Tuesday, April 29, 2008

PASTOR TO PASTOR


Perry Noble is the founding and lead pastor of New Spring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. This church is innovative, creative and making an impact. I've been following Perry's blog for some time.

A few days ago Perry wrote a poignant blog that deserves your attention. The post is directed towards pastors, but what if every believer started living by the same principles? Check out the blog here.

We spend way too much time tearing one another down instead of directing an all out assault against the kingdom of darkness!

When it comes to competition, our competition isn't the church down the street, the church around the block, the new mega-church on the other side of town, our "competition" is a world system that is diametrically opposed to the cross of Christ and the kingdom of God!

Check out Perry's blog. Sound off.

"What if" we started living these principles?

Sunday, April 27, 2008

OKAY GUYS AND GALS... I NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT!


Okay, guys and gals… The past few days I’ve spent some time thinking about the importance of the Holy Spirit in my life.

Here’s the way Paul described it in Ephesians 5:18.

Ephesians 5:18 (NLT), Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.

The word “fill” means, “to be controlled, intoxicated, permeated and thoroughly influence by the Holy Spirit.” It’s the picture of a God-intoxicated, Spirit-permeated, Jesus-controlled life.

That’s what I long for!

Enough of me! Enough of my effort, my strength, my abilities, my energy…

Over the course of approximately 35 years of trying to "do" the Christian life I’ve discovered that anything that begins with “my,” "me" – or any other personal pronoun for that matter - usually ends in frustration and futility.

I am desperate for Jesus. His Spirit. His heart. His life. His power flowing in and through me.

Several years ago a man named Major Ian Thomas wrote a Christian classic called The Saving Life of Christ. I love a statement that appears in that book. Thomas wrote:

Man was created to be the royal residence of God’s Holy Spirit, so that those looking at man might see God. ~ Major Ian Thomas

Wow! Here’s the point: One of the primary ways you can tell that a person has been “filled with the Holy Spirit” is that he or she is becoming more and more like Jesus Christ!

There's a great story in the book of Acts. Peter and John have been "called on the carpet" by the chief priests and religious authorities... A lame man has just been healed and the "religious police" have got to get the inside scoop. They want to make certain no one rocks their "religious boat" or challenges their authority.

Peter and John aren't phased. They are bold in the face of adversity.

I love the assessment of the chief priests and religious authorities after challenging Peter and John. It shows up in Acts 4:13.

Acts 4:13 (NIV), When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

That's the kind of relationship with Jesus I'm desperate for! I long for the kind of relationship with Jesus that causes people to scratch their heads and say, "Hey, Chris is not necessarily the smartest guy on the planet. He's certainly not the best card in the deck. But, there's one thing about him - THE DUDE HAS BEEN WITH JESUS!"

That's why I'm longing for these days...

How about you? Have you been “filled with the Holy Spirit?” Are you continually being “filled with the Holy Spirit?” Are you relying on the Spirit’s power for life and ministry, or are you relying on your power? Do you want people to be able to look at you and say, "They have been with Jesus"?

Friday, April 25, 2008

MISSIONAL MOVEMENT - EXPONENTIAL '08 (Alan Hirsch)


Missional Movement
Alan Hirsch
4-23-08
Exponential Conference ‘08

Alan Hirsch is from “the land of down under.” He’s an Aussie and he may just be brilliant. The guy loves God and is passionate about the church. He has written two of the most challenging books you’re likely to read: The Shaping of Things to Come and The Forgotten Ways.

Hirsch delivered one of the most fascinating and challenging messages of the entire conference. I agree with Steve Anderson who said, “Alan Hirsch is a prophet to this generation.”


Illustration: Gordon McKenzie’s book, “Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace.”

Hirsch opened by sharing a humorous story from Gordon McKenzie’s book about how as boys, McKenzie and his cousin loved to “mesmerize” chickens on his uncle’s farm by capturing them, holding their beak down to a white line of chalk until the chicken was “mesmerized” or basically “frozen.” The chickens would remain in this position until the boy’s uncle would basically give them a kick in the backside. The point of the illustration and of McKenzie’s excellent book is that organizations have a “mesmerizing effect” on people.

Unfortunately, churches have the same affect. Something either in our theology or methodology makes us keep our “noses down on the line.” We rarely break free to do something innovative, different or something that challenges the status quo. We behave like a group of “mesmerized” chickens. What we desperately need is a kick in the backside.

Note: One of the funniest moments in Hirsch’s message was when in his Aussie accent and Aussie way, he actually said, “Sometimes God has to give us a boot in the a**.” Yep! He actually said it. And, I think he’s right!

According to the latest research, the church is in decline in every American / Western city…

What needs to happen is that we desperately need to recover a “lost ethos” and go back to the “primal stories” in our history when the church grew exponentially and had a profound impact upon our world and culture.


4 Areas Where We Need To Recover A Lost Ethos

1. The Recovery of the Absolute Centrality of JESUS In His Movement.

• Christology lies at the heart of the renewal of the church. Jesus Christ must be central!

• We must radicalize in order to missionalize. We have to go back to our roots. We must once again become a “missionary movement.”

→Christology (Jesus, our founder and leader, sets the primary template.) Leads to and determines our..

→Missiology (Jesus establishes our purpose and function in the world.) Leads to and determines our...

→Ecclesiology (The church is a result of our “missionary engagement” in the world.)

Note: It is crucial that the church always recalibrate back to JESUS.

Note: Jesus and religion don’t mix well together. In fact, Jesus reserves his harshest criticism for the religious… He was usually “gentle” with the sinner, but tough on the religious.

Big Question: Where is Jesus in all that we do? Just read the N.T. gospels. Why doesn’t the church look more like Jesus?

• The subversion of Christianity

Somehow we often take Jesus out of Christianity. Why? Because it’s hart to live with the Lord! Jesus will challenge every aspect of our lives.

Example: Church at Laodicea… Revelation 3:20 describes Jesus by saying, “I stand at the door and knock…” Jesus was standing at the door of this church knocking, waiting to be invited in…

Question: How was Jesus ‘shut out of the church’ in the first place?

We kicked him out! Why? Because Jesus is too demanding!

G.K. Chesterton said it like this; “Christianity has not be tried and found wanting, it has been found difficult and left untried.”

Christianity
minus
Christ
equals
Religion
(the domestication of Jesus and His Church)

Unfortunately, there is lots of religion in America… This is exactly why it is crucial that we go back to Jesus!

Christology is at the heart of the renewal of the church!

• Show me your Jesus and I will show you who you are.

Voltaire quote: “God created man in his own image, and man returned the favor.”

We have domesticated Jesus. We have re-created Jesus in our own image. You know you’ve “re-created” Jesus in your own image when Jesus hates all the same people you hate…

We have created / fashioned several caricatures of Jesus…

Spooky Jesus (Jesus with halo and heart in hand…) – This caricature ignores the humanity and incarnation of Jesus…. Basically a return to a heresy called “docetism.”

Buddy Jesus (Jesus with thumbs up…) - This caricature lacks reverence and respect… Jesus is our “homeboy” or buddy… It ignores Jesus’ divinity.

Sunday School Jesus (Jesus surrounded by children and lamb…) – It ignores the revolutionary nature of Jesus.

