Ordered Steps

    So, as I continue on the journey of planting/founding Radiate Church in Columbia, SC I want to share with you some advice and thoughts that may help you on your journey of ministry or church planting. Here is the beginning of our Journey Together.
   As my journey began, I ran through a myriad of emotions and thoughts. Where? When? How? Why? I was going to leave a church/youth group I loved dearly. I had invested more in that group of teens and church than I had anywhere else, and I loved them. I didn't WANT to leave, but I was facing frustration (not with people, within me), confusion, and at some points burnout - for no reason at all. What was the deal? Why was I doing that?
   I began to feel a tug and call to leave and plant a church. Something I had considered and prayed about before, but it was more fun to entertain the THOUGHT than it was to actually act on the CALL! As I was praying and feeling this tug, I began to understand something - ACTION is what brings a thought to your call! See, I believe that we think about a lot of things, that are actually our call - and we think on them so much because it's part of our belonging and becoming. And through the thought of planting, and through the burnout, frustration, confusion and tugging I learned something - God NEVER stops ordering the steps of those that follow Him.
    Jesus says in Matthew 16:24 - "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." - There are a TON of messages/thoughts on this passage, but for me in this time, this is what that scripture meant. As I take up my cross, as I choose to follow Him - there may be bumps, there may be hurts, there may be confusions... but as long as I'm following Him, while carrying my cross - I'm following in His footsteps and He will never stop ordering them. He carried a cross, I carry a cross. He hurt, I will hurt. He cried, I will cry. He was attacked, I will be attacked. His steps were ordered, my steps are ordered.
    If I were to tell you that this was something I never struggled with during this journey I would be blatantly lying to you. Because truth be told, I do struggle with it. I struggle with financially hurting, I struggle with decisions, I struggle with confidence...why? Because I'm me! But, at the end of it all, I may struggle with those things, I can be still  in His rest, peace, and love.
   He ordered the steps of the Israelites as they walked the wilderness with a pillar of fire and a cloud. Why? Because he wanted them to feel, see, and encounter His true provision and guidance. In this step, your faith will be stretched, your ability will be tested, and your love will be tried... but in the end - YOUR STEPS ARE ORDERED! Rest in that - and only that.

Father, I pray over the pastor, leader, and/or church planter reading this today...I pray peace, comfort, strength, and understand over them. Order their steps toward the dynamic destiny you have set for them in such a way that they will rely and lean on You and only You. Today, Lord, we lift it all up to You and declare that we are simply your work and vessel - nothing else. Use us greatly!

Something new...

Hey guys. Ok, so after some prayer and thought I have a big announcement to make:
Starting this week this is turning from my personal blog to a "Journey" type blog. Here's the vision for this.

My goal is to eventually train/equip/empower leaders, pastors, and church planters as they journey to making a big impact in life. As I'm in the midst of planting Radiate Church - I have felt a large draw to begin some kind of initiative to begin that even now. In fact, a portion of the vision of Radiate (Draw.Disciple.Dispatch) we want to empower and equip other church leaders/pastors. So...

This blog/domain is now going to become the catalyst for our journey and leadership lessons we are learning. I hope to have many leaders/pastors/church planters begin to follow our posts. I do not wish to become "known" through this - I simply wish to encourage and equip greater effectiveness by sharing what God is placing in our hearts.

We will have guest posts from other staff members as well. So please, go and share this information with whomever you would like, follow what we are learning and let's grow together!

I can't wait for the new journey and following of this online portal for growth!

Preparation = Possession

      So, I've been on quite the leadership and pastorship journey recently. It's fun... but challenging in the area of growth. I want to simply share with you a small portion of this journey.

     Not too long ago, while praying/studying our vision and the great things I feel God wants Radiate Church to do. I was reading Joshua, as I was reading Joshua 1 I ran across a very challenging portion of scripture - Joshua 1:11
"Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within 3 days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it." (emphasis added)

      This portion of scripture led me to begin our Vision Preparation Initiative: Project 1:11 ($111,111 in 11 months). Where will that money go? I don't know, I just know I was to begin it to prepare for vision. Anyway, this verse jumped out at me and screamed in my face this: "You know why so many, including you, aren't seeing the promised land and results? You're NOT PREPARING FOR IT!" Challenging right? Painful huh? I knew, when I heard those words, it was time to redefine some things.

      As I was reading recently 2 Corinthians I also read this: "But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." (2 Corinthians 8:11-12, NASB)

      Here's what I believe is the case...I believe every believer, every pastor, and every church wants to effectively proclaim the glory, grace, and goodness of God and the Kingdom in a bold way. So why is it so difficult to do? Sure, it's easy to blame it on media/society/and lack of morals. But the real reason may be a little more difficult and challenging than we expect. What if it's because our READINESS isn't present (2 Corin. 8:12) and we haven't fully prepared ourselves to possess the land God promised? (Joshua 1:11)

      We are at a cultural divide currently over the issue of homosexuality and other seemingly obvious sins. Maybe people won't listen to our thoughts because we haven't been ready to listen and love people and we haven't prepared ourselves with the provision of love and grace. I'm tired of doing CHURCH and expecting great results, when I'm doing my work at the last minute. Joshua defeated a great land, and did great works that are still notably incredible today. And he had to get his people PREPARED to do the work. Sure, God did it - and God provided the miracle and dropped the walls...but would He have done this if Joshua hadn't prepared his people?

     Stop waiting on things to happen. Stop living on ability, and begin preparing for anointing! It's not a matter of giving God "room to work"- it's honestly a matter that at times, I've been too lazy to do what needed to be done to prepare to possess the promise for my life, my church, and my family! According to the miracles and possessions I study in the Word, without proper preparation, possession is only an idea!

      Pastor, leader, friend... can we decide today that no longer will we do things last minute? We will see the promise possessed in every way by preparing spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and figuratively for it? If you aren't prepared, possession isn't a reality for you!

     Let's journey together.