Here's a Fast Five for week 4 of our series, Psalm 23!
1. Just because you're walking right, doesn't mean it won't feel wrong sometimes.
2. When you begin to dwell in your darkness, it's no longer a walk, it's a destination.
3. The shadow in your life is proof of the existence of the light!
4. Valley's are the most fruitful moments of your life, don't miss the valley for the mountaintop.
5. Once Jesus gets you where you need to go, you'll pass under His rod and HE will make you better!
Share them. Enjoy them. Digest them!
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
3 Things To Know Before You Grow
Everyone in life seeks to get get bigger and better at different areas of life. For some it's in their job, for some in their marriage, for others it's in sports. Whatever you have it set to get bigger and better at in life, I believe there are 3 things you need to know BEFORE you get bigger and better.
1. Some People Won't Like It
We've all been there. We were doing something, making decisions and acting on them and everything felt great! Everything was going smoothly until Negative Nancy steps up and becomes your first and loudest critic. In that moment it seemed as though everyone was suddenly against you. You began to question everything you were doing, why you were doing it, how you were doing it, and whether you should continue doing it. But, just 24 hours ago you KNEW you were doing everything correctly. What happened? You (or at last I have) expected everyone to like what you were doing, the growth you were encountering, and the decisions you were making. You have to understand that not everyone will like it when you begin growing and making decisions to get bigger and better. They don't get it, they are jealous, or some just straight don't understand. Either way remember the old saying "If you strive to please everyone, you'll please no one."Decide who you're trying to "please" and listen to them, everyone else... keep their thoughts at a distance.
2. It Takes Work
Michael Jordan was Lebron James before Lebron was born. Michael was the greatest basketball player on the planet, and in my opinion always will be. (that doesn't mean Lebron isn't equal or great too) But Michael didn't just wake up as the greatest player on the planet. Lebron didn't wake up with incredible skills on the basketball court. They both spent countless hours in gyms, driveways, friends houses shooting shots, learning their "sweet spots" for their shot, learning ball handling skills, and more. What happens a lot of times when we want to get bigger and better is most people want the reward without the work. The reward ALWAYS comes after the work! Don't look at the reward someone else is encountering and forget that somewhere along the line they have put in MUCH work, and are probably still putting in the work. That CEO that you work for that you get mad because he's playing golf today while you're working...He spent years upon years sitting in offices working while you were home with your family. Anything great that ever happened happened after work! What do you need to do to increase your personal capacity to handle/do more? What do you need to do to help your organization increase? What are you WILLING to do to make that happen?
3. Deception Is Deceptive
It's popular to think that if we fudge the numbers a little, make people think things are happening that aren't, or some other forms of deception that everything will turn around. In the church world we say "we're speaking it as if it were." - or you're just lying. Be real about where you are. I mean, really you can't get to where you want to go until you know where you currently are. When you allow deception to creep in to your thoughts of where you currently are, you're being distracted from how to get where you want to go. If you're not very good at something right now...that's ok! Own it! Change it! Or work on what you are good at - but stop deceiving yourself!
I believe within every one of us there are great things locked up (Ephesians 3:20), the key is doing our part to unlock it. Understanding these 3 things before you get there will help you when you do get there! It's helped me! What do you think?
1. Some People Won't Like It
We've all been there. We were doing something, making decisions and acting on them and everything felt great! Everything was going smoothly until Negative Nancy steps up and becomes your first and loudest critic. In that moment it seemed as though everyone was suddenly against you. You began to question everything you were doing, why you were doing it, how you were doing it, and whether you should continue doing it. But, just 24 hours ago you KNEW you were doing everything correctly. What happened? You (or at last I have) expected everyone to like what you were doing, the growth you were encountering, and the decisions you were making. You have to understand that not everyone will like it when you begin growing and making decisions to get bigger and better. They don't get it, they are jealous, or some just straight don't understand. Either way remember the old saying "If you strive to please everyone, you'll please no one."Decide who you're trying to "please" and listen to them, everyone else... keep their thoughts at a distance.
