Tuesday, September 22, 2009
You Never Let Go
And disaster comes
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rise
And hope takes flight
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Ever faithful
Ever true
You I know
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go
When clouds brought rain
And disaster came
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rose
And hope had flown
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Overflows
Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, my soul
Fills hope
Perfect love that never lets go
Oh, what love, oh what love
Oh, what love, oh what love
In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You’re the same
Oh, You never let go
God's Word
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
John 14:27
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to the faithful.
For the Lord knows our frame, and remembers that we are dust.
The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon the faithful,
and the righteousness of the Lord to children's children.
Psalms 103:8, 13-14, 17
Jesus, You wept at the grave of Your friend Lazarus, You know all our sorrows. Behold our tears, and bind up the wounds of our hearts. Through the mystery of pain, bring us into closer communion with You and with one another. Raise us from death to life. And grant, in Your mercy, that with Joe, who has passed within the veil, we may come to live, with You and with all whom we love, in our heavenly Father's home. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Book #18 - Crazy Love
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Sacrament of Living
A. W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Meekness and Rest
A. W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Restoring the Creator-Creature Relation
A. W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Monday, September 14, 2009
Book #17 - The Offsite
The Gaze of the Soul
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Speaking Voice
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Universal Presence
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Friday, September 11, 2009
Apprehending God
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Removing the Veil
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Following Hard after God
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Monday, September 7, 2009
Book #16 - The Pursuit of God
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Series Starting This Weekend
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
15 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me
15 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me
#1 – Everyone Will Not Understand You…SO Stop Trying To Explain Yourself. Cast Vision…And MOVE Forward!
#2 – Everyone Will Not Like You…So STOP Trying To Be Popular.
#3 – You Don’t Have To Be The Person Who Actually Solves Every Problem….Admit You Are Not The Smartest Person and Let Your Experts Be Your Experts.
#4 – Spend WAY More Time Talking About Who You Are Rather Than Who You Are Not.
#5 – A Leader Is Always An East Target Because They Are…A Leader. So, Get Over Yourself And Get On With What God Called You To Do!
#6 – When The Holy Spirit Presses Something Into Your Heart…Don’t Ignore Him.
#7 – Do NOT Expect God’s Next Step To Make Sense.
#8 – You Can’t Plan A Move Of God…But You Must Be Prepared For One!
#9 – Do Not Resist Something Just Because You Do Not Understand It!
#10 – People Who Claim You “Are Not Deep Enough” Are Obsessed With Information But Have No Desire To Live Out Transformation.
#11 – You Don’t Need To Listen To Everybody…But You Had Better Be Listening To Somebody Because God Didn’t Ask You To Take This Journey Alone.
#12 – Never Apologize For Asking People To Commit To Something…Jesus Didn’t!
#13 – The Church Has Been Underachieving For Way Too Long…So Dream BIG And Don’t Apologize For It.
#14 – There Will Be Days When You Want To Quit…Don’t…Jesus Didn’t! (Remember…DON’T GIVE UP…if you are discouraged, take a second and read this!)
#15 – The Gospel Changes Lives…PREACH Every Sermon Like It’s Your Last!!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
New Hires
Charter Oak Church welcomes an old face into a new position. Josh Ricketts is our new Pastor to Junior High Students. Josh has been a volunteer and/or a paid staff member for the last seven years. Josh and his wife, Karen, have been married for 5 years. They have a daughter Aryn who is two years old. Josh graduated from Grove City College and has a Masters Degree from Reformed Theological Seminary. Josh can be reached at ext. 266 or by email at jricketts@charteroakumc.org.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Great Quote
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Dancing: Getting into Position
To get started you can read Nehemiah 1 and Acts 2.
As the song begins to play those who step on to the dance floor must get into the right position before they can begin the dance. Nehemiah was a prisoner of war serving the king, but God had a vision for His people that began with Nehemiah getting into the right position for God to work in him and through him. As followers of Jesus we need to make sure that we are in the right position to follow God’s lead.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Book #15 - The Back of the Napkin
Book #14 - Ten Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing
Book #13 - The Imperfect Board Member
Book #12 - Not Just a One Night Stand
Donna Gabler who is Charter Oak Church's Pastor of Congregational Care and Missions handed me a book a few weeks ago and asked me to read it. Let me just say as a side note, when my staff give me a book and asks me to read it, they are speaking my love language. The book she gave me is Not Just a One Night Stand: Ministry with the Homeless by John Flowers and Karen Vannoy.
It is short, simple book about how two pastors practically made the decision at their church to minister to homeless people. It is the story of their journey from not having a clue really to the harsh reality of ministering to a people group that are often forgotten or at best pushed around with very little respect from the church or society. This is a challenging book on what I really believe, what the church really believes about the least, the last, and the lost.
Encouragement
It’s been an honor for me to have the opportunity to serve Pastor Furtick over the past couple years, and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to be a voice of encouragement in his life. I heard Pastor Furtick explain one time that the word “encourage” literally means “to give courage,” and that totally transformed my concept of encouragement. Hopefully the thoughts below will help you maximize the impact of your encouragement.