Jesus is my boyfriend… (Listen to a lot of contemporary music… The lyrics basically describe Jesus as a boyfriend…) Jesus is not my boyfriend. He is LORD!

Bearded Lady Jesus… (You’ve seen these portraits… Jesus looks somewhat effeminate... He looks as if his hair was done by some guy from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”…) This caricature of Jesus doesn’t inspire revolution!

Suburban Jesus… (Jesus who builds his own cross...)

We have DOMESTICATED JESUS!

We must recover JESUS… The “wild” one… The Jesus described in the N.T. We must recover the Jesus described in the gospels and in Revelation!

Unfortunately, too often we lock Jesus out of our lives because we are disturbed by Him.


2. The Recovery of Discipleship As Our Core Task.

• Discipleship is becoming like Jesus. It is allowing Jesus to live his life in and through me.

• Embodiment and transmission… We must become the “embodiment of the faith.” When we become more like Jesus, people will be more interested in our faith.

• Movements only grow in proportion to their capacity to make disciples.

Movements make discipleship hard. They raise the bar.

Jesus made discipleship tough. He regularly challenged people, “Lay down your idols.” Check out the story of the Rich Young Ruler. Jesus was not “seeker sensitive.” He was radical!

Discipleship is the basis of every apostolic movement. If we fail to make disciples, we will fail to increase the movement.

• Leadership is an extension of discipleship.

• Consumerism is killing us.

Consumerism is the alternative religion of many in our society. In fact, a consumer mentality has gripped many in the church and is killing us from within.


3. Recovery of the Ethos / Structure of apostolic movement.

• We desperately need missionally responsive, culturally adaptive, organizationally agile, multiplication movements.

• Movements mobilize the people of God. Movements take seriously “the priesthood of all believers.”

China has adopted this philosophy: “Every believer a church planter, every church a church planting church.”

THOUGHT: “In the spark is the potential of the flame… In the seed is the potential of the tree…”

• A few thoughts about movements:

➢ Movements are reproducing and reproducible
➢ Movements are structurally networked. They avoid the centralization of power. They are “al-qaeda” like in their networking… Fast, quick, responsive…
➢ Movements employ missional leadership. The five-fold gifts are operational in the context of a movement (See Ephesians 4)


4. The Recovery of an Incarnational-Missional Impulse.

• We have a missional God

• We have an incarnational God

• We must have a missional Church

• We must have an incarnational Church

The missional church goes out.
The incarnational church goes out.


NOTE: Read more about Alan Hirsch by logging on to website and blog The Forgotten Ways.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

ED STETZER AND EXPONENTIAL '08


Ed Stetzer is "THE MAN" when it comes to church planting... He is a prolific author on the subject... In fact, his books Planting Missional Churches and Breaking the Missional Code are modern classics on the subject. If you haven't picked them up, pick them up - NOW!

He is currently the Director of Lifeway Research and also serves as Lifeway's Missiologist in Residence.

Ed presented several lectures at Exponential '08 and has graciously made the notes / power point presentations available on his blog. You can also listen to MP3's of other messages by Ed on the Acts 29 Network's podcast.

Check out Ed's research, blog and notes from Exponential '08 here. Check out his messages on Acts 29. You'll be glad you did... You'll understand why he really is "THE MAN."

REVIVAL - EXPONENTIAL '08 NOTES (TIM KELLER)


The Application and Facilitation of Revival Dynamics in the Local Church
Tim Keller
April 24, 2008
Exponential Conference ‘08

Tim Keller is the founding and Senior Pastor of Redeemer Church in New York City. He is one of the most intellectually gifted thinkers and pastors on the planet. MP3’s of his messages are available on the following sites: Redeemer Church, Acts 29 Network, and The Resurgence.

These are notes that I took during Tim’s “breakout session” at Exponential ’08.


IMPORTANT TRUTH: We are not reproducing because we are “not alive.”


SIXTEEN DYNAMICS OF REVIVAL

3 INSTRUMENTS of Revival:

1. Recovering The Difference Between The Gospel and Religion

Religion: “I obey, therefore I am accepted…”

Religion is usually motivated by fear and anxiety. It is often an attempt to “control God…” It sometimes fosters the attitude and idea, “God owes me… After all, look at all I’ve done…”

It often causes you to feel smug and superior…

It is the “default” of the human heart… We easily drift into attempts at “self-salvation.”

Gospel: “I’m accepted, that’s why I obey…”

People who truly believe the gospel are filled with extraordinary gratitude. They obey God not out of a sense of fear or anxiety, but out of a sense of gratitude and thankfulness…

Revival is always preceded by the recovery of the difference between the gospel and religion.

2. Extraordinary Prayer

Revival is always preceded by extraordinary, corporate, over the top, united prayer… In fact, prayer is possibly the “only given” in every spiritual “movement” in history…

3. Creativity

Revival is always innovative… It looks different – completely different – than it has ever looked before…

Example: C.S. Lewis, “…you never get back to Narnia the same way…”

In the same way, revival never occurs in the same way it has occurred in the past. It is amazingly creative.

3 ASPECTS of Revival:

1. Nominal church Members Get Converted

People who have intellectually “believed” the correct doctrine, but are nonetheless spiritually “dead” actually receive the gospel and begin to fully trust and rely on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

2. Sleepy Christians Wake Up

Believers who are trusting in something else as their “functional” Savior – family, career, etc. – actually trust place their trust in Jesus not only as their “intellectual” Savior, but as their “functional” Savior.

Romans 8:16-17 comes alive with these believers… The Spirit “…bears witness with their Spirit...”

There is a huge difference between “inferential” assurance – assurance that is “inferred” – and “intuitive” assurance – assurance that somehow comes from within as a result of the “witness” of the Holy Spirit.

The result of what happens in these believers is evident in worship services… This cannot be programmed… It is supernatural… People are supernaturally “beautified” by the Holy Spirit and “come alive.”

3. People In The Community Are Converted

Lost people are brought into a living relationship with Jesus Christ… Evangelistic intensity in the church dramatically increases and the lost are irresistibly drawn to Jesus Christ.

6 BALANCES or MARKS of Revival:

1. A Particular Kind of Edifying Worship

The worship of the church miraculously moves the hearts of unbelievers, while simultaneously edifying the lives of believers… Worship becomes extraordinary – simultaneously attracting unbelievers while strengthening believers…

2. A Strong Emphasis on Great Preaching and Teaching.

Preaching and teaching is:
• Gospel oriented
• Truth Oriented, and,
• Real

This is crucial: Pastors must make the truth real and clear.

3. A Strong Emphasis On Life-Changing Community or Relationships.

TRUTH: We become like the people we hang out with… Revival brings a renewed emphasis on authentic community.

4. Strong Emphasis On Evangelism

The church becomes outwardly focused…

5. Passion for Justice and Concern for the Poor

6. Cultural Engagement

The church enables and empowers believers to integrate their faith, work and lives…

4 RESULTS of Revival:

1. There is Always a “Looney or Excessive” Fringe.

Some people will drift towards imbalance…

2. There Is Always A Backlash.

There is a backlash in the “church” by exiting leaders who feel threatened by the new growth.

There is a backlash in the “community” by people who do not understand what God is doing in the church.

