably felt like a kick in the gut. Britney – I will say it again: You matter.

I’ve never met you. I’ve only seen you through the lens of a camera. But when I look at you, I don’t see what the media sees. I don’t see what many journalists see. I see a little girl who wants so much to be loved. I see a girl who has tried everything to be what the world wants, but hasn’t been able to please anyone. I see eyes that are sometimes bright with passion, but often revealing a girl who is sad and lonely.

And I also see hope in you. I know you can be the woman you want to be. You can be a great mom for your kids. You can be a role model for millions of girls around the world who are troubled but rarely see an example of someone who emerges from a hard place to live with strength. You can be an awesome sister for Jamie Lynn as she goes through her pregnancy and the pressures that come with being a mom at such a young age. You can be a woman whose beauty isn’t based only on her body, but on an inner strength that comes from a strong faith.

Last year I wrote out a prayer for you, and it remains my prayer today:

Oh God, bring someone into Britney's life that will speak truth into her; someone that will love her for who she is, not for what she has or how she looks; someone who will lift her up toward you; someone who will give her hope and purpose for living. I pray this not so that Christians' around the world can claim her as their most recent poster-child (oh God, please no!), but so that she will understand how precious she is to You and how her life matters.

I wish I could somehow sneak you past the paparazzi and across state lines to a community of faith where you would be loved; where you could heal; and where you would find true acceptance and freedom to be who God has made you to be.

I’m guessing that won’t happen. So I’ll keep praying for you. Because you matter. You matter to me. You matter to thousands of people of faith just like me who are cheering for your return to health. And you matter to God.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

THE DUDE

There’s no getting around it… John the Baptist is one of the most original, unique, interesting, radical guys in the Bible. He was what Mark Driscoll would call “THE DUDE.”

He wore odd clothes made out of camel’s hair and tied together with a leather belt. He was raw and wild. He was doing the Urban Outfitters thing long before it became the rage…

He ate strange food. He literally lived off the land. Again, he was doing the organic thing long before Whole Foods started charging an arm and a leg for this kind of stuff… His diet? Whatever “THE DUDE” could find – usually locusts (without the chocolate covering) and wild honey. Think the original Survivorman

But we don’t remember “THE DUDE” for what he wore or what he ate. That was just the outer shell of the “barbarian” within… We remember the guy for what he PREACHED… This is what actually made him “THE DUDE.”

John stood flat footed, looked at people steeped in a dead end, life-less religion… With a “Clint Eastwood like” gleam in his eyes, he looked at power brokers, political operatives, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, house wives, shop keepers, and run of the mill beggars and this was his message.

Matthew 3:2 (MSG), His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”

The NIV, NKJ and NAS read like this: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…” The word “repent” means “to turn around; change direction; change your mind, will and actions.” It’s involves a whole lot more than “THINKING different.” It’s about “LIVING different.”

Here’s what amazing! Despite his appearance, lack of etiquette, apparent problems with personal hygiene and what could only be described as “in your face,” no holds barred style; people actually flocked to hear this guy speak… They not only listened! They REPENTED and were baptized.

This first century wild man who had no power or position, no heritage or religious pedigree, who wasn’t politically connected or financially backed, who lacked an impressive skill set and vocabulary, was used by God to bring new life to a nation that hadn’t really heard from God for more than 400 years…

What made John “THE DUDE”?

1. HE KNEW HIS MISSION.

John 1:6 says, “…there was a man named John who was sent by God.”

Somehow John knew he was “…sent by God.” He was on mission.

There is a theological film from several years ago that some of you might remember. The movie was called “The Blues Brothers.”

It’s the story of two ex-convict-wanna-be, blues musicians named Jake and Elwood. They're trying to escape the police and raise money for an orphanage. Periodically throughout the movie, somebody will ask them what they're doing, and they always come back with the same stock answer. They respond by saying, “We are on a mission from God.” They say it like they really believe it!

That becomes sort of the punch line for the whole movie – the idea that two felons, two completely inept, wanna-be blues musicians - could be on a mission from God becomes the punch line of the whole movie.

Well, the punch line of that movie is the story of John’s life. God took a completely unlikely candidate and used him in an incredible and amazing way!

But not only is that the story of John’s life, it’s the story of my life and it’s the story of your life. You and I are actually on a mission from God. The only question is whether or not we’ll accept?


