Out of This World

I spent a lot of time this morning reading, researching, meditating etc and out of this the disturbing trend that believers say on the one hand, "we are not of this world" and yet we tend to read the things we read and surf the places we surf and watch the things we watch, justifying it on the basis we are believers and can handle it. How absurd!  We sometimes give ourselves a pass and cross over the line into temptation believing our faith protects us-that we know right from wrong.  When we do this we cross over into dangerous territory because we believers are still very vulnerable.  Knowing this, why do we feel it's acceptable to allow our behavior so close to the danger zone?  Mom reads that book, dad watches that show and the kids see both going on. Top that off with parents actually escorting their daughters to see The Twilight movie. Sounds pretty harmless until you research the teen sub-culture that is arising from this stuff. All of us as parents and grandparents need to get a better grip on what we are doing in our homes and even with our kids in tow. In the world and not of it? We can do better at proving it I think. It's difficult I know. Some of this stuff comes out of nowhere and blindsides us. There are plenty of other times however we seek this stuff out.  Sadly there are too many of us crossing the line these days.

A lot is made lately about making disciples and discipleship programs or even creating a culture for discipleship. The thing is, in my opinion, true discipleship happens passively. When we live right our behavior is an encouragement and an example for others seeking behavior they want to pattern for their own life. I think if we each take a moment and think about who we wish we could be more like, we might begin to see a shift in our behavior patterns. It's something I need to engage in more earnestly and I don't think I'm alone.

Mommy Porn

Mommy Porn; that’s how you’ll see the best-selling book "50 Shades of Grey" labeled when you Google it.  For the record I haven’t read the book nor will I.  I have read excerpts and heard several comments now from women who have read the book.  I also know my wife won’t read it because she knows God wants her to be a godly woman. I’m grateful that she is making a wise choice.   

I’ve heard so many comments about the book.  Here’s a common one from married women: “I read some more of the book and was so horny I had to get a jump when I got done reading.”  So what’s the harm? I suppose most men could care less what your motive is to jump his bones but the thing is you brought another person into your bed.  You see it isn’t your husband that got you aroused-it was someone else, your fantasy.  

I’m overreacting of course-right?  I’ve also heard women say this book is not porn (which is classified as Erotica by the way) because there aren’t any pictures like there are in men’s magazines. This is interesting that most women wouldn’t want their husband reading Playboy but its okay for them to read text-only porn.  Do you know men have access to text-only porn as well?  Its been around for years.  God forbid a teenage boy gets his hands on one of his dad’s Playboys.  That’s just not good and I don’t think any mother would think otherwise.

Now if you think any of what I just said is just a lot of nonsense coming from someone who obviously doesn’t like sex or his wife doesn’t let me set the record straight. I love sex very much and if I may speak for my wife-she does too.  My concern is that there is recklessness in this kind of material and you moms need to come to grips with it. 

Mom’s if nothing else you have a responsibility to raise your daughters to be godly ladies and that is the example you need to set.

A female friend told me this morning that she hadn’t read it yet and she’s curious to know what all the excitement over it is. She said she is waiting for her 14 year old daughter to finish reading it. She had a sense of urgency as I enlightened her a little about what I know about the book.  You married moms have an outlet when you get aroused from a book like this but let me ask you-who is your unmarried daughter’s outlet going to be? 

Show and Tell

God uses our imperfect motivations to bring us close

People came to hear Jesus teach because word had spread of His story-telling, healing, feeding and comforting. He entertained, healed, fed and comforted first.  He met people where they were at-He met their needs.  God uses our imperfect motivations to bring us close.  Once He did that people were open to listening to Him and they wanted to know more. He was drawing crowds. Likewise today the un-churched have little interest in hearing a gospel message until they know what’s in it for them.  That sounds selfish-right?  Not so fast.  We love to tell people “Jesus will meet you right where you are at” but preaching and reaching can be very different. Meeting needs up front is not wrong; it is understanding who it is you are trying to reach and showing them the gospel before trying to teach it to them.  Today if you preach too much about what Jesus can do for you, you get criticized.  If your worship band is responsible for filling most of the seats you get criticized for caving to consumerism.  Either Jesus caved or He simply knew that telling stories (He was an entertainer too), making someone feel better, comforting them and feeding them was going to make a way for explaining why He did these things.  That’s not consumerism-that’s just plain common sense. One of the biggest challenges for churches is to win a person’s time. If that means you have to tell a great story or put on a great worship set then so be it. Jesus Himself knew He had to reel them in before they would be open to His teaching.  Jesus did not however reel them in with false hope and the rewards He spoke of were not all reserved for the afterlife.  To believe that Jesus would not reward those in exchange for their time is absurd…He did...often.