3. Lots of New Churches Are Planted.

Revival always leads to reproduction. Churches are planted. Existing churches resist the urge to “protect their turf.” Thoughts drift towards the “kingdom” and instead of territorialism.

4. Real Social Healing.

Revival always brings healing…


God has more revivals “up His sleeve.”

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY - EXPONENTIAL 08 NOTES

Your Community
Rick Rusaw / Dave Mills
April 23, 2008
Exponential Conference

Rick Rusaw is the founding and Lead Pastor of Lifebridge Christian Church in Longmont, Colorado. For the last seventeen years, LCC has been making a difference for the kingdom of God by selflessly serving their community. Rick has written two excellent books on the subject of service: The Externally Focused Church and Living A Life On Loan. He has also founded the Externally Focused Network.

Rick’s passion for the gospel and practical love for people came through in a great session at Exponential ’08.

Dave Mills is the founder and director of Compassion By Design, a network that exists to equip churches to better serve their community.

Here are the notes from this session.


GREAT QUESTION: If our church vanished, would anyone in the community even notice? Would anyone weep? Would anyone even care?

Unfortunately, by and large, the church has abandoned our culture, retreated from the “playing field” and opted to create our own “Christian subculture.” We must re-engage our culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ.


Characteristics of Externally Focused Churches

1. XFC’s see themselves as VITAL to the health and well-being of their communities.

Externally focused churches believe that their communities, with all of their aspirations and challenges, cannot be truly healthy without the churches’ involvement. They recognize God has placed them in their communities to be salt, light, and leaven. They are not social workers – they are kingdom builders.

2. XFC’s believe that Christ-followers can’t grow until they begin to serve.

See Ephesians 2:8-10

Externally focused churches believe that Christians grow best when they are serving and giving themselves away to others. Ministry and service are normal expressions of Christian living.

3. XFC’s find a way to partner with existing ministries or human-service agencies that are already serving the community.

Nearly every community has a number of human-service agencies that are morally positive and spiritually neutral and are doing their best to meet the needs of the under-served and under-resourced people of the community. Such agencies include food banks, homeless shelters, emergency family housing, and safe homes for abused women.

In addition, externally focused churches recognize that “parachurch” ministries are effective in ministering to specific target audiences (such as youth, unwed mothers, and the unemployed.) Rather than starting a new ministry, these human-serve agencies and “parachurch” organizations can serve as “partner ministries” of a local congregation. Churches can simply join what is already happening in the community, without having to start from scratch.

4. Externally focused churches are convinced that good deeds create good will, which creates the opportunity to share good news. Good deeds and good news can’t and shouldn’t be separated.

Engaging the community with good news and good deeds is not a tactic or even a foundational strategy of externally focused churches; it is at their very core of who they are.

XFC’s view service as a long-term way to “connect” with the people in their community.

While the ULTIMATE MOTIVE of an XFC is to share the good news of Jesus Christ, XFC’S have no ULTERIOR MOTIVE. XFC’s have no agenda but to SERVE. They serve with NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

5. XFC’s are evangelistically effective.

The following is from the XF Network:

It’s no secret that the church in North America is not hitting the ball out of the park evangelistically. Church attendance has dropped from a high of 49% in the 1991 to 43 % in 2002. While the U. S. population grew by 9 % between 1992 and 1999, the median adult attendance per church service has dropped 12% during the same time.

The good news for externally focused churches, according to the FACT study, is “congregations with a strong commitment to social justice and with direct participation in community outreach ministries are more likely to be growing than other congregations.”

The realities of these statistics show that an increasingly large portion of our population has no idea “how to go to church.” Externally focused churches have the advantage of deploying people into the community where they can be church through their love and service.

Although these churches serve their communities expecting nothing in return, many people are drawn into the kingdom through their presence. Fewer people are asking how to be saved, but they are looking for “authenticity” in relationships. When the people who talk about a loving God demonstrate love, the gap between doubt and faith is narrowed.

Two Websites Worth Checking Out:

Externally Focused Network
Compassion By Design


How To Determine Your Church’s “SWEET SPOT” for Service:

Imagine three concentric circles…

• Your Communities Needs and Dreams (One Circle)
• God’s Mandate and Desire (Second Circle)
• Your Church’s Calling (Third Circle)

The place where these three circles intersect represents your church’s SWEET SPOT


PRACTICE: Dave Mills strongly suggested that every church conduct a “Needs Assessment” in their community. Talk to as many community leaders as possible about how your church can “serve” their community. Do not approach these community leaders with YOUR AGENDA, but with a sincere desire to truly LISTEN. Information on conducting the Needs Assessment is available on the Compassion By Design website.

PRACTICE: Allot time each week each week to meeting with community leaders…. From the mayor, police chief, school superintendents, principals, teachers, etc. Talk to as many people as possible because you never know who can open up a crucial door that will expand your opportunity to serve and increase your influence…

RECOMMENDATION: Rick Rusaw recommends that every church plant begin selflessly serving their community for six to twelve months before they officially LAUNCH.

CREATIVE COMMUNICATION - EXPONENTIAL '08

Seven Steps To Sermon “Branding”
Mark Batterson
April 22, 2008
Exponential 08 Pre-Conference Intensive

Mark Batterson is the founding and lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. He is a gifted communicator. One of the smartest guys you'll ever hear. He has written an incredibly inspiring book titled, In A Book With A Lion On A Snowy Day. I loved it. Pick it up today. Yesterday Mark shared some thoughts on "sermon branding." These notes will not relate to everyone, but to all my fellow pastors who occasionally check out this blog, I thought I would share the wealth....

You can check out a couple of Mark's message series at these links:
Chase The Lion
The Elephant In The Church


Seven Steps To Sermon "Branding"

Hebrews 1:1 (NIV), In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways

God is not a “broken record.” He spoke at many times and in “various ways.”

THOUGHT: It is crucial that we learn to say “old things” in “new ways.”

John 12:49 (NIV), I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.

Evidently, the “what” of a message isn’t enough! Jesus not only looked to the Father for direction regarding “content,” but direction regarding “methodology.” The Father told Jesus “what to say and how to say it…”

1. Come Up With A “Memorable” Series Title

Your series and message titles are the “hook” that will help people “connect” with the subject you feel inspired or led to address.

Some Examples:
POTENTIAL: A series on 1 and 2nd Timothy
LAST WORDS: A series on the seven sayings of Christ from the cross
LOVE U: A series on relationships around Valentine’s Day
HOW: A practical series covering topics such as “how to” study the Bible, fast, manage my money, etc.
THE ELEPHANT IN THE CHURCH: A series on obvious issues that we refuse to talk about…
GOD AT THE “BILLBOARDS”: A series featuring songs from Billboard’s Top 40…
I AM NCC…

Some Examples:
www.theelephantinthechurch.com
www.chasethelion.com

2. Create A Series GRAPHIC.

A picture is worth more than a thousand words; it’s worth ten million words! Jesus often created “word pictures” with his parables.

CONCEPT: SEQUENCE OF COGNITION – The brain recognizes shapes first, colors second and content last…

Everything in your environment is important! Everything in your environment from the colors of the walls, to sound levels, stage set, bulletin graphics, etc. communicates!

Example: If aesthetics aren’t important then why does God take twelve chapters in Exodus to describe the aesthetics of the tabernacle? God addressed issues such as the color of curtains, the smells a person would experience, etc.

