dream the journey

god's plans are unconventional pt. 2

2010-06-29T23:11:00.006-05:00

Last week I posted about Lacey and me entering the world of parenthood through fostering some great kids.

We first met David last October, along with a couple other guys from Boystown. As we spent more and more time with these guys, we realized how much potential they each had. Adam, Scott, Michael, David, and Eddie were getting connected into Velocity, and God was transforming their hearts. I kept praying and asking God to pull on hearts of those in our church to provide a home for these guys. I could only imagine what it would be like to start a movement in Gateway to care for orphans who were so close to our church campus. I even had the thought of "I wonder what this would look like for us" but didn't think it was feasible on so many levels.

At some point, we stopped wondering who else would do the work and realized that we were somebody who could. We could provide a home for them. We could believe in them. We could love them. And what greater way to disciple and redeem a life than to invite them into our family.

To be completely honest, I never felt God say, "Do this. This is my next step for you." Even after all the prayers and thoughts, what I felt from God was "This is your choice. It's not wrong if you don't, but this is an opportunity to change the course of history for so many lives. Do you really trust me? If so, this will lead you to the next level in your relationship with me."

As we said yes, we then found out that it wasn't possible to foster just one. David had a sister, Stephanie, and legally they had to stay together. Isn't it funny how God sometimes scaffolds you into his plan?

I kept envisioning foster care and adoption being something that defined our future development work, while God was wanting foster care to define our present and shape our future.

Can I be bold? Thanks...

If we can do this at 25, anyone can do this or whatever it is God is asking. I say that with so much humility. We are certainly not capable, nor do we feel prepared. People tell us we are "so nice for doing this" and "so brave." Neither is the case.

We have just been changed by God.

May God's work in us inspire you to pray, to serve, to be audacious, to get involved, to be unconventional, to trust God.

Nothing is too unconventional for God.

god's plans are unconventional pt. 1

2010-06-24T10:28:00.008-05:00

I'm working to return to the blogging world soon, though Twitter definitely gets more of my attention these days.

Lacey and I are the process of big life change. Last October we came in contact with Boystown through Velocity. The people we have met through this organization have changed our lives and brought so much joy to us. We have developed such close relationships with the Family Teachers - Andy and Angie, some of the Directors and Admin staff, and the teenagers who are in their care. It's pretty incredible to step back and see that God is orchestrating some things that I think will have some major future impact.

As for the present though, we recently completed all of our training, home studies, interviews, and inspections to foster two teenagers from Boystown. What makes this even sweeter is some of great friends are doing this alongside us with two other kids.

The elephant in the room for our first interview was how young we are. I threw it on the table and addressed it quickly by stating that we love these kids and want to make a life-long Kingdom impact in their lives. It's certainly a little unconventional. All I know is this a big need God placed in our lives, and we want to respond to opportunities and needs in obedience and faith.

So without further adieu, welcome David and Stephanie into the Henderson Home. They will join our family in the next couple weeks. A new adventure awaits...

velocity core team

2009-07-16T14:50:00.003-05:00

This morning we gathered together to pray, hear from God's voice, and discuss strategy for helping students become fully committed to Christ.

I love the excitement and passion in our students to see Velocity truly be used by God and reach their campuses. It is going to be pretty incredible to look back a year from now and celebrate all that God has done.

This morning we focused on living beyond ourselves and developing the attitude of serving both others and on ministry teams.

The truth is we all have a role to play in the Kingdom, and it's not about us at all. I believe that's both in filling opportunities at a local church and then somewhere in the community. I'm currently looking for the right opportunity in the community now. We are representatives of Christ and are responsible for being lights for the King.

Here are the lessons we learned from Scripture today:

Selfishness always disappoints.
Make followers, whenever and however.
Stand out, and fade out.
Become greater by serving greater.
Serving is the best way.

Would you pray for God's continued guidance and empowerment in and through Velocity?
We so desperately need Him.

vietnam missions trip

2009-07-07T12:37:00.004-05:00

This past year Lacey and I were apart of a church planting internship in Dallas with Northwood Church and Glocalnet. It was such a great learning experience, as this is what we feel is God’s plan for our lives is in the future. Our time at Northwood was more challenging to us than we thought possible and helped us grow deeper in our relationship with God and our commitment to see holistic transformation take place in individuals, a city, and a place in the world through God’s power through the local church.

As a culmination of this internship with Northwood, I am traveling to North Vietnam this October 20-31 on a short-term missions project with a number of other volunteers. Northwood has been working in Vietnam over 10 years developing areas such as business, education, and healthcare for the entire country, while at the same time building relationships and seeing God transform lives. During our time, there will be teams working with orphanages, installing a computer lab at a school and providing training for other areas of education, and developing businesses and leaders for the country.

The need is great, but the rewards from our work will be much greater. However, this trip will also be a huge challenge. I am writing this letter to ask for your support in any way possible. I understand that support through prayer is as equally important as financial aid; so, I am asking for both. I know that my trip will be more successful with the support of family, friends and the people I love. The total cost of the trip will be $3,000, which will cover airplane tickets, housing, food, and local transportation. My first installment is due August 1 and all money is due September 5. Each donation is vitally important. Please pray and allow God to challenge you to support this trip with your finances.

Donations are tax deductible if made payable to Northwood Church. Please mail donations to Northwood Church 1870 Rufe Snow Drive, Keller, TX 76248 and note my name. It will then go towards my account. Also, remember our team in your prayers in October, as there is sure to be spiritual and physical strain on the team. Pray that this trip will be effective and purposeful in meeting the needs of the poor and oppressed, the hopeless and orphaned.

Thank you for your support and care. I appreciate your interest and encouragement. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for our team and the Vietnamese people that we will be working with.

Also, if you have not already done so, consider joining my Facebook group to follow along on this journey.

the church and the kingdom

2009-05-28T15:47:00.004-05:00

Earlier this year I wrote this about what God has been teaching me: "I'm understanding in the smallest way the Kingdom of God. God wants to enter into, redeem and reign over every person, every culture, every community, and all creation. Come thy Kingdom in my life." Personally, I don't want to reduce God to just the church, and sadly that happens all too often. While he is (and should be) greatly involved in the church, there is a larger domain - one that includes every domain/area of society, including the church. And as the body of Christ, we have been released, mandated, and commanded to carry Christ and His Kingdom into the world.

Reposting this from Alan Hirsch today.
In my writing I came across this quote today by theologian Richard Neuhaus (who died earlier this year). It is worth considering because of the implied association of the Church with the Kingdom of God.

"Alfred Loisy the 19th century historian was right in saying that Jesus came proclaiming the Kingdom of God but what appeared was the Church. The disappointment was and continues to be severe. But the great irony is that today we alleviate our disappointment with the contemporary Church by pointing back to the New Testament Church --which was the great disappointment to begin with! Our restless discontent should not be over the distance between ourselves and the first century Church but over the distance between ourselves and the Kingdom of God to which the Church then and now is the witness.(my emphasis added)" - -- R.J. Neuhaus, Freedom for Ministry, 33.

creating personal spiritual momentum

2009-05-27T09:46:00.001-05:00

This is my last set of notes to post from Catalyst One Day. I appreciate Craig’s heart and attention to this topic, especially a “leadership” conference. It really is the foundation to be used in the fullness of God’s Spirit. I’m slowly learning to put this thought into consistent practice.

“I will do today what I can do, to enable me to do tomorrow what I can’t do today.”
The long-term vision will be accomplished through today’s contribution. (While I know this is true, I sometimes have a hard time practicing this, especially when I can’t/ don’t see the correlation between now and then)
Do something to defeat your dark side.
Create artificial deadlines.
Delegate what someone else can do.
Do something only you can do.
You are the only one who can stay broken for Jesus.

busting barriers with mindset changes

2009-05-25T21:32:00.001-05:00

Organizations love to settle because it’s the easy thing to do. They settle not only in practice, but in paradigm as well. You sometimes have to change the way you think to get something different. Here are some notes from Craig Groeschel, session 2 at Catalyst One Day last week.

1. Think differently about your church culture.

If you don’t like the culture, it could be your fault. People are a reflection of the leader.
Do you need to do something privately to gain credibility publicly? (This is a principle I had to learn this past year)

2. Think differently about programming.

3. Think differently about the mission.

We can’t allow someone to hold back the mission of the church. Will we give priority to people pleasing or the mission?

4. Think differently about people leaving the church.

5. Think differently about limitations.

Old mindset-We can’t because we don’t.
New mindset-We can because we don’t.
One of the greatest gifts to your ministry may be what you don’t have.

deep in the heart of texas

2009-05-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

When I came to Dallas in 2003 to go to SAGU, I never imagined I would still be here in 2009. So much has happened that I wouldn't know where to start, but looking back I do see God's hand guiding. I didn't always see it in the moment, especially over the past 2-3 years, but I certainly do now.

In all the chaos and in all the mystery, I have found God revealed more. One of my core prayers is for God to continue to reveal the mystery of the Gospel of his Kingdom in my life. And he has done so.

This past year we have had a great opportunity to serve alongside some of our closest friends and help them start a church. When we made the decision last year to move to Frisco, we knew it would only be a short season and did our best to communicate that to them up front. Zach and Mandy have been so gracious and supportive in allowing us to discover God's immediate plan for our lives, and we wish them and The Crossing nothing but God's best.

Lacey's already written about it, but on June 1 we embark on a new journey, although it's not all that new. The culmination of preparation over the past 6 years (SAGU/ The Oaks, Harvest Time, The Crossing, and the Glocalnet Internship with Bob Roberts) has led us to this point. Through mutual friends, Nathan and Ricky, I connected with John. We will be joining the Gateway family in San Antonio/ Helotes to lead the student ministry and facilitate their new church planting internship.