Effective encouragement is specific. That means you have to pay attention to the people around you. Exist with an inclination for encouragement, always looking for the positive in people. Specificity in encouragement communicates value.
Effective encouragement speaks to things that are meaningful to the recipient. Know what they put time and energy into and acknowledge the difference it makes.
Effective encouragement is timely. It should be regular and consistent, but you must also learn specific times or seasons when someone will need extra encouragement.
Effective encouragement is unprompted. If someone has to ask you for encouragement, it kinda defeats the purpose. I’ve heard that if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. The same applies for encouragement. Don’t let your spouse, kids, pastor, or coworkers get dehydrated.
Effective encouragement is communicated through the right means. If face-to-face is available, it’s the most effective. But heed Proverbs 27:14 and use some common sense.
Effective encouragement does not just come from people with the gift of encouraging, it’s commanded of everyone. It can also be learned, if you put in the practice.
I think the most important element to effective encouragement is the “Holy Spirit Factor.” Listen to the prompts in your spirit. God is all-knowing and will ultimately orchestrate timely encouragement for His people. He wants to use you – don’t miss the opportunity!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Proverbs 23
Leaders understand the importance of their minds to the future of their organizations. Consider some of the timeless principles offered in Proverbs 23 about our minds and a godly vision for tomorrow:
1. Your thoughts determine your character (verse 7).
2. Be careful of your thoughts they may break into your words at any time (verse 7).
3. Don't waste your thoughts on those who do not hunger for them (verse 9).
4. The first person you lead is you, and the first organ you master is your mind (verse 12).
5. Don't let your mind drift away from God's truth and into vain envy (verse 17).
6. Stay confident that your vision will come to pass (verse 18).
7. Discipline your thoughts to remain steadfast in what you know is right (verse 19).
Monday, July 20, 2009
Book #11 - Chasing Francis
NT Wright Article
Support by US Episcopalians for homosexual clergy is contrary to Anglican faith and tradition. They are leaving the family.
Tom Wright
In the slow-moving train crash of international Anglicanism, a decision taken in California has finally brought a large coach off the rails altogether. The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States has voted decisively to allow in principle the appointment, to all orders of ministry, of persons in active same-sex relationships. This marks a clear break with the rest of the Anglican Communion.
Both the bishops and deputies (lay and clergy) of TEC knew exactly what they were doing. They were telling the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other “instruments of communion” that they were ignoring their plea for a moratorium on consecrating practising homosexuals as bishops. They were rejecting the two things the Archbishop of Canterbury has named as the pathway to the future — the Windsor Report (2004) and the proposed Covenant (whose aim is to provide a modus operandi for the Anglican Communion). They were formalising the schism they initiated six years ago when they consecrated as bishop a divorced man in an active same-sex relationship, against the Primates’ unanimous statement that this would “tear the fabric of the Communion at its deepest level”. In Windsor’s language, they have chosen to “walk apart”.
Granted, the TEC resolution indicates a strong willingness to remain within the Anglican Communion. But saying “we want to stay in, but we insist on rewriting the rules” is cynical double-think. We should not be fooled.
Of course, matters didn’t begin with the consecration of Gene Robinson. The floodgates opened several years before, particularly in 1996 when a church court acquitted a bishop who had ordained active homosexuals. Many in TEC have long embraced a theology in which chastity, as universally understood by the wider Christian tradition, has been optional.
That wider tradition always was counter-cultural as well as counter-intuitive. Our supposedly selfish genes crave a variety of sexual possibilities. But Jewish, Christian and Muslim teachers have always insisted that lifelong man-plus-woman marriage is the proper context for sexual intercourse. This is not (as is frequently suggested) an arbitrary rule, dualistic in overtone and killjoy in intention. It is a deep structural reflection of the belief in a creator God who has entered into covenant both with his creation and with his people (who carry forward his purposes for that creation).
Paganism ancient and modern has always found this ethic, and this belief, ridiculous and incredible. But the biblical witness is scarcely confined, as the shrill leader in yesterday’s Timessuggests, to a few verses in St Paul. Jesus’s own stern denunciation of sexual immorality would certainly have carried, to his hearers, a clear implied rejection of all sexual behaviour outside heterosexual monogamy. This isn’t a matter of “private response to Scripture” but of the uniform teaching of the whole Bible, of Jesus himself, and of the entire Christian tradition.
The appeal to justice as a way of cutting the ethical knot in favour of including active homosexuals in Christian ministry simply begs the question. Nobody has a right to be ordained: it is always a gift of sheer and unmerited grace. The appeal also seriously misrepresents the notion of justice itself, not just in the Christian tradition of Augustine, Aquinas and others, but in the wider philosophical discussion from Aristotle to John Rawls. Justice never means “treating everybody the same way”, but “treating people appropriately”, which involves making distinctions between different people and situations. Justice has never meant “the right to give active expression to any and every sexual desire”.