Hebrews 11:6~And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Just Add Milk!

We want what we want and we want it now! 

I got to thinking last night and again this morning that my own personal key to being physically fit and eating a diet of healthy foods is not by avoiding exposure to the unhealthy but rather by looking at my choices as short-lived.  Twice in the last week I had a choice of giving in and eating pizza for a meal because that is what the plan was where I was at.  I decided in both cases to make a healthier meal choice and did so because I realized that whatever choice I would make was only going to be about 30-minutes in duration.  In essence my choice would 30-minutes later leave me with a feeling of guilt or of victory over temptation.  Either way-my choice was going to be but a memory.  My choice was whether or not temptation for instant gratification was going to be allowed to have long-lived consequences or be encouragement to press on and continue to make a wise choice.

My challenges have been foods.  For others, the need for instant gratification comes in the form of alcohol, drugs, pornography, rage, anger-you name it.  The thing is I believe we stand a fairly good chance of victory over these temptations if we look at them as temporary rather than something that can (or will) control our life.  I believe that part of a winning strategy over temptation is coming to grips with the fact that it can be short-lived.  If the temptation is food then have alternative healthy foods on hand.  If the temptation is more of a serious kind such as I mentioned, keep the phone close by with at least a few friends on speed-dial that you have confided in to expect your call in a moment’s notice-and why.    

Just add milk!  Oh-if only all of life was as instantly gratifying as a bowl of cereal…and as harmless.

Clutter

Where are my car keys? Where is my wallet? Where is my phone? UUuuuuugh!!!

Is your outer world a reflection of you inner world? I would have to say that's how it is with me.  Clutter in my life tends to reflect the pace of my life.  When the pace is fast you can pretty much tell by my physical surroundings.  If everywhere I look there is a mess it is usually the result of disorganization mentally, physically or both.  I think that's true of many of us.  We take on so much that we barely have time to think.  We can be plugged into so many things that before long we begin to short-circuit.  Clutter can be defined as anything that doesn't improve you or those around you.  Even our kids can become part of our clutter if we allow it.  We allow (or encourage even) their involvement in so many different activities that it reduces what little free time we have to being a taxi-service and forcing us to handle errands in drive-by shooting fashion.  What's worse is it fragments the family depending on its size.  We end up with family life that can't but rarely share an evening meal together and we wonder why our kids are disconnected from the reality of what OUR childhood was like while we push them into a reality of the here and now.  Clutter affects everyone that comes in contact with it regardless of who owns it.

We need to learn to remove clutter.  We need to unplug from excess.  If an activity is stressing you out to the point it does not bring value to your life in relationships, positively effect your attitude with a sense of well-being it may be time to unplug for a while. Take a look at everything you've been doing day in and day out and begin to rewire and bring order to your chaos.  Stop and smell the roses, take a day off work just because, read a book, take time for your soul.  Find a time of day to talk to God.  Make each day count so you don't spend so much time looking forward to the weekend.  If you consistently find yourself saying, "thank God it's Friday" chances are there is too much clutter in your life and it's time to rewire.  Better yet it might be time to just pull the plug on a few.

Happy Holidays!

I'm taking a few moments during my lunch break to comment on something that just rubs me the wrong way and that is this: Every year at this time the senseless debate over a mere gesture becomes a point of contention and downright (nasty at times) “Dudley Do-Right”-masked indignation.  Heaven forbid a Christian ever greet anyone by saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” lest the wrath of fellow believers descend on them with a correction of ensuing blows to the head or gut.  Good grief!  I’ve even seen checkout clerks who cheerfully wish someone “happy holidays” only to get a nasty response of “Merry Christmas” from someone with a scowl intent only to make a point.  I guarantee you that Jesus looked more favorably upon the clerk than the patron and how ironic.  The Christmas holiday should not be cause for debate and division but of inclusion, happiness and joy.  Rather than take up a self-righteous stance on something that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, instead donate some time at a homeless shelter or food pantry this season and help someone have a “happy holiday!”

The Dwelling Place

To encounter something, you have to go there.  There's no getting around it-you have to move.  