What a challenge, but we are anxiously looking forward to our new endeavor. I can't even begin to wrap my mind around some of the possibilities. I would appreciate your prayers as we take the next step in our journey.

gaining and sustaining momentum

2009-05-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

The first session of Catalyst One Day in Dallas kicked off with Andy Stanley hitting on momentum. One of the things I appreciate about Andy is that his approach is both systematic and spiritual.

Momentum creates a new set of problems that makes it difficult to sustain.
What will my level of tolerance be for a lack of momentum?
Andy’s definition of momentum: Forward motion fueled by a series of wins.
Components of momentum: new, improvement, and improving.
Momentum is never triggered by tweaking something old. It is triggered by introducing something new.
People have a hard time letting go of bad ideas, so the new must be noticeably better than the old.
Good stories can support bad ideas, but everything must be evaluated, including the good and the great. The clock is ticking on its success.
If momentum is slipping, you can rarely regain it by simply doing what you did to create it in the first place.
What is God blessing and can a specific reason God is blessing it be identified?

catalyst one-day in dallas

2009-05-18T07:23:00.005-05:00

Super excited about Catalyst today for a myriad of reasons:

Andy Stanley- never heard him live, so I can't wait.
John and Drew- first time to officially hang out with them while a part of Gateway.
Steve Fee- I first heard Steve lead worship at a Passion One Day in 2003. Incredible then and incredible now.
It's in Dallas- actually about 20 minutes from our apartment. What a short trip to a great conference.
It's Catalyst. Never been, so I get a little taste today.

Craig Groeschel and Andy will be sharing some thoughts about church, leadership, momentum, and more. And Craig has bit hittin' on some core questions on his blog lately that I'm glad someone in his position is publicly asking, because a lot of other people are. I'll post some notes later.

when will jesus be enough

2009-05-11T10:43:00.003-05:00

As I sat in Bob's house for our second Glocalnet internship meeting last October, Bob was describing his story of God's work in his life. As he told us that God had asked him this question several years before ("When will Jesus be enough"), God whispered it to my heart in that moment as well.

Honestly, I knew my answer; but I wasn't completely prepared to deal with the question at that time, so I pushed it out of my mind. It just kept resurfacing though over and over again within the past several months during the course of my daily time with God.

Jesus wasn't enough for me. I wanted him to be, but he wasn't. It wasn't that I didn't love him; I did. But I wasn't satisfied with what he freely offered, grace and love. At the depths of my heart, I wanted significance, fulfilled ambition, and recognition. The irony is none of this is really free. For the first time in my life, I feel like I understand what God's grace is. Nothing I can do will ever be enough, because it's not about doing enough. I can't earn it by sinning less or diminish it by sinning more. That's the beauty of it. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He already gave everything to love me at my worst, so his love for me is not contingent upon what I do or don't do. It just is. He loves me because I am his creation; he loves me for who I am.

The more I go after God, the more Jesus is becoming enough. And it’s a liberating process. E. Stanley Jones was right when he said these two things: "The very heart of the Kingdom of God was a losing of oneself in order to find a larger self," and "Self surrender is the door to abundant life, and there is no other door." I'm walking through that door.

learning to follow christ

2009-04-25T18:54:00.006-05:00

I've rarely blogged over the past few months, but it's not because I've had little thoughts or ideas. Believe me, I'm learning I'm pretty opinionated. (Still not sure if that's a good or bad thing.) It's because I don't know how to articulate all that God is doing in my life. It's overwhelming, a little scary, and kinda fun all at the same time. Here are some thoughts though from what God has been teaching me:

I'm learning in a new way my desperate need for God.
I'm understanding in the smallest way the Kingdom of God. God wants to enter into, redeem and reign over every person, every culture, every community, and all creation. Come thy Kingdom in my life.
I'm truly a sinful person without God's grace and Spirit-empowerment.
Personal holiness is a bigger deal than what most churches make of it. And not just the external, but all the way to the core of who we are.
I've evaluated my motives, disposition, thoughts, actions, and attitude and have found they all need to be redeemed by God.
I'm more thankful for God's love and grace than I have ever been before. What Jesus did at the cross is simply love.
The least I can do is give my life in return, but it's also the most I can do-I don't have anything else to give but myself.
I love Lacey more than I ever have in my life. We have grown so close to each other over the past few months. I can't imagine life without her. What God is doing in me must be evident in our relationship.
If I don't learn to truly love, than it matters little all the other things I can "do" for God.
Even in the middle of all my junk, God created me in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for me to do.
God loves me not for what I can/do for Him, but for who I am. It's not perfection he seeks, but obedience.
Jesus has not been enough for me up to this point in my life, but I desperately want Him to be. I've been too busy chasing after significance in His Kingdom instead of His Kingdom itself. Isn't it ironic how we can work for God, but miss his heart? But we will never miss his heart if we seek Him.
When I don't like who I am, I'm in essence telling God he should have done better and that his creation is not good enough. What a slap in the face to him.
I don't know better than God, so I need to stop trying and just follow Him.

I'm glad God never gives up on us and is constantly refining our lives. I am a disciple in progress, but the more I submit myself to Him, the more I learn how to follow Christ.

experiencing the spirit

2009-04-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

The first Christians turned the world upside down shaking the gates of hell even in the face of severe persecution. The result: People all around “were filled with wonder and amazement” (Acts 3:10). What can give Christians today the same impact?

Henry and Mel Blackaby's book Experiencing the Spirit works around this thought. You’ll explore the dynamics of being filled with the Spirit through intimate relationship with Him, committed obedience, and radical departure from sin. Instead of considering what you can do for God with your abilities and talents, you’ll be encouraged here to seek what God wants to do through you supernaturally by His Spirit, empowering you beyond your personal competence and capacities. Release the Holy Spirit’s work at the very core of your experience of the Christian life.

Pick up your copy here.

obedience is the litmus test

2009-02-17T12:41:00.004-06:00

"In the Kingdom, it's not your IQ, but your OQ." (obedience quotient) - Bob Roberts

Courtesy of Bobby Vaughn.

did you know?

2009-02-10T16:28:00.005-06:00

Yes, I realize it has been almost a month since I last posted. Life has been busy, and there has been little to no time for public reflection.

But I "stole" this from Bob Robert's blog today and wanted to pass it on. Interesting to say the least.

Did you know that there are 200 million registered accounts with Myspace? It would be the 5th largest country in the world.
4 exabytes of unique information will be generated this year. What is an exabyte?

god's validation

2009-01-20T14:53:00.003-06:00

Read this post this morning by Steven Furtick that really resonated with me on a number of levels. I don't think I necessarily crave others' validation, but I feel in some ways like my life has been void of it. So, yeah I do want it.

There have been times in the past few years that I've felt over-looked in some situations; I've yet to understood them.

In the middle of a conversation on a drive home several months ago, Lacey hit me with this question right between the eyes, "Why do you feel the need to prove yourself or be validated by someone else?" Ouch. Talk about hard to take, even though I knew it was truth.

So, I've wrestled with this over and over again in my mind. And I know God is the ultimate answer, but it still haunts me, especially when I'm down.

Furtick says this, "The affirmation of others can make a wonderful supplement to the affirmation of God. But it makes a terrible substitute. "

Be sure and read the rest of the post here.

2008 Reading List

2009-01-02T09:13:00.004-06:00

I love to read. Always have and always will. I consider it essential for my personal development and growth. And it's also therapeutic for me at times. One of my favorite things to do is go sit at Starbucks with a book and highlighter.

This past year I was able to increase the number of books I read by 10 books to read a total of 35 books - 7684 pages.

Here is a listing of all 35.

Unchristian
Hidden in Plain Sight
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
The Five Temptations of a CEO
Planting Missional Churches
Sex God
Now, Discover Your Strengths
Peppermint Filled Pinatas
Good to Great
Core Values
Uprising
Made to Stick
Too Busy Not to Pray
An Unstoppable Force
Who Moved My Cheese
Why Men Hate Going to Church
14 Tests All Leaders Must Face
Never Eat Alone
12 Choices That Lead to Your Success
Next Generation Leader
Wild Goose Chase
The Truth About Managing People
Crazy Love
The Shack
Glocalization
The Last Lecture
The Leadership Challenge
The Divine Conspiracy
Fusion
The Forgotten Ways
Activate
The American Church in Crisis
Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road
Do the Right Thing
The Practice of the Presence of God

easy faith

2008-12-30T09:29:00.004-06:00

Read this post by Bob Roberts this morning that really resonated with me.

In fact, Lanny and I have been having similar conversations over the past month.

We often debate at what level of maturity a disciple is functional. I think, frankly, that the disciples of the early church were probably far less “mature” than we would want to believe.

We debate methods of catch and release; How much? How far? In what ways? How connected do we stay with people we disciple, etc?

We debate process, methods, etc., many things about how to make disciples. We get in little groups, or one on one, or bring our Bible’s, I’m just not sure there’s any one way. I’m not sure any one approach for an entire lifetime works either. We hopefully outgrow systems, processes, and even disciplers along the way.

Click here to read the rest.

god's voice

2008-12-18T14:34:00.005-06:00

God speaks in a myriad of ways in my life, and each way means something different to me.