Yes, CONTENT is KING, but aesthetics do count!

THOUGHT: Your website is a door or gateway to your church… Develop a cutting edge website and seek to get people to your site… Provide people with information and an experience via the web.

PRACTICE: When going through a magazine tear out the pages that “connect” with you and give them to your graphics designer. Process the ad or graphic with your designer…

3. Design a series “e-vite” and “invite.”

Possible Vendors:
psprint.com
constantcontact.com

Don’t “spam” people, but make certain you communicate with your audience… Train your congregation to “forward” your emails to a friend….

4. Brainstorm Big Ideas

Resource: The Big Idea, Greg Ferguson

Here’s the point: discern what God wants to say to your congregation… Discern what God wants to do in your congregation. State this succinctly and simply.

Every sermon needs to have a single idea.

Example: Bed of Nails… A person lying on a bed of nails is not harmed because pressure is diffused by a thousand points… Even so, a sermon with a “thousand points” will fail to penetrate at any level.

Jesus almost always preached with a metaphor… (Matthew 13:34 and Mark 4:34 says that Jesus “…did not speak to them without a parable…”

THOUGHT: The most important truths need to be communicated in the most unforgettable ways.

5. Create A Series TRAILER.

Example: Movie trailers create “buzz” and excitement… Create a series trailer that you can post on your church website, show in your weekend services and perhaps use as a “bumper.”

THOUGHT: Intentionally use humor to diffuse tension when you are speaking on difficult subjects… Self-deprecating humor reveals your “human-ness” and is helpful to your audience…

PRACTICAL TECH STUFF: When purchasing software and hardware for video production, think about purchasing “HD” versions…

6. Add Sermon Props

Jesus regularly employed object lessons in his messages… Employ object lessons to help your audience remember… Do not allow church to become predictable or routine…

7. Add Sermon Staging

Change your stage with every possible series… This will help the environments in your church “feel fresh”


Contacting Mark Batterson: mark@theaterchurch.com

MAKING VISION STICK - EXPONENTIAL '08 NOTES


Making Vision Stick
Andy Stanley
April 22, 2008
Exponential ‘08

Andy Stanley is the founding and lead pastor of Northpoint Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a gifted leader and communicator. Yesterday, he presented a "vintage" Stanley message at Exponential '08. He expands on these ideas in his small, yet significant book, Making Vision Stick. Anyone who leads in any area of life can benefit from reading this simple book.

Definition: vision is a mental picture of what could be (the dream) fueled by a passion for what should be… It always begins as a “burden.”


How To Make Vision Stick:

1. State It SIMPLY.

Question: What are you trying to accomplish? State it simply and memorably… Keep in min that “memorable is portable.”

Question: What is the vision for your local church?

Some Examples of SIMPLE Mission Statements:

Northpoint Church: …create a church that unchurched people love to attend…
ONE Campaign: …to make poverty history…
Barak Obama: …change… (Can you describe Hillary or McCain’s mission?)

All of these statements are memorable... Make your mission clear and compelling…

2. Cast It Convincingly

Example: Nehemiah rebuilding the broken down walls in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2)

Casting a convincing mission require at least three things:
• Define the problem: What problem does our vision address? What would go undone if our church ceased to exist?
• Offer the solution:
• Explain why and why now: What makes this the right time to pursue this vision. Answering the “why” and “why now” questions will ignite passion… Be very specific!

3. Repeat It Relentlessly

Vision leaks… You must repeat the vision regularly… Look at the attendance patterns in your church and allot high attendance “peak times” in your calendar to sharing vision.

4. Celebrate It Systematically

Find ways to celebrate your vision… When you “catch” someone living out the vision, celebrate that “win.” Share stories… Show pictures…

Good Practice: Ask your staff about ministry “wins” in their respective spheres of influence….

5. Embrace It Personally and Publicly

Share what you are doing to personally live out the vision… Share stories about your involvement in evangelism and small groups… People need to know that the leader has “bought in” to the vision and is personally living it out…

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

EVERYONE NEEDS A SAMEWISE GANGEE


A good friend of mine shot me off an email right after we announced plans to launch a church in Birmingham. He's one of the smartest guys I know with a strong background in literature. His email, along with a book I'm reading, sent my mind into overdrive... Heres' the exchange...

My Friend:

"We're all goners if God isn't involved, man. I'm excited for you and Janet. One thing to remember since you used the word 'adventure': in epic stories (like Homer's Odyssey, for instance), there's always a call to adventure which is answered (willingly or unwillingly) by the hero, but there's also always a trip to the underworld. When it gets tough, remember the hero always comes out victorious on the other side!!"


Here's My Response:

"Man, this email spoke to me in a big way. Just this morning, before reading your email, I read the following few paragraphs out of book I’m reading...

After narrowly escaping complete devastation, Samwise Gamgee, the trusted friend of Frodo Baggins from the trilogy Lord of the Rings, looks at Frodo, who has just said in exhaustion and exasperation from having to carry the responsibility of saving the world, “I can’t do this...”

Sam inspires Frodo to carry on... I love this piece of dialogue...

“It’s like the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.”

“What are we holding on to, Sam?” Frodo sighs, still overcome by the near defeat ...

Determined to help Frodo. Sam lifts him to his feet, looks him sternly in the eye and says, “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
(Neil Cole, Search and Rescue: Becoming A Disciple Who Makes A Difference, Baker Books)

I believe that!

Imagine reading those paragraphs and then opening up this email where you’ve basically laid out the same scenario. Thanks. Thanks for the reminder to stay in the fight. Thanks for the reminder that every GREAT STORY has conflict... Thanks for reminding me that there’s something worth fighting for... That there’s always a trip to the underworld, but it’s a necessary part of the adventure... And only in fighting those battles can we know the glory of victory and really experience the power of God.



Is your life an adventure? Have you taken a trip to the "underworld" lately? If so, are you thoroughly convinced, "Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ..."?

Hang in there! In the words of P.O.D., "It can't rain forever."

Keep believing.

Monday, April 14, 2008

WHY BIRMINGHAM?


After several months of scouting trips, research, prayer and thought; as me and Janet began to sense a “leading” from God to launch a church in Birmingham, we asked ourselves, “Why? What is it we love about Birmingham? Why do we feel compelled to stay planted in this city?”

Here are a few of the things that came to mind…

1) A lack of sensing any “release” from God as it relates to His calling upon our lives.

2) The fact that there are still so many un-churched people in our city.

According to David Olson, in a recent and important book titled, The American Church In Crisis, less than 25% (24.8%) of the population in the state of Alabama attend church on any given weekend….

According to the North American Mission Board the population of Jefferson County in 2006 was estimated at a little more than 665,000 people. The population of Shelby County in 2006 was estimated at approximately 183,500 people. That’s more than 848,500 people!

If David Olson’s considerable research is correct, that means that there are more than 636,375 people in this two county area who are officially UNCHURCHED.

Just a few days ago, I met with a commercial real estate broker who indicated that within a 10-mile radius of a certain building in Hoover there are more than 410,000 residents. According to Olson’s research, that means that within that same 10-mile radius there are approximately 307,500 UNCHURCHED people.