Last night in our Life group we discussed briefly the busyness of life.  In fact most of us were very tired.  I know that I was after having put in a full day of physical work (not my day job) following minimal sleep left me very fatigued. Fatigue was evident in the others as well.  I could see it in their eyes.  We talked about the Sabbath, sabbaticals...rest.  We talked about the things we should be doing and what we are called to do but our hands are so full of junk that to grasp the important things means to release the junk we cling to.  We can't hold everything in the palm of our hands and so choices have to be made in order to grab on to that which is good.


Our weariness isn't limited to our physical being but our inner-being, our spirituality in spite of the fact that God's dwelling place is with you and me.  This is His choice; it always has been His desire to dwell with man and yet we can't seem to hear Him.  


I look at my phone's calendar app and it's loaded with "do this and do thats."  I can schedule time for even the dumbest of things but where in November have I set aside time with God other than church; I mean real quality time?  Quality time-not the kind where I squeeze Him in but where I actually plan an encounter, a day where I decide the "to-do list" isn't going to make the cut...or anything else for that matter.


The scripture that is working on me this morning are these:


Revelation 21:3~"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.


Revelation 3:20~"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him and eat with Him, and he with me."


A true encounter happens when we leave our laundry list at home.  It happens when we set aside a time with God that has no agenda but to just be in His presence without one peep from a cell phone, the kids-from everything.  The encounter happens when nothing else in our life matters than being alone with Him and that is probably the highest form of worship we could ever give.  

The Simple Life

It's been a couple of weeks since I've slept at home.  Kristi and I have spent this whole time at our "weekend" retreat except for an occasional stop at the house for odds and ends.  Of course Kristi has other matters at the house that need her attention such as her critters. This Spring and Summer have shown us just how possible it is to live in minimal space and we actually prefer it. I can't say that this lifestyle is for everyone but it does make me think about how we have drifted from living within our means as a society. We have departed from the smaller home and fewer possessions to where we are today. Maybe the lessons of this economic mess will awaken our sensibilities. As beaten down as many of us have been, our decadent lifestyle hasn't really changed much has it?  Many of us while experiencing the loss of a home or struggling to make ends meet still are still willing to sacrifice a quarter of a week's grocery budget on one family meal at a fast food joint.  Are we learning anything?

It's really time to come to our senses isn't it? Don't these tough times require a change in habit and an "about-face" from the lifestyle and lack of discipline that got us here? Isn't it time to get honest with ourselves and get back to the basics of life? How much is enough?

Who's job is it anyway?

A recently released study that found 1 in 5 children in America live in poverty has Christian advocacy groups urging Congress to not cut financial safety net programs while attempting to reduce the national debt.~Christian Post

What should the proper Christian response be toward those that are in need?  We shouldn’t support government charity to solve poverty should we?  Should we support them by way of the church on the basis of mercy, grace and charity?  Isn't it sad that the only place to turn really is the government?

We have, over the years, let the government take our role in society of helping the less fortunate…the needy. The “War on Poverty” and social programs coming out of Washington have stripped away the church’s responsibility, yes-the church’s responsibility and we have let them take it from us.  It's a flawed idea that government-obligated redistribution of wealth is a good way to help the needy back onto their feet.  Quite the contrary, the result is entitlement programs and welfare that opposes a life-change in favor of a lifestyle of dependency; certainly no revelation there.