Such a novel usage would also raise the further question of identity. It is a very recent innovation to consider sexual preferences as a marker of “identity” parallel to, say, being male or female, English or African, rich or poor. Within the “gay community” much postmodern reflection has turned away from “identity” as a modernist fiction. We simply “construct” ourselves from day to day.
We must insist, too, on the distinction between inclination and desire on the one hand and activity on the other — a distinction regularly obscured by references to “homosexual clergy” and so on. We all have all kinds of deep-rooted inclinations and desires. The question is, what shall we do with them? One of the great Prayer Book collects asks God that we may “love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise”. That is always tough, for all of us. Much easier to ask God to command what we already love, and promise what we already desire. But much less like the challenge of the Gospel.
The question then presses: who, in the US, is now in communion with the great majority of the Anglican world? It would be too hasty to answer, the newly formed “province” of the “Anglican Church in North America”. One can sympathise with some of the motivations of these breakaway Episcopalians. But we should not forget the Episcopalian bishops, who, doggedly loyal to their own Church, and to the expressed mind of the wider Communion, voted against the current resolution. Nor should we forget the many parishes and worshippers who take the same stance. There are many American Episcopalians, inside and outside the present TEC, who are eager to sign the proposed Covenant. That aspiration must be honoured.
Contrary to some who have recently adopted the phrase, there is already a “fellowship of confessing Anglicans”. It is called the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is now distancing itself from that fellowship. Ways must be found for all in America who want to be loyal to it, and to scripture, tradition and Jesus, to have that loyalty recognised and affirmed at the highest level.
Tom Wright is Bishop of Durham
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Critics
Four Ways To Deal With A Critic July 15, 2009
Before I share the four ways let me be VERY clear on who a critic is…
- A critic is NOT someone who approaches you and has a sincere love for you and a genuine concern for the ministry. These people should always be listened to and appreciated.
- A critic is NOT someone who has a question about something and is merely seeking information and/or clarification for the purpose of fully understanding and embracing the vision of the ministry.
- A critic is NOT someone who comes to you one on one with a spirit of humility and grace.
A critic is…
- Someone who does not know you but feels the need to judge everything you say and do…they will criticize where you eat, the clothes you wear, the number of times you fart and anything else they can think of.
- Someone who asks questions…but doesn’t actually want to know the answer…but rather are merely seeking information for the purpose of division.
- Someone who is always pointing out what others are doing wrong…but never acknowledges their own shortcomings. (Jesus said it will not go well for these people…Matthew 7:1-2)
Remember…insanity is actually thinking you can explain yourself to those who don’t know you and don’t like you! So…saying that, here are four ways you can deal with a critic…
#1 - Ignore Them
#2 - Ignore Them
#3 - Ignore Them
#4 - Ignore Them
I once heard a pastor say, “We spend way too much time wrestling with church people and not with God!” DANG!
There are some battles that you are NEVER going to win…and to fight with a person who wants to do nothing but accuse you is fruitless! (Just a thought here - the name “satan” means accuser. Now…if someone is obsessed with the “wrongs” that you are doing and always feel the need to throw those wrongs in your face…would that make them more like Jesus or more like satan? Hmmmm)
I learned this lesson a long time ago…I don’t visit their websites (very few people actually do), I don’t respond to them on twitter and I don’t read their anonymous letters…Craig Groeschel once said that the quickest way to forget what God thinks about me is to obsess with what others think about me.
NOW…there are instances where Jesus dealt with these people…but it was never an explanation but rather a barrage of questions and/or a VERY sharp rebuke (Matthew 23) This type of response should always be prayed through and thought out! There will be times that these steps need to be considered, discussed and acted upon…
BUT…99% of the time…just repeat steps 1-4! :-)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Book #10 - How the Mighty Fall
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Down Time to Ramp Up
The last month I have seen the very best of the church. I have had people come around me and support me with love that I never expected. I preached a sermon series with the deepest and broadest amount of reliance on God in my ministry. The series ended today with Communion. I love it when God's people repent together, receive forgiveness, and celebrate new life found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
In the last month I have also experienced some of the most hurtful and painful encounters with people I consider my brothers and sisters in Christ. Words cannot even begin to describe what has been thrown at me. Obedience to God is not easy. The enemy's attacks have been sure and certain. Ephesians 6 has been an important chapter for me.
My wife Kelli has been my constant support and encouragement - I love you. The Senior Management Team and staff have been incredible. A group of men have come forward to pray with me and sit with me during each worship service - wow! Powerful stuff, sitting with godly men like that. And there have also been Twitters from Perry Noble and Steven Furtick that came at just the right time. Thank you. Thank you all.
I now have six weeks off from preaching and the rigor of that preparation. I am going to be using that time for getting away with Kelli this week to Lake Erie for a couple of days. Then later in the month we are doing a family gathering at Deep Creek, MD. During that time I am going to be looking back over this last month to see what I can learn and looking forward to what God wants to say through me next.
