Living Out Loud

God has done some cool stuff in my life this week.  He is opening me up more and more to get over myself and look to the needs of others.  He is doing the same with Mandy.  We are getting more and more excited about adoption which we have always wanted to do.  Right now we have a dog, Mini T, we have adopted and another to come next week (Boston, a Boston Terrier).  This week, I find myself thinking more and more about what I can do to help change where I live, and impact the world for Jesus.  I am growing more and more uncomfortable with the way things are in our community and church.  I am ready to step it up and live it out loud.  What does this look like?  I want to model to my students to their families and people we run into what it really looks like to be following Jesus.  I mean really abandoning what we know in this world and trading it for kingdom things like helping the poor in Haiti, Africa, looking to adopt, getting my finances in order to give more away instead of raise my standard of living.  I want to live the gospel out loud for all to see. Please pray for us as we try to do these things that God will provide the timing and opportunities. 

Only Conceptual Change not Heart Change

Why is it that churches think all we have to do is better define who we are and people will jump on board?  Change our mission statement or values to the new buzz words like “Missional”, or “Emerging” (I love the word missional but it is becoming over used).  We change a few words around preach a sermon series on it, and all the church has to sign onto it after three weeks.  What!?!?!  It is just semantics.  Now semantics are important and we need people to clearly now what we are about as a church and where we are going.  But don’t miss the underlying problems:  unrepentant sin, idolatry, loss of first love, to busy, etc.   

Many times I think what a church needs is their leader to stand up on the stage and tell them: we have lost our first love, we are lukewarm, we think we are rich but we are really blind, poor, and naked.  We need a kick in the pants sometimes to wake us up to the reality we are not loving God with all we are, we have not shared our faith in months or years, we are not really loving those around us only tolerating them, we are pursuing the things of this world ten fold more than storing up treasures in heaven.   

The church needs to be told they are off the mark, if not they think they are fine or even good when in fact we are dying inside and out. It is a matter of the heart, what we love the most, do our lives match up with our beliefs. If a heart change occurs through being honest with a church and ourselves, God can move. He looks for those who are humble and contrite in spirit.  He looks to those who have a sense of awe in their lives of who God is and what he has done for us through Jesus.  If we are full of pride, arrogance, and thinking we are fine, God can’t use a church like this. Who will stand up and tell them?  Who will bring us to the light?

Foot in Mouth…I am young

I once again I have to put my foot in my mouth for the blog about the Summit Leadership Willow Creek Conference.  I am young and naive at times thinking that the church can’t learn a thing or two from the world and its leaders.   I have realized in the area of Leadership many things are universal from business to running a church.  The speakers have been on point, insightful, and are all innovative creative risk taking leaders. 

We could learn a thing or two about risk taking in the church.  We are so afraid of change and innovation that we end up avoiding it, promoting the status quo, and churches are mediocre at best if not dead.  We spend too much time promoting the (fill in your denomination here) way and not the way of the master (no not Kirk Cameron) Jesus.  Therefore our people get hung up on doing things a certain way that once worked and had great values, but now they are out of touch and those values mean whatever the people want them to be. 

We need young leaders to rise up not accepting things the way they are to bring innovation and creativity back to the church.  Well, I gues we need to bring Jesus back first and then the above mentioned.  I feel led to do the impossible by the grace of God: Help churches change.  God is opening my heart for those churches we are giving up on, the ones everyone says can’t change, and I want to see them return to their first love of Jesus.  I want to see Jesus bring them back to life.  It starts with us coming back to him:  reprioritizing our lives, our schedules, our families, our hearts to a love for Jesus NOT RELIGION!  Jesus gives life, religion kills.  I want to open them up to accept and love all people especially one another.  We are to be known for our love for one another, out doing one another in honor, and this way people will look to the church and say, “I want to be apart of a community like that.  They have something special”. 

Loving Life…

We are going to the willow creek conference tomorrow.  One might be excited if they were going to Chicago for the weekend.  However, we are not.  We are going to watch the conference at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, TX.  Instead of being in beautiful Chicago exploring the city, meeting new people there, and having a weekend away from the Big D, we are going to be fighting rush hour traffic to make it to Rockwall by 9am, and then rush hour back home.  We will probably take the church van form 1982 with its window broken as we open the door to throw in toll money.  All us staffers rolling together in the glorious church van, this is not cool in anyway shape or form.   And what are Jimmy Carter or Collin Powell going to teach me about church problems or issues???  At least I will be out of the office for 2 and half days….which reminds me we will be there half a day on Saturday which is usually my only real day off.  Awesome?!?!?!

Out of Weariness…into Standing Firm

         This week has been a tough one.  I really don’t know why; there was nothing particularly challenging, or tough just an average week.  I find the average weeks are the ones where I feel weary the most because on a busy week or a challenging week, you have obstacles to overcome and really have to lean on God to pull you through even though most times I try to lean on my ability and understanding turning to God at the last second.  On the average week, it is easy for the enemy to creep in and deceive or discourage me.  I don’t even see it coming, but before I know it I am questioning everything in my life and I am depressed.  The enemy I am referring to is Satan.  He is looking to destroy what is good and of God in this world including you and I.  Anything he can do to distract you, pull you into sin, indulging in your selfish desires, and make you question what you are doing in life.  Why do I even give him an ear?  Why don’t I listen to God’s voice and his calling on my life?  However, I listen. 

        This week the enemy had me wondering if what I was doing in this life is good, is it advancing the kingdom of God, are you making an impact in your students’ lives, are you being a good husband, does my life matter.  All lies that I deal with on a regular basis, and struggle with.  I know I don’t need people’s approval to be validated, but I crave it.  I have to fight this craving, and look to God’s word to see who he is, who it says I am, and what I need to be doing in my life.  The fight was intense this week, but I finally battled back instead of rolling over in defeat or depression.  I am weary…but not giving up. I really took today to connect with God, listen to his voice through looking at the bible, and listening to an encouraging message from Francis Chan www.francischan.org .  This is what hit me:  “Do not grow weary in doing good, but in due time, you will reap a harvest.” Gal. 6:9 I have heard this verse over and over in my life, but today had fresh meaning and encouragement.  It was just what I needed to hear.  I needed to be reminded that God is watching, he knows my deeds good and bad, and in due time I will reap what I sow.  I want desperately to reap a harvest of good for God, to impact his kingdom eternally.  I can’t due this if I give in, I can’t do this if I listen to the enemy.  I was encouraged to continue fighting for good, for God through being a student minister, and in due time God will bring a harvest of young people who love him more than anything who are turning their schools upside down. 

         I need to be faithful in the here and now, following God, and loving others while God works out the details and how things will play out.  I need to focus on my role, and let God do his. I need to have long obedience in the same direction, I need not grow weary but fight for good, and God will work it out in his timing.  I need to trust, I need to believe, and I need to live out what I believe while claiming the promises of God.