2. HE WAS BOLD, WILD AND RADICAL, WHILE SOMEHOW REMAINING COMPLETELY HUMBLE.

Despite John’s bold and often abrasive style, he possessed an incredible amount of humility. He knew that his mission wasn’t about him… It wasn’t about his position, his perks, his salary package or his popularity. His mission was about Jesus.

John 3:30 contains one of the most amazing statement to ever come from the mouth of a Type “A”, driven, wild, radical, goal oriented leader:

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

John understood, “Life really boils down to this: It’s all about HIM. It’s not about me. HE must take center stage, while I slip off to the sidelines.”

So much of what plagues Christendom and the church today is the fact that many of our leaders are more committed to their agendas, ideas and personal legacy than they are the mission of Jesus, the needs of the church and the eternal fate of a world in desperate need of Jesus.

We spend a whole lot more time protecting personal turf, reputation and traditions than we spend in aggressively reaching out to a world that is hopeless without the message of Jesus.

A PRAYER: God, please give us guys and gals who are bold, wild and radical, but also amazingly humble… Guys and gals who could care less whether or not they’re applauded or elected, but who wholeheartedly and without apology pursue the kingdom of God and the mission of Jesus.


3. HE WAS COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO RISK IT ALL.

A few years ago I read a quote from an anonymous author. It describes the way I want to live:

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a Ride!” ~ Author unknown

The challenges that lie ahead for the church and our world ahead will require leaders who are bold enough to RISK EVERYTHING for God’s kingdom. The changes that are required if we’re really going to reach our world for Christ and pursue Jesus’ mission will cause people to criticize our methods, question our heart, judge our actions and dismiss our opinions… And this only matters if we allow it to matter… If we allow it to paralyze our actions and prevent us from stepping up, speaking out and doing something radical…

When it comes down to it, what’s really most important is for each of us to be able to stand before God and ultimately hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

That’s the ultimate compliment.

John received it. Just before his execution Jesus had this to say about John

“Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John…” (Matthew 11:11)

He was the original DUDE.

A PRAYER: God, form this kind of character in me… Help me stay riveted on the mission… Empower me to be bold, wild and radical for the kingdom, but humble in your presence… Humble enough to live the reality – it’s not about me, it’s all about Jesus. Give me the courage to risk it all in the pursuit of your purpose, plan and calling. Amen.

Monday, March 17, 2008

EXTREME LEADERSHIP - A HUGE LEAP

A few days ago I wrote about some reflections I've had on Steve Farber's book, "The Radical Leap." Today I wanted to wrap up my reflections on Farber's book by describing what "extreme leadership" looks like.

L - Extreme Leaders LOVE.

Love is the ultimate motivation of the extreme leader: love of God; love of people; love of a mission or a cause; love of a principle; love of the future they’re helping to create; love of the ministry that God wants to accomplish…

Without the calling and commitment of your heart – without love – there is no good reason to take a risk – to experience the “OG!M.”

I love the way Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 5:14 (MSG): "Christ’s love has moved me to…extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do."

Personally, I believe there are at least "three great loves" of every extreme leader:

* Extreme leaders have a passionate love for GOD (Matthew 22:37).

* Extreme leaders have a compassionate love for PEOPLE (John 13:34-35).

* Extreme leaders have an inspiring love for the MISSION (Acts 20:22-24).


E – EXTREME LEADERS GENERATE ENERGY.

A spiritual leader is a generator, a powerful force for action and progress. He / she is an enthusiastic believer in people and in their capacity to do the awesome… Extreme leaders partner with God in establishing momentum and creating a sense of energy, passion and urgency…

A few years ago I read an incredible statement from A.W. Tozer about enthusiasm and energy. Tozer wrote:

"God dwells in a state of perpetual enthusiasm. He is delighted with all that is good and lovingly concerned about all that is wrong. He pursues His labors always in a fullness of holy zeal. No wonder the Spirit came at Pentecost as a sound of a rushing mighty wind and sat in tongues of fire on every forehead… Whatever else happened at Pentecost, one thing that cannot be missed by the most casual observer was the sudden upsurging of moral enthusiasm. Those first disciples burned with a steady, inward fire. They were enthusiastic to the point of complete abandon." ~ A.W. Tozer – Of God and Men

Wow! I think he's right! Believers in the first century church were passionate, energetic and enthusiastic. Their passion translated into action. Hey, the book that tells their story is called "ACTS."