I am excited about the new hires we are going to be doing. We will be bringing in two student ministry pastors and an office administrator. I am pumped about what God is going to do next.
This past week we made the decision to pray for every person and family connected to Charter Oak Church over the next six weeks. I will let you in on a little secret since you read all the way to the end of this very long post - something is on the horizon when it comes to prayer at Charter Oak Church. Those who were in worship caught a little glimpse of it this weekend. God is up to something and I want to be a part of it. I will come to a crisis of belief, but I know what I believe about my heavenly Father.
Thanks D.C. for the Quote
~ Roger Staubach
Pastor Steven - Faith/Hope
Faith is substance
I like the old King James translation of Hebrews 11:1:Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is not an abstract theoretical proposition. It’s not wishful thinking. It’s substance. It’s action.
Most of my life I imagined faith as some kind of force field. And the way we talk about faith dematerializes it. By most definitions, faith is synonymous with hope.
The more I study Scripture, the more I detect a sharp distinction between hope and faith. Hope is a desire. Faith is a demonstration. Hope wants it to happen. Faith causes it to happen and acts as if it’s already done.
Faith is not content to want it really, really bad. Faith consults the drawings and gets busy building. Hope is the blueprint. Faith is the contractor.
Some of the things we’re believing God for will never happen in our lives because we stand in hope instead of walking in faith.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Interesting Quote
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Incredible Blog Post about Decisions
EVERYONE'S FAVORITE VIRTUE...
Posted by Isaac Hunter
Most people don’t make bad decisions because they are intellectually deficient; they make bad decisions because they are impatient; they are impatient because they are afraid. They’re afraid God won’t really come through, either because He can’t or doesn’t care to… neither of which are true. Patience is a virtue rarely killed by vice—it is eroded by fear.Don’t settle. Have faith in the One who loves you more than you can possibly imagine.
Psa. 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Click here for the link.
Finishing Well
This weekend we will be celebrating the 40 years of faithful ministry of Pastor Dave. We will only have three worship services this weekend. Saturday night at 6:00pm and Sunday at 9:00am and 11:00am. I hope that you will do everything you can to be here. It is going to be a fun weekend.
Today the staff is taking Pastor Dave out to lunch. The wonderful servants of this staff want to come around "poppa bear" and love on him today. Almost all of us are here because of Pastor Dave. We all have our favorite stories that I am sure will get shared.
I hope you will continue to be in prayer for Pastor Dave and Judy during this transition period. They will be on vacation for most of the month of June, but will be back in the area in July. If you have missed the opportunity to say good bye or take Pastor Dave out to lunch or play golf with him, he is not leaving the area. He will still be around. I, for one, am thankful that he will be. His friendship is precious to me.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Book #9 - 360 Degree Leader
While I was on vacation I also read John Maxwell's book - 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization. This is an older book, I think it was published in 2006, but I found it in a store for $4. I couldn't pass it up!
As with all of Maxwell's books there is so much information in every chapter.
He teaches on how to lead from the middle - to have influence with those the person leads, those who are on the same level, and those to whom the person directly reports. It was very helpful to see the different perspectives and how to be influential for each group.
I learned a great deal for myself, but also about those who report to me on our leadership team. It gave me a fresh perspective and challenged me in the way I lead and serve our staff.
I would definitely recommend reading this book. If you live in this area, go to Ollie's. They have for $4. You can't beat getting a $26 book at that price.
Book #8 - I'll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse
While on vacation last week I read Michael Franzese's business book - I'll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse. The book was sent to me free by either Willow Creek Association or Outreach. I really appreciate that they sent me the book, I love to get free books. Franzese is hitting the mega church and conference circuit.
The book is essentially the story of Franzese leaving the mob and going legit. Then he takes the principles of the mob and sprinkles in some wisdom from Solomon and produces a new frame work built on the old frame work of the mob for business.
It was a quick and easy read. I'm not sure that I would necessarily recommend it. I learned some things about the mob I didn't know which was kind of fun. I am glad that Franzese is legit now and working for God. But I can't say - go out and buy this book, but if someone sends it to you for free like they did for me, then read it.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Final Thoughts on Innovate Church Conference
Jonathan Fallwell was by far the speaker who I resonated with the most. He talked a bit about the transition following his dad's death and what it meant for him to become the lead pastor of his church.
Ed Stetzer and Francis Chan were great on Day one. Chris Hodges and Billy Hornsby were incredible on Day two.
I think Thomas Road Church did a great job hosting the event and I believe we received more in resources given to us than what we paid in registration fees. I don't know anyone who is doing that!
This conference wasn't about information as much as it was about inspiration and revelation. Our entire senior management team agrees that this was a very different conference but one in which we needed at this time in the life of our team.
Chris Witt - Innovate Day 2
What does it look like to lead from a healthy place?
What does spiritual leadership look like?
Your greatest leadership challenge – Ambition
James 3:16
Love ministry more than Jesus
Proverbs 27:21
3 side affects
1. Acceleration
What drives me to be so busy?
