Why Fear The New?

New can seem so great and yet can seem so mysterious. New can cause such wonder and new can render close friends separated.

Yet in Scripture, we are invited towards the new. Now perhaps here in Wilmington, the verse below could be applied, as we also are the ones who go down to the sea, but it was an invitation to see God's creative and redemptive power. God's desire to make himself known among the earth. We are invited to share in something new! You can read the context of the passage here.

Bring on the new songs of God! Look foward to the new work he will do in this generation!

10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.

A New Way To Say Thanks Pt. 2

As we took our son to Toys R Us, we had a conversation about what was necessary in life. Wanting to make my point, I asked our son if he wanted to give one of his presents to a boy his age that would love to have that gift. He said sure! Probing further I asked him if he thought the boy around the world that didn't have good drinking water would want the toy, he said, "Well he would like clean water AND the Kung Fu Panda." Ok, son you win!

The 2nd new way to say thanks, is to teach others to do the same. We must teach others...our friends, family, co-workers, fellow believers, to give thanks. Giving thanks, or rather "Living" thanks, is caught AND taught. here's what my son caught from being taught tonight:



May we teach others to live thankfully, and have fun at it!

A New Way To Say Thanks Pt. 1

It gets repeated much around this time of year..."What are you thankful for?".

The question can often seem shallow and surface level. I could easily give a list of things, situations, people, and other ideas that move me to be thankful. At the risk of being overly simplistic, I'll leave the list for someone else.

My thoughts center more around on what we miss in the process of making such a list. The poverty around the world contrasts the comfort in which I now write this post. Good health and family. It just doesn't seem like I'm doing enough to justify all that God's blessed my life with. To live out a thankful heart is much harder than to gleefully list all that I'm thankful for. It's one thing to tally the blessings. It's another thing to live a life that's given away breath by breath. That's what I want. To give my life so that others will be impacted, not impressed. Impressions come and go. This is the first part of the process of a new way to say thanks. More in upcoming posts.

Victory!!

Learning a spiritual lesson at the mercy of a 6 year old's mastery of a wii nunchuck can be a humbling, if not a shocking--life altering experience. As my "mii" lay on the boxing ring floor, my son shouts with all his boyhood, "Get some lessons Dad!" Before you get too excited that I've lost my edge...(is an edge even needed in context here??), I championed around the living room as I rose victorious above the ashes of defeat and won the next Wii boxing Father-Son Championship.

But how often do we engage in a much more costly battle, without preparation, without consideration, yes, without lessons? As a believer, I must train myself for godliness. Godly lifestyles are born out of a lifestyle of discipline and training.

in the ring of life, there are many fights, one ultimate champsionship bout at the end for sure. But to make it to the last round with the stamina of Kingdom champions, we must "get lessons."

So before you crank up the Rocky music, warm up your spiritual legs, so that you might stand and fight the good fight.

"Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." 1 Tim 4:8

"But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Tim 6:11-12

If We Are The Body

It takes people to be the church. Remember the child's hand illustration? Here's the church and here's the steeple, open it up and...Where's the people?? Ok, it doesn't end like that. But my point is, where ARE the people? Do we have to abide by the 80/20 rule? 20 percent of the people typically carry 80 percent of the load? Nope--we don't have to. My challenge is to motivate and equip those in the body to turn that around. Every local church has needs and areas to jump in and get involved. Here's just a few of ours. If any interest you, just go here to contact me and we'll chat!

Imagine if we had 5 people serving in every area. That's where the people would be! We're not there yet, but I'm so excited we're on our way.

Children’s Ministry:
1. Nursery Workers
2. Nursery Greeters
3. Nursery Clean Up
4. Ministry Team
5. Teachers
6. Assistant Teachers
7. Check-In Greeters
8. The Blend
9. Leaders
10. Greeters
11. Helping Hands

Youth Ministry
12. Greeters
13. Crowd Management (Youth Ministry Bouncer was just too strong!)
14. Video Camera
15. Sound Board
16. Computer Tech
17. Mentoring Team
18. Small Group Host Homes
19. Card Writers
20. Phone Callers
21. Visitation Team
22. Refreshment Team
23. Worship Team
24. Communications Team
25. Web Gurus
26. Small Group Team

Adult Ministry:
27. Singles Event Planner
28. Small Group Ministry Volunteer
29. Fusion Connecting Points
30. SG Host Homes
31. Worship Arts Ministry
32. Media Team
33. Praise and Worship Team
34. Disaster Relief Ministry
35. The Blend Experience
36. Hospitality Ministry
37. Divorce Care/Grief Share Ministry
38. Visitation & Outreach Ministry
39. Pastoral Prayer Support
40. Research Team
41. OATS Ministry
42. Grounds Upkeep
43. Celebrate Recovery

2 Posts In One Day?? Had to...

Now THIS is awesome! How about it people??? Check more out about it here.

