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Praying and Responding to Special Offerings

March 13, 2013 / / 0 Comments /

The Scriptures are full of stories of God’s people giving special offerings. Solomon built a spectacular temple for worship and then had to tell people not to give anymore because there was more than enough. Paul challenged the young New Testament church to sacrificially give to the Jerusalem church that was suffering. For years, Pam and I have been blessed to be a part of numerous special offerings that went toward buildings, land, planting churches and opening orphanages around the world.

This Sunday, our congregation will give a special offering to Move the Mountain in all of our Sunday gatherings. How should we pray and how should we give when these special offerings come along in our spiritual journey?

1. We should pray and listen.

I know this sounds obvious, but most of us determine what we can logically give and then we pray about it later. However, if we pray and listen first, the answer may surprise us. There have been times, I have heard to give a smaller amount, but there have also been times Pam and I have given sacfricially. Pray first, listen and then obey.

2. Know why you are giving.

Giving is more than a corporate collection of resources. It is the catalyst many times for significant spiritual growth. Giving is a pronouncement that money is a gift from God, but not our god. Money seems to entangle us in a web of greed and control, but when we release our monies, by faith, our spiritual souls are cleansed from a potentially powerful idol. Pam and I give as an act of worship and to remind ourselves what is truly worthy of our worship.

For our New Life congregation we are giving to get out of debt so we can give more generously to our city and to our world. We believe debt really is a type of slavery that keeps us shackled and unable to respond to the real needs all around us.

Last year, we paid off $3.3 million of debt which allowed us to begin the purchase and renovation of our first apartment complex for homeless single moms, to expand our care for the poorest women in our city at the Dream Center Women’s Clinic and we just added a military chaplain to our team to help us care for the miltary families in our city.  All of this because our congregation prayed, listened and obeyed with generous giving.

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Conversations with Jesus

February 25, 2013 / / 0 Comments /

This weekend we began a new series of messages to take a fresh look at the conversations Jesus had with a diverse group of people who were either not following him at the time or were ready to quit. These conversations with people like Matthew, the hated tax collector and the Samaritan woman at the well give us a clear look at the love and attention God still has for the outsiders.

These stories are also compelling because the questions and comments from these people are the same ones being asked today. These stories are not meant to be learned formulas that help us persuade people to follow Jesus. Evangelistic arguments are tired attempts at introducing a beautiful story with determined facts. These discourses show everyone around us that the story of the Gospel is still being told and everyone, including people we may have written off, have a part in this spiritual narrative.

So, for the next several weeks, we are going to listen with fresh ears at the conversation Jesus had with the demoniac who lived in a graveyard, and to the dialogue he had with a thief on the cross next to him. We will also lean into the conversation Jesus had with two discouraged believers on the road to Emmaus, plus learn from the story of the woman who was thrown at the feet of Jesus after being caught in adultery.

I know all these stories, but I have not heard ALL of these stories.  The Scriptures are continuously articulate and new revelation and insight can happen anytime we listen with spiritual ears. Join me on the journey and pray for those who are searching for the hope and truth we all know can be found if only they could have a conversation with Jesus.

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The Merger of Two Church Families

February 18, 2013 / / 2 Comments /

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. Psalm 133:1

This Sunday Celebration Church will join our New Life family in a merger of two churches and we are thrilled to welcome them. For the past few months, the elders and leaders of Celebration have sensed that a transition was happening with their Senior Pastor Barry Farah. Several options were considered, but after much prayer, the team decided to encourage their congregation to join New Life.

It is truly remarkable to see such unity among two churches in the same city. Instead of competing and comparing, we have decided to complement the work that is happening in both congregations. Many of the ministries happening at Celebration will continue on our campus and they will also strengthen and come alongside the existing works at New Life.

This certainly was not an easy decision to close the doors of a successful and healthy church and I am sure the transition for many of the Celebration members will be emotional and difficult at first. At New Life, we are hoping to create a welcoming and warm environment to help them feel at home right away. We are setting aside some reserved seating for a few Sundays so they can worship with familiar faces and we are hosting a lunch for them the first week so they can meet our ministry team.