Speed and intimacy don’t go together
2. Validation
Image management
3. De-personalization
View people for what they can do
When shepherd isn’t healthy, the sheep aren’t far behind
Do the people who know you the best, respect you the most?
Chris Hidges - Innovate Day 2
Roundtable discussions – “up close”
What’s going on in the inside is more important than what’s going on on the outside
This is the gospel
We must ask for a transformation to occur in our preaching
Don’t teach people to be faithful but preach the way to become faithful
Not just what they did but what they were becoming through church planting
We would rather deal with religion than the transformation of the inner-man
Hebrews 8
Matthew 23:27
I must maintain a healthy inside
3 things to focus on for inside (3 internal motivations)
1. Loving life
Today – live it, love it (2 Corinthians 6:10)
Do I love life today?
2. Loving people
We need to get it back – you can’t fake it
1 Thessalonians 2
Do you love people?
3. Loving God
Are you in love with God (passion)
Fiddler on the Roof (Do you love me?)
Do you love God?
Billy Hornsby - Innovate Day 2
Mark 1 – Fishers of men
2 Samuel 22
Causes of loss of zeal
1. Ineffectiveness in fulfilling your mission
Loss of interest in what you are doing – flow of ideas stop
Distracted by trivia
2. Rejection by society
You may love your city, but your city doesn’t love you
3. Insignificance
Mark 4:35-37
No matter what, we are called to be fishers of men – go back to your original call
2 ways to fish for men
1. Revitalize your church
Ask God to do it
Rediscover your community
Reach out daily
Decide to do it – decisions create your future
2. Plant churches
John 21:4-6
Gregg Surratt - Innovate Day 2
Seacoast went through a Gideon revival when it first started from 340 down to 150
It’s ok to sit on pity potty as long as you don’t stay there long enough to get ring around the hinny!!
Innovation is the product of desperation
1 Corinthians 15:58
1. Base your preaching on the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1)
2. Base your confidence on the fact that God has chosen you (Acts 17:26-27)3. Base your hope on the fact that you’re part of the winning team (1 Corinthians 15:24-25 & 57)
Perry Noble - Innovate Day 1
God is sounding the alarm to the church – Acts 2 is the starting place
3 Questions
1. What is it that God wants to do with my church?
Older brother sitting in the seat of leadership
Time – Brother working for the father in field – no time for communion with the father
You have to spend time with the father to know the heart of the father
Effort – party (not a funeral)
Put effort into reaching the world
Pray and work
God’s will = God’s bill
2. What are barriers that stand in our way?
You know you have a vision from God because you will tick people off
Refusal to change
Jealousy
Lack of understanding
3. What do we want to celebrate?
Not condemn
Just want to see people meet Jesus
Mark DeYmaz - Innovate Day 1
Healthy multi-ethic church
The church should inform the culture not the other way around
Jesus prays 3 times that we would be made one in John 17 so that…
World would know that you sent me
World would know that you love them
God has to persecute the church to get her to obey
7 Core Commitments
1. Embrace dependence
2. Take intentional steps
3. Empower diverse leadership
4. Develop cross-cultural relationships
5. Pursue cross-cultural competence
6. Promote a spirit of inclusion
7. Mobilize for impact
Missions isn’t a program, it is who we are
Ed Stetzer - Innovate Day 1
Sin in your church impacts the gospel.
Galatians 5:19-21 vs. 5:22-23
List of sins – sin is sin before God
Sin kills the spiritual power of me and the church
Compromise is Satan’s desire
If Satan cannot compromise your beliefs he’s happy to settle with compromising your character.
Gospel centered and repentance filled lives (key point of talk)
4 Principles
1. Secret sins are only that way for a short time
Your sin will catch up with you if you don’t repent
If you wont come to repentance God will bring you to repentance
I have become too comfortable with my sin
2. Private sin can deliver the community into defeat
My sin saps my church’s spiritual power
Get broken or God will break you
3. The church’s sin distracts your from the mission
Corinthians were proud of their tolerance
Not knowing what is going on in people’s lives in naive not loving
1 Corinthians 5:9
4. Return to God’s mission begins with a repentance to God’s standard
1 Corinthians 10:1ff
Everyday die to self and live for Christ
Sin is crouching at the door
James 1:15 (sin grows)
Sin is not a pet but a beast that needs to be slain!!
A repentant people is the most powerful force on earth for God
Francis Chan - Innovate Day 1
2 Timothy 4
We need to run toward word of God
Book of Acts – oh no, oh no!
Why can’t we see the move of God like that now?
Acts 4:13
People are scared today – educated people
Looking for others to do it
Courage of Joshua and Caleb
God needs us to be courageous
More we know the less boldness we have
Insecurities kick in
Peter and John were common men who just went after it
Start with Word of God and surrender to it
Come back to the obvious truth
Church
What are the things that are commanded?
Love seen so clearly so others can see love of Jesus
Holy Spirit
I need the Holy Spirit – this is all that matters
An unstoppable force
Churches today are a stoppable force
Are we after the supernatural as a church?
