So, I devoted an extended amount of time this Thursday morning to blog reads. I’m pretty sure I just traveled across the world vicariously through these websites…..I love getting lost in the links!!!!!
Here are a few things I found that I’m keeping my eye on (ps – these will all open in separate windows, so click in freedom):
- For all your biz and/or marketing people this one might peak your interest.
- This made my heart smile. RICH in wisdom and probably worth a whole separate post…
- No idea who this guy is but I’m watching now.
- I wanna learn how to be relational.
Happy Thursday everyone.
We just got out of an all staff meeting and DADGUM I love those things.
About once a month our entire team gets together to connect. Part of our gathering is devoted to an open floor – anyone gets to share the God-moments that have happened lately. We are always reminded of how interconnected every aspect of ministry is — people get saved at membership days after the fact because of something that was said, or people in the community see fruitcake t-shirts everywhere and decide to come to church for the first time in 30 years, or a soldier in Afghanistan uses sermons on CD to witness to the troops and locals. Everything affects everything and God is in the details.
And then…P-dawg usually brings the heat with a mini-Sunday sermon. Today, it was “one of those.”
We talked about our spiritual health as a staff. In essence, on a scale of 1-10 there are three different zones where we can operate — the ministry zone (10-5), the tired zone (5-2) , and the danger zone (1). Perry elaborated on each of these and asked us TOUGH QUESTIONS. He talked a little about what God has shown him personally and what he is doing about it. He noted that if we need to make a change to move up the scale that it would require painful, sacrificial, life-changing decisions. Can we say…lead by example?
I love serving at a church under a pastor who isn’t fake. Because he is real with us, I want to do the same with myself and my team. Humility of heart pleases God. It’s ok to say “I don’t know” or “I haven’t been doing well at ____.”
I’m convinced that we would experience God’s power a lot more in our lives if we practiced owning our shortcomings and and stopped pretending like we’ve got it all together. How in the world do we let ourselves ingest the lie that our lives have to appear perfect and unshaken? What the crap is that? Who the heck are we trying to fool? What are we so afraid of? Last time I checked Jesus showed up in the brokenness. I would like to start living like I believe that.
What a kickinthepants/breath of fresh air today. To Him be the glory.
Filed under: Ministry
I love how things don’t stagnate here at NewSpring church.
Communion this past weekend was amazing…but I’m glad that’s not the end of the run. It’s actually just the beginning of a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 punch. More on that later.
Claire knows what’s coming this weekend….if you have an IMPACT shirt, than you’ll get the hint. You should wear it on Saturday AND Sunday (without washing it). See Sherry for details.
I’ll be wearing mine 🙂
Filed under: Ministry
So, I am about to come out of my skin right now. God moved in a HUGE way today.
We experienced one of the most powerful communion services I have ever seen. The video will be online here by Tuesday, or you can listen now.
People were saved. Lives were rocked. Volunteers made it all happen.Â
Dang, God is so good.
*Update: Perry reported our best guess of at least 70 salvations…
Filed under: The Word
It is so refreshing to be reminded of truth. Here are some digestibles from 1 John.
1:5 – God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1:10 – If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
2:12 –Â [My] sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
2:20 – You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
3:5 – In him is no sin
3:6 – No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
3:18 – Love with actions and in truth.
4:4 – The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
4:7 – Love comes from God.
4:8 – God is love.
4:11 – Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
5:3 – This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.
5:14 – This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
5:17 – All wrongdoing is sin
5:20 – The Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.Â
Filed under: Signs
There’s nothing like the core value of excellence in advertising.Â
I often wonder what these store managers see every day on their way into work…
At home group the other night my friend Katherine shared an amazing story of her twenty-something year old friend who recently accepted Christ. He was one of those people who grew up around Christians his whole life but never wanted anything to do with God. Know someone like that?
Turns out that the incongruence of his “Christian” friends had turned him off. Based on their double lives he had adopted the notion that all Christian’s are hypocrites. Imagine that. He learned that Christians say one thing and do another. What they claim to believe does not match what they live, so why bother with God? I’m sure you probably know a Christian or two who acts like that.
Maybe you meet one every day when you look in the mirror.
After our conversation I couldn’t help but ask the tough questions about my own life. What do people see when they turn the telescope to me? As they get closer WHO comes more into focus, God or myself? Are they drawn to him or lead astray by my actions?
When they look into my wallet do they see generous God-honoring decisions or impulsive stupidity?
When they look into my relationships do they see love or hate?
When they look into my work do they see a servant or a power hungry gold digger?
When they look at my body do they see a lazy glutton or someone who honors the temple of the holy spirit?
When they look at my life do they see someone who believes and lives out God’s promises or someone who is paralyzed by fear?
When they look at me on Friday night do they see the same person who shows up to church on Sunday morning?
It’s not always conversations about God that reveal His truth. A lot of times, it’s much easier. People are watching. God help me if I ever become the next Christian hypocrite who discolors the name of Jesus by living a double life.
May my actions scream so loud that people can’t help but notice Jesus in me.
Filed under: Ministry
So this morning the blinking red light on my phone was yelling at me again…..
This time it was Sean from godaddy.com. He was calling to check in about my new account and see how everything was going so far.
HUH!??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
How many gozillions of people open accounts with them daily and they took the time to call ME for follow up??? In a timely manner no less – within a week. Geez.
That’s the extra touch. The “wow” moment if you will. It communicated, “hey, your experience matters to us.”
It really made me stop and think about the message the Church is sending to our newcomers. Do they know they matter?
I think the bar just got raised.
Last Sunday day I had an “ah-ha” moment as I walked through our parking lot.
People were pouring in all over the place because it was peak arrival time. Some who parked in the back had a slightly extended walk to get to the building. (I’d imagine that a few hundred yards down a paved parking aisle probably feels like eternity to a first time guest who doesn’t really know what to expect).
So, as I saw these droves of people walking down the rows I thought, “man, it’d be awesome if a greeter were right here welcoming them…even farther out than the main sidewalk. What a great expansion opportunity. We need to do that.”
Then, I got to thinking…. what other expansion opportunities are available on ALL of our teams? What would we do if we suddenly had 500 people who were ready to sign up to serve today. Where would we put them so that they could be actively engaged in hands-on meaningful ministry? What systems are in place to handle the logistics? Where and how would they receive clear direction?
Sometimes it’s easy to slip into the “we have what we need” mentality. I was reminded that I better be thinking ahead and prompting my leaders to do the same – anticipating and expecting the surge.
Are you?
Filed under: Random Thoughts
Forgot to say THANKS to Joe and Ken for helping me get this thing up and running. They are way smart.
Sydneyolin.com 