2. It Takes Work
Michael Jordan was Lebron James before Lebron was born. Michael was the greatest basketball player on the planet, and in my opinion always will be. (that doesn't mean Lebron isn't equal or great too) But Michael didn't just wake up as the greatest player on the planet. Lebron didn't wake up with incredible skills on the basketball court. They both spent countless hours in gyms, driveways, friends houses shooting shots, learning their "sweet spots" for their shot, learning ball handling skills, and more. What happens a lot of times when we want to get bigger and better is most people want the reward without the work. The reward ALWAYS comes after the work! Don't look at the reward someone else is encountering and forget that somewhere along the line they have put in MUCH work, and are probably still putting in the work. That CEO that you work for that you get mad because he's playing golf today while you're working...He spent years upon years sitting in offices working while you were home with your family. Anything great that ever happened happened after work! What do you need to do to increase your personal capacity to handle/do more? What do you need to do to help your organization increase? What are you WILLING to do to make that happen?
3. Deception Is Deceptive
It's popular to think that if we fudge the numbers a little, make people think things are happening that aren't, or some other forms of deception that everything will turn around. In the church world we say "we're speaking it as if it were." - or you're just lying. Be real about where you are. I mean, really you can't get to where you want to go until you know where you currently are. When you allow deception to creep in to your thoughts of where you currently are, you're being distracted from how to get where you want to go. If you're not very good at something right now...that's ok! Own it! Change it! Or work on what you are good at - but stop deceiving yourself!
I believe within every one of us there are great things locked up (Ephesians 3:20), the key is doing our part to unlock it. Understanding these 3 things before you get there will help you when you do get there! It's helped me! What do you think?
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
8.5 Reasons Thursday Services Are Awesome!
Maybe you've heard, maybe you haven't... we are beginning services on Thursdays at 7pm on May 28! Below are 7.5 reasons you should join us on Thursdays this summer!
1. Everyone needs a vacation. And now you don't have to miss church too!
2. Sometimes you have to work on the weekends, now you don't have to miss church!
3. It's the same thing as Sunday morning, only on Thursdays!
4. Sometimes you just want to sleep late on a Sunday!
5. Everyone says "You're a little different" anyway...now be different and go to church on Thursdays!
6. Livewire Teens will be meeting at the same time each Thursday! Now your entire family can enjoy church!
7. Radiate Kids is amazing, now they can get a mid-week fix!
8. Our kickoff service (May 28) we will have a cookout for everyone starting @ 6, and everyone that attends gets a free gift!
8.5. Because Jesus would! (BOOM!)
Invite someone to join you! Most of us don't like doing anything else alone, don't come to church alone! See you on May 28!
1. Everyone needs a vacation. And now you don't have to miss church too!
2. Sometimes you have to work on the weekends, now you don't have to miss church!
3. It's the same thing as Sunday morning, only on Thursdays!
4. Sometimes you just want to sleep late on a Sunday!
5. Everyone says "You're a little different" anyway...now be different and go to church on Thursdays!
6. Livewire Teens will be meeting at the same time each Thursday! Now your entire family can enjoy church!
7. Radiate Kids is amazing, now they can get a mid-week fix!
8. Our kickoff service (May 28) we will have a cookout for everyone starting @ 6, and everyone that attends gets a free gift!
8.5. Because Jesus would! (BOOM!)
Invite someone to join you! Most of us don't like doing anything else alone, don't come to church alone! See you on May 28!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Fast Five - 5.17.15
1. If you're having a bad day, it's ok, even King David had bad times!
2. Acknowledge your situation, but never lose sight of who can bring you through it!
3. Sometimes you need to tell the voices that aren't the shepherd's (God's) to SHUT UP!
4. You can't expect to effect a generation if you aren't willing to serve your generation's church!
5. Just because you've been "cast down" doesn't mean you're dead, it means God can pick you back up and help you walk again!
Have a great week!
Friday, April 10, 2015
Can't We All Just Get Along
Thousands of years ago the Church was birthed. You can read it's inception, it's birth, and it's rapid rise to fame and growth in the book of Acts, and the New Testament as a whole really. The Church was birthed out of the heart of God to move people into a deeper relationship with Himself and with others. It was also birthed out of the heart of God to reach people, serve people, and love people. I believe most Churches today have a heart to do all of those things. But, over the past year I've seen a pattern that's unbelievably disturbing, and it's not limited to a single church, denomination, or style; but it's also not grouped with all Churches. In fact, I don't necessarily know what seems to bring it about, but nevertheless, it's coming up more and more.