Pray for boldness
Have others pray for my boldness
Jonathan Fallwell - Innovate Day 1
Make sure the vision doesn’t become a victim
“To the ends of the earth” isn’t in our churches
No vision – the church will die
Discouragement
Punch clock, check to do list off
Saturation evangelism
“Lord, I can’t do it, but you can, do it now.”
Be pregnant with new churches
Daniel 10
God gives the vision to one person
Vision can become victim of pride
Drive to be considered a success = pride
Leads to failure
Vision is given to lift up God, not me
Vision can become a victim of jealousy
People leave
We compare to other churches
God called us to build the church not build a mega church
We are in it to win people to Jesus!!
Vision can become a victim of being stagnant
We have to grow if we expect our people to grow
Get fed – study the word - bear much fruit
My #1 priority is my relationship with Jesus
Vision can become a victim of worrying about what people think
When you discover your purpose you will discover you have enemies
Audience of One takes the pressure off
Vision can become a victim of being insecure
Have to have total dependence on God
God will give you all you need
Believe God can do the impossible in you
Kerry Shook - Innovate Day 1
2 Questions
1. What would you do if you knew you had one month to live?
Brings clarity, peace, intentionality
2. What would you do if you knew your church had one month to live?
Psalm 90:12
Someday syndrome
Someday when…then…
4 Principles
1. Live passionately
Believers and churches coming alive
Not made to be safe or comfortable
2. Love completely
It all comes down to relationships
Say it now
Share it now
Show it now
3. Learn humbly
4. Lead boldly
No sandcastles - Do something that will last
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Eric Geiger - Innovate Day 1
Starbucks shut down for a day to get back to their "core"
- Retrain how to make coffee
- Realized they had drifted
The Church has drifted from the Gospel
- Adding a bunch of stuff drowns out our "core" - Jesus
Drift never self-corrects
2 Common Drifts
1. Drift toward complexity
- Joshua Bell (violin player in Washington DC)
- We are rushing past the formation of the Kingdom of God
- Pharisees got caught up in complexity
- They tried to pull Jesus into their complexity
Coping with complexity
- multi tasking (counter effectiveness)
smoking pot lowers your IQ less than multi-tasking
- out source
Some things are too important to give away from the church
We (church) are out-sourcing the mission of God
2. Drift off mission
Matthew 13:31-32 - so that those outside the church will benefit
We are a church for those far from God
Addressing the Drift
1. Clarify the discipleship process
Blueprint vs. brochure
- View discipleship as the whole process
- Be careful not to over program early in the discipleship process
- Ensure mission is deeply embedded in your discipleship process
2. Live your process
Is the staff doing the process?
Does the staff know their neighbors?
3. Align people/departments around the same process
4. Remove the clutter
5 Guys Burgers and Fries
Tool for worship became object of worship
We will never offer the best if we are multi-tasking
Read the Peanut Manifesto
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Book #7 - The Principle of the Path
I am on a very slow reading kick for some reason this year. This is only the seventh book I have posted about reading. I think that I had finished seven books in February last year. Maybe it's my new position and learning to live into it that has slowed me down.
Anyway, I just finished reading Andy Stanley's new book The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. I love all of Andy's books. They are so straight forward, biblical, and life applicable. This book is for everyone. It's an easy read, but I would highly, highly recommend reading it slowly and carefully because there is so much good stuff in it.
2 Chronicles 16
God is searching. God is looking for people who are completely sold out to Him.
King Asa relied more on earthly influence than on the power of God. When things weren't going well for him, he turned away from God and paid off another king to come to his rescue. The thing is, Asa had already been rescued in the past by God. He had already seen the power of almighty God. Yet, here he is turning away from God and toward a "lesser god."
I wonder how many times I do this. I have seen the hand of God at work in and around me. I know that God is able to do immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine. Yet, I am sure that I rely on myself and my own wisdom in situations that I should be turning over to God. I don't know why I do it, but I am sure I do. I don't want to condemn Asa because I think I walk in his shoes sometimes. I do, however, want to learn from him.
As the eyes of God range throughout the earth I want them to fall upon me and strengthen me because my heart is fully committed to Him.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Acts 9
A moment of truth...will the disciples stay true to their calling from God or will they follow the wishes of men with an urgent need? They are completely sold out to their calling; they refuse to give into this other area that will prevent them from doing what God wants. They are very smart in that they don't ignore the need, they empower others to meet that need. The people they choose are "known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom." In other words they are spiritually mature. There's a discernment process and they choose people who understand what it is that God is seeking to do in the early church. They pray over them and set them free to serve in incredible ways.
This situation arises on a regular basis for me. People will ask me to start a new ministry or to focus on an urgent need that they see in our church or in our community. This is a great model for leading and staying focused on what God wants me to stay focused on in my calling, but still responding to a need. When a need is presented the answer doesn't have to be no, it can be - find seven people who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. That's a pretty good starting point.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Matthew 9
People laughed at Jesus. They thought a little girl was dead, he knew differently. This chapter is full of the unexpected becoming a regular part of the life of Jesus. Healing a paralyzed man, but in the context of forgiveness of sin. Eating at Matthew's house, but with tax collectors and sinners. Old and new wineskins. Healing a woman and some blind men by their faith. Finally, Jesus looks upon the people and his heart breaks. There are so many who don't know Him and His grace. He asks the disciples to beg God for more workers to bring people to Jesus.