Furtick again

I've been viewing Steve Furtick's sermons online, and they're quite good. A quote from one of his sermons:

2 Cor 8:1 And now brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.”

What’s he doing? He’s invoking a little healthy competition. He’s telling the Corinthian church, “now we’ve already been to the Macedonian churches to get their portion for the offering, and let me tell ya, they knocked it out of the park…have you ever done this to your kids before? I do it. Sometimes if my three year old doesn’t want to pay me any attention, I’ll say, ‘that’s all right I’ll just get some love from Graham!’ who’s his one year old brother…and then he’ll come runnin, ‘no I want love, don’t give all your kisses and hugs away!!’.....’I’m going to give them all away if you don’t come and get them right now’. Paul’s saying I’m gonna give all your blessings away, because the Macedonian they’ve been approached about the offering, and they stepped up and stepped out and man, God poured out his grace in an extreme way. A little healthy competition. Churches all across America, do this with you all the time. They do. There are pastors that I get emails from all the time who stand up and tell their congregations what God is doing at Elevation in order to motivate their congregations to say if God can do it there, he can do it here too."

So is God doing some incredible things in Wilmington? Absolutely. Are we learning from others that God is using in our city? Very much so. Are we seeking to reach Wilmington for Christ whatever it takes? On our way there.

25 percenter

"If you have a roof over your head, and clothes on your back and food in your belly, then you're better off than 75 percent of the people in this world...Your box may not look very big, but the closer you look, the bigger it seems!" --Pastor Steven Furtick.

Thanks Furtick. A little perspective. A little "thinking inside my box" gives me a view I seldom choose to take. I'm grateful. Even more so now that I see how big my box is.

Poderia ser?

I felt my heart stirred tonight as I sat and listened to people who had taken a risk beyond anything they had imagined before, and believed in a God that could do far more than they had ever seen in their lifetimes. There are people in Ubauna that are a part of God's kingdom, because some folks cared enough to not only share the life altering hope that Jesus brings, but to provide an assurance and evidence, that, "we'll be back" and indeed followed through on that promise again and again and again. That is the message that Jesus wants us to take to those who are hurting from so many chains pulling their souls down: He does not leave us alone! A wiley band of brave souls from Wilmington, ready to launch into what I believe can be one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime. Could it be that God has intersected these men and women to make a lasting impression on a small Brazilian town? Could it be that they dare to have faith that will move mountains, a faith grown to incredible leaps by such a step? Could it be that Wilmington will never be the same as a result of one choice to go? Could it be?

Could it be indeed.

He Was One of Us

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home

I've never watched Joan of Arcadia, a series that ran for two seasons on CBS until tonight. A friend of mine, Dan Caputo, loaned me the DVDs. Looking at all the fansites and efforts to get JOA on the air again, I can see why.

The lyrics above, by Joan Osborne, reflect a need for the human soul to have someone much greater than they identify with with pains and struggles faced in this life.

I was pleased at the show's treatment of this topic on how our perception of what God is like is vastly different than reality. No preaching here, JOA makes an attempt to show the viewer who God is. The mark is missed somewhat, but what strikes me most about JOA, is that God uses students (in this case Joan of Arcadia) and calls them to seemingly small tasks that can have a HUGE impact. We must say this to students, that they matter to God NOW, not in a few decades.

This was not meant to be a review of JOA. You can find that here.

Our culture cries for answers to the questions: Do I matter to God? Can I make a difference in this life? Can God possibly know what I'm going through? The answer should amaze and move you:

Heb. 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Peace in Troubled Times

Are people worried about stuff? You betcha! What's the concern? Unless you've been living under a rock, the concern for much of the planet would be the economy.

As we're approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas, we are keenly reminded that hope has come into the world. Hope that rises above every worry, every world economic problem, every national crisis, and certainly our seemingly small personal worlds.

Christ wasn't a solution. He is our salvation. The explosion of the church 2000 years after his resurrection, through 12 men and a 13th who was blinded and changed forever, became the testimony that real change happens only through a relationship with Christ. This is so because Christ is the bridge that allows us to go from focusing on what seems to be the most important issue, to zeroing in on what really has been the central need of us all: the fixing of a person that never measured up to God.

So why worry? Jesus spoke that the lilies of the field had no worry of what to wear. He knows our need. He knows every hair on our head is numbered. Encourage others that the Great Provider hasn't changed. He still owns it all. Amazing how we fret so.

Luke 12:25 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?"

You're Joking Right?

This phrase was repeated time and again yesterday as we handed out free hot dogs. Totally free. No strings attached. No jumping through hoops, listening to a stump speech, signing up for an email newsletter (does anyone like those??) Just free.

People asked us why we were doing it, and it was just a simple favor for a friend that helped us set up a way to do this statewide. We were giving free hot dogs to his customers. But why is it that we can't accept free anymore? Why does not paying for something and getting something in return bother so many, in fact, shock is the word I would use.

Part of the answer may deal with our independent nature. We want no one's help many times. We want to be the one to get the job done, to have the satisfaction that "we" did it on our "own".

Could this be a barrier for people coming to the freedom that Christ offers? Is there the same shock and confusion when such freedom is offered without any expense to us?