The leaders at Celebration have done a thorough job of communicating and answering questions, but still, blended families take time to bond and trust one another.  I do feel God’s smile on this, though, because I am certain God loves when his people dwell together in unity.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life evermore. Psalm 133:3

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Blind Spots and the Crashes they Cause

February 11, 2013 / / 2 Comments /

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

My pickup was red and shiny and had tires with chrome rims that would blind you if the sun hit at just the right angle. Pam and her parent’s toy poodle were in the front seat and we were driving through our hometown on a warm sunny day. I had picked the slowest lane and after a quick glance in the side mirror, I switched to the other. That is when I heard the crash and felt the thud.

In my haste to save time, I had fallen victim to the blind spot, the part of the road that can only be seen if you turn and look for yourself instead of trusting an imperfect mirror. A car slammed into the driver’s side and spun us around in the middle of the busy street. No one was hurt, including the dog, but my pickup had a gash and my rear tire was toast.

Pickups and people are alike — both have blind spots that can cause wrecks and carnage. The reason they are called blind spots is because we are blind to them. If we knew our weaknesses, I am assuming we would work to fix them and not continue to hurt the people around us. The problem is we have imperfect mirrors. How do we get these honest and seeing eyes in order to avoid the inevitable crashes?

1. Ask God

I promise he wants to show us if we will simply ask and listen. We do this well when we are young pastors and leaders because we are well aware, in most cases, that we need to learn and grow. The problem is for those of us who are more experienced. We are the ones who get asked to mentor leaders and teach others from our vast vault of experience. We stop growing along the away because we stop asking God to show us our blind spots. We become experts and stop being students.

2. Ask others

When was the last time you asked those you influence if your leadership was frustrating them? This takes a great deal of security to admit that you may not be perfect and that you still want to grow. The first few times you ask this question, don’t expect an honest answer. But, over time, they will begin to trust your motives and give you the input that may salvage your influence with them. Sparks will fly, tension will fill the room, but all of us will become sharper. The irony is, the sharper our swords become, the less dangerous we are to the people around us.

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William Wallace and My Book about Women

February 4, 2013 / / 14 Comments /

I have agreed to write an e-book about the role of women in church and the inspiration came from an unlikely source. I was watching Braveheart, the movie inspired by the life of Scottish warrior William Wallace, and a particular scene helped clarify a big idea about this very important topic.

There is a scene in the movie that happens right after the first battle between William Wallace’s ragtag army of farmers and the powerful English brigades. Somehow, the Scottish miscreants win the battle despite being outnumbered. Right after the battle, the Scottish nobles knight William Wallace in a ceremony at a nearby castle.

When Wallace stands to his feet, immediately an argument breaks out among the land owning nobles about which family has a rightful claim to the Scottish throne. One family believes they should be in charge and another says their heir deserves to be king. Wallace listens for a moment, but then walks out of the room disgusted.

When the nobles realize Wallace is leaving, they ask why. His reply is brilliant. He tells them he is going to fight the English and they can stay and argue about who is in charge. This seems to be what is happening in our local churches. We are mired in arguments about who should be leading while the more important fight is being ignored.

Believe me, I know there are strong opinions on both sides of the issue regarding leadership in the home and church. I have strong beliefs and I am sure you do, too. However, are we arguing about roles while ignoring some bigger issues? I think we are and I plan to tackle some of this in my upcoming e-book.

This book will not settle all our arguments, but I do hope it empowers women to grow and flourish in the calling that God has for them. It is my hope that the book will begin discussions about topics that are being ignored such as:

1. A woman’s role in preaching, teaching and leadership, both in their homes and in their local congregations.

2. Can a strong wife flourish in public under the mature leadership of a private and passive husband?

3. What were the radical ways that Jesus brought dignity and respect to women?

4. How can we encourage women to be feminine leaders in a masculine world?

What are some topics about women in the home and church that you think would be helpful to debate and discuss in a civil way? Now is the time to ask, because I start writing soon. Thanks for your voice in this conversation.