One of the things that concerns me about what I see in many churches today is the lack of passion among many of the leaders and the people. I see so many believers running around who aren't passionate about anything. They aren't passionate about God, the Church, their family, the mission, ANYTHING! Maybe this is one of the reasons we're blowing it when it comes to effectiveness and impact.

Paul described the way we ought to live life in Colossians 3:23 (NIV), "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…"


A - EXTREME LEADERS INSPIRE COURAGEOUS AUDACITY.

Audacity is a bold and blatant disregard for the normal constraints. Whenever audacious people hear someone make the remark: “We’ve never done it that way before!” They think, “Great! There’s a first time for everything! Let’s go!”

Extreme leaders believe God to do the impossible and the audacious.

Farber says it like this: "If I love who we are, and if I love what we can be, then I’ll love the process of how we get there. And in order to make it all happen, I will act boldly and courageously and I will, at times, fail magnificently. But my love demands that I try. Demands it."

Several years ago I was challenged by the words of Jim Elliott in regards to living audaciously.

Am I Dangerous?
"Utterly ordinary, so commonplace; while we profess to know a power the twentieth century cannot reckon with. We are all sideliners, coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. We are spiritual pacifists, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death, with principalities and powers in the heavenly places. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous." ~ Jim Elliot, Extreme Missionary

It's my prayer that God raise up a generation of leaders who are dangerous and audacious. Yes, we may fail, but at least we'll fail while attempting to do GREAT THINGS for the kingdom of God!


P - EXTREME LEADERS PROVIDE PROOF!

Leaders prove the alignment between their words and actions. They prove it by standing up for what is right. They prove it through measurable, tangible signs of progress. They prove it through their experience. They prove it through success. They prove it through glorious failures. They prove it by partnering with God to accomplish the impossible.

What does extreme leadership look like?

L - Love
E - Energy and Enthusiasm
A - Audcacity
P - Proof


Why not take the leap today and make a decision to be extreme. God desires it. The church needs it!

Let's get EXTREME!

GENESIS CHURCH - A "NEW THING" IN TALLAHASSEE

I had the opportunity to hang out with the staff of GENESISCHURCH.TV on Monday, March 10. Genesis is a cutting edge church in Tallahassee, Florida. Their lead pastor is Brian Hunter.

Brian is a leader with a heart for God and a passion for the local church. He is an incredibly gifted leader who excels in creativity, innovation and evangelism. Genesis began with a small group of eight people when Brian and his wife, Kristen moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Tallahassee. The church launched on Easter Sunday, April 27, 2003. Since then, the church has exploded with growth. Today, average worship attendance is over 1,000 people each weekend! Yea, God!

Some of you may be familiar with Genesis. Phil Harris, the former Children’s Pastor of Metro Church now serves with the Genesis team. In fact, aside from his primary responsibilities of leading the Children’s Ministry at Genesis, Phil is also one of their teaching pastors. If you want to check out some of his message, log on to genesischurch.tv and click on GC MEDIA. Phil is the teaching pastor on the following messages: UFC Week 1 – Battle with God and CARDS – Parts 1 and 2. Phil is a gifted leader and teacher. It was great to see him and his entire family again.

Aside from sharing three leadership sessions for the Genesis Staff during the day and speaking at the Monday evening Journey Men’s Discipleship that night, one of the highlights of the trip was getting to hang out with the Genesis staff and watch them work through their “BIG IDEA” process... These guys are intent on making certain their whole church is tracking together with what God wants to say to the whole body. They buy into the belief that if you take the time and effort to focus the message, you can dramatically increase your impact. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of how this process works itself out in the context of what God is doing at Genesis.

Genesis will kick off a brand new series on Easter weekend titled “INKED.” Log on to genesischurch.tv a few days after Easter to experience the message.

I really believe this is a church to watch. God is doing some great things among this passionate and gifted group of people. Keep Brian and his entire team in your prayers. God is doing a "new thing" in Tally among a great group of people.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Your "Oh, God! Moment"


In his excellent little book, The Radical Leap, author Steve Farber describes the kind of leadership he believes necessary for the problems and opportunities we face at the dawn of the 21st century. Farber says we need “extreme leaders who live in pursuit of the OG!M.”