Janet and I live in Hoover… That’s 307,500 people who shop at the Galleria, attend the public school system, go to football games, NASCAR races, work, live, eat and breathe, who are not connected with a local church!

On top of that I recently heard Andy Stanley say that according to his research, people in the Deep South regularly over estimate their actual church attendance. In other words, because church attendance in the Deep South is culturally expected, people will say they attend church when in reality they haven’t attended in years except in the case of a wedding or a funeral. That means that the number of UNCHURCHED people in the Birmingham area could be significantly more than Olson’s research indicates.

People in this city need Jesus. We have a passion to reach these individuals with the gospel of Jesus.

3) The ministry of reconciliation. In a city known for its history of racial tension and division, the dream of seeing God create an ethnically, socially and economically diverse body of believers united under the Lordship of Jesus Christ pumps me up.

4) Cultural diversity. Approximately 27% of the population in Birmingham is African American. The Hispanic population in Birmingham is exploding! We firmly believe that God has called us to build an ethnically diverse community of faith. That possibility excites us.

A trip to my seven-year-old daughter’s classroom demonstrated to me the diversity of our city. The class was filled with several Anglo children, African American children, a couple of Hispanic kids and an Asian girl. I want my children to experience this kind of diversity.

5) Proximity to our families of origin. Scripture indicates that we have a biblical responsibility to care for our parents. While our parents are basically healthy, aside from the health challenges my dad has experienced in the past year, one factor as to where we live is the fact that it needs to be somewhat accessible to our parents in the event of a family emergency.

6) Friends. They aren’t that easy to come by… Over the fourteen years we’ve lived in Birmingham we’ve been blessed with some lifelong friends. We love these guys and want to attempt to continue “doing life” with them.

7) Personal History. We have almost fourteen years of history in this city. Our oldest daughter was six months old when we first moved to Birmingham. Our middle daughter was born here. Our children call this city “home.” Unless firmly persuaded that God has called us to move to a different city we have a parental responsibility to provide a stable home for our children. If God speaks, we are ready and willing o follow. Without His leadership, we are firmly planted.

8) Our house… We really believe God placed us in the house we currently live in. If God allows, we would love to live here for the rest of our lives…

9) Hoover Schools… Our girls attend great schools. Our middle daughter is sophomore in High School… We would love to see her graduate from Spain Park… We also pray that our youngest daughters completes all twelve grades in the Hoover System… That would be so stinking cool... More important, it would give her a lot of stability and the chance to develop friendships that last from elementary school through high school.

10) The growing “arts scene” in Birmingham… Some amazing independent musicians call Birmingham “home.” I believe God wants us to “connect” with arts community and works towards a God-centered vision of the arts for the city of Birmingham.

11) SEC football… There’s nothing like it in the world.

12) We’ve got the best State Song in the U.S. What other state has a song like “Sweet Home Alabama” as its unofficial state song?

13) Rave Theaters.

14) Barnes and Noble (Patton Creek or The Summit)

15) O’Carr’s Chicken Salad… My daughter’s would also add, “O’Carr’s Chocolate Milkshakes.”

16) Edgar’s Strawberry Cake. Enough said…

17) Tortuga’s Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza!

18) P.F. Chang’s at The Summit

19) Downtown Homewood… Simply COOL!

20) The Summit – What can I say? It’s got the Apple Store, Barne’s and Noble, Cheesecake Factory and more…

21) White Christmas at The Alabama Theatre (MY GIRLS LOVE IT!)

Saturday, April 12, 2008

TORTUGA'S PIZZA - THE BEST IN BHM!!!

Okay, want to know where to get THE BEST PIZZA in BHM? Tortuga's Pizza is WITHOUT A DOUBT the best!

Somehow these guys have been off my radar... Never even knew about the place... But a couple of friends recently introduced me... THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Finally, PIZZA the way it was meant to be...

Check them out ASAP. TORTUGA'S PIZZA. Yes!

FINDING YOUR NICHE


Okay, guys and gals...

I love great quotes... This is one of the best... One of my good friends reminded me of this quote during the time Janet and I were struggling to find God's will for our lives. It spoke profoundly to our lives.

“There are all different kinds of voices calling to you, all different kinds of work and the problem is finding out which is the voice of God, rather than that of society, say, or the super-ego or self-interest. By and large, a good rule for finding out is this: The kind of work God usually calls you to, is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do, and (b) that the world most needs to be done.”

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
(Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), 95.)

Where does your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet?

ANCIENT WISDOM FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE LEADERS

As Israel stands on the edge of Canaan and Moses communicates his final instructions before walking off into the sunset and handing over the reigns of leadership to Joshua, God gives some crucial instructions to Israel’s future kings and leaders.

Reading through this passage today caused me to wonder how different the leadership and legacy of a lot of Israel’s kings would have turned out had they taken these words to heart… It also convicted me about my own leadership…

Deuteronomy 17:14-16 (NLT), "You will soon arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, and you will conquer it and settle there. Then you may begin to think, 'We ought to have a king like the other nations around us.' 15 If this happens, be sure that you select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite, not a foreigner. 16 The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the LORD has told you, 'You must never return to Egypt.'

The Message paraphrases Verse 16, “…make sure he doesn't build up a war machine, amassing military horses and chariots.”

God wanted Israel to trust Him for their protection, not some huge army with the latest technology and the greatest number of tanks. Maybe this explains why God got so ticked at David when he ordered a census? (1 Chronicles 21) It was the revelation of a proud heart, a heart that refused to trust in God and instead relied on it own strength, military prowess and political savvy.

Deuteronomy 17:17-20 (NLT), The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will lead him away from the LORD.

I think God has always wanted his leaders to be “one woman men.” God knew there was no “oneness” in polygamy, only lust.

The New Testament gives similar instructions to the elders in God’s church. 1 Timothy 3:2 says that an elder must be “…the husband of one wife.” Most scholars agree the phrase can actually be translated, “…a one woman man.”

A leader’s commitment to and fidelity in marriage provides him with the moral credibility to lead others… Recent headlines provide larger than life examples of what happens when a leader blows it in the area of faithfulness in marriage… A powerful governor resigns in shame… An incoming governor spends the first few days in office explaining his past…

Countless leaders have had their leadership lives derailed all because they couldn’t discipline this aspect of their lives…

David paid a huge price for his affair with Bathsheba. And Solomon... Well, this guy made Gene’s Simmons sexual exploits look like kindergarten stuff.

Here’s the problem: David and Solomon’s sexual exploits and marital infidelity not only cost them, it cost Israel – BIG TIME.

Temptation in this area is off the charts for most American men. Maybe we need to make the same commitment and covenant that Job made and then pray for God’s grace to walk it out…

Job 31:1 (MSG), I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes.

The NIV reads, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.”

God’s instructions to Israel’s future leaders continues…

Deuteronomy 17:17b (NLT), And he must not accumulate vast amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

Wow! Why have we so BLOWN IT when it comes to this plain instruction? This verse ISN'T hard to understand. Leadership isn't about getting rich off of the people we lead… It’s about servanthood, not wealth and power…

From the get go, God wanted his leaders to check their motives, to walk in humility and to serve their constituency; not walk over their backs in order to make a buck…

When I read of “Christian leaders” who live the extravagant lifestyles of the rich and famous and do so on the backs of people who willingly entrust their resources to them, my heart breaks… God has always challenged His leaders to lifestyles of simplicity and service…

But maybe the most important piece of what God said to Israel’s future leaders is wrapped up in Verses 18-20.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NLT), "When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy these laws on a scroll for himself in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 He must always keep this copy of the law with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of this law. 20 This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. This will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel."