What am I talking about? The practice of discrediting, disparaging, discouraging, and the worst of all - judging the intentions of everyone in the church world that we don't look like, act like, or agree with.
I was reading a blog the other night that was discussing the concept of how worship in church isn't worship, rather it's "people up there singing songs, putting on a show with no act of worship..." - WHAT!? The writer also went on to write something along the lines of "...sure we say prayers, but we don't pray. We say words, but the heart of prayer is nowhere to be found." WHAT!? The sad part, it was embraced, encouraged, and even shared by many. And this writer isn't the only person to make statements such as these.
You can pretty much Google about any well known pastor out there and you'll find a plethora of articles undermining and discrediting any ministry these men have done. Shoot, just Google the contemporary style of worship today and you'll see statements eerily similar to those that the referenced article made. The sad part is it's not just limited to famous pastors/churches, but seemingly any church. I've heard the same things about the church I've been chosen (by God not man) to lead - Radiate Church.
Here's my problem... there's absolutely NO way to judge the intention of someone's prayers, someone's worship, or the heart in which someone presents a style of Church. Are there rotten apples in the bunch that fakes some of that? ABSOLUTELY! Are most of the apples in the bunch trying to reach people with the same heart and passion as what the early Church in the book of Acts did? ABSOLUTELY!
The Church has moved from loving people to judging their teammates! Luke 6:44 clearly states "each tree is recognized by it's own fruit..." - stop throwing everyone under the bus for a mistake or different style that you aren't that crazy about!
The way the Church as a whole is constantly at each others throats about stupid, meaningless stuff there's no wonder why 80% of Americans won't attend church anymore! Maybe if the church would spend more time working together than playing tug of war - we could work together to empty Hell and fill Heaven!
With that said, I'm also seeing more and more Churches gather together to impact their communities, their people, and this world. Churches that people love to bash, Newspring Church for instance, are banning together to help local Churches impact their communities better. In fact, Newspring Church has done more to help me personally, my church, and even my family that any church in the denomination I'm currently involved in. This isn't a bash on our denomination, this is a testament that sometimes, the very things we want to bash, are the greatest networking partners!
Let's do what the initial Church in Acts desired to do, work together to bring people closer to God and each other! Let's move Heaven closer to earth! We can do this! As for Radiate - we plan to do this WHILE HELPING, LOVING, PRAYING FOR, AND CONNECT WITH WITH OTHER CHURCHES! We believe in your church!
What am I talking about? The practice of discrediting, disparaging, discouraging, and the worst of all - judging the intentions of everyone in the church world that we don't look like, act like, or agree with.
I was reading a blog the other night that was discussing the concept of how worship in church isn't worship, rather it's "people up there singing songs, putting on a show with no act of worship..." - WHAT!? The writer also went on to write something along the lines of "...sure we say prayers, but we don't pray. We say words, but the heart of prayer is nowhere to be found." WHAT!? The sad part, it was embraced, encouraged, and even shared by many. And this writer isn't the only person to make statements such as these.
You can pretty much Google about any well known pastor out there and you'll find a plethora of articles undermining and discrediting any ministry these men have done. Shoot, just Google the contemporary style of worship today and you'll see statements eerily similar to those that the referenced article made. The sad part is it's not just limited to famous pastors/churches, but seemingly any church. I've heard the same things about the church I've been chosen (by God not man) to lead - Radiate Church.
Here's my problem... there's absolutely NO way to judge the intention of someone's prayers, someone's worship, or the heart in which someone presents a style of Church. Are there rotten apples in the bunch that fakes some of that? ABSOLUTELY! Are most of the apples in the bunch trying to reach people with the same heart and passion as what the early Church in the book of Acts did? ABSOLUTELY!
The Church has moved from loving people to judging their teammates! Luke 6:44 clearly states "each tree is recognized by it's own fruit..." - stop throwing everyone under the bus for a mistake or different style that you aren't that crazy about!
The way the Church as a whole is constantly at each others throats about stupid, meaningless stuff there's no wonder why 80% of Americans won't attend church anymore! Maybe if the church would spend more time working together than playing tug of war - we could work together to empty Hell and fill Heaven!