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The Blessings and Challenges of a Young Team

January 15, 2013 / / 3 Comments /

We are really blessed to have a great team of young leaders at New Life, but a young team also brings unique challenges that not all churches are ready to face. In fact, most churches tend to lean toward more mature pastors and leaders because of these potential messes. While I value maturity and believe we should honor those with experience we cannot leave young leaders behind.

So, if you are committed like I am to working alongside a team that reflects every generation, including the college and 20-somethings, take note of the challenges and rewards before you start this journey.

1. Young leaders sometimes have poor work habits.

This is especially true if they have never worked outside the church in the “real world.” Even though the church is a family, there is still work to be done, tasks to be finished, deadlines to be met and communication to be made. To do all this requires time management skills which are difficult for most young leaders who tend to think only about an hour into their future.

2. Young leaders do not know the right questions to ask.

I have heard many mature leaders complain, “I could have helped them if they had only asked.” Most of the time we think young leaders are arrogant, but most of the time, young leaders simply did not know what questions needed to be asked. We should tell them upfront to come to us with questions. More importantly we should make it easy for them to come to us because we have earned their trust and they know we want them to succeed.

3. Young leaders mean more messes to clean up.

Yep! That is true, but some of the greatest discoveries in human history were made in really messy laboratories. If you only want to perpetuate the status quo, work only with people who think and act like yourself. If you want innovation, youth and messes are a part of the deal. Yes, we can do it quicker without any messes, but that does not mean we can do it better.

4. Young leaders need places to practice.

Young leaders need laboratories where they experiment. Classrooms are fine for discussion of data and facts, but at some point they must get their hands in the soil. Right now, young leaders are overseeing many of the 24-hour prayer meetings at New Life and are getting real congregational leadership experience. Are all the meetings being led perfectly?  Probably not. But they are all being led sincerely, which is more important to me. We will coach them and lead them, but better yet, we will also learn from them.

We want young leaders at New Life. That is why we invest staff and resources into the Desperation Leadership Academy and into our New Life School of Worship. Students from around the world are on our campus right now, learning, studying, and making messes. I promise, both of us are better because of it.

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The Praying Church

January 7, 2013 / / 2 Comments /

Most churches pray, but not all are praying churches. Most churches pause during their gatherings to pray, sometimes out of ritual, but certainly out of sincerity. But, how does a church make the leap to become a praying church, where prayer is the engine and fuel behind every spiritual advancement?

1. Prayer is modeled

Prayer is caught more than taught. Praying pastors model a prayerful life and those that are influenced by them tend to lead a prayerful life of their own. We just started 21 days of prayer and fasting with prayer meetings happening 24 hours a day. I am leading many of these meetings because I really do believe it is powerful when two or more gather to pray in unity.

2. Prayer is first

In a praying church, the first response to any difficult situation is to pray. When there is still no solution, the answer is to pray again. Repeat as needed.

3. Prayer is proactive

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to first ask for God’s Kingdom to come to the earth. Later in the prayer, he told them to ask for daily bread. It is true that the most attended prayer services are normally after a national or local crisis and that is certainly warranted. However, we should be proactive in our prayers, asking now for the Kingdom to come.

4. Prayer is the assignment

In Eugene Peterson’s classic book, Working the Angles, he writes that many church members make it difficult for pastors to spend unhurried time in prayer.  It is easier to point to new buildings, compelling sermons and increased attendance as signs of their success. Instead, a praying church sees prayer as a primary assignment of their leaders.

5. Prayer is worship and worship is prayer

A praying church prays with a singing voice. Their songs are anthems, prophetic declarations and pronouncements of faith. We sing as we pray and we pray as we sing. A praying church believes in the power of words spoken and words sung. They believe God hears all of it and responds to all of us.

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Thankful for 2012

December 24, 2012 / / 2 Comments /

2012 will go down as one of the most memorable years of our lives for many reasons. There was certainly too much violence with shootings in Aurora and Newtown that left scores dead. Our city also suffered through the most destructive wildfire in our history with over 300 homes lost during the summer. Then there were months of political arguing during a contentious election season.