Only when the Christian community (with the help of secular charitable organizations for that matter) step up and live out the lessons of Jesus will we truly be in a position to help the poor, unemployed, widows, orphans, and anyone else in need.  That’s what needs to happen doesn’t it?  The church needs to step-in so that government is able to step out of the societal territory that belongs to the church. That can only happen when the church remembers the lessons of Jesus – that He wants our hearts.  That kind of change is going to require a huge leap of faith in the Christian community and church leadership must be willing to take huge risk to bring that about.  I would really like to believe that as Christians we can bring ourselves to sacrifice for the good of all.  The first century church gave of what they had so that no one was in need (Acts 2:44-45).  Today that kind of behavior at the community level is sadly defined as a cult and at the government level defined as socialism.  Call it what you like but I can’t help but wonder if that is where our societal solution lies.  If the Christian community (the church) cannot pull off caring for one another then why in the world should we expect the government to?  The fact is the government can’t and it shouldn’t.  I also understand that the times are different today than in the first century.  There are huge changes that would have to take place in the church today both logistically and administratively where her role changes from a worship-type of entity to that which resembles more the likes of a food bank and unemployment office.  I don’t know how such a shift in philosophy can be pulled off.  Maybe it can’t in these modern times.  I do know this though; the government can’t do much worse; and the church?  The church can and MUST do better.  When the church can only afford to exist, pay its bills and salaries at the cost of being charitable that is a problem especially when capacity is there to do so much more.  Only when the Christian community truly gives Jesus what he desires, their heart, will we be relevant in such a way that we care for one another and make a difference in the lifes of those in need.  No-Christian leadership should definitely NOT be calling on government to do what God has called us to do.  We don't need to delegate to "big brother" what our Father has called us to do.  This isn't a question of being hard, its a question of doing what is right.  If the local church exists with resources enough to only provide for it's own programs, members and paid staff then it's time to take a look at things.  It's interesting that the Christian Right Wing is so vocal about demanding less government and yet here are Christian advocacy groups calling for more government and entitlements at that!  Sorry pal.  As Christians we should be ashamed to demand that government TAKE from someone via taxes the resources to help the poor. This should come from us-what we should freely give.  Jesus never said it was going to be easy.

Has Your Time Come?

"But now, O Lord,
you are our Father;
we are the clay, and You our potter;
and all we are, the work of Your hand."
Isaiah 64:8


Out of dust comes clay; the raw unrefined material that God will shape and mold to His liking often times whether we like it or not.  


Thinking back on American history and how God used Abraham Lincoln I'm encouraged.  Abe was just a country boy like many of us.  He was a relatively "self-taught" man that by today's standards might not have gotten a second look to do much of anything that might make a difference in our world much less lead a nation.  The thing is, God doesn't work that way.  As with so many great leaders he starts the same way as He does with anyone of us and you can be assured He can create something from nothing.  Be confident that the same breath that breathed life through the nostrils of Adam can breathe life into your calling and mine.


The author of the book I'm currently reading "The Emotionally Healthy Church" mentions how a man's conviction to doing right can come at a huge cost-the magnitude of which you and I will probably never have to wiegh.  God chose Abe Lincoln to one day rise up and become a leader so convicted about the abomination of slavery that he would be willing to risk civil war to abolish it.  This is huge!  Imagine some leadership decisions you face.  You know they are right, just and they are necessary.  You know the cost of the decision may be high.  You also know that it is crucial to follow through because the time is at hand and by His hand.  For years some of us have let others fill in the blank that defines who we are and what we will do and they neither have the right or the foresight to do so. Perhaps it is time to bring glory through that which has been in the making your whole life because not all pottery ends up an ashtray; not the pottery of The Maker's hand.  


Danny Thomas said: "All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why."  Maybe it's time to fill in the blank for yourself.  "I was born for this, this is my time and I was created to _______________."

Is today's church really about Him? Really?

The following is an excerpt from a Barna Group report.  It got me wondering more about a hunch I have about todays church and it's bent for being trendy.  Is the church too concerned with trends these days at the cost of true spiritual discipleship and outreach?  Interesting how today, what we now call a worship "experience" used to be called a worship "service."  Does it stand to reason then, that Sunday mornings have to be sadly worth the price of admission or risk a poor show?  If you think that is far-fetched I would be willing to bet that the average church-goer does not give financially to their home church except on those Sundays they attend and that points to sadly the equivalent of the Sunday offering being reduced to an admission fee (payment for services rendered).  Has Sunday morning become more about how we feel and less about our Savior and learning Who God is in an effort we get in better touch with our own inner being?  Good grief!  The pastorate does their best by and large yet I can't help but wonder if the tail hasn't been wagging the dog too much in today's church.  Some reports I've read pretty much state that if Sunday morning isn't thorough in making you and I feel better about ourselves it's going to be a challenge to keep the lights on.  I'm fortunate to be part of a church that delivers a healthy dose of scriptural relevance and teaching and I know many attenders are "getting it."  That howver is not the case everywhere.  Now for the report. 
Barna Report:
Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.  When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams. Among adults the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success, and personal achievements. Those dimensions have risen at the expense of investment in both faith and family. The turbo-charged pace of society leaves people with little time for reflection. The deeper thinking that occurs typically relates to economic concerns or relational pressures. Spiritual practices like contemplation, solitude, silence, and simplicity are rare. (It is ironic that more than four out of five adults claim to live a simple life.) Practical to a fault, Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities. Because we continue to separate our spirituality from other dimensions of life through compartmentalization, a relatively superficial approach to faith has become a central means of optimizing our life experience.