Wow! This is wraps everything up… God looked at Israel’s future leaders and said: “Guys… Guys… If you want to lead well, then immerse yourself in my WORD… Be such a serious student of the Word that you hand write yourself a personal copy… Oh, and by the way, do it in the presence of the priests… Because I know the tendency of the human heart to leave out stuff you don’t really like… Read my word daily, as long as you live... You’ll be amazed at how my Word prepares you to meet the challenges of your world… In fact, my word is your only shot at being the kind of man who can walk in humility and serve with character… So make my word the centerpiece of your leadership life.”

This is crucial stuff.

I was convicted when I read these verses this morning… Convicted because sometimes I rely on my strength instead of God’s. I build personal strategies, instead of trusting God’s power. Convicted because I need to make certain I devote more time to developing a great marriage… (No, I’m not into polygamy... Thank God. One wife is plenty enough for me. But I don’t always give my marriage the time and attention it deserves. Sometimes I even allow ministry to become my mistress.) Convicted because I need to pursue humility and resist pride. Convicted because sometimes I neglect God’s Word, when in reality, His Word is my life… Without being rooted and grounded in God's Word, my leadership doesn't stand a chance... Yet, sometimes I let the busyness of my personal schedule, keep me from time in God's Word.

Ouch!

What about you? What are the greatest challenges you face in leadership? What are you asking God to do in your life as a leader?

Thursday, April 10, 2008

MOVING FORWARD - a2


After much prayer, thought, investigation, conversations with mentors and friends, as well a considerable amount of time; Janet and I wanted to write to our ministry friends and partners to inform you that we believe God is leading us to plant a church in Birmingham, Alabama.

I would like to take a moment to share with you how we arrived at this decision.

First of all, during the past several months we have earnestly prayed for God’s direction concerning our ministry. We have taken numerous road trips to Atlanta (4), Nashville (2), Knoxville(4) and Louisville to investigate possible church plants or pastorates in these areas.

We have also conducted a considerable amount of demographic research in other areas, all the while asking God if He was leading us to plant a church in one of these areas... Throughout this time we have earnestly prayed for God’s leadership. After loads of research and lots of prayer we haven’t sensed any leading from God to pursue a church plant in one of these areas... After this lengthy process it seems that the Lord continues to lead us back to Birmingham.

Furthermore, upon arriving in Birmingham approximately three and a half years ago, I was struggling with why God had brought us back to Birmingham. I really believe God spoke to me while Janet and I were driving down Lakeshore Drive. I recall receiving this firm impression, “What if in the middle of a city with a history of racial tension and division, I created an Acts 2 community that became a light to this nation?” I’m fully persuaded that that mission is yet to be fulfilled.

That’s why in August 2008 we will launch a2 church. The “a2” refers to our desire to be an “Acts 2, biblically functioning community.”


Why another church in Birmingham?

According to David T. Olson, in an important book titled The American Church in Crisis, less than 25 (24.8) percent of the population in Alabama attend church on any given weekend. The North American Mission Board estimates that the population of Jefferson County in 2006 was a little more than 665,000. The population of Shelby County in 2006 was estimated at approximately 183,500. That’s more than 848,500 people in this two county region! If David Olson’s research is correct, that means that there are more than 636,375 people in this two county area who are officially UNCHURCHED. This represents a significant harvest field.

Andy Stanley says that according to his research, people in the Deep South regularly over estimate their actual church attendance. In other words, because church attendance in the Deep South is culturally expected, people will say they attend church, when in reality they haven’t attended in years except in the case of a wedding or a funeral. That means that the number of UNCHURCHED people in the Birmingham area could be significantly more than Olson’s research indicates.

Here’s the point: church planting is extremely important if we are to reach the huge harvest that exists in Birmingham, Alabama.

Janet and I are humbled by the immensity of the work required in planting a new church. Nothing is for certain. The latest research indicates that the failure rate of church plants is alarming... We are well aware that without the activity of God we are completely sunk... At the same time, we are very excited, because we feel a sense of purpose and destiny in joining God in His activity in this city...


What’s in a name? Why “a2 church?”


Two thousand years ago there was a group of people consumed by the adventure of following Jesus. They took Him at His word! They were fully alive, passionate and joyful. They were radically different!

These men and women were filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. They wholeheartedly devoted themselves to God’s Word. They were committed to doing life together. They prayed with conviction and confidence. When they prayed, things actually happened! They were passionate and God-centered in worship. Their influence and impact eventually transformed the world.

a2 church is more than a building or organization. It’s a diverse group of believers united by their relationship with Jesus and committed to being an “Acts 2, biblically functioning community.”


What will this new church be about? What’s the mission?

a2’s Mission: …to glorify God and lead people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Here are the core values that will drive a2 Church.

God First: We call it worship. It’s about expressing our love and devotion to God. It’s responding to all that God is with all that we are. We want to honor God in everything we do by worshipping passionately, praying intensely, living with integrity and always doing our best. (Matt 22:36-37; Col 3:17, 23; Mal 1:6-14)

People Matter: People matter to God and they ought to matter to us. We reach out to people who haven’t experienced a relationship with God and invite them into the adventure of a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. (Lk 5:30-32; 15; Matt 18:14; 28:19-20)

Love and Acceptance: We love and accept people unconditionally, right where they are, no strings attached, and lead them to the healing and wholeness available in Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:8; Jn 13:34-35)

Celebrate Diversity: The first century church was a diverse community of faith. We believe that ethnic diversity reveals the beauty and creativity of God. It is an earthly picture of what heaven will be like. We will pursue ethnic diversity and racial reconciliation. (Gal 3:26-29; Rev 5:9)

Life Change: We believe in God’s ability to radically transform and change lives form the inside out through the person of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We diligently pursue spiritual growth and personal transformation. (Eph 4:22-32; Heb 12:1; Phil 1:6; Rom 12:1-2; Lk 9:23; 2 Pet 3:18)

Everyone Belongs: We were made to do life together. We believe that lasting life change, personal transformation and spiritual growth best occur in the context of authentic, life-giving relationships. (Acts 2:42, 46-47; 1 Jn 4:7-13)

Biblical Truth and Cultural Relevance: We will be true to God’s Word and relevant to our culture. We will never be out of date, out of touch or out of sync with God. We strive to be creative, innovative, practical, excellent and uncompromising in presenting the truth of God’s unchanging Word to our changing culture. (1 Cor 9:19-23; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Tim 4:1-5)

Creativity and Artistry: We believe that God is the master artist. He paints on a canvas as big as the Universe. We desire to move people towards a God-centered vision of the arts that expresses itself through worship, the discipleship of artists, and creating a life-giving community where artists are inspired to use their gifts to glorify God and inspire people. (Ps19:1 Ex 31:2; 35:30-35)

Make A Difference: We believe that God has given every individual some amazing gifts. We champion the gifts, talents and abilities of every individual and challenge them to use these gifts to honor God by serving others and making a difference in our community and world. (Mk 10:45; 1 Cor 12, 14; Rom 12; Eph 4; 1 Pet 4:10)

Pray Hard: We will pray like everything depends on God and work like everything depends on us. (Eph 6:19-20; Col 4:2-6)


Will a2 be affiliated with a denomination?