It's in his "thunder" that I'm reminded of his greatness and power.
It's through his silence that I'm drawn closer to him.
It's through his whisper that I find words that truly sustain me through any storm.

three years

2008-12-17T16:02:00.004-06:00

I cannot believe 3 years have gone by since Lacey and I were married! We had dated so long long distance that it was nice to know we would never have to leave another again.

Lacey is the greatest thing to happen to me. I'm so thankful to love her and be loved by her.

Since she's in the middle of giving finals this week at school, we'll go out real fast for dinner tonight and then I have a surprise for her this weekend. [Don't worry, she knows that part, but just doesn't know what]

transformation is slow

2008-12-15T08:54:00.001-06:00

There's a lot of talk about discipleship going on in the church world, and rightfully so. The Western church has traditionally done a terrible job of discipling new followers of Christ.

It's got to be more than an information transfer, though it is important to know beliefs about God. An inner transformation has to take place, and actions, character, and thoughts have to align with God.

It's not fast; it's a process. And that doesn't bode well for our "microwave" culture.

But what might happen if we were ok with God's process of change. No matter how fast or how slow, we were just in tune with God. Might it change the course of Christ's influence on society? Might it build stronger families who in turn build even stronger ones? Might it see a hopeless world see the hope of the world for a change. What would happen?

Wherever you're at, move forward in God, be open to His voice, and have the courage to live your life and ministry differently.

starting churches is easy

2008-12-12T08:48:00.002-06:00

In light of the past few months of my church planting internship with Glocalnet, I'm getting to the place where I'm almost convinced that about anyone can start a church. Maybe that's true or maybe not.

But there are so many resources with check-lists that spell out everything that needs to be done that starting a "church" is pretty simple. It's almost a "church in a box" if that make sense (and I don't mean Portable Church - ha). But that doesn't mean that that church will be a Kingdom-building, disciple-producing church.

We have to desire to build disciples who plant churches, not just plant churches who hopefully produce disciples. I'm convinced we've got to focus more on building true disciples rather than building a church. A church should flow out of the disciple work. I'm still trying to figure out what that looks like.

Hopefully, Bob will teach us. :-)

powerful and authentic

2008-12-05T08:46:00.001-06:00

Watch this. It will be worth it.

the heart is what matters

2008-11-15T10:44:00.002-06:00

I'm convinced that true discipleship is becoming more and more like Jesus [and most of us would probably agree with that].

But I'm also convinced of this: we miss the deeper level of discipleship that actually counts. Here is what I mean.

How often do we focus on changing someone's actions instead of focusing on the end result of heart change?

How many people do you know that struggle with the same things over and over because because they are only focus on not exploding with their temper or not spending money they don't have or not judging people.

Actions tend to be temporary and maybe are even forced if the heart is not transformed. More than actions have to change for a person to continually grow in their relationship with Christ.

I'll post more on this in the next few days.

shifts

2008-11-14T14:54:00.000-06:00

Got asked this question this week and wanted to post my raw response.

"So what are your thoughts on implementing a new system, in general? Abrupt change? Slow transition?"

Shifts are hard in general because they mess up everything that seems normal and comfortable. And when someone is no longer comfortable, they are no longer in control. And when they are no longer in control, people get generally get frustrated, hurt, or angry.

The thing with shifts or change is they are complicated. Why do they even take place? Generally because something isn't working now or it has a missing link or it won't work in the future. So to answer the question about gradual or abrupt, I would say it's deeper than that, so neither seem to work. Neither one set well with people.

Here why I think true, lasting change is complicated - because it requires not only a change in the system, but in the paradigm behind the system. People have to see an alternative story or alternative perspective to ride the wave of change.

But think about how powerful it is when you get people on board with change. God can do anything with people who are flexible to Spirit's dynamic movement.

too hard to formulate

2008-11-12T12:33:00.004-06:00

It's not that I've given up on blogging because I truly love to write and process thoughts here. It's just my mind is racing so much right now that I haven't been able to wrap anything around it, thus no formulated thoughts.

I am trying to figure out what it means to truly live as a disciple for Christ and how to engage the world that I live in, while developing as a leader empowered by God.

God is greatly working in my heart, so I would appreciate your prayers.

complex decisions

2008-11-06T15:17:00.001-06:00

Why is life so complex sometimes?

Does it every get any easier?

am i a disciple

2008-10-28T16:39:00.004-05:00

I've been reading The Divine Conspiracy for my church planting class this month. This book has been messing me up in a good way. It's not that it's too difficult to understand or that it's all these new ideas. It's the way it presents the Kingdom of God... simple, liveable, and inward-transformation oriented. It's eyeopening to living within the context of the Kingdom of God.

Willard dives deep into the Sermon on the Mount and dissects it down to the core. This discourse is all about Kingdom living and disciple becoming. [excuse my phrasing]

As I've been reading through the Sermon the Mount with the book, I've been asking myself, "Am I a disciple?," "What does a disciple of Christ really look like?," and "How do you make disciples?." They are challenging questions that go right to the core of who I am.

But my prayer today is, "God, you have all of me. I want you to teach me and change me until I become who you want me to become. Don't just change my actions, but change my motives and my heart. I want to become a fully committed disciple of you."

backstage elevation

2008-10-23T12:43:00.003-05:00

Almost two weeks ago, the guys on our staff visited Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. You can read recaps here and here.

Two big things I took away from the recon trip:

You can only answer the questions that you are asking. If you never ask the right questions, you may never get the right answers.
To begin asking different questions, you have to get out of the frame of mind that stagnates your critical thinking. If your perspective never changes, your questions never truly change.

Thanks Larry for investing in us, spending time with us, and pushing us to ask the right questions.

for young men only

2008-10-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

The best-selling ONLY series returns with a one-of-a-kind guide for teen guys on how to figure out girls

Drawing on a fresh national survey of 600 teen girls, as well as hundreds of personal interviews, For Young Men Only reveals the real truth about what teenage girls think, what they want, and how average teen guys can build healthy friendships with high quality girls. Full of surprising revelations and practical advice, For Young Men Only delivers help straight from the girls themselves in a fun, easy-to-read, easy-to-talk about format.

Warm, witty, and honest, authors Jeff Feldhahn and Eric Rice tell plenty of personal stories and draw on solid biblical principles to guide young guys through the often daunting world of the opposite sex. Their goal is to help teen guys build self-confidence and understanding, and show them how to pursue a relationship with a girl while giving her the respect and protection she deserves.

Pick up a copy of the book here at Amazon.

fantasy team

2008-10-03T08:51:00.000-05:00

My fantasy team sucks this year. Bottom line.

I am 1-3 and really pretty lucky to have won at all.

I need a quality receiver because Braylon Edwards and Torry Holt and others have way underperformed. Geez.

A win this week would be nice, but I'm not banking on it. You guessed it; I'm picked to get beat again this week.

cowboys golf club

2008-10-02T18:38:00.006-05:00

My blogging time has been greatly limited by the busyness of what is going on right now.

Monday, though, was a pretty exciting day for me as I played in my first golf tournament at the Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, TX. It is the premier resort-style, daily-fee golf course in Texas and is the world's first NFL themed golf course.

The tournament was with African Tabernacle Evangelism. This organization works to build and raise support for starting and assisting African churches. It was my first introduction to the organization, but it seems like they have a big vision for Africa.

Zach and I played terrible at the tournament. Lucky for us, no one had to see it as we were playing by ourselves. That always helps with a few extra attempts. :-) I honestly think I lost a ball on every single hole, so it was pretty ridiculous to say the least.

I did receive a couple prizes though that I was excited about.
A Callaway FT-5 driver for my team play (No, we didn't cheat; pretty much everyone got a really nice prize) and a Ping golf towel for sinking the longest putt on one of the holes (which was legit I might add).

reading break

2008-09-24T14:07:00.003-05:00

I love to read. Books, magazines, blogs, online articles. I view it as growth and development time. In fact, my goal this year is 35 books; up from 25 last year.

Last week though, I took a reading break... well kind of. Not really, but a break from the typical leadership, ministry, Christianity genre.

I picked up two New York Times bestsellers and finished them both in a couple days.

The Shack by William Young and
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Both great books with a lot of truth in them. I love how The Shack brings out God's love and care for his creation. It's a great read that challenges the way you think and perceive God. And The Last Lecture is a great, true moving story that will inspire you to seize every day.

acting without praying

2008-09-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, I wrote a post called Serving for no Return.

I've wrestled not with the thought, but with the implementation and practice because I don't know where to start, and honestly, I'm a little unsure of myself.

Really, those are both excuses, and that's why I'm trying to just act. Lacey and I are volunteering at Clothe a Child in Frisco in October, and I've contacted the Little Elm Food Bank about the potential of serving there in some way.

Without much thought or prayer, I'm volunteering because these are such prevalent needs in our area.

Can I say that sometimes we pray about things as an excuse not to act? Or we pray about things to "make sure we hear from God" or so that we can forget about the need.

I shouldn't have to pray about my participation in certain areas though. I need to just act where there is a need, and I can do something about it.

shining bright

2008-09-17T16:13:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite Scriptures has always been Matthew 5:14-16.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The question I've been asking myself and the challenge I've issued myself is "How can I build relationships with more people, and how can I serve more in the community I am in?"

Here's the thought I felt like God spoke to me the other night. "You can't shine bright if you're not surrounded by darkness." How simple, yet so profound.

This thought is challenging me on a number of levels.
Today, tomorrow, everyday, place yourself in situations that give you an opportunity to let your light shine, so that others may praise your Father in heaven.

location finalized

2008-09-17T15:41:00.004-05:00

This was originally posted on Lanny's blog, and I honestly did not feel like rewriting what has already been said. :-) Call it lazy or call it genius. It's your call. Either way, I know we are all excited about this decision and can't wait to see what God does in Little Elm.