I find it absurd that a church cannot connect the dots of spiritual disciplines, make them relevant AND in doing so teach how THAT will optimize our life experiences.  To avoid core teachings and principles of Christian living and substitute with the "warm-fuzzies" has a finite life that probably will find a church plateauing or declining before long.  I think people still seek a deeper relationship with Jesus without so much circus.  I'm interested to know what you think.

Little Kingdoms

Ephesians 4:16 (NIV): 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I love that verse. This and a few others like it are pretty often preached on Sunday morning. It occurred to me this week however that when it's preached, it's generally preached in the context of the individual or individuals within a church rather than the church as a body. Let me explain. We are often called as individuals to work together with other individuals within the church (the "little kingdom"); our body part called to action along with other body parts to serve a common purpose. It takes the proper working of each individual part in the body --saints equipped for service working together with everybody doing their part. The effectiveness mandates the following:

• an understanding of the priesthood of all believers versus a leader mentality
• being servant-oriented and interdependent versus self-centered and self-dependent
• working as a team versus a one-man show
• seeing the body as an organism versus an organization

I think we all get the picture...kind of, but here is where I believe we have grossly missed the the point and in the process, the opportunities set before us:

We've forgotten what makes a church, a church. She has gotten so inwardly focused that its become more about the building (little kingdom) than the community (The Kingdom). We need to change our view of church from that of a building to that of a community. By this I am not talking about a "community of faith" within our "little kingdom." I'm talking about this: Many churches, although distinct in views and beliefs, have the same needs and goals in the community. Since community is a strong element of most religions, this is a factor that enables many churches to come together to work toward a common goal with "The Kingdom" in mind rather than the predominant idea of community that is "the little kingdom." We are frequently encouraged as individuals to get to know other individuals both like us and unlike us and work together, serve together and worship together and do all the things a good "Acts 2" church does. So why doesn't the Acts 2 church take this to the next level? Why isn't the "little kingdom" pulling together more with other "little kingdoms" in the community, each a vital body part coming together to form a large body? Why aren't more churches working alongside other churches so that a HUGE impact can be achieved in their community? If our own church "little kingdom" understands the concept of "whole-body" efficiency within itself then why, why, why is that philosophy not getting across that the local church has failed to serve the Kingdom in an impacting way as a community of churches? Are we that introverted and overly focused on protectionism and even possessive? Do you suppose there is an unhealthy amount of "steeple envy" at work here as well?

The bottom line as I see it is this: the little kingdoms (local churches) do God a great disservice when they fail to come together with other churches in their community to serve the kingdom in a cooperative way that can achieve an impact that by no means within a "little kingdom" can be accomplished by herself; when she fails to do the good she knows in her heart that she can do and the difference that can make in the community. Simply put, the church needs to quit being selfish with her "little kingdom" and get serious about being "Kingdom-focused."

What's Cooking?

It's often said, "God will meet you right where you're at." That is to say He'll meet you as you are. I had planned something quite different on my mind to jot down this morning and mere seconds ago I recalled something a friend posted on Facebook a few days ago. In it he cited a song he felt might resonate with those that because of their "situation" are not more of what God calls them to be. I know this friend's heart, I know his situation-I know what troubles him. I also know that in the midst of his situation he of course is not everything...yet, that God is calling him to be but he is everything God has called him to be at this time and in this "situation." This friend happens to have the spiritual gift of hospitality. He seeks opportunity to use his gift; he injects himself into situations to bless others with it. Nothing at all to be concerned about here my friend. You are always cooking up something for somebody and in the middle of your situation...well, God is doing some cooking of His own.

Stuff

I'm up very early again this morning on account of a regular problem of not being able to turn off my head and sleep like a normal person.



I've been thinking this morning, well...I've been thinking about this all week actually, about all this stuff we have in the house. One of the cool things about writing Life Group lessons (and as Pastors will admit they do when they draft their teachings) is I draw on personal experience and emotion to develop part of the material. This week Pastor Rob is focusing on hoarding. I was proof-reading some of the Life Group lesson material to Kristi the other day and when I got to the part about how garages these days don't even get used for vehicles but are used as the largest walk-in closet in the house. Kristi said, "you should put a picture of our garage in the lesson material." She's right-I should. I would guess that at least half of what is in there (and in Kristi's storage room in the basement by the way), hasn't been touched for at least 3-years. We both tend to use the same excuse, that "we might need it someday" or "that used to be mom's or dad's." We were both convicted this week that yes, while we might need these things someday, someone else really could use it today, and the next day and the next. What we have archived "treasured" as a luxury is a very real need to someone else.



