I was going to begin a series of 5 blogs called "Connect" this week about connecting the 5 key areas of your life to the Vine of Christ, but that will have to wait until next week. Instead, today, I want to write on something I've learned through my journey - a forgotten trait in church.
Excellence. Many people scream for excellence, but don't exhibit excellence. Many people improperly label excellence and confuse it with perfection. There is a GREAT difference between the two. I define excellence as doing the absolute best you can, with what you have. In my life, my ministry, and in my staff I regularly talk of/strive for excellence. It's not just because I want people to be drawn to what we do - but primarily because I believe the God I serve deserves it!
I'm a stickler and somewhat overly anal when it comes to the topic of excellence. When I go to a restaurant, I expect good service, good food, and a good price. Why? Because I'm a paying customer, and if they really honored/appreciated my business they would roll out their best for me. Not because I'm Brandon Goff, but because without me they have no business. Therefore, I get frustrated easily when it comes to having to wait a long time for food, service, or greeting. It's not because I'm spoiled or part of the "consumer mentality" it's because I understand that I'm PAYING for their service!
That reminds me of Jesus. I believe that when we open the doors of our church to allow people to gather in our churches and our ministries to connect with God and one another, we have to understand why we are opening up the doors.
1. To glorify and show people the example of God's idea of worship, community, and teaching! When we forget this simple fact, we begin to slip from the opportunity of excellence to the complacency of regularity. If our church's should be the place that connects people the spirit of God, and the opportunity of spiritual things, if our church's are to connect Earth to Kingdom ("...thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven...") - where is the excellence? Why aren't we doing the absolute best we can with our facilities? Children's ministries? Sunday services? Guest follow up? Member relationships? Discipleship? Simple: We've forgotten the #1 reason for church!
2. To draw people into an intimate atmosphere to meet Christ, forever! The reality is this: You are NOT going to reach a new generation of people doing things from 6 generations ago. And I am NOT going to reach 3 generations older than I am doing ONLY things from this generation. Why? One word: CONNECTION. But, I'm of a different thought as well. I know we must blend things well, but come on...when you blend and it still is done with lack of excellence, NO ONE will really connect! We must be excellent in our approach to drawing people to Christ. We have a HUGE deficit in this generation of young adults that do not belong to a church...and the reason you see them going to Newspring Church, Elevation Church and such is because they are doing a great job, but because they are intentionally EXCELLENT at what they do! Don't complain that they don't come to your church when you aren't even putting forth an excellent effort!
Lack of excellence honestly frustrates me greatly! Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (NASB) In your journey of leadership, Christian living, pastoring, whatever it may be... don't let excellence be an option, make it a priority. Everything you do, every action you make, and every word you speak will represent Jesus to someone...what kind of representation do you want them to have? Your excellence in ministry may be on point or it may need some work. I know I need work in some areas of my life for excellence...either way let's move forward and make our lives and our ministries great examples of Kingdom!
I'm praying for you!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Taming Your Response
Sometimes I'll blog once a week, sometimes more. This week it will be more, obviously! Thanks for checking in.
I'm not the most emotionally respectful person in the world. What do I mean by that? I can't read emotions very well, therefore, someone could be upset about something and I don't seem to be very sympathetic. It's not on purpose, and often I'll go back and apologize if my response came off a different way...I'm just a pretty cut and dry, straightforward person. That's just me. Often my wife will ask me a question, and my response will be with an "attitude" or with "defense". And that may not be how I mean it, but that's how it's taken - and how it's taken is how it effects someone else.
I've come to learn through my journey in ministry and life, as I get better at this emotion and sympathetic thing that Reaction determines destination. They way you react to something determines your destination, destination being that final place that you arrive to. Your destination is your final response, the way the other person feels, the way the other person walks away seeing you. And I'll be honest, there have been times in my life where I have reacted in such a way that my final destination wasn't my original destination.
There will be a time in your journey, whether it be life, ministry, relationship, etc., that your reaction will take you to a destination you didn't originally desire - either for the better or the worse. I've learned a valuable lesson, that I had better be careful with my reactions - and whom my reactions are directed to. My reaction could change someone else's perception of someone/something, which would then cause dishonor. And we all know the power of honor. Jesus was the ultimate example of reaction.
When Jesus was being accused by Pilate in front of everyone, Pilate asked Him if He had any response. The Bible says Jesus did not say a word! The perfect man, that was there simply to save souls and make a difference in this wretched and sick world, was being accused falsely of all kinds of indescribable sins - yet He did not say a word! He remained eerily silent. Why? Because He did not want His response to take Him to any destination other than His original.
I love Facebook, Twitter, and all social media. Sometimes, I admit, I'm on them a little too much. But, one common theme I see today that bothers me is this: People don't use those forums as opportunities to communicate with friends, or a chance to learn (Twitter is the ultimate leadership conference!), they are being used as sounding boards of frustration and irritation instead. I don't want to log onto my site and see negativity and frustration flooding my sight simply because you had a bad day, or someone approached you about something you didn't like. Newsflash: You won't always agree!
Leader, pastor, friend...make sure your responses are correct, in line with the Word, and are taking you to your ultimate destination. Because if they aren't, you're getting off course. Your destination determines your directions. Let your reactions/responses glorify God, honor others, and love yourself!
I'm praying over you today!
I'm not the most emotionally respectful person in the world. What do I mean by that? I can't read emotions very well, therefore, someone could be upset about something and I don't seem to be very sympathetic. It's not on purpose, and often I'll go back and apologize if my response came off a different way...I'm just a pretty cut and dry, straightforward person. That's just me. Often my wife will ask me a question, and my response will be with an "attitude" or with "defense". And that may not be how I mean it, but that's how it's taken - and how it's taken is how it effects someone else.