We officially have a location! We received the final approval yesterday that we will be able to meet in Lakeside Jr High School beginning October 5th! They also allowed us to get in an hour early. So...we will have from 7:30a to 12:30p to be in and out. Those five hours will go something like this...

7:30a: trailers arrive and doors are unlocked
7:30a to 9:30a: setup
9:30a: run through
10:00a: coffee and donuts
10:30a: service
11:30a: service ends...tear down begins
12:30p: trailers loaded and doors locked

It is going to be crazy.

something's missing

2008-09-16T09:55:00.003-05:00

Over the course of the past month, I've been in this internal struggle that something is not right... I am missing something in my life. It's this recurring thought that "There is something more."

It's not that I'm frustrated with this struggle; I'm just on a journey to discover the answer. Yeah, it's hard not being able to pinpoint it, but it's this challenge for me figure out. And I always love a good challenge. :-)

I want to leave my mark in my community. I want to serve and make a difference. I want to offer so much hope to those in need... and not even just physical need. I want people to know that there is a God who desperately loves them, and though life's circumstances may not be ideal, He has NEVER left their side. He wants to pick up their pieces and make an impressive fractal out of it.

My schedule is already tight. I have no clue how I will add anything extra too it, but God will give me grace to make it happen. All I know is that something is missing, and I've got to find it.

family night at the park

2008-09-11T16:13:00.003-05:00

Bounce houses reaching 16 foot high, giant obstacle courses and slides, saddled ponies, and kids with balloon animals and smiling painted faces took over the Little Elm Park, as The Crossing Church hosted the Family Night at the Park on Saturday, October 6.

This event was hosted to provide a free, fun night where families could go out without having to drive a long distance or spend any money, yet have a lot of fun. The question of the night recurring over and over was "Who is putting this on?"

There was an obvious buzz in the air. It was awesome to feel it and know people were excited. With over 250 people and many happy children and parents at the Family Night at the Park, the event was a huge success, and we are looking forward to an even bigger Family Night in the Park 2009.

Lanny posted some pics on his blog.

fantasy football

2008-09-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again when all the guys get together and our wives are mad because we stay out late analyzing and carefully choosing our dream team from the NFL, fantasy style.

Gotta craft the perfect team.

Saturday nights are spent looking over waiver wires and injury reports, and Sunday's are point adding days.

Fantasy draft tonight at 7pm. Ahh yeah.

when it rains, it pours

2008-08-25T16:54:00.004-05:00

Does it ever really fail that when one things goes wrong, it seems like everything starts to? Especially when it comes to cars. Seriously.

A few weeks ago, we took Lacey's car to get the oil changed, only to go pick it up and find out they couldn't change it because the dipstick is broken. The dipstick is broken; how random. Not the end of the world, just frustrating. Last week, I stopped to get gas on my way home from work and got back in my car only to find it would not start. Geez. There goes the old fuel pump and on comes another one... frustrating and expensive. Then it's time for my normal, routine oil change this week, yet to once again get a call saying they can't change my oil. I supposedly have a massive oil leak, although I didn't see it. I'll find out today whether I do or not.

When it rains, it pours. You can almost always count on it. Take it to the bank. But as almost certain as negative things seems to pile up, God has been even more faithful. Always taking care of us and blessing us in a multitude of ways.

glocal training

2008-08-22T10:42:00.003-05:00

A couple years ago I got a hold of a free copy of Transformation by Bob Roberts. I had never heard of Bob or the church he pastors (Northwood Church, Keller TX). I in all honesty took the book on vacation expecting it to be a quick, easy read. I was interested in the book but had no idea what to expect.

The book changed my life. It changed my thought processes. It changed the way I viewed ministry.

Speed forward a couple years to the present. I have been in contact with Northwood's Church Planting Director over the last month learning about the way they train church planters and what opportunity I might have to learn.

After going through an initial interview and some online assessment, I'm excited because I've been extended an invitation to be a part of their internship program. I will make the trek to Keller every Wednesday night from September-May to learn from a great church truly making a difference not only in church planting but individual, community, social, and governmental development and influence. The internship is supposed to end with a trip to Vietnam.

I can't even describe how instrumental I feel this experience will be in my life. So excited and can't wait to start.

crazy people

2008-08-21T10:43:00.002-05:00

Anybody else ever feel this way?
I just want to leave things better than what I found them and make a difference.

Simple, yet creative video.

Thanks Tim Stevens for the link.

stinky situation

2008-08-20T12:34:00.002-05:00

I received this email today at work. Thought I'd pass along the funniness I found in it.

Animal Control has caught a skunk in the trap on the west side of Claxton. They will be euthanizing the skunk using a small 410 gage shot gun. If you hear the shot do not be alarmed.

Thank you,

Department of Security and Safety Services

listen very, very closely

2008-08-19T21:32:00.003-05:00

In The Truth About Managing People, Stephen Robbins writes of a number of lessons learned in managing people. As with a lot of conflict, whether it's at work, with family members or spouses, or friends, many of the them are caused by poor listening skills or refusing to listen altogether.

Here are 8 tips to improve your listening skills.

Make eye contact.
Exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate facial expressions.
Avoid distracting actions or gestures.
Ask questions.
Paraphrase.
Avoid interrupting the speaker.
Don't overtalk.
Make smooth transitions between the roles of speaker and listener.

For me, I probably need to work most on showing appropriate facial expressions and avoid interrupting the speaker.

What about you? What listening skills do you need to improve?

school board decision

2008-08-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

We are anxiously and with a lot of anticipation waiting on tonight's school board meeting that will finalize our meeting location for The Crossing.

After a great meeting a few weeks ago, we have a verbal agreement. It just has to pass bureaucratic red tape and become official.

Please be praying everything goes well tonight at 7p.

launch team development

2008-08-18T12:09:00.003-05:00

Saturday, we hit the ground running with our Launch Team Development meeting.

At this month's Launch Team Development, we focused on continuing to paint a picture of The Crossing, equipping our volunteer, and growing together as a team.

As we continue to prepare for our first public service coming us this Sunday, August 24, this meeting provided clear(er) direction and instruction. I know our time together was essential for smooth operation and production of the first preview service.

Zach continued to cast the vision of the church, and it was cool to roll up with our new truck and two new trailers full of Portable Church equipment.

Pulled pretty much everything to detail setup instructions and hopefully make our first setup so much easier. Minus a split toenail and ran over heel, I think we are good.

It was a long day that should be well worth it.

nice suprise

2008-08-15T15:12:00.004-05:00

This past week I received an unexpected package in the mail.

Packages generally are good, and this one was no different.
Two books randomly mailed that were on my Amazon Wishlist.

Crazy Love and Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be.

Thanks for the love Eric, and anyone else, feel free to send me random books. They make my day.

Here's the link. :-)

wild goose chase

2008-08-14T15:57:00.003-05:00

I'm an avid reader and would maybe consider myself a blog-oholic. I read because I love the exposure to new ideas that challenge me and stretch me in my personal development and in my leadership capacity.

One blog in particular is written by Mark Batterson at Evotional.com.

Mark is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC. NCC meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the city, as well as in a church-owned coffee house near Union Station.

I was privileged to receive a preview copy of Mark's latest book, Wild Goose Chase, which will be released on August 19.

The Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit that translates to "the Wild Goose." In Mark's book, Wild Goose Chase he drives home the point that much like a wild goose, the Holy Spirit cannot be tamed, and there always seems to be a hint of unpredictability.

Mark retraces stories from Scripture of individuals who followed the Spirit's promptings wherever it took them... no matter the cost, no matter the uncertainty, no matter the challenge, and no matter the unexplainable leading it contained. Somewhere in their pursuit of God, these individuals cared more about living dangerously smart for God than simply playing it safe.

One phrase in particular sums up the book for me. "At some point in our lives, most of stop asking questions and start making assumptions."

Wild Goose Chase is all about not making assumptions about the way God works and being available whenever and however He directs your life. The Holy Spirit is going to direct, but we must be the ones to respond to the adventure of God.

Overall, Mark has a lot of good things to say that will challenge the way you live, though parts of it do seem redundant. I'd definitely recommend reading Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. Quick easy read that will challenge you to pursue God adventurously. For more resources about Wild Goose Chase, be sure and visit chasethegoose.com.

i can hope

2008-08-12T14:50:00.006-05:00

This past week Lacey and I traveled to Springfield, MO for her uncle's funeral. And the weekend before that, I had to attend the viewing of my former boss at Southwestern who had passed away.

Both funerals were for great men. Men who loved life and their families.

As I went to all these ceremonies and was around the families and friends of these men, a resounding thought went through my head. It's a thought, I've had before, and I'm sure most people have had. But after the day is over, we generally brush it to the back of our minds and pick back up with life.

I hate death.

Three simple words. Nothing profound or unordinary.

I hate everything about it. I hate death because of the hurt, the loss, and the void it has. It touches me even if I'm not directly involved. I see the hurt of the family and feel their pain, and it makes me hurt.

I honestly don't know how people who don't trust in God make it through difficult times. I'm so thankful that serving God not only brings me hope for today, but a hope for the future as well. I can grieve and hurt as one who has the assurance that God is with me every step of the way.

I hate death, but I'm thankful for the providence and continual presence of a great, loving God.

darreth and amy

2008-08-11T09:26:00.003-05:00

My wild week concluded over the weekend with the wedding of my older brother Darreth in North Little Rock, AR.