Spring is a popular time for people to take stock of their possessions, decide what they can part with and have a garage sale; maybe they'll make $50 or so. Maybe a better thing to consider would be instead of using that effort to earn $50, that we would give it away to charity. My guess is that all this stuff we might unload in a garage sale that doesn't really amount to a hill of beans financially would be valued ten-times that to families in need because you can't really put a value on need. You simply need it or you don't. Think about that. If that doesn't do it then think about this: 16% of children in the United States, are in poor families. Yes you could get $5 for that hardly worn Winter coat you don't need but someone in need would respond as if they were handed a hundred bucks. That person could be someone in your own family or mine. We just may not know it yet.

New Foundation

My brother-in-law Jeff recently returned from a mission trip to Honduras. Many of the pictures he has posted remind me of what we saw on our mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2006. As you look at this picture you wonder why in the world would you bother to pour a concrete floor in a building that surely will struggle to stand anyway? Jeff said that a mother of five lives here. Her husband ran off and she manages the best she can. The concrete will replace an unsanitary dirt floor he said.

As I read this it hit home how powerful a metaphor this is. It's never too late to build a foundation where one never existed. It's never too late to pour solid ground where there was once sinking sand. It's never too late because our walls will never be secure and they can't endure the test of time, life and the world but God (if we allow Him to) will in the same spirit He helped Nehemiah rebuild a wall will help us secure ours. If our walls lean, loosen or fall we can always count on the solid foundation...the solid footing of Jesus to anchor upon.

Vision Statement or Vision Movement?

Very early Friday morning I was reflecting on what God has done with (and through) Jacob’s Well. This 3-year old church plant that is at a benchmark well ahead of the norm at this point is certainly one of God’s plan. This church is not (in my opinion) commissioned to be a “normal” church that moves at a “normal” pace under “normal” ways and means. I believe there is more…much more. This got me thinking about her future, anticipating God’s moves with this body located on Mitchell Dr. in Plano, IL. My thoughts (dreams?) turned to the church planting that The Well will do. I started envisioning strip mall store-front satellite churches being birthed in communities where God has identified a need. This is all very exciting to me because God is always moving and has planned ahead so shouldn’t we do the same? Shouldn’t we want do do the same? As I contemplated all of the “moves” God might be making, my excitement grew. At the same time I couldn’t help but wonder if my drive and ambition was out of place or premature. I soon realized that neither was. In fact if I ever get to the point that I don’t get excited about the things that God has planned in reaching out and how I believe He plans to use me or my brothers and sisters in Christ-then I have reason for concern. I believe one of the biggest reasons a church becomes stagnant is because of staffing with momentum killers. I happen to believe that if you pray about something long enough; your opportunity may have come and gone. This is because long and focused prayer for guidance can soon turn into procrastination and often does. Too often “let’s pray about that” is just a nicer, more churchy way of saying “I’ll get back to you on that.” I haven't experienced that kind of thing at The Well. That is why I truly believe the things I dream of for her, a shared dream by the way, will become reality. Before this can happen though, the right team has to be in place. You can't be in the "A" game without the "A" team on the field.

Like any businesses I’ve had the pleasure of associating with, the New Year often includes an element of vision-casting. The problem isn’t with vision-casting but the lack of a team (the right team) commissioned to see the vision through-to keep the momentum. Churches, like most private businesses can be full of great ideas but unless there is a team that believes and is excited about the future, anticipates and has a passion for the vision, you can forget it.