I've come to learn through my journey in ministry and life, as I get better at this emotion and sympathetic thing that Reaction determines destination. They way you react to something determines your destination, destination being that final place that you arrive to. Your destination is your final response, the way the other person feels, the way the other person walks away seeing you. And I'll be honest, there have been times in my life where I have reacted in such a way that my final destination wasn't my original destination.
There will be a time in your journey, whether it be life, ministry, relationship, etc., that your reaction will take you to a destination you didn't originally desire - either for the better or the worse. I've learned a valuable lesson, that I had better be careful with my reactions - and whom my reactions are directed to. My reaction could change someone else's perception of someone/something, which would then cause dishonor. And we all know the power of honor. Jesus was the ultimate example of reaction.
When Jesus was being accused by Pilate in front of everyone, Pilate asked Him if He had any response. The Bible says Jesus did not say a word! The perfect man, that was there simply to save souls and make a difference in this wretched and sick world, was being accused falsely of all kinds of indescribable sins - yet He did not say a word! He remained eerily silent. Why? Because He did not want His response to take Him to any destination other than His original.
I love Facebook, Twitter, and all social media. Sometimes, I admit, I'm on them a little too much. But, one common theme I see today that bothers me is this: People don't use those forums as opportunities to communicate with friends, or a chance to learn (Twitter is the ultimate leadership conference!), they are being used as sounding boards of frustration and irritation instead. I don't want to log onto my site and see negativity and frustration flooding my sight simply because you had a bad day, or someone approached you about something you didn't like. Newsflash: You won't always agree!
Leader, pastor, friend...make sure your responses are correct, in line with the Word, and are taking you to your ultimate destination. Because if they aren't, you're getting off course. Your destination determines your directions. Let your reactions/responses glorify God, honor others, and love yourself!
I'm praying over you today!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Journey
For a few weeks, I have had an issue with our website here. As you know by now, I'm sure... we have moved from brandondgoff.com to explosivedestiny.com - I believe this better suits our purpose!
As I think back on my journey as a planter, as short as it may be, I've noticed a common theme. I seem to try to get ahead of God sometimes. I'm not a very patient person. I don't like to wait for much, I don't like to let things "run their course"... I'm just a NOW kind of person. Maybe you're a lot like that yourself. From what I can tell - most dreamers/visionary's seem to be this way. We see it and want it!
But, in the process of being angry about waiting, unhappy about delayed results, and frustrated with the journey, I've learned a powerful lesson - If I can do it myself, I'm not doing enough!
The reason I need to wait sometimes is because I'm personally not ready for the supernatural things God can bring. I must wait, because I must grow. Without growth, I cannot hold the fruit of God with ease. I have a tree out by my back porch. It has many flowers and blooms on it. Some of the branches are falling to the ground right now, simply because of the weight of the blooms. The branches are not strong enough to hold the weight of the fruit.
God doesn't desire for us to lay on the ground, and struggle to hold the fruit and blessing - He wants us to be able to hold it, flaunt it, and appreciate it! If I could create the results I wanted, I'm not doing enough! It's the journey where the destination is appreciated. If you don't take the journey, you can't learn the road.
A wise man once said to me, "Don't despise small beginnings." Now, I'm a big thinker, a dreamer, a visionary. Small beginnings are almost insulting to me. But, as I've walked this road - I've begun to see where he was right. Dave Ramsey says "Most big things start with a simple story." The more I walk this lonely, frustrating, exciting, and fulfilling road of church planting - the more I understand... small beginnings can happen to create within us a foundation for bigger things.
Don't get ahead of God. Don't try to speed up the process. Your rate of growth will determine your rate of GROWTH! The journey takes you to your destination - if you despise the journey, you'll never appreciate the destination.
I'm praying over you today!
As I think back on my journey as a planter, as short as it may be, I've noticed a common theme. I seem to try to get ahead of God sometimes. I'm not a very patient person. I don't like to wait for much, I don't like to let things "run their course"... I'm just a NOW kind of person. Maybe you're a lot like that yourself. From what I can tell - most dreamers/visionary's seem to be this way. We see it and want it!
But, in the process of being angry about waiting, unhappy about delayed results, and frustrated with the journey, I've learned a powerful lesson - If I can do it myself, I'm not doing enough!
The reason I need to wait sometimes is because I'm personally not ready for the supernatural things God can bring. I must wait, because I must grow. Without growth, I cannot hold the fruit of God with ease. I have a tree out by my back porch. It has many flowers and blooms on it. Some of the branches are falling to the ground right now, simply because of the weight of the blooms. The branches are not strong enough to hold the weight of the fruit.
God doesn't desire for us to lay on the ground, and struggle to hold the fruit and blessing - He wants us to be able to hold it, flaunt it, and appreciate it! If I could create the results I wanted, I'm not doing enough! It's the journey where the destination is appreciated. If you don't take the journey, you can't learn the road.
A wise man once said to me, "Don't despise small beginnings." Now, I'm a big thinker, a dreamer, a visionary. Small beginnings are almost insulting to me. But, as I've walked this road - I've begun to see where he was right. Dave Ramsey says "Most big things start with a simple story." The more I walk this lonely, frustrating, exciting, and fulfilling road of church planting - the more I understand... small beginnings can happen to create within us a foundation for bigger things.
Don't get ahead of God. Don't try to speed up the process. Your rate of growth will determine your rate of GROWTH! The journey takes you to your destination - if you despise the journey, you'll never appreciate the destination.
I'm praying over you today!
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