What’s an OG!M?

It’s what I experienced when I first arrived at Maranatha Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and at Metro Church in Birmingham, Alabama. After getting my head and heart around the enormous responsibilities before me, I sort of gulped and said to myself, “Oh, God…”

It’s what I felt about a week after I stepped down from my position at Metro. I left a secure job with a salary package and began a journey of faith… It didn’t take long to think about the realities of an on going mortgage payment, car payment and the works and say to myself, “Oh, God…”

I didn’t say or think those words as a swear. I said them as a desperate prayer. I knew that unless God got involved, failure was inevitable. In that moment, I knew I needed resources beyond my own abilities.

Farber describes an “Oh, God! Moment” like this: “…fear in the pursuit of creating something greater than the present reality.”

Ever been there… A lot of the guys and gals we read about in the Bible experienced their fair share of OG!M’s.

Think Moses standing on the banks of the Red Sea in Exodus 14. Pharoah’s army is in hot pursuit. Pharoah’s is bent on Israel’s annihilation. Mountains have Israel hemmed in on each side, and an uncrossable sea is in front of them. And the people? They’re questioning Moses’ leadership, wondering how he ever got them into this mess. This is an “OG!M” on steroids!

Moses goes to God. God speaks. Moses looks at Israel and says, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again. God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!” (Exodus 14:10, 13-15, The Message)

I love it! That’s a picture of extreme leadership. It’s the picture of guy looking an OG!M in the eye and not flinching.

Farber issues a challenge for those who think leadership is easy and are tempted to coast:

“If you’re using all the buzzwords, reading all the latest books, and holding forth at every meeting the latest management fads, but you’re not experiencing that visceral churning in your gut – not scaring yourself every day, not feeling that ‘Oh, God! Moment’ like clockwork, then you’re not doing anything significant – let alone changing the world – and you’re certainly not leading anyone else.” ~ Steve Farber, The Radical Leap

Wow!

I’m prone to avoid OG!M’s. Most of the people I know are built the same way…

Maybe that’s one reason we don’t see the Red Sea parting, giant walls falling, the sun standing still in midcourse, or miracles occurring…

Here’s a thought: If the only reason you’re avoiding taking on a challenge is because the idea scares you, then maybe that’s the very reason you need to take it on! Maybe this is your opportunity for a real OG!M – an opportunity for you to trust God to do what God can only do, and for God to show up and DO IT!

In his classic, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby sums things up.

“Whenever God involves you in His activity, the assignment will include God-like dimensions to it. Have you ever heard the statement, “God will never ask me to do something I can’t do…” That’s bologna! God will almost always ask you to do something you probably can’t do in and with your strength, ability, talent and personality.

“The assignments God gave in the Bible were always God-sized assignments. The assignments were always beyond the means and ability of the people God involved in them.

“Why? Why does God always give us an assignment that is far bigger than we are?

“Because in those assignments God gets to demonstrates His nature, His strength, His provision and His power to His people.

“Not only that! But when God does the work, there’s no question as to who accomplished it! It was God!”
~ Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God

That's the ultimate OG!M.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

NOT AN EX-PASTOR


In his book, The Divine Mentor, Wayne Cordeiro, Lead Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Hawaii, an incredible church that is reaching Hawaii with the gospel o Jesus Christ, describes a period in his life when he was basically ready to “cash in” on ministry.

Cordeiro writes, “I had depleted my system until my body’s chemistry was exhausted. I had lost my vision and my desire to continue. A low-grade depression enveloped me like a black cloud…”

He thought about early retirement. He was open to any reasonable job offer. He struggled to continue preaching and ministry stuff… Then one day, during his daily devotions, God spoke to him through the story of Jeremiah.

As you know, Jeremiah had been ridiculed, rejected, disregarded, and ostracized. He was surrounded by hopelessness and unbelief.

Listen to Jeremiah’s confession:

“People scoff at me and say, ‘What is this ‘message from the Lord’ you talk about? Why don’t your predictions come true?’” (Jeremiah 17:15)

Like Wayne, Jeremiah was at wit’s end… But then, as if he had found some kind of inner resolve or determination that lifted his spirit and filled him with courage, Jeremiah looked to God and made this statement. It’s an incredible statement, especially for those who have ever felt “stretched”, discouraged and maybe even considered hanging the whole ministry deal up…

“Lord, I have not abandoned my job as a shepherd for your people.” (Jeremiah 17:16)

Even though Jeremiah felt rejected and alone, somehow He remained steadfast in his calling.