It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of life and in the busyness of life to miss opportunities that Jesus engaged in everyday to touch people with the love of God. There are nearly 65% of the people in this region who don't believe they have any good reason to worship in any church any weekend of the year. They don't see a difference between what is happening in the lives of Christians and the world. They aren't compelled to be here. What has happened?
I think we have lost the intentionality of engaging in people's lives right where they are, loving them, and challenging them to enter into a growing relationship with Jesus. That needs to change.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Philippians 1
This is my prayer today.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Our Next Hires
2 Corinthians 6
The truth of what it means to be a follower of Jesus is that there is a duality of where we live, not how we live, but where. There are going to be great days of rejoicing and celebrating, but there will also be days that are filled with tears. Both sides of the emotional spectrum will be encountered. The one that gets to me the most is "having nothing, and yet possessing everything." That's how I came to know Jesus - as I saw that lived in a Jamaican in 1989. I can read all of these words from Paul and I can even experience them in some small way, but I think I get the last one the most. It changed the trajectory of my life forever.
I love being a follower of Jesus. Sometimes it is the most difficult thing to be and I hurt so much, but it is so worth it. God's promise is "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." That is what I want to be the descriptor of my life - I am one of God's people; He walks with me and I walk with Him.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
New Job Opening
Friday, May 1, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Romans 15
Monday, April 27, 2009
Romans 6
Wow! I love that verse. I love the imagery that it inspires in me. I have been set free from sin. There was once a bondage that was in place in my life and in my heart to sin. I was a slave to doing things counter to the will of God. According to Paul I was "in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness." That was before I turned my life over to Jesus.
Now I have become a slave to righteousness. I am free from my old life. That is good news. The choice is now mine as to how I live. Will I live as a slave to my sin or will I live as a slave to righteousness? What do I really believe about my heavenly Father? I believe His love for me is perfect. I believe He wants me to live into the fullness of all that He has to offer. This seems so simple, it is, but it isn't easy. My natural tendency is toward sin. My heart wants God and more of Him. Unfortunately I don't always make the choices that honor God.
When I am tempted, temptation always comes before the sin, I must remember that sin is not my master because I am not under the law but under grace. I must live as a redeemed child of God. I have an incredible gift of salvation through Jesus. I must fully receive and embrace this precious gift.
Friday, April 24, 2009
John Maxwell's New Book
The Right and Wrong Picture of a Dream
I’ve studied successful people for almost forty years. I’ve known hundreds of high-profile people who achieved big dreams. And I’ve achieved a few dreams of my own. What I’ve discovered is that a lot of people have misconceptions about dreams. Take a look at many of the things that people pursue and call dreams in their lives:
- Day Dreams - Distractions from Current Work
- Pie-in-the-Sky Dreams - Wild Ideas with No Strategy or Basis in Reality
- Bad Dreams - Worries that Breed Fear and Paralysis
- Idealistic Dreams - The Way the World Would Be If You Were in Charge
- Vicarious Dreams - Dreams Lived Through Others
- Romantic Dreams - Belief that Some Person Will Make You Happy
- Career Dreams - Belief that Career Success Will Make You Happy
- Destination Dreams - Belief that a Position, Title, or Award Will Make You Happy
- Material Dreams - Belief that Wealth or Possessions Will Make You Happy
- Seasonal Dreams - A Short Term Target You Try to Reach
If these aren’t good dreams-valid ones worthy of a person’s life-then what are? Here is my definition of a dream that can be put to the test and pass: a dream is an inspiring picture of the future that energizes your mind, will, and emotions, empowering you to do everything you can to achieve it.
A genuine dream is a picture and blueprint of a person’s purpose and potential. Or as my friend Sharon Hull says, “A dream is the seed of possibility planted in the soul of a human being, which calls him to pursue a unique path to the realization of his purpose.”
Love this Blog Post From Seth
We no longer care what you say.
We care a great deal about what you do.
If you charge for hand raking but use a leaf blower when the client isn't home
If you sneak into an exercise class because you were on the wait list and it isn't fair cause you never get a bike
If you snicker behind the boss's back
If you don't pay attention in meetings
If you argue with a customer instead of delighting them
If you copy work and pass it off as your own
If you shade the truth a little
If you lobby to preserve the unsustainable status quo
If you network to get, not to give
If you do as little as you can get away with
...then we already know who you are.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Romans 12
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Romans 8
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
1 Peter 3:15
Are you ready for hard questions about your faith in Jesus? Or is it just easier to get angry and walk away? You and I have hope, that hope is Jesus. The way of Jesus isn't easy and it isn't convenient. People along the way are going to ask why you and I believe what we believe. Do you know why? Can you answer that question authentically? Is it a part of who you are or do you just parrot some words back that aren't really yours?