Hopefully his bum knee will recover after playing arena touch football the night before, so he can have fun on their honeymoon.

They are off to their honeymoon before they head home to Springfield, MO, where Darreth is finishing up is DPT program (Doctorate of Physical Therapy).

It was great to see people I grew up with, my family, and some close friends.

Congratulations to Darreth and Amy. And welcome to the family, Amy.
You're stuck with us now. :-)

next generation leader

2008-08-05T21:09:00.004-05:00

Some books greatly influence the way you think, dream, and live your life. (And yes I do know there is a new cover, but I'm highlighting the one I have.)

One of those for me is Andy Stanley's Next Generation Leader. I've read the book probably three times now, and I'm currently working through it again. It's one of those I reread almost every year because of the timeless leadership principles taught so well in the book.

It's bigger than the church world and even leadership. The five "C" characteristics he highlights mark the people who will be successful in life and shape the future.

Courage
Clarity
Competence
Coachability
Character

What books do you reread because of the impact they have on your life?

home stretch

2008-08-04T18:33:00.003-05:00

We are fast approaching the home stretch for the launch of The Crossing Church. Crazy.

The first preview service is in 3 weeks and after that things do not slow down. Pray for us that we will continue to focus, meet deadlines, and accomplish all that God would have us to do.

back to school project

2008-08-03T13:18:00.002-05:00

Every year school rolls around, tax-free weekend hits, and families go and buy their kid's school supplies. While this is the typical practice to prepare for the upcoming school year, the reality is many families in Little Elm will be unable to pack up their kid's backpacks with their necessary supplies they need to get a quality education.

One of the values we have at The Crossing is to generously invest in others.

So, this year The Crossing is excited about the opportunity to serve the schools and families of Little Elm through our Back to School Project. We are partnering with Lakeside Junior High in Little Elm, which is also The Crossing's meeting location, to provide back to school supplies for 40 students.

Please consider how you can be involved in making the Back to School Project a success. Below you will find a list of supplies for one student at Lakeside Junior High. The approximate cost is $30 per student and will provide supplies for 1 of the 40 students.

There are two options for you to be involved:

1. Visit thecrossingchurch.tv to give $30 online to buy supplies for one student.
2. Print off the list of school supplies and purchase each item and return it to The Crossing by August 16 at the Launch Team Development Meeting.

Lakeside Junior High Seventh & Eighth Grade Supply List
6 pks - #2 pencils 12 count
2 pks - 200 count wide rule filler paper
4 - Blue/Black med. stick ink pens
2 - Red med. stick ink pens
1 - 7" 12 ct. Crayola map coloring pencils
1 - Individual pencil sharpener (hand-held, covered)
2 - Highlighters (yellow)
1 box - Kleenex tissue 175 ct.
1 - Zipper pencil bag
1 - Elmer's glue stick .77 oz
1 set - Crayola Classic thick markers
1 - 5" Sharp Fiskar scissors
1 - 5-tab Index dividers
4 - Black/White Marble Composition notebook
2 - 70 page count spirals (1 blue & 1 green)
1 - 3" Black Durazip Zipper binder
6 - folders with brads and pockets
(1-blue, 1-red, 2-green, 2-yellow)

the fifty yardline

2008-08-02T15:40:00.000-05:00

Fantasy football has begun.
I love it, and Lacey hates it.

The league has been created, the team named, and managers recruited.

Looking forward to the live draft in a few weeks.

After a first place finish last season, the Rollin' Razorbacks have returned.

tedious fun

2008-08-02T10:19:00.005-05:00

This past week has been a lot of fun writing a lot of things on the backend for The Crossing.

Job descriptions for my team, setup assignments, service planning guides. Probably a lot of boring stuff for most people, but I'm loving the tedious process of setting us up for success (hopefully) by having written processes in place to follow.

I've been reading and learning a lot from Nelson Searcy and Paul Peterson throughout this process. Their blogs and resources have been a big help, especially when it comes to setting benchmarks and goals.

personal evaluation

2008-07-28T16:51:00.003-05:00

Over the past few days, I have been personally evaluating some things in my life. Trying to continually grow as an individual and not get stuck in a rut.

Pray for God's wisdom in my life.

cff highlights-day two

2008-07-23T12:14:00.003-05:00

Last week at the Creative Funding Forum, we had the opportunity to hear about a lot of innovative ways to build capital and raise resources for funding ministry, church plants, and compassion initiatives.

Session 5-Scott Bruegman, Red Rocks Church
Fundraising methods:

501 (c) 3
Doing business as...
Church Planting

Starting a church advice:

Have a deep appreciation of your burden
-If you don't handle it well, you won't get anymore.
-Have a deep appreciation for the way you spend money
Have a clear vision
-How are you going to measure success?
-When people give big, you have to say "thank you" big.
-Never leave money on the table. Double or triple it.
Recruit a team you want to work for
Give yourself away
-When you don't know what else to do, give yourself away.

Session 6-Jeff Leake, Allison Park Church

Advance steps of faith (Matthew 6:33)
Missions targeted giving
Non-profit opportunities
District Matching Funds
Church Planting Seed Fund
Personal fund raising
Church Plants-1% giving in return
Business Linking
Micro-business loans for Entrepreneurial Development
Other churches

cff highlights-day one

2008-07-23T11:27:00.005-05:00

Joel and a group of investors have founded two separate LLC's to buy and lease homes and distribute their revenue into a fund to plant 125 new churches.
Minds produce money. The lifestyles that people enjoy are only supported by
their creativity and ability to create revenue streams and manage money.
People don't want to give a check; they want to change lives.
People are willing to give to your cause. Let them help you find a solution.

Session 2-Patrick Kucera, President Frontline Ministries

We are too busy marketing the church and not Jesus.
We can reach cities by reaching those involved in business.
Find the power centers of a city and begin to reach those connected to it.

Session 3-Dave Mills

What is our mission?
And what mission related strategies can we create to raise resources?
Grants are only given because of a service-first strategy.
Service comes first, money follows.
People sometimes need a different bucket to put money in.
When you serve, don't just serve. Serve specific community needs.
Service has to be in the vocabulary of a church planter to continually holistically meet needs.

staff at the lake

2008-07-22T12:47:00.015-05:00

Over the weekend, The Crossing staff had a little fun. We got together for great food, team building, and a lot of laughs at Zach's house on Friday night.

Has anyone ever tried to put a helium stick on the ground with 8 people? Let's just say it took us 45 minutes. Geez, why do the laws of nature defy common sense? It seems so easy, even when you know the reason why it won't work... it's just figuring out how to work together to get it from waist high on the ground with everyone still touching it.

After a sleepless night and a home alarm going off loud and clear at 7a the entire house was up. It was then time for my first trek to the lake. I've never been tubing, skiing, or boating. But 5 hrs. can go by like 15 minutes when you're having that much fun. The highlight has to be Zach holding onto the tube for multiple mid-air's in a row only to bust it a few seconds later.

It was so much fun just to get away and spend time growing together and having a blast doing it.

welcome to blogging

2008-07-17T11:21:00.000-05:00

Lacey started blogging this week and started off with some great lessons from Starbucks.

Jump on over and follow her here.

cone head

2008-07-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

Lacey's dog, or I guess I should say "our dog," Scout had a little operation yesterday. Let's just say as a male dog, he is thoroughly depressed and ashamed.

It's kinda sad, but the pictures sure are funny.

As a result, he's gotta wear a cone for the next week. Talk about doubling the humiliation.

creative funding forum

2008-07-16T18:45:00.006-05:00

Zach, Tommy, and I are getting ready to head out to the Creative Funding Forum in Dallas tomorrow. Really excited about the opportunity learn at the Forum as well as connect with other church planters and leaders.

It's being hosted by the Church Multiplication Network, the North Texas District, and Northwood Assembly as a 24 hour fly-in to learn about creative ways to grow and build resources as a local church.

Looking forward to hearing and possibly meeting Scott Bruegman and Dave Mills, two of the presenters. They are doing great stuff as far as community development and compassion ministries.

Also, I'll get to see a couple friends who I haven't seen in a few months, Ricky and Dave.

big needs... big answers

2008-07-09T22:54:00.004-05:00

God answered some huge prayer needs today for The Crossing. So thankful to serve a God who knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Thankful for the relationships and connections He gives us to help build His kingdom.

All I can say is that it was so huge for us Zach and Tommy were about to do a Holy Ghost dance in the parking lot.

More details will come in the next few weeks.

thecrossingchurch.tv is live

2008-07-08T17:24:00.000-05:00

thecrossingchurch.tv is now live. It's a work in progress, but it is ready to go.

Add it to your favorites, pass it along, and visit us often.

routine, come back to me

2008-07-08T15:34:00.002-05:00

No internet has equaled no blogging.
Thankful for the Starbucks right by our apartment.

Life certainly has not held a routine since Lacey and I moved to Frisco. Errands, setting up our apartment, grocery shopping, and things to buy have ruled our lives. We finally have our Directv setup and a washer and dryer paid for. We'll pick it up tonight and knock out our pile of clothes needing to be washed.

The thing that has been hard for me is the lack of any routine. I thrive on routines and need the structure in my life. Otherwise, I get frustrated and feel unproductive, especially when I have a huge task list.

With most of the "little" move stuff taken care of, I can finally get back to work and get stuff done. I also got a great job yesterday working with CM IT Solutions. The nice thing is the part-time work. That's going to be huge for me.