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13

Incredible Expectation

Last night was a great night for our student ministry. The worship was off the chain! The power and passion of the students' voices got me charged up! Their quiet spirit during teaching was humbling. Their openness in small groups opened a window to something greater for our ministry:

God is about to rock this planet with these students!

There's a also fresh wind blowing through the hearts of our adult leaders. I've got some of the greatest volunteers in the world! Too see them so electrified over what God was doing was inspiring in itself. Can't wait 'till next week! WOW!

My Prayer for God to Bless You Today

May God Bless You With Discomfort
at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God Bless You With Anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God Bless You With Tears
to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

May God Bless You With Enough Foolishness
to believe that You and those God has entrusted to you can make a difference in the world through the power of Christ so that you and they can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice, salvation and hope to those in need.

YOU CAN LAUGH TODAY!!!

Marriage Conflict In Youth Ministry

It's going to happen. It happens more than you think. It happens more than students want you to think. Parents fight. Kids get caught in the middle, wondering what to do, and often develop wrong coping skills, that spill over into poor decisions in their school, their home, and yes, their youth group.

As I was researching student culture on the Internet, I came across some good points on family conflict and how in particular it translates to student behavior within youth group time.

As a ministry we are seeking to be more proactive when it comes to ministering to our parents. From engaging parents who have conflicts with their children, to inviting parents to be a part of the ministry growth process, the way youth ministry is done now has radically changed from even 5 years ago. Kids are hurting more. Parents are hurting more. Marriages are hurting more. As I've seen kids come and go over the past 10 years in ministry, one thing's been an ever present concern: the increase of kids with divorced parents. It's no longer 30 or 4o percent of the group, it's more like 70 percent! Or it seems that way.

So how does marriage relate to youth ministry? The conflict kids see at home, plays out in the world they live in away from home. How does a youth ministry respond? How do we help the kids understand the conflict? How do we connect with parents in conflict, knowing that some of the behavior issues may be a result of such conflict? An article offers several helpful tips which I believe can help us go a long way in reaching parents and students:

1. Don’t be the kid’s—or the parents’—therapist. If you’re not trained as a therapist, just don’t do it. Know when you are in over your head, and be willing to refer to a good professional in your community.
2. Don’t attempt to fix it. It’s not your job, and you probably can’t do it.
3. Don’t take sides—parent vs. parent, church vs. parents, or kids vs. parents. Nothing good can come of any of those scenarios. Beware of parents who will try to win you to their side in marital conflict, and keep in mind that there are always two (or three or four) sides to every story

On the other hand, here's what we can do:

1. DO model healthy conflict. The importance of positive adult role models has been affirmed by research with kids whose parents fight. Students in your ministry need to see adults who can model effective and consistent listening and conflict resolution in their own relationships. That means that the healthier your marriage or significant relationships, the better for the students you influence. Not that your relationships have to be conflict-free (that would actually not be helpful for them), but that you offer a healthy example of working conflict out in significant relationships. With appropriate boundaries, there’s something significant about letting students see the side of us that has to work through the not-so-superpastor stuff. Further, modeling healthy response to conflict within the group (between kids and between leaders, and between kids and leaders) can be incredibly helpful.
2. DO offer them safe relationships with adults. Kids need to experience positive relationships, and your ministry can be a place where that happens. What adults can they get connected to in your church? Who can be relational (and sometimes physical) safe places? We need to think outside the typical youth ministry boundaries on this one—who could be spiritual grandparents or aunts and uncles in the family of God for kids who desperately need stability and safety? How could you help build bridges to some of these resource people?
3. DO teach about conflict. Youth workers can also help by giving attention to relationship issues in our teaching and training. Students need us to overtly teach them about healthy relationships and ways to work through conflict, even as we model these in front of them and find other adults who can do the same.
4. DO pray. We can’t underestimate the importance of prayer—on behalf of and with kids, and even with parents when appropriate.
   

Healthier parents mean healthier kids, which translates into student ministries working in tandem to grow and minister to both.

I ask that you join me to pray for our students, and their families, that God would give them tools to cope better with conflict, and that He would allow many student ministries (including our own) to evaluate their effectiveness with helping hurting parents and hurting kids, ultimately through an authentic relationship with Christ.

Vote For Jesus

These words spanned a sign that was shown to myself and other voters waiting at an early voting center today. It's message? Some were confused, but I supported and knew the message it conveyed: Keep Christ central in the election process. So many times, it can become just about issues. Yes issues are important. Jesus would vote on issues. But in the process, it becomes a polarized downward spiral, where one person is cast against another with different voting preferences. I know whom I voted for. I voted for the candidates that represented my values. Do I know every position of every candidate on every issue? No. But I voted generally speaking in the direction that I believe that this country should be going: towards a government that upholds and protects our freedoms, rather than taking them away. I hold dear to the freedom that allows anyone to write on a sign "Vote For Jesus" and to the fredom that allows me to worship freely without an outwardly suspicious government looking over my shoulder. So you could say, I voted for Jesus.