Yes, there was plenty of bad and even horrific news, but I am also grateful for so many amazing things that happened, too.

1. Pam, Abram and Callie are healthy and we love each other.

2. We planted a thriving church in Fort Collins, CO. with our friend Aaron Stern.

3. Our church paid off over $3million of debt.

4. I met Eugene Peterson and I think he liked me.

5. The Mayans were wrong.

6. We leased our first apartment complex to house homeless single moms and their families.

7. Our downtown campus opened at Easter and is doing well under the leadership of Glenn Packiam.

8. Participated and partnered with ministries around the world that saw over 3 million people accept Christ.

9. I survived Disney.

10. We opened our first Dream Center in Swaziland.

11. I released a book called Sons and Daughters

12. We gave away over $300,000 of relief supplies to Waldo Fire victims.

13 We started a Sunday night service led by David Perkins where hundreds gather for worship and prayer.

14. Students from around the world are studying in our School of Worship, the Kings University and our Desperation Leadership Academy.

15. Miracles are happening every week in the lives of women who receive treatment at our free medical clinic.

This list could go on, for sure. I am so thankful that even in the midst of bad news, good news was breaking in all around us. God was with us. This I know.

What are you most thankful for in 2012?

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Our Violence Problem

December 15, 2012 / / 5 Comments /

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. Genesis 6:11

All of our hearts are sad and heavy after the tragic deaths of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. A young man armed with several guns apparently forced his way into a school and in a matter of minutes, took the lives and futures of so many innocent victims.

Almost immediately, politicians and TV pundits began talking about gun control and the need for more stringent legislation on the sale and possession of firearms. I am fine with that conversation taking place as part of civil dialogue.

I am a gun owner and have been all my life, but I realize it is too easy for some disturbed people to buy them in our sporting good stores. If there can be helpful conversations between the mental health community and our legislators resulting in laws that could eliminate this from our society, then count me in for support.

More importantly, let’s also talk about the subculture of violence in our country. Where is the outrage about the violent video games our kids are playing and the movies that are marketed trumpeting horrible scenes of carnage and bloodshed? At my house, my kids have gaming devices, but there are no games where any kind of weapon takes the life of another person, and my kids do not watch violent movies.

I challenge every parent, regardless of your views of the 2nd Amendment, to take a stand against violence in our homes. Let’s be a people of peace, who are following the Prince of Peace, and let’s teach our children that life is a gift from God which should be cherished, nourished and protected.

Let’s have these difficult conversations, starting in our homes and across the table from our friends, but let’s make sure we are tackling the root of the issue and not just the fruit.

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The Civil War – Pragmatists vs. Idealists

December 10, 2012 / / 6 Comments /

The leaders of most local churches generally are influenced by either pragmatism or idealism when making decisions and leading their congregations. Leaders who are pragmatists tend to assess situations and solve problems in a practical, matter-of-fact way. Idealists tend to be moved by all the possibilities, while pragmatists immediately see the limitations.

The truth is we need both influences in our churches. The problem is when one or the other dominates the church leadership culture. When the pragmatists are in charge, budgets are met, schedules are kept, and things tend to be predictable. When idealism dominates, songs are written, music is created and creative energies are released in full measure.

When the pragmatists are in charge, the creative community flees to more open waters or simply shuts down and concedes to the system. When the idealists are in charge, much is done, but sometimes very little is accomplished.

There has been a long civil war between these two groups. Pragmatists want order, the same order that can stifle the soul of the dreaming idealist. The idealist is wired to be spontaneous and often impulsive, which drives the pragmatist to the brink of insanity.

There is no way to really help either side understand the other completely. What we must agree upon is our need for one another. Idealists need boundaries in which to run, much like a race horse needs rails to guide them in the race and a finish line to know when to stop running. Pragmatists need the idealists to shock their system out of lifeless routines and to teach them to say yes more than no.

Who is in charge and creating the culture where you live and work? Have all you pragmatists learned to appreciate the messiness of the idealists and have all you idealists learned the value of predictable processes and the safety of systems?


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