A routine will be here soon, but for now the craziness continues with lots of things to take care of.

move day

2008-07-01T23:23:00.003-05:00

Uhaul packed up and ready to roll out of Owasso on the way to Frisco. A normal 4 hr. drive probably becomes a 5 hr. drive with the Uhaul pulling my car, but it will be over quick. The iPod is ready and I got some phone calls to make on the road. It won't be bad.

So ready to get everything unpacked and get settled in.

Pray for us to have no more issues with anything. I also have an interview on Thursday. Everything is finally coming together.

customer service

2008-06-30T13:56:00.004-05:00

Customer service is fulfilling your commitment and promises to the customer... not adding extra requirements to the customer that are not included in the signed paperwork or excusing your mistake by placing blame on the customer.

Geez. I'm so frustrated right now.
Some places just don't get this and would rather tell the customer they are wrong instead of admitting they could be wrong.

The irony is, places like this lose business and don't have loyal customers.
I love that Starbucks has a "just say yes" policy. I wonder how often they have to "just say yes," but it sure goes a long ways in their customer service. No wonder they have so many loyal customers.

Aghh. I'm so frustrated.

god's dreams are for others

2008-06-26T11:42:00.005-05:00

Continuing my read through Genesis this morning about Joseph realizing the dream that God had given him had finally come through in Genesis 42:9 when his brothers bowed down to him.

The tendency is when we are young, what God speaks to us often creates pride. It did for Joseph. He was quick to tell everyone about how he was going to rule... and not just rule, but rule them. That one never goes over well quite so well.

The dream that Joseph had of his brothers bowing down to him was bigger than Joseph ruling them. It had everything to do with Joseph being in a position to be used by God to save others.

I think it's probably like that for most of us. We love to think we've got the new solution or we are going to be a great leader when God speaks things to us. And that's ok to dream about being a great leader and helping others as long as it is channeled in the right direction. But what Joseph didn't see and we don't either a lot of times is God's dreams for our lives aren't so much about us as they are about Him and others.

They are all about God using us to save and impact others.

So, dream big. But allow God to keep you humble. Because the dreams aren't about you, but about God's through a humble individual.

windows to mac conversion

2008-06-24T13:31:00.006-05:00

For the past few days, I have been copying, reorganizing, and deleting files to be copied over from my Windows-formatted hard drive over to my new Mac.

It's been a little bit of a process, but a little easier than I thought. All my favorites have been added, iTunes set up, iPod reformatted, and my external hard drive reformatted and partitioned for Mac and Windows use.

I think I'm completely switched over. Now back to my job.

great birthday

2008-06-22T23:28:00.003-05:00

Today I turn 23. How crazy is that? Really it is.

My parents and sister made the two hour drive to come spend the day with me and Lacey, so I was thankful for that.

We had Rib Crib for lunch, which is always good; I did the final prep for my sermon tonight; and then had the opportunity to preach at a church to raise funds for The Crossing. Overall, a great day.

Lacey also got me one of these, which I have been wanting for a while.

hello

2008-06-20T19:33:00.003-05:00

This says it all.

nugget of truth

2008-06-18T14:08:00.002-05:00

Chick-Fil-A is a great organization with a great chicken sandwich and some of the best BBQ sauce I can find. Although I'm a big fan of Chick-Fil-A, honestly I'm getting tired of fried foods in general. Nonetheless, a great family environment with some of the best fast food.

Ben Arment had a post today that resonated with me. Thought I'd pass it along.

"We had an executive from Chick-Fil-A visit yesterday to talk about leadership. He said something fascinating about their company...

- The average fast food store does $800,000 a year
- McDonalds, the clear frontrunner, does $1.9 million per store
- Chick-Fil-A, which is closed on Sundays, does a shocking $2.8 million per store

He wasn't trying to criticize McDonalds, but said the golden arches had violated something sacred on their way to the top, which has adversely affected their revenue."

Go to Ben's blog to read the rest and find how McDonald's mindset is one that is often found in churches.

Ministry really is all about fully committed disciples of Christ.

a new day... a new dependence

2008-06-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

I need God more today than I have ever before.

I'm truly thankful for all that God has done in my life, but honestly the past isn't enough for today. That's not a selfish statement... it's just the fact that I need God's provision and help more than ever before.

A lot of people will say "God deserves your praise even if he never does another thing for you." And you know, I agree with the statement, but it doesn't change the fact that I need God more than I have before. The fact is God deserves our worship even if He never did anything, so it really has nothing to do with what God has done or will do.

I need Him to be with me even more than he has before.
I need God to provide more than before.
I need God to guide me more than before.
I need God ideas and God-strategy.

I've been reading through the book of Genesis and reflecting on all that God did for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He continually blessed them... over and over again. And with all that God did for them, there were moments where they couldn't rely on what God had done in the past to get them through... they had to have a new dependence on God.

Today is a new day. What God did yesterday will no do for today. It won't provide Lacey with a teaching job in Frisco or help us solidify a location for our preview services. But it does remind me of what God has done and all of his faithfulness and give me a hope for what He can do today.

It's a new day... and I'm more dependent on God than ever before.

weekend recap... tuesday style

2008-06-17T22:05:00.004-05:00

Lacey and I visit 8 different apartments last Thursday. It was a long, hot day.
We reserved an apartment on Friday morning, so that's a nice relief.
Lunch at Chipotle was great, except for the fact that our order go screwed up, and the staff got mad at us for simply asking them to make it right. I'm sorry it was busy, but that doesn't give you a right to not get it right.
I forgot how hot Texas is.
Enjoyed a Starbucks talk with Lanny and Kristyne... talked about life, ministry, plans, and funny stories. The partner discounts will truly be missed when Lacey no longer works there.
Went to Hope Fellowship on Saturday night, so that Lacey could meet a middle school principal. Hopefully, the connection will lead to a job.
Sunday was our first staff meeting with The Crossing staff. Got a lot nailed down for a Family Night at the Park and preview services coming up too fast.
Did I mention, I forgot how hot Texas really is.
Lanny and I schooled some neighborhood high school dudes, Carlos and Fernando, in pool football. That makes us real cool, right.

apartment hunting

2008-06-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

Ahh... the tedious details of moving have arrived. Thankful for the move but not all the little stuff that comes along with it like the drive, finding a job, finding a place to live, and packing. That's never fun.

But we are so excited to be moving to Little Elm/Frisco in two weeks.

Today, Lacey and I are apartment hunting. Got about 5 or 6 we've been doing research on, so now it's time for the visit and to brush up on my bargaining skills. Thanks to Zach for all the lessons. I'm your protege. Ha.

Pray that we find something in a good location and that where we move into, we can make a difference in our new community.

obseverations of systems

2008-06-10T18:43:00.004-05:00

I love systems and processes of organizations. Over the past 3 months, I've been a contractor doing IT-related work at a Fortune 500 company. Even though it's an entry level position, I've been able to observe and study the processes they have in place from the inside. I've also observed several different churches from the inside as an intern or staff member or doing research.

I probably haven't been around enough to know any best practices, but I do have some observations from my limited experience. A church planter and I have exchanged a few brief emails, and I love his wording for the importance of systems describing them as "thoughful and pro-active."

Here are some of my observations:
1. Systems should provide a clear, universal direction and process for operation.
2. Documentation is key, because it become more than an idea or suggestion.
3. Systems help keep the operation sane and help prevent unnecessary confusion.
4. They should handle issues before they become issues, so someone knows how to respond.
5. Systems must align with the vision of the organization.
6. They must be evolving and growing with the organization.
7. Church systems need to have a level of flexibility because we are in the people business... not catering to them, but being conscious of them as people. We can't just overpower people.
8. Don't overcompensate on reactionary issues. Balance the process without extreme action.
9. When enforcing the process, remember to have grace. It's been given to you before. People are going to try and bend the rules or buck the system. A combination of grace and conviction is a must.

discovering god's will part 2

2008-06-05T18:46:00.003-05:00

I got swamped at work today, so this is a little late.
Forgive me if you've been waiting at the edge of your seat all day. Ha.

Lacey and I are moving to Texas.
We will be a part of an incredible team launching a church in Little Elm.
We couldn't be more excited.

Discovering this has certainly been a process over the past 6 months, especially since it was right "under our noses." But the process is over, and we are anxious to move.

We move in less than a month, and the first preview service is a month away. Are you joking me? So much to do.

We are now praying that Lacey finds a teaching job. Not only do we need it, but she really wants to teach.

Like I said yesterday, God has been faithful and He will continue to be.

discovering god's will

2008-06-04T10:15:00.000-05:00

God's plan can just be sketchy at times. Not because God wants to hide it or keep us in the dark... He just wants us to go through the discovery process at times.

No one like long, drawn out processes. Especially, when they are hard, and you are anxious.

The past 6 months have been pretty humbling just to be honest. Moving in with your in-laws isn't anyone's plan for their life. Experiencing deep disappointment is difficult. And not having any answers to EVERYONE'S questions can be frustrating. And I know everyone means well, it's just hard not being able to answer with any certainty. [I am thankful for all the questions in a way though... they come from people who genuinely care about us]

After 6 months of uncertainty, frustration, ups and downs, and waiting, God has spoken and directed us... as we knew He would. It's the waiting that is hard, huh?

This I do know.

God has been so faithful... so faithful to Lacey and me.

So, what will our next step be?

Lacey and I... [to be continued tomorrow]

apple's brilliance

2008-06-01T14:55:00.003-05:00

Over the past few months of extensive use of Mac computers, setting up home networks using Macs, printer sharing, and Mac computer rebuilding, including the use of Darwin-the host system of Mac, I must admit I'm becoming a fan. The ease of use and functionality is really great. I may have to make the plunge.