Kristi came across one of Steven Furtick’s blog posts later in the day and posted it on Facebook: http://www.stevenfurtick.com/spiritual-growth/celebration-and-anticipation/. She had no idea what I was thinking earlier in the morning. Now this morning as I sat down to jot some thoughts and the following blog drew my attention. It is very much in line with my beliefs. “Three critical aspects for future growth” by Ron Edmondson are absolutely essential for carrying out God’s plan for the local church and this can’t just be a “go through the motions” January waste of time. Strategic-planning is essential and demands the kind of dedication that can only be found in a team built with individuals that are forward-thinkers, have a passion for God and for their church and last but not least are excited about what the future could be...all three. That is what will produce results and that is what will make a vision become reality. Just so I'm not misunderstood; I couldn't care less about how many seats my church has. What I do care about and what I dream about is how many communities my church can have a place of worship in and have a stake in that community. Isn't that what community is really about? This is what excites me about Jacob's Well; the fact that if she no longer existed, she would be missed by not only one community but three or four. It's not about growing a big church and inviting people in. Its about going out seeding and growing the community. I’ve had my fill of vision statements and mission statements. What I want to see are more vision movements and mission movements.

Some reflection on my homeless shelter experience

I can't imagine living day to day not knowing if my wife or my kids are going to eat or have a place to lay their head at night.

Last night was my second time serving at a PADS Homeless Shelter. I remembered a few faces from the first night and the slight glimpse into their situation. I also got to meet a couple more last night. As I sat at the registration table, I opened up the logbook that travels from PADS site to PADS site each day and got a glimpse of things like "last known address." It's quite sobering that a person I met last night has laid his head down for the night under a bridge. As I look outside the window while I write this I'm at a loss for words to describe my reaction other than this; I realize a need for me to do more but feel somewhat paralyzed and am not sure why that is. I'm sure many people feel this way.

One gentleman that checked in last night just had foot surgery a couple days ago, foot bandaged up, a plastic grocery bag full of prescription medications. I wonder if he is homeless because he chose medication over paying rent? You hear a lot of comments from the visitors like "if I pay for this-then I can't pay for that." One young woman who was there with her husband and 5-year old little boy asked if the laundry cards (laundromat vouchers) were available yet because they had two-weeks of dirty clothes in their car (home). It's amazing that the little boy was cheerful in spite of circumstances but then-he's only 5. It's easy for many of us to criticize that many of the homeless smoke cigarettes. We sometimes (as I have) comment that if they can afford to buy smokes, they can afford to by some necessities of life. My sometimes rare compassionate side then helps me realize that perhaps the only pleasure some of these people may get to enjoy is smoking. I know-it's easy to criticize still but I try to not get caught up in all that. Maybe for some, smoking makes it easier to skip a meal or two. Who am I to say?

Some visitors just can't make it on $10.00/hr. Do you know anyone that can...on their own anyway? It burns me that the same minimum wage paid to a forklift driver is the same wage paid to a teenager making ice cream cones at the local dairy joint for crying out loud but that is a story for another day. Some people despair because they find a job opportunity but have no transportation.

I read a statistic the other day that 50% of Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless. I'm not sure about that; it seems like a high percentage. I would guess that this stat means some will end up homeless and others displaced (moved in with friends or family).

There are a lot of reasons people are showing up at the shelters and I'm pretty sure there will be even more as Winter digs in. I don't know what else to say other than I know how close to this edge my own kids are and that without family to be there for them; that is the only thing that may one day prevent them from meeting similar fate as those I saw last night.

Who brings a casserole to a divorce?

Last night as we were discussing various things in our life group and we briefly touched on divorce and the comment was made that divorce is often harder to go through than a death in the family. With a death you have closure but divorce has ongoing effect personally and peripherally. What came up was that divorce compared to other life crisis’ doesn’t seem to generate much support from an emotional standpoint. In essence, as Darcy put it, “nobody brings you a casserole when you are going through a divorce.”

One of the comforting things that happens when people go through tough times is you real friends show up-the ones that truly care. It really does matter when you’ve been hospitalized and return home knowing that friends are taking care of your meal plans for a short time. That certainly meets the physical need but it serves a psychological one as well. Unfortunately-this is not often the case when a friend is suffering through a divorce process. It’s interesting that we react to news of a spit up like “they’re splitting up…so sad”, or “those poor kids”, or “ he’s a jerk, it’s about time.” Then there is the comment from the “over-saved” friend “God’s not liking this!“ Well duh…

When it comes to a marriage in the midst of a split, we tend to comfort from a distance. Perhaps this is because divorce comes with more baggage than an illness and because there is a more long-term need for support mentally, relationally and even spiritually many of us will guard our distance. That’s sad because the fact is that these days more than half of all marriages end in divorce and in more cases than not, we will fail to respond in time to help save a friend from going through one. Perhaps it’s just easier (like going to a wake) to just bring a casserole after the fact and be done with it after all?