With that said, I'm also seeing more and more Churches gather together to impact their communities, their people, and this world. Churches that people love to bash, Newspring Church for instance, are banning together to help local Churches impact their communities better. In fact, Newspring Church has done more to help me personally, my church, and even my family that any church in the denomination I'm currently involved in. This isn't a bash on our denomination, this is a testament that sometimes, the very things we want to bash, are the greatest networking partners!
Let's do what the initial Church in Acts desired to do, work together to bring people closer to God and each other! Let's move Heaven closer to earth! We can do this! As for Radiate - we plan to do this WHILE HELPING, LOVING, PRAYING FOR, AND CONNECT WITH WITH OTHER CHURCHES! We believe in your church!
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Confessions Of A People Pleasing Pastor
I struggle with being a people pleaser. Whew... I said it! That felt good.
Naturally, as humans, we want to please those that give us the most value in our lives. When I lose sight of where my value stems from I try to please the wrong people. I want to people the man that died for me... that is where my worth is found!
As I lead Radiate Church, as we push to grow and make bigger waves of impact I'm reminded of this - this is NOT my church. Nor is it the people that attend Radiate! Jesus paid for the Church when He sacrificed on the cross, and emptied the tomb. He then equipped His disciples to establish the institution/organization of the Church is power and purpose. I'm simply helping Him fulfill His vision for the Church (big "C")!
4. I'm Can't Serve Him When I'm Consumed With Them.
5. Leadership Means Some People Won't Like Your Decisions.
Notice my wording. I didn't say I "AM" a people pleaser, I said I "struggle" with being one. Why is that important? Because I don't want to be anything that's not biblical, and being a people pleaser isn't biblical. The word "struggle" indicates that it's something I'm striving to get better at, I haven't accomplished it yet, but it's not "owning" me either! Let's talk.
Let me talk personally on this, and maybe that will make more sense for a lot of you. As a pastor, a lot of my time is spent working with people. (no I don't work FOR them, I work with them. We are accomplishing a vision that we partner in. I work FOR God.) I love people...I'm energized by people. Then it kicks in... someone comes in with a semi-complaint or concern. It doesn't have to be anything big. Shoot, sometimes it can be as small as "Pastor, I would love to talk to you sometime about something." Then my People Pleasing Parachute kicks in. Everything is slowed down, time slows, my joy, my excitement, my energy, my mood... it literally becomes a parachute; slowing down any forward progress.
My mind starts working overtime trying to figure out if they are upset, mad, frustrated, angry. What did I do? How can I fix it? I don't want them mad at me! Then, I turn to getting mad at them for something that I'm ASSUMING rather than KNOWING! And by the time we meet, or we hear the thoughts, I've worked myself into such a frantic pace that I'm apologizing before I know what for. And you know what... I refuse to do that anymore. And below is why...
Galatians 1:10, NLT: "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant."
Being a people pleaser is NOT biblical! Here's why I believe Paul wrote those poignant and powerful words - being a people pleaser will turn you into a personal hater. Your mind will start spinning, running in 100 different directions, and will cause you to hate yourself as you wonder what you did and do wrong all the time and why people can't seem to like you. Here's some things I've learned as I refuse to be a people pleaser:
1. My Value Isn't Determined By Others, But By Jesus.
2. My Church Isn't My Church, Nor Is It Theirs.
3. My Family Doesn't Deserve To Suffer Because Of My Struggles.
It's true that we take out our frustrations and hurts on those closes to us. Our families don't deserve to suffer because we think everyone is out to get us. My kids didn't deserve an "ill" father, and my wife didn't deserve a "drained" husband, just because I think someone is upset with me. They deserve my best - better than anything I could give anyone else!
Sure, we love and worship Him by loving others... but it's not about loving people, it's about being consumed by them. I can't fully serve Jesus when I'm fully consumed by others. I have to be first consumed by Him and then serve others! Being a people pleaser gets that mixed up.
If you're going to be in leadership of any form get used to this - SOME PEOPLE WILL BE UPSET WITH YOU! It's leadership, it's natural... GET OVER IT! The quicker I learn that no matter what I do, I will never be able to please everyone, the quicker I can lead toward the vision God has for us!
So, here's the point: take condolence in the fact that you aren't alone in your struggle to be a people pleaser. Don't beat yourself up, but don't give in either. Most of us struggle with this to an extent, but remember where your worth is! Remember where your heart belongs. Remember who deserves your best! Follow God and you'll never get lost!