Not to mention the pure aesthetics are simply sweet.

Then to top it off, they have iTunes and produce brilliant commercials. When I saw this one, I was blown away with the coolness... and I'm not a creative type.

Coldplay iTunes Commercial on Vimeo.

over-correcting

2008-05-30T14:38:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard of someone having a wreck because they swerved to avoid something in the road and then over-corrected to get back on track?

It's a pretty easy thing to do. The adrenaline is flowing, and there's a little bit of fear for the moment just hoping you get things under control.

A couple of years ago, I swerved to miss a deer in the road and almost wrecked hitting the deer and both on the over-reaction. Luckily, I stayed under enough control to stay on the road and keep going.

The tendency in leadership is to do the same. We want to avoid a situation or circumstance so much that we over-correct and get out of balance. This happens almost everyday in theological issues, philosophical issues, budget issues, and social issues. We want to change or fix something, but we only change sides on the scales. Instead of correcting the issue, it becomes skewed again... just on the other side of the spectrum.

I understand this may be a little bit vague, but it's on purpose. Think about your own examples of where this has happened.

Discover what you value... and invest generously in those things. But don't neglect the other important things and give them just token time to make it by. Balance it out.

Let's be careful when trying to avoid a certain paradigm or situation or response that we balance our balancing act and not over-correct. Otherwise, nothing has really been fixed. Other problems are just waiting around the corner.

obey quickly

2008-05-28T12:28:00.005-05:00

God sometimes asks us to do crazy things, and it's more a test of our obedience than of the action.

Abraham finally had his son in Genesis 21 and then in Genesis 22 God asked him to sacrifice his son. Are you joking me? Geez.

What I noticed this morning reading this story was Abraham's response.

2Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.

Abraham didn't put it off and wait until late into the next day. He got up early the next day and obeyed God. I know my tendency when I don't want to do something is to wait until the last possible minute.

What is God asking you to obey that you have been putting off or avoiding?

I know this is the question I am asking myself today. I want to make sure I am quickly obeying God.

feelings can lie

2008-05-20T10:43:00.004-05:00

What I feel is not always true.

It's not always realistic.
It's not always fact.
It doesn't even always make sense. [I know... I just broke the parallel flow]

For instance, sometimes, I'm so frustrated with people that it's hard to imagine loving them or getting over my feelings.
Sometimes, my feelings tell me I can do things on my own when I know I'm completely dependant on God.
Sometimes, they tell me God has left me to take care of myself and that He will not come through.

No matter how much I pray, read my Bible, fast, or worship, I can't seem to find God or the answers I need. Nothing seems to work, and the harder I try, the further God seems. Perry Noble had a great post about this today.

Honestly, my feelings have been lying a lot to me lately. I have to consciously remind myself that my feelings aren't always true.

God is faithful to the end. He will never leave me. He sticks closer than my closest friends. No matter how tough or long the test, God does not forget me.

My feelings can and will lie.

grad school

2008-05-19T14:37:00.005-05:00

I've been planning on going back to school every since I graduated from SAGU with my undergrad degree in December 2006.

Unlike most people I know, I actually like school. I would love to have multiple graudate degrees someday. I love learning. I love listening to discussions and debate. And I love reading.

One thing I want to change in grad school is actually participating in class more. I've always been a pretty indendent learner and stayed away from offering thoughts in class. I want to change that though for the next go around.

I have been looking at three different schools primarily: [in no particular order]
1. Bethel University
2. Regent Unversity
3. Dallas Theological Seminary

All three are great schools, and I've heard good things about them all. My decision will have a lot do with where we end up and what we are doing. I've started looking back at the schools' websites, degree plans, financial aid, etc.

I may not start class in the fall, but I'm beginning to re-move in that direction.

subscribe to dream the journey

2008-05-16T12:46:00.004-05:00

Rather than wondering if there's a new post on Dream the Journey or having to visit the website just check for new posts, you can subscribe using a RSS feed reader. For more information on RSS feed readers click here.

I know my blog is such a "high traffic" site as you can see by the "high" number of subscriptions on the right, so I would like to know who you are. If you already subscribe or visit frequently, leave a comment and let me know who you are, where you're from and what you do.

Here is how you can easily subscribe to this blog:

1. Sign up for a "newsreader."
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Two of the best are Bloglines and Google Reader. Just follow the links and sign-up.

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You can also subscribe via email through the link on the right.
Spread the word, enjoy the blog, and let me know who you are.

disappointments

2008-05-13T14:19:00.004-05:00

I'm learning disappointments are a part of life. Not that I already didn't know that, but before things have been pretty small.

I didn't make the baseball all-star team when I should have.
I didn't get what I wanted for Christmas one year because the store was sold out.
I had to miss out on a conference I wanted to attend because of extenuating circumstances.

All pretty small, right.

But these things I had not spent years thinking about, praying about, fasting over, and really, really hoping for.

Not everything always works out... even when it feels completely right and seems like it's a no-brainer. Even when you can't shake it from your mind and heart for 3 plus years. Even when it seems like God has clearly spoken. Some things just don't happen.

For me, this last one has not yet been finalized, but it seems certain it will soon.

But disappointment is a part of life for everyone. It comes in both big and small doses. The question now is how do I handle it? How do I move on? What new challenges do I actively and passionately pursue without being scared of the risk of failure and disappointment?

did you know

2008-05-08T16:10:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting here at work and I get a text from Lacey. She is getting her food handler's permit for Starbucks today. She's started working there for a summer job since she's a teacher.

It says, "Did you know that cockroaches can run up to 3 miles per hour. Fun food handler fact of the day."

First of all it made me laugh. She does that often. Secondly, random fact of the day to enlighten my world and now yours as well.

This may be true, but I'm not so sure the guy in the picture can.

first responsibility

2008-05-06T18:49:00.004-05:00

To be honest, I've been pretty low lately.

I'm learning a couple of lessons over the past few days.

I know God's plan is perfect, and He will never leave me, but it certainly doesn't feel like either one of these truths is legitimate in my life right now.

Thanks to Erwin McManus for introducing the thought that God's plan for our lives isn't always the straightest path. It's not like this is completely profound, but it is for someone like me. My practicality can sometimes influence my decisions and thought patterns... but sometimes God isn't the most practical or predictable. God's plan can different than we might think.

Thanks to Nathan for helping me to remember that arriving at "my ultimate plan" isn't the path to fulfillment or complete happiness. For me, it would be planting an urban church that makes a difference in a major city. I have to find those things in every moment of every day, while doing my best to serve God on the journey.

The journey can be long, difficult, and lonely. And a particular arrival moment doesn't prevent these emotions or feelings. They simply have to be dealt with on the journey. Arriving at the destination isn't the answer I need or should be looking for. I need to find my fulfillment in God's plan for my life... not the big plan, but in the day to day process of knowing God more.

Isn't that my first responsibility anyways?

choice versus stance

2008-04-29T08:36:00.004-05:00

I've really wrestled with my personal position over some things the past week or so.

I wouldn't consider myself extremely conservative when it comes to certain issues, but growing up in the South definately has shaped my paradigm. That's only natural, right. On the other hand, I don't feel I've necessarily taken things at face value or have the same opinions as some. I feel like I've formed my own opinions based on Biblical truth and the accurate application of Scripture.

I do my best to understand other's perspectives, backgrounds, and convictions. This may sound weird, but I think that is one of my gifts... to think through the lens of someone else.

Several conversations have been going on with Lacey, a close friend, and someone who I consider a mentor in my life to try and discover some answers.

The truth is I don't know the answers I'm looking for. Maybe they don't really even exist, which is real frustrating to be honest. But when it comes to matters of the conscience, a dogmatic position is not healthy.

The position can be debated by both sides with great points, examples, and evidence. I've been emphatic in the past, and I'm frustrated with myself for it. The truth is I don't know what is best for everyone or what is acceptable by Scripture if it doesn't explicitly say. I can only work to please God and make my own personal choices. So, is the argument really even necessary?

If I have a stance it too easily creates a divide, tension, and disunity. Why not process through things in love, grace, and understanding?

But a choice is just a choice. I've just made it for certain reasons. And if someone else chooses differently, then it has nothing to do with me nor their relationship with Christ. It's just their choice because it's not a matter of black/white. I'm thankul for learning this lesson so young; I just hope my mistake doesn't prevent a great opportunity.

d-mac to the raiders

2008-04-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

The NFL Draft was this weekend. Being from Arkansas, I had great interest to see where several players would go, especially Darren McFadden [D-Mac].

He's headed to Oakland to play for the Silver and Black.

Will I be an Oakland fan... probably not, but maybe a bandwagon one as long as D-Mac plays there.

D-Mac and JaMarcus Russell could be a duo... we'll have to wait and see.

direct access

2008-04-18T11:44:00.004-05:00

In the Old Testament under the Law, there was a proxy between someone and God. There were priests who went to God on behalf of someone.

But Christ changed that all.
We now have direct access to God.

Through his death and sacrfice, we are no longer limited in our relationship with God. Highlighting that privilege is the fact that we can call God, "Abba Father," or as the Message says it, "Papa." Galatians 4:6 [side note-the word choice there kinda makes me laugh]

I find it pretty amazing that we have direct access to a big, magnificent God in such a direct way. Because of Christ's work on the cross and in our lives, we have full and direct access to God and full rights as children of God.

i don't always get it right

2008-04-18T11:34:00.004-05:00

I'm thankful that serving God is about a relationship and not my performance or abilities.

I don't get it right most of the time.

