WHATEVER, indeed...

This morning during the welcome/opening, I shared the following thoughts regarding the New Year. Unfortunately the video clip that accompanied this is not uploadable. In essence the message it relayed was that despite our attempts to follow through with resolutions to do this or that better or finally start, most of us fail in our attempt...so the challenge from the clip was to look outward and focus on the needs of others this next year instead of on my wants and needs. Monday morning correction...I was able to link it after all... It was entitled Whatever (click on link to view). i.e. whatever you (God) want to do, however you want to do it, I want to follow your lead. The very last guy said "whatever" as his last words in the clip and so as it concluded I had several people give dramatic examples of how we use the word with various nuances and how our understanding of the word and the attitude behind it changes depending on how it is said.

opening thoughts from this morning, Sunday, Dec. 28.

As we approach 2009, consider the opportunities that are before us; the opportunities that have presented themselves in 2008, the connections we’ve made, the souls that are kingdom-ready because of the work of Christ in them and look around you, in 2009 the material and spiritual needs of our community appear bigger than life…so lets assume some responsibility for re-presenting this christ that we claim as savior.

What is the attitude that we reflect toward others; toward using the gifts god has given us; toward jesus?

Whatever, indeed.

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:45
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

God is far less concerned with what you can do and far more concerned with what he can do through you

Troyer Christmas

We spent Christmas Day at Mom and Dad Troyer's eating pan after pan of Mom's cinnamon rolls (other great food too, but nothing beats the rolls). Cody set a record in 07 with eating 12 but only made it to 9 this year...we had a great time of playing games, opening presents and playing "dirty bingo." See the pictures here.

Elfs?

One of our gifted MCCh techies with apparently too much time on his hands, created this video. Brace yourself; and Merry Christmas!

Bubble Creek Canyon

Several weeks ago during the Sunday morning welcome, I read the Message version of John 3:16-18 This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Then showed the following video to emphasize the point that we must continually guard against the notion that to seclude ourselves from those that are different than us or from, if you will, "the world" is somehow how God intended it to be. Rather, embrace our differences and take every opportunity to speak life in the name of Jesus.

Bubble Creek Canyon

Catalyst Conference

Yes! I'm pumped to be attending CatalystOneDay at Granger Community Church. I've been a big Andy Stanley (North Point Community Church) fan for a number of years and he is not disappointing. I so connect with his communication style. Fact is if I am ever in a position to teach regularly, I am sure I would have a tall cafe table and chair onstage with me. Atmosphere aside, to emulate his contagious and engaging ability to honestly and authentically connect with his audience would be quite cool.

Craig Groeschel is the other speaker and I just finished his new book, IT. He leads lifechurch.tv a cutting edge church that has 13 venues including an online church. I was especially struck by his deep desire to communicate Jesus and the emphasis he placed on his sermon prep time being more associated with his own spiritual life and less about content. Not negating the need for solid content but realizing that the spirit of God's work in us must be and is the most important aspect of preparation.


Okay so what follows is some of my note taking.


Craig Groeschel - Busting Barriers with Mindset Changes

• Ministry practices must be built around organizational size and type.
• We must think differently about the culture of our church. Have we lead our people to be accountable for time? Have we lead our people to be generous?
• Tons of activity. Minimal results. Life Church has narrowed their focus to 5 things. Worship; Student ministries; Kids; Small Groups; Mission Trips.
• Strike activity...do less, do it better, affect more people positively.
• Are we about our mission or about guarding peoples feelings?
  
• We must hire for the future.
  
• Tremendous people in the organization must surround the point person.
  
• Develop a church culture that makes it easy for the wrong people to leave.
• If we're confident and secure in our mission...that is an attractive element to those seeking a church home.
  
• God often guides out of what he doesn't provide. Peter and beggar example.
• Great leaders see opportunities when others see limitations.
  

Three assignments from Craig -
1) Find someone one or two steps ahead of you and learn how they think. Most want to learn what they do - not how they think.
2) Identify one wrong mindset and ask God to renew your mind with truth.
3) Identify one painful decision you've been avoiding and commit to make the decision no matter what the short-term pain.


Craig and Andy together

Quoted Hybels - "as a leader one of the best things you can bring is your energy." If I am working outside my giftedness then prayer and devotion doesn't help much. Working outside my giftedness a large percentage of the time is outside the will of God.

• Refuse to do some things. hmm.

When should the church consider multi site?
God has really blessed and maxed your facility. You are missional . Strategic partnerships.
Missional impact is huge because of not duplicating staff.

Interesting note: Craig and Andy teach about 33 weekends thru 09.

Craig Groeschel - Creating Spiritual Momentum
What is my leadership dark side? I'm quite confident that there are multiple dark sides to my existence. One of them is that I like to control things, funny how Craig hit this head on in this talk. High control=low growth.

• Take time off. Can't? You're full of pride and you're a poor leader for not having raised anyone up around you to lead.
  