A Good Chase

Last Sunday as Kristi and I were on our way to church we had just passed our former church home-Harvest Chapel. As we made our way past, we saw someone named Clint. For those who don’t know who Clint is; even if you don’t attend Harvest Chapel you’ve likely seen him walking a gravel shoulder along highways and back roads carrying a large garbage bag. He picks up cans presumably to help make ends meet. Only on rare occasion have we seen him in shoes. Every time we see Clint alongside the road, quickly walking the gravel shoulder with the look of a "man on a mission" we are blessed at the sight. Some people just by the pure essence of being themselves have that affect on us. Clint’s background and life in general, I will just leave out of this for the sake of privacy but for those who know who Clint is, this probably will have a bit more “bite” to it.

So what was so special last Sunday as we passed Clint? Clint was about ¼ mile from church, it was 9:38 a.m. and he had plenty of time to make the 10:15 a.m. service. He was on County Line Rd., cars backed up a few deep behind him…barefoot…running. Kristi and I at that moment seemed to lose whatever thoughts were going through our head and were turned to what God is doing with this man’s life. Once again God has used someone; He has used someone nameless to so many people and yet He used Clint that particular morning in part to “reel-in” my and Kristi’s attention to where it belonged...we were running a bit late. If you can envision Clint at this moment please do. Please get this image in your mind…barefoot and running to church, afraid he’s going to miss something; perhaps afraid He might miss something important from God if he gets there too late. In essence he’s chasing after God and he doesn’t want to miss a thing. He had plenty of time to get there on time and yet he wasn’t going to risk it-so he ran. We’re grateful for churches like Harvest Chapel that are reaching people in a way that has them running after God.

How many times do we who have all the time in the world to get ready for a late morning church service, allow ourselves to be so absolutely lazy and nonchalant, that we would risk missing something? Perhaps it’s just no big deal just to miss a bit of the worship part of the service-right? If you have to miss any part-that would be the part to miss because the “takeaway” part is in the message segment-right? Think about that (and I know a lot of people think that way) as if God will understand that whatever we need to fiddle with on Sunday morning, is somehow going to honor Him that we were able to squeeze Him into our busy Sunday schedule. If we can’t do better about bringing ourselves to Him on Sunday He probably isn’t going to expect much from the other six days.

People like Clint remind me just how insignificant I can be no matter how significant I often like to believe I am.

Unless something has changed which I doubt, Clint can probably be found sitting up front at church, in the first row and that’s another thing; how most people would rather blend in? Not Clint. When it comes to God-he wants that front-row seat. Its interesting how front row seats are usually available even when the house is packed.

Reflections from Catalyst 2010 Atlanta

I'm glad Kristi and I had the time and resources to attend the Catalyst conference in Atlanta the last few days. It's difficult to summarize the "takeaways" or even the "giveaways" for that matter; day and night was just simply filled with spiritual and educational download and upload.

I had the opportunity to personally thank a couple of leaders that are among those that are influencing me and resourcing me. I had a moment with John Ortberg from Rockford, IL., author of the book "The ME I Want To Be"; just a humble guy that spent three days giving himself away to anyone who wanted to sit with him and talk in the Monvee tent. I'm glad I got to thank him for helping God shape me. I then had a chance opportunity when I recognized Craig Groeschel at one of the elevators at the arena and I wanted to thank Craig for www.lifechurch.tv and "giving it away"; and that I appreciate that he makes life group resources available free to anyone that cares to download it. Heck-he even gives away sermon material to any Pastors that want to download that stuff too! It's easy to see how some of these guys have attained "rock star status" yet I can tell you they are very humble and understand that they are not the source and therefore lay no claim to that which makes their fame. The downside perhaps of my encounter with Groeschel (for him anyway) is this: I was with my friend Bob Lockwood who is the creative arts point leader at Jacobs Well and he had a camera on him and was not shy about asking Craig if he would mind having his picture taken with "yours truly". Craig was more than happy to. That kind of had the effect of ringing the dinner bell though and it wasn't but a few seconds later that Craig was very much like a single worm tossed into a school of hungry fish! Sorry about that!

So...what is my biggest takeaway from Catalyst2010? "To give it away." To be humble enough to get under those who are smarter than me and can teach me. The more I do that, the more prepared I will be as a mentor for someone that seeks someone to get under... to give it away (be over) and continually "stay under."