As we share our faith and live our faith we will have the opportunity to engage with people who are not followers of Jesus. Your actions are much louder than your words. But when asked you better be prepared to give answer.
For some reason lately I have a greater conviction of what I believe and why I believe it. I am excited about what I see on the horizon. Greater things are yet to come!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
We're Ready
This morning I prayed for you.
The chairs are set up for this weekend. I spent sometime praying over those chairs this morning. I prayed for the place that God has prepared for you to hear what He wants to say to you. I prayed that your ears and your heart would be open.
I prayed for the person you are inviting to join you. I prayed for your courage to make that invitation. I prayed that person would say "yes."
We're ready for this weekend. Are you?
Learnings from Being Back on the Field - Part 4
4. The team needs encouraged throughout the game.
No one wants to be criticized in the middle of the game. Everyone makes a bad pass, misses a shot way over the cross bar, or makes a bad defensive play. When someone does that, they know it. They feel bad about it. The last thing they want is for someone to point it out to them.
I think that as the game progresses and the players get more and more tired it becomes easier and easier to criticize instead of encouraging. It is so much better to hear positive affirmation throughout the game.
As I was playing the game I tried to find those times when I could encourage our team. If it was a good pass or shot or defensive stand I would call it out. If our goal keeper made a save we all cheered. In that moment, the whole team is happy!
Because we are all over 40 we play the game in quarters instead of halves. It gives us extra time to take a break. It is also a great time to encourage. We can talk about the good things that happened and seek to build upon them. Coming off the sideline should be the time every player is most juiced up -they have rested and they have been encouraged.
I know I need to do a much better job of encouraging in my day to day life. It is so easy to get caught up in all of the doing that I miss out on the opportunities to say "Good job!" It's not about just recognizing scoring the goal that wins the game. It's also about the passes and the defense that put the team in the position to score. The same goes for our lives. It's not just about those big moments, it's about all of those smaller choices along the way that led to the big moment. There will be many, many more smaller, integrity and character development moments in our lives than big moments. We need to find more ways to celebrate those and encourage into those moments everyday.
Luke 22:1-30
Verse 20, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."
The Last Supper - the bread, the wine - the body, the blood - broken, poured out
All of these images to describe a spiritual reality that is a holy mystery. I can only imagine what the disciples would think. Tuesday night we learned about the Passover and the meal that accompanies it. I would guess that is what the disciples believed they were going to the Upper Room to share - the traditional Passover. Little did they realize it was the night that none of them would ever forget.
Tonight we will gather around the table in groups of 12 to celebrate the Last Supper. We will break the bread and drink from the cup. We will remember. We will confess our sins. We will be forgiven. We will give thanks. We will prepare for Good Friday and look with expectation to Easter. I hope you will join us at 7:30pm.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Learnings from Being Back on the Field - Part 3
3. I want to score!
Everyone I know who watches sports wants to see their team score. When the Penguins are playing my son goes crazy when they score. When I watch the Premier Soccer league games on TV the fans go wild when there is a goal.
I have been a very competitive guy for most of my life. Over the years I have been told that I am even a bit over the top. It doesn't matter if I am playing or watching, I want my team or the team I am following to win. But because of being ultra-competitive over the years, I have tried to dial it back a bit recently. As soon as I stepped on to the soccer field on Saturday, that all changed back - I wanted to score. I played hard. I ran harder than I have in a very, very long time. The pay off was two goals and an assist. It was great and I want more. I can't wait to play in the next game.
This weekend is Easter. It's bigger than the World Cup or the Super Bowl or the World Series or all of them combined. This is a big deal for us. I am praying that people will give their lives to Jesus this weekend. I am praying that lives will be changed for eternity. I'm not just praying this for Charter Oak Church. I am praying this for every church. I am praying that God will grant us His favor, that the Holy Spirit will be poured out in such profound ways that people will be convicted of their sin, they will recognize the spiritual hunger they have in their soul, and that they will turn it all over to Jesus.
Every time there was an out pouring of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, they counted how many people became followers of Jesus. We will be expecting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit this weekend and we will be counting and celebrating those whose lives have been changed through a relationship with Jesus. I can't get enough of this! I am pumped up to see what God does this Easter.
Colossians 4
These closing remarks from Paul could be words that I could write to the people of Charter Oak Church today. We get a glimpse into Paul's heart and what is important to him. He wants the opportunity to share Jesus with others. He wants to do it well and in a way that makes sense to those who are listening. He wants to be influential in his circle of influence outside the church. He wants his words to build people up and encourage them.
As this Easter weekend quickly approaches I find myself praying very similar words. I want to proclaim the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus in a crystal clear manner. I want our doors to be open to anyone and everyone who who is searching, seeking, hungry, thirsty for more to their life than what they have been experiencing.
So I am asking anyone who may read this to pray for me, especially for this weekend. Thank you.