No. We really believe God is calling us to plant a non-denominational church. However, we will be affiliated with a network of churches. We are presently working through this process.

The 501(c)3 is for a2 is in process and should be completed within the next few days. We will notify you when this is complete.


Have you decided on a location for the weekly worship gatherings?

No. The location of the church plant is still being determined. We are prayerfully investigating a variety of options and at this point, speculation as to a location would be entirely premature.


What about your relationship with other churches?

We view ourselves as partners with every other gospel-centered pastor and church. We will not seek to actively invite or “proselytize” anyone who is an active part of any church. Our mission and vision is not to “recycle” those who are already churched, but to reach out to people who desperately need a relationship with Jesus Christ and people who have disconnected from church.


When will a2 launch?

Our weekly worship gatherings will begin on Sunday, August 17. We will conduct preview services in May, June and July. We will also be conducting “vision gatherings” and launch team meetings throughout the next four months. We will announce dates at a later time.


What can I do?

Please pray for us as we pursue this venture of faith... We desperately need God’s wisdom and direction.

If you are not connected with a local church, please pray as to whether or not God wants you to be connected with a2. We believe God places the members in the church “as He sees fit” (1 Corinthians 12:7), and we are asking God to bring together a launch team of people committed to building a church for the unchurched and spiritually disconnected in Birmingham, Alabama.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at one of the following addresses:

cgoins1127@bellsouth.net (Chris)
cgoins@a2church.org (Chris)
jgonbama@gmail.com (Janet)

You may also write or call us at the following:

328 Stone Brook Circle
Birmingham, AL 35226
205.979.3633

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement throughout this entire process. We appreciate you more than words can say. Now, we expectantly look forward to all that God will do in our city.

To The Glory and Honor of Our Great God!
Chris and Janet Goins

GOD IS WATCHING YOU!

This week my annual one-year trek through the Bible has me in Deuteronomy, Job and Acts… I love Acts… Not so much Job… I know it’s an incredible book, but sometimes it leaves me…confused…

But today I was reading Job 10… Job is responding to the feedback of his opinionated friends. And He is just flat out ticked off. But not only is he ticked off; he’s broken, hurting, wounded and, like me, a little confused…

I was stunned today when I read Job 10:11-14. It reminds me of what some people I meet and interact with think about God… Here’s the passage…

Job 10:11-14 (NLT), You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. 12 You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care.

Job looks up at the sky. It feels as if God is a million miles away, yet somehow he manages to say, “God, I know I’m not an accident… I’m here because of you… You planned my conception and birth… You formed my body… You gave me life… Not only that, you loved me… You’ve kept me alive to this day…”

That’s great stuff, right? You bet.

But then in Verse 13, Job describes what a lot of people think and how a lot of people feel about God…

Job 10:13-15 (NLT), "'Yet your real motive? I know this was your intent 14 was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my iniquity.’”

I think there are a lot of people who feel exactly the same… You meet them everyday… Maybe you work together, workout together, or maybe your kids attend the same school or play on the same team… Sometimes you rub shoulders with these people when you’re in the check out line at Publix… Sometimes it the girl or guy who serves you at P.F. Chang’s… Sometimes it’s the neighbor who lives across the street that you rarely, if ever, get to spend any real time with…

But there are loads of people who have this misconception about God… “God is watching and He’s out to GET ME… If I blow it… If I sin, it’s all over… He won’t forgive me… He’ll never forget… I’ll never live up to His expectations…”

I think a lot of us are like Job… On our good days we believe, “God created me… He has a purpose for my life…” That belief feels pretty good.

But then, on our bad days, sometimes we wonder, “Yeah, this is what God’s about… He’s some hard-nosed deity who’s just waiting to catch me doing something wrong, and then I am toast…”

Job would eventually discover that’s not God’s character at all…

What about you? What about your friends, family and the people you interact with who have the same misconception?

Maybe you could take the next opportunity God gives you to share this little thought with them… Make certain they know you mean it… Make certain it’s more to you than an end zone sign that gets flashed, but never fleshed out…

Maybe you could look at that person who desperately needs to understand the character of God and recite a verse you learned a lot of years ago, but sometimes fail to remember…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” John 3:16-17 (NLT)

Is God watching? You better believe it! But maybe His motive is not what you’ve come to believe… Maybe God is watching you because He loves you, and it’s His great to desire to save…

To learn more check out the song by Lenny Kravitz titled, “A New Door.” Click here.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Once... Twice... Eight Times A NATIONAL CHAMPION!!!


Yep! That's her all right!

Tonight Pat Summit and the UT Lady Vols cut down the nets for the EIGHTH STINKIN' TIME!!! You gotta smile! You gotta say, "Wow!" You got admit Pat Summit is an amazing coach!

The Lady Vols easily handled Stanford 64-48 in the National Championship Game.

As for NEVER GIVING UP! The entire team stepped up.

Candace Parker, the best player in the nation, scored 17 points and 9 rebounds. That was expected. What wasn't expected was the way the rest of the team stepped up, not only defensively, they usually play great defensive ball. What was amazing is the way the rest of the team stepped up offensively.

Shannon Bobbitt scored 13 points in the first half. And Nicky Anosike scored 12 points, grabbed 8 boards and terrorized Stanford with 6 steals.

The Lady Vols were tenacious. I'm still smiling at midnight!

What about Pat Summit?

Her record at Tennesse is 983 wins and 182 losses... That's a winning percentage of 84 percent! She has won 104 of the 123 NCAA tournament games in which her teams have competed. She has led the Lady Vols to 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, every one since the women have had a tournament. Wow.

One more thing: Her teams have won 8, yes, 8 national championships!!!

If you're any kind of a sports fan at all, you've got to recognize greatness when you see it!

Great job, Pat! Great job, Candace! Great job, UT Vols!

One more thing, Phil Fulmer, if you're reading, please talk to Pat Summit right away...

REASONS TO BELIEVE

This morning my one-year trip through the Bible brought me to Acts 1. I love the book of Acts… It kicks off describing some of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus to his followers… During one of these appearances Jesus spoke to the apostles about the kingdom of God… He challenged these believers, “Don’t leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what He promised… John baptized with water. You’ll be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Somehow this incredible promise flew right over the heads of the apostles. The Bible says, “They kept asking him, ‘Are you going to free Israel now and restore your kingdom?’”

These guys wanted Jesus to pull out the charts… They wanted Jesus to start filling in all of the eschatological blanks…

Jesus smiled and said, “Chill out, guys…” Well, actually He didn’t say that, that’s my very loose paraphrase…

Jesus said, “Guys, the Father sets those dates and they’re NOT for you to know… Here is what is important… Here is what you NEED TO KNOW… You will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth…”

Jesus basically says, “If you boys think the last three years have been amazing, fasten your seat belts, because you ain’t seen nothing yet! You will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

Wow!

It wasn’t too long after Jesus said this that He ascended into heaven and a couple of angels gave the apostles the promise that He would return.