Until next week...
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
We're Becoming Cannibals
For most of us, just seeing the word "Cannibal" brings up thoughts of disgust, nasty, or maybe even zombies. Some of you automatically start replaying scenes from The Walking Dead. But, as nasty and disgusting as most of us seem to think it is, a lot of times we are actually becoming cannibals, and we don't even realize it.
Over the past few years as I've endeavored to grow in my leadership and pastoring qualities, I've exposed myself to guys, and girls in some situations, that are leading way higher and better than me. And many times after learning from them, joining a coaching group with them, or just hanging out and learning from them, I'll read a blog or hear a friend talking about what they've done wrong. "Did you hear what they did last week?" "Can you believe they said that?" "That's not the way I believe it should be done!" - and each and every time I get more and more angry with the comments. Here's why - cannibalism disgusts me, therefore I don't want to be around it
It seems more and more, however, that "Christians" (yes that's in quotations on purpose), "Pastors", and "Leaders" are turning to the art of eating their own at the reward of seemingly having it all together. Let's get this out of the way: I'm not saying in the least that authority, leaders, or pastors shouldn't be held accountable for what they do. In fact I think accountability can be on of the greatest differences of success or demise. Without accountability our iron never gets sharpened (Proverbs 27:17). And to be honest, accountability RARELY happens outside of relationship - simply because the heart of the person can't be known. But there comes a point when we've gone beyond disagreeing with someone and moved into enjoying it - moving into "sadism" (enjoying to act of dishing pain) or "masochism" (enjoying pain yourself.).
Here's the damages I believe is being done to the Body of Christ (The Church) through Christian Cannibalism:
1. We Think We're Perfect:
When we spend so much time dissecting what others have and are doing wrong, we forget what we have and are doing wrong. I believe when The Bible begins talking about taking the speck out of our own eye, what's being said isn't that we should look at the problem in the other person's eye. It's that we shouldn't focus so much on their problem that we forget our own problem. We are all imperfect people trying to serve a perfect Father...and we all need grace to do that. (at least I do)
2. People Can't Trust Us:
Let's use some logic for a second. If I'm dogging someone out for their mistakes, why would anyone else trust me with their mistakes? They KNOW that I would then begin writing a blog, gossiping, or judging them based on their struggles. I don't know about you but I don't want all of my struggles blasted all over the place. There are few people in my life that know my struggles in life, and that's not because I'm overly ashamed, they are major, or will cause detriment, but it's because I can't trust just anyone to help me through them. People don't need another gossip king/queen, people need a hand to hold and shoulder to lean on!
3. Those Who Are Scare Of Church Are Justified:
If the Church, as Christ established and founded in Acts, is to be The Church as it should be then people shouldn't be scared of the Church. And you know what? Those that are scared of the Church, the Church People, and the Church Leadership - I don't blame them when things like this are consistently happening. It's not fair to ask them to give Church a chance to lead them to wholeness, life, and restoration when we are talking about people - all the while condemning them to a shattered life, death, and unforgiveness. Why would the "unchurched" want to walk into our churches? Church should be a place of Hope, not hostility!
Here's my point... it's time that some people begin to step up and display the grace that we demand. We begin to offer the love that we want offered; and we begin to forgive in the manner that we wish we were forgiven. Because I know this - Luke 6:37 says it pretty plainly - "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." - Everything is cyclical... we WILL reap what we sow, in every facet of life.
I want to start a movement where we refuse to speak negatively about another ministry/pastor. Where we love people past their struggles. Where we understand people mess up, and so do I... so let's walk in holiness together. Where no longer do we eat our own, rather we become people that encourage, accept, and enjoy the LIFE in others!
I want to start a movement where we refuse to speak negatively about another ministry/pastor. Where we love people past their struggles. Where we understand people mess up, and so do I... so let's walk in holiness together. Where no longer do we eat our own, rather we become people that encourage, accept, and enjoy the LIFE in others!
Forgiveness, love, and grace aren't excuses to live life to the Sinfulness... nah, it's the hope that we can love people to the Life God Intended... and that's to live life to the fullest. So, let's stop being cannibals... let's begin to offer life, rather than try to take it! Because Jesus has way more in store for us than we could EVER imagine possible! Let's LIVE!
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