When Wayne Cordeiro read that statement it was like Jeremiah was speaking directly to him, saying something like this:

“[Wayne], you can leave if you want to. But I’m not going to be in a hurry. God called me to be a shepherd. Now, I might be a sick shepherd or a hurting shepherd, but I’m not an ex-shepherd. You can do what you want to, [Wayne], but as for me, I’m staying with the program.”

Wow!

Wayne stayed. The rest is history. New Hope is now one of the nations fastest growing churches, with a weekend attendance of more than 12,000 people. Yeah, God!

Are you thinking about cashing your ministry in? Think again. You may be a lot of things, but you’re not an ex-pastor, ex-worship leader, ex-small group leader, etc. Remember:

Romans 11:29 (NLT), For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

Amen.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

LIFE POINTE CHURCH ROCKS!

Spent the weekend in Homestead, Florida with some great new friends at Life Pointe Church. The mission of Life Pointe Church is simple and profound:

Loving God and man with reckless abandon…

The statement reflects the heart of the lead pastor, Travis Johnson and the people.

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend.

Travis Johnson is a HIGH CAPACITY LEADER.

I loved getting to meet and spend time with Travis. This guy has a HUGE VISION. He’s creative out the “wha-zu…” He’s a voracious reader, a great thinker and a gifted leader. Check out his blog...

Travis is passionate in his devotion to God and radical in his commitment to the mission of Jesus. He loves the local church and believes it is the hope of the world. In the last two years, Life Pointe has baptized more than 200 individuals who have come to know Jesus Christ. Yea, God!

These people love what they’re doing!

Presently, LPC meets at Flagship Cinemas in Homestead. To make things work, part of the setup team has to arrive between 11 p.m. and midnight on Saturday for sound and lights. The hospitality, children’s and worship team arrives by 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.

It’s not easy to take a movie theatre where a few hundred people spent the night before downing popcorn and coke while watching flicks like Vantage Point and No Country for Old Men, and transforming it into the environments conducive for worship. But these guys do it, and they do it well!

On Sunday morning there were probably somewhere between 20-30 people buzzing around transforming the theatre into environments suitable for infants, preschoolers, elementary kids and adults. In the foyer, coffee was being prepared. In fact, I got challenged to down a shot of Cuban coffee. Strong stuff! All of this takes work. But everyone I interacted with seemed genuinely excited about what God was doing at Life Pointe.

They do what they do with excellence.

It’s evident that Life Pointe buys into the idea that excellence honors God and inspires people. They attempt to give God and their people THE BEST they have to offer… Their printed material is smokin’. Their signage is professional. Their environments clean and age appropriate. Their music and video stuff relevant and cool. Most important, their people are loving and their hearts for God HUGE.

I got to hang out with the pastoral team during their evaluation of the weekend. They’re candid and honest, and are always looking for ways to improve.

They love un-churched people.

These guys do more than recite the Great Commission; they believe it! They’re committed to getting it done.

They love one another.

I asked Manny Molena, one of the elders who picked me up at the Fort Lauderdale airport on Saturday, “What do you love most about Life Pointe?” He didn’t hesitate. He loves and respects his Lead Pastor. He loves the staff, but he LOVES the people. This is the sense I got from everyone I rubbed shoulders with throughout the weekend. Life Pointe is committed to doing life together.

Finally, their future is BRIGHT.

Life Pointe is already doing great things. This Easter they’re going to drop 20,000 eggs for a special Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt they’re hosting for the city of Homestead. They’re expecting 2,000+ and asking God to empower them to use this event to reach people for Jesus. They’ll also provide three weekend worship opportunities on Easter Sunday. Tough work, but they want to create plenty of room for people to experience the life-changing power of the resurrection.

They’re dreaming about the future and taking bold steps of faith.

Thanks guys, for believing God for BIG STUFF. When it comes to God’s activity at Life Pointe, I really don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 

 Glory to God in the church! 
 Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! 
 Glory down all the generations! 
 Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!” ~ Ephesians 3:20-21 (MSG)