• Sermon prep does not equate spending time with God.
• I believe that my church needs my leadership more than anything else that I can offer.
• We will do anything short of sin, to bring people to Christ.
  
• Craig spends 12 nights of the year away from his family. 12 only. No more.
• 5 o'clock news theory. = Craig getting his sermon together week of. moving with the current.
  
• Andy 3 sermons out most of the time.
  

Andy - Don't be that Couch

In this talk Andy referenced an old couch that is purchased when a couple marries and because of sentimental reasons continues to be moved from house to house even though the springs poke you in the butt and the fabric is faded. What are we doing at MCCh that is an old couch and needs to be thrown out or in our case given to the youth group. (Sorry, inside joke. Step into the youth room and you'll know what I mean. There live the most ugly worn out, but loved couches in the world!)

• Programming begins as an answer to a question, over time it becomes a part of the organizational culture and the answer becomes institutionalized.
  
• If we institutionalize an answer, the day will come when it is no longer an answer.
  
• We must be more committed to our mission than to our programming.
  
• Refuse those things that are not life changing
• If a program is not working, tweaking won't help.

It is our responsibility as leaders to teach people the need for change. LEAD!

The assumptions a team has held the longest or the most deeply are the likeliest to be its undoing. Some beliefs have come to appear so obvious that they are off limits for debate.

Face Up

So, Joe kindly asks to borrow my camera (Canon Rebel) to capture some ultra - important images. I gladly agreed to his request. Alas, when it was returned the following images were all the thanks I received.

Inspiration

In case you're wondering if I'm having a rush of inspiration...I've been blogging on the church web site www.maplecitychapel.org and am finally moving some of my entries over onto Blogger. So, no great inspiration...unfortunately.

Twenty Years Later

September 10, 1988

Yesterday during staff meeting I noticed a photo being passed around the circle but didn't consider what it might be that everyone seemed to be snickering about. Finally it reached me and deja vu I was back to 1988. Pastor Gary's father was at our wedding and through some picture sorting that Gary and Anna were doing they came up with this one. Brenda and I don't think of ourselves as very old, more like more mature...uh huh...doesn't seem possible until we see our kid's (17 and 13). What a ride it has been...we didn't have a clue what we would encounter in our relationship and life experiences but 20 years ago, we started this on love and yeah love. The ensuing years have been challenging at times but we're better for it and are looking forward to the next 20.

Shut-Up Evangelism

This morning in preparation for staff meeting I read an article that reminded me of an issue in my life that I'm really, really struggling with...namely slowing down, listening to the spoken and more importantly the unspoken...Jesus, our master modeler, dealt differently with every person he came into contact with. Whether it was the woman at the well, Nicodemus, Levi, Mary Magdalene, or the disciples, he listened and knew how to respond in a way that would affect their hearts. There were no pat answers, no formulas, no one-time offers. Jesus listened and taught us that the smallest element of any culture is an individual person. Each person is unique. A person's experiences, traumatic moments, family background, ethnic heritage, and church experience all make up how he or she interprets relationship and processes faith and belief.

Hugh Halter of www.missio.us, relates the story of how he would study at the local Eugene, Oregon Starbucks and struck up a fun, over-the-counter rapport with Jess. She had the normal Eugene look: black hair, black eyes, black clothes, and studs and chains hanging from various points on her face. Often Jess would take her break and come over to talk to him about life, religion or whatever. She was very open, loved life , already considered herself spiritually vibrant, was as nice as any Christian she knew, liked Jesus along with Buddha, Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, and Oprah. She had a strong and committed community of friends, enjoyed her daily routine, but had absolutely no interest in the church or becoming an evangelical Christian. Now that's a dilemma. It's one thing to lead someone to Christ who's trying to decide what faith to believe in; it's another thing to try to convince people to pick a religion when they already like all of them.

So how are we to respond to this type of person? (Which by the way, is the majority of people.)

Hugh says he stumbled onto an answer when one day he came into Starbucks and tried to joke with her, but could immediately tell something was wrong. She didn't make eye contact and it looked as though she might cry. he sat down and after about an hour, slipped her a note across the counter asking if everything was all right. She wrote back and had a fellow employee deliver her reply. "No, I'm not doing too hot today. My father and brother just died this week-suicide and heart attack. Sorry. I'm not my normal self." Hugh knew that if he tried to console her, it would really make it hard for her at work. So he left and went across the street to a florist ship. He bought two flowers and wrote her a note that said, "Sorry," and signed it, "From the Rev."

Several day went by, and he went back in for another cup of coffee. Before he got completely out of his car, He was literally mauled by Jess. She just hugged him and cried. After they took a half-hour break, she said, "thanks for listening."

Hmm...listening? Is that the key? I think it is. Listening is watching and sensitively responding to the unspoken and spoken needs of other in ways the demonstrate sincere interest.