I still am not always patient.
I still don't always love the way I should.
I still lose my temper.
I still look at people and make judgments.
I still think I can do things on my own.
I'm still prideful.
I'm still don’t pray every day.

To sum it all up, I'm still human.

But in all that, I know that I don't have to strive for God's approval.
I could never be good enough.

Galatians 3:2-5 says, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?”

Christ took care of the striving to maintain every detail of the law. It was impossible to keep, so God gave us grace through Christ’s obedience and death. It is only be responding to God’s message that we are saved and continually made right with God. I want to continually respond to God’s message in my heart.

My actions matter, but the question is am I growing in Christ. And by growing in Him am I imitating Him more and more.

It's my relationship with God that He is most concerned about.
Because when I know and love God more, I act more like God. And I am transformed into who God wants me to be.

tax time

2008-04-14T18:16:00.002-05:00

It's so nice to have our taxes done already. No worries or overnight shipments to a CPA, because there's no way I'm taking care of them.

I would rather pay a small amount at this point. We have a great firm doing our taxes and are fast, efficient, accessible, and easy to work with.

Our return was done in a matter of days, and our return is already in the bank.

E-filing is nice, as well as direct deposits on returns.

sick

2008-04-13T18:42:00.004-05:00

I've been feeling sick since last night. Lacey and I went to Tulsa and hung out all day to spend some time together since our work schedules are so hectic. I have been working days, and she has been working late at Starbucks.

It was a great day together. Spending time with her never gets old.

We topped off the night at Pei Wei, which just might be the culprit of why I feel so gross today. I almost always get the same thing to eat, but last night I did something different. I really like the place, but I don't like what it's done to me this time.

Oh well, pray for me that I'll feel better this week. I have a big weekend ahead.

preaching again

2008-04-08T18:46:00.003-05:00

I love preaching.

It's funny because I'm not not really an up-front person, but I love communicating God's Word. It's such a huge challenge to take truth and make it simple, profound, and applicable. But I love the entire process of studying, writing, and teaching.

I haven't preached a sermon since early December, so I'm really excited about the opportunity to speak in Extreme tomorrow night.

Putting the finishing touches on my sermon right now, and I'll be ready to rock n' roll.

Just a side note, I still get nervous every time I speak. I'm sure I always will. So, say a prayer for me that I'll communicate God's truth and students' lives will be changed.

It's gonna be fun.

who you are

2008-04-04T06:08:00.000-05:00

Who you are is more important than what you do.

As a leader, your character and integrity define your leadership. This is true in any arena of life. In the business world, it doesn’t matter what a leader accomplishes, if he loses his integrity.

Serving God is not too different. It’s just taken a step further.
Jesus said it best in Matthew, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”

In other words, it doesn’t matter what a leader accomplishes, if he lose his intimacy with God. Nothing else can take it’s place.

We strive to develop as leaders in such a variety of areas: delegation, creativity, conflict resolution, etc. But do we strive to develop in leading ourselves spiritually?

Not just in spiritual knowledge, but spiritual action.

Are you acting on opportunities to do good for others?
What character is being developed in your life?
What fruit is being seen by those closest to you? Is it changing in a positive way?
Is their sin in your life that needs to be dealt with?
Is God speaking to you on a regular basis?

John Maxwell is famous for saying, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”
And spiritual leadership rises and falls on your growing relationship with Christ.

Who you are is more important than what you do.

grace filled leaders

2008-04-03T20:47:00.004-05:00

Young leaders have fresh ideas, different philosophies, new and diverse value systems, and a whole lot to learn.

We are inexperienced, but our tendency is to “know it all.”

The fact is our passion for progress and change gets in our way of our relational skills. We want to be heard. We want to be listened to.

But what we say and how we say it reveals the tone of our personality. We want to see “things done right,” but we forget we must first act right. The message so often gets killed by the messenger, and relationships are burned at the same time.

It’s this twisted irony that kills any influence we could or could have had.

Change, though, doesn’t happen overnight. Neither do values. And nor does influence come as soon as we step into a position. Just like our values have been developing in us over the course of our lifetime, so have the values of others we differ with. And some of them have been embedded for nearly double the time, and experience have proved them to be true.

For whatever reason, there is this subconscious thought that when serving God, there are times we don’t have to act like God. Patience when someone makes the same mistakes again and again… it doesn’t matter. Forgiveness when we’ve been corrected … throw that one out. Arrogance when our idea wasn’t used, and it may (or may not) have worked better… yeah, throw that one out too.

And if anyone ever disagrees, it’s almost always personal, right.
But to be a leader in Christ requires that we give grace to others' mistakes and shortcomings. We want it when we make a mistake, so give it at all times.

The book of Romans deals heavily with God's grace in our lives. Grace for life in Christ and grace to have different gifts and abilities. God gives so much grace to us.

Romans 5:2
"...through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
Romans 5:15
"But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!"
Romans 12:6
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."

And I love what Peter has to say in his first book, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." We are to administer grace to everyone we serve.

Christ was a model of grace in his life and ministry. And to follow after Him in every area of our lives demands that we extend the same grace that we've been given.

Remember, we were first called to emulate the character of Christ before He called us into ministry. He calls us to be filled with grace.

Live out the words of Paul to the Ephesians in Chapter 4, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Not everyone will see eye to eye with every decision we make or every decision we think should have been made by someone else. Some things we would change don't need to be changed, and some things do need to be improved upon. But wherever the tension of grace and truth meet face to face, administer grace.

march madness

2008-03-17T21:45:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again... where the craziness begins. Deserving teams are snubbed, an unlikely team wins a conference title to squeak in, and the fight for the number 1's ends.

ESPN becomes the fan's best friend for the next month for bracketology and up-to-date scores. If the madness has hit you, you just can't get enough.

The best teams get tested down the wire, miraculous shots are hit, cinderella stories are made, and then the clock strikes midnight on all 64 other teams in the tournament as only one is crowned champion.

It's not always the glamorous crowd favorite or the best overall team. It's just the team that can survive the madness of March.

continued faithfulness

2008-03-15T18:02:00.004-05:00

I don't know why God chooses to operate the way He does sometimes. At times it can be really hard because I feel like I have no more trust or faith to give, and God comes through with His faithfulness at what seems like the least expected or last possible minute. Time and time again it has happened over the past few months.

From financial stuff, to new possible opportunities, to conversations with friends, to job situations, to encouragement... God just keeps coming through for me and Lacey. It's been incredible to see God's hand involved in our lives.

I know God never promises things to be easy. And really that is ok.

Easy gets boring. But He does promise to be continually faithful in every situation that we face. Even if it does comes at the last minute.

this beautiful mess

2008-03-10T10:23:00.003-05:00

Thanks to this book for the post title, but ministry really can be this sorta beautiful mess.

People are not always fun to deal with. Sometimes they seem to cause more frustration and problems than anything else.

We have this internal pressure and perceived (yet sometimes true) peer pressure to make progress and look really good with numbers, stats, marketing schemes, and sweet new events.

And just to pile more on top of all of that, we really just don’t always have the time, money, or overall resources to make so much of our ideas happen. [Sidebar-lack of resources is no excuse for not fulfilling God’s vision.]

I think most of us have been in this place before. I wanted to share a few things from my experience in no particular order that I have learned about how to get big results with little resources.

1. Operate where you want to be, not where you currently are.

If you don’t first go there in how you operate, nothing and no one will ever follow. I love how Steven Furtick puts it, “Dress for the wedding.” It may look funny now, but it won’t when you get there. Don’t get embarrassed or impatient-go for it.

2. Don’t compare.

It only creates pride or jealousy. Plus, we should celebrate others success and assist others along. We are all on the same team.

3. Develop leaders and delegate authority.

They not only increase your ability to handle more people, but also allow you to perform ministry at a much higher level and focus on things that as the leader you alone can do.

4. Raise funds to increase ministry capability.

Ministry isn’t cheap. It takes money. Sometimes you just got to work to raise it. But money follows vision first, then it follows life changing stories of individuals. Share the vision and what God is doing through you to make their investment worthwhile.

5. Invest money into missional opportunities.

God is extremely honored by our sacrificial giving. We have a responsibility to invest in others around the world, even if it is a sacrificial gift. When you invest, you are partnering together to build the Kingdom and fulfill the mission of the church. And why would God bless us if we are greedy and selfish?

6. Dream big, and strategically cast the vision.

God gives the point leader the dreams and visions. You've got to dream it, discover it, and provide tangible direction at optimal times, so others can follow. Sir Francis Drake says it best, so why try anymore. "Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord."

7. Build a relational culture.

All people (unchurched, dechurched, believers, poor, rich, middle class, African-American, Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian, Arab, etc) want relationships. As a church leader, we get to give them two of the greatest relationships in the world-a relationship with God and a relationship with God’s family.

8. Celebrate moments of success.

The principle is true: what gets celebrated is often repeated. Commit to make consistent progress every week. Celebrate that progress publicly and privately. After one year that means you are at least 52% better.

9. Pray God-sized prayers.

If you don’t pray them, they will rarely happen. Plus, God loves the supernatural.

10. Stay focused on the vision and never quit.

It’s easy to be distracted, frustrated, or discouraged. God will always be faithful to finish what He has spoken though. Fight for the vision, work it, and trust God to be faithful. Don’t give up on God’s promises.

What are some thoughts you've learned about getting results with little resources?

blog break

2008-02-26T22:21:00.003-06:00

I've been pretty slow blogging lately, but I'm officially taking a break for the next week or so. Life is swirling and spinning and redirecting with little time for anything other than the essentials.

Taking a short break and will pick back up soon.