Tons of great stuff in the opening eleven verses of Acts 1… You can’t read this chapter without getting stoked.

Then I read these three verses. Unfortunately, sometimes we can read right over the importance of the info these verses contain…

Acts 1:12-13 (NLT), The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half-mile back to Jerusalem. 13 Then they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here is the list of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of James).

That’s not a surprise! All eleven of the remaining apostles went to the upper room to pray… But the next verse is loaded…

Acts 1:14 (NLT), They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

Read that verse again. Slowly.

Jesus had a total of four brothers. During his earthly ministry, these guys weren’t very supportive at all. They were doubters and skeptics… (John 7:1-5)

When Jesus’ ministry kicked into high gear and began drawing such huge crowds that Jesus and the disciples couldn’t find the time to eat, Jesus’ brothers got ticked off!

In fact, Mark 3:21 says, “When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him home with them. “He’s out of his mind,” they said."

But in Acts 1:14, the same guys who days before had been skeptics, became followers and worshippers… In humble obedience to Jesus’ command, they gathered in a small room and “met continually for prayer.”

What changed? What moved these guys from doubt to belief? From fear to faith? From skepticism to heartfelt commitment?

There’s only one answer: Jesus’ miraculous resurrection! These four guys knew that Jesus lived! Jesus died. He was buried. But somehow, miraculously He was ALIVE! These guys were witnesses… They knew the truth… THEY BELIEVED!

1 Corinthians 15:7 gives us a little glimpse into some of what happened. It reads, “…[Jesus] was seen by James and later by all the apostles…”

James was the half brother of Jesus… After his resurrection, Jesus gave James a personal visit…

The result? A doubter and skeptic turned believer and follower (James 1).

Why do I believe?

This has to be one of the reasons! When critics and skeptics like James, Jude and later Paul believe, it’s another reason for me to take the claims of Jesus seriously…

Why do you believe?

Monday, April 7, 2008

NEVER GIVE UP!

If you know me then you know I am a huge Tennessee Vols fan! Last night, the Lady Vols, in the lowest scoring game in Final Four history, scored the winning basket of the game with only .07 seconds left sending them to the National Championship game against Stanford tomorrow night. It was enough to send UT fans into cardiac arrest!

Tomorrow night Pat Summit and the UT Lady Vols will play for their eighth - that's right, count 'em - EIGHTH National Championship.

Watching the Vols play in the Elite Eight and in last night's Final Four was a testament to the power of tenacity and perseverance...

Candace Parker, UT's star player, was injured in their game against Texas A&M in the regional finals. During that game she dislocated her shoulder TWICE... Somehow, she continued to play and ended up scoring 26 points in the game. In Sunday evening's game against LSU, even though she wasn't at her best, she still scored 13 points and pulled down 15 rebounds... She was tenacious...

Then there's Alexix Hornbuckle, who hadn't scored a point in the game against LSU. She stayed with it and scored the final putback that put UT over the top...

Finally, there's Pat Summit. Wow! This is her 34th year as Head Coach of the UT Lady Vols... She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history... She is the REAL DEAL...

So, here's hoping that tomorrow night Summit, Parker, Hornbuckle and the rest of the gang find the perseverance to go the distance ONE MORE TIME...

What about you and me?

Well, here's hoping that whatever challenges life throws at us, like Candace Parker we'll continue to play through the pain... After all, you and I were made for this! Like Alexis Hornbuckle we'll keep putting the ball back in play until we hear the final whistle blow! And, like Pat Summit we'll not allow our passion for our calling to wane even after 34 years and 7 national championships... We'll always stay HUNGRY.

With only seven seconds left in the game and one point down, UT moved the ball the length of the court, put the ball in play and walked away with the game winning basket with less than a second to play...

THEY NEVER GAVE UP!

Here's praying that YOU NEVER GIVE UP on God's purpose, plan and calling for your life.

By the way, GO VOLS!

Friday, April 4, 2008

CHURCH TRAILER THIEF

I just ran across this story...

One weekend in early March, someone stole the set up trailer containing about 75% of Kinetic Church's equipment, leaving their portable church with virtually nothing.

Just imagine, all of your hard work, fund raising, loads of hopes and dreams loaded into the back of a trailer, and that trailer being stolen. This would be a death blow for most new church plants.

How would Kinetic Church respond?

Their response is one of the most moving things I've witnessed recently. First of all, they conducted a billboard and web campaign in an intentional effort to make contact with whoever took the church's stuff.

Here's one of the billboards the church posted:






No one can accuse this church of using "Christianese."

Besides the billboards, the church also filmed a video message to the Church Trailer Thief that they've placed on You Tube and a variety of Internet outlets... At this point, the church knows they'll probably never see their stuff again, but they still dream of meeting the people who stole their stuff.

Why? To make them pay? To get justice? To get even? To make them squirm?

Not even close...

This is church planter and lead pastor, Dave Milam's message to the thief. Click here to check it out...

After watching, tell me what you think of this church's response...

Reminds me a whole lot of somebody else I know...

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

As I was reading Matthew 25:32-40 during my devotional time I was blown away by the IGNORANCE of those Jesus said are “blessed by my Father.”

When the king begins to describe one loving action after another – “I was hungry…you fed me… Thirsty…you gave me a drink… Homeless…you gave me a room… Shivering…you gave me clothes… Sick...and you stopped to visit… I was in prison…and you came…” After the king describes all these actions, the people don’t shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, you know that’s just like us… We are pretty humanitarian… Thank you very much…”

Not at all! The people have this puzzled look on their face and look at the king and say, “What are you talking about? When? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” These guys and gals are blissfully ignorant!

Evidently, they haven’t been checking off items on some religious activity “TO DO” list… They’ve just been going about their everyday, ordinary lives…

I wonder…just wonder…had compassion, charity, empathy, and benevolence become such a way of life for those “blessed by the Father” that their actions didn’t stand out in their minds… Their actions didn’t stand out because they didn’t view these actions as special or extraordinary, but these actions were just the “new normal”?

If someone is hungry, you feed them… If you see someone thirsty, you give them a drink… If somebody needs a place to stay, you open up your home…

For these believers, that was the “new normal.” It was the way everyday, ordinary people responded when faced with a need…

On the other hand, when the king looks at another group of people and says, “I was hungry…you didn’t give me a meal… Thirsty, you didn’t give me a drink…”

These people respond, “What are you talking about? When? When did we see you…hungry, thirsty, shivering, sick, or in prison?”

Could I paraphrase the king? “It’s not that you didn’t see me… It’s that you didn’t see anybody… You didn’t do it to these… You didn’t do it to me… You walked through life IGNORANT as to all that was going on around you… You blew it, BIG TIME!”

If we want to avoid what happened to the last group and repeat what happened to the first group, maybe we need to begin praying the famous prayer of Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God…”

After Bob prayed that prayer he founded World Vision in 1950 and Samaritan's Purse in 1970. Bob died in 1978. World Vision went on to become the largest Christian relief and development organization in the world. Eighteen months after Bob's death, Franklin Graham became the President and Chairman of the Board of Samaritan's Purse.

I wonder if Bob heard the same statement the first group heard when closed his eyes in this life only to open them looking into the face of God? I wonder if I can live in such a way as to hear the same words myself?

Big news: I get to decide. So do you. So did Bob.