Funny Friday | Hamster Wheel

You need to learn to live life at a steady pace or this will happen to you.

Missing Spleen, Missing Posts

As most of you know my brother, Trevor, got injured at his football game on the 17th.  At first he thought it was his rib and decided to see, if the pain went away.  Later that evening he started felling really bad and was changing colors like a chameleon.  It was a very weird grayish green color.  Knowing that something was a wrong mom took Trevor to the hospital to get it checked out.  While he was getting an X-ray (to see, if it really was his rib) he fainted and hit his head on a filing cabinet and the floor. When he came to he began changing colors again and they rushed him to trauma.  Then they took him to get a CT scan and found out it was his spleen.  Here are my tweets of the event (read them from top to bottom)

Needless to say this kept me away from blogging and in the hospital, closer to my family.  Trevor is now at home and he is doing well. I'm so grateful that.  Love you Trevor. I am inspired by your strength and kindness.  This week I will be at Story, so I won't be posting much.

3M Vision

Lately I've been spending a lot of time thinking about vision. Specifically vision in the context of the Church. I believe there are 3 things that you and your team needs to wrestle through to come up with a Vision worth pursing. I call this 3M Vision...

Message - what is your message and why it is important?
Movement - understand the movement you want to create.
Method - what method will get others there in a healthy way?

If you work for a cause, a church, a ministry, a focused company, or a start up - what's your 3Ms?

The Multiplying Church | Book Review

Someone recently asked me what kind of church plant I would like to plant? He thought maybe an organic, relational, or a house church because I seem to like the organic bent. I wasn't sure.  Nor am I sure that I knew what either of those would look like.

This past week I picked up and read, for the second time, The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches. The first time I skimmed through it and wasn't too impressed. This time I took my time reading it, letting it soak in and absorb with my thoughts on church planting.

I can't believe I overlooked the simplistic genius behind all of it. This is the book that I recommend for churches who are planting, are interested in, or have no clue on how to plant a church. 

The book is broken up into three parts and appendixes*:

The New Math
CPM-CP+J=JM 
[What kind of movement do we want? Answer: Jesus Movement]
JM x C+NT
[What will the first global church planting movement look like?]
LCD x 10% = M
[Local church communities, no matter what size, are key for multiplication.]
K(M/I/O/C/G/E)=T
[We must start kingdom churches for transformation to happen.]

The Prime Numbers
Bf x ge+BP=Af
[We need Apostolic Fathers, sending/equipping pastors, to multiply leaders/planters.]
E3+M+D=CP
[What is the right mix of character, personality and ability for a church planter?]
LCD=D
[The lowest common denominator in all of church planting is the disciple.]
S+C(cc) x V=CT
[How to create a community/city that is transformed?]
MC+FP=GC
[How to make a missional church that makes a glocal impact?]

The Sum Total
L(r+a+t+c) + Systems + M(dna) = CPC
[Creating a fully functional church planting center.]
M+E+P>$
[Follow God in faith and wisdom and God will provide.]
P+S+C=S
[Missional families set priorities, schedule and confront issues to succeed.]

One of my favorite chapters is called Starting Churches Is Not Enough K(M/I/O/C/G/E)=T. Bob goes on to say that we need to start the right kinds of church, Kingdom Churches.

If he would ask me the same question, 'what kind of church do you want to plant?' - I know what I'm going to say.  Kingdom!

*the appendix alone is worth it's weight in gold.

Renovo and God Chisel

When I was working on planting a church in Mansfield called Renovo (latin for 'restore') I wanted to write a parable, a story, of what God was up to in our community as a vision piece. I called it the Renovo Parable (click here to read it).

Nicole, my office assistant sent me a email telling me that I had to see this awesome video...

This video is very similar in nature to the Renovo Parable.  How is God restoring you?

Music Monday | Say Hey ( I Love You )

I got love on the mind.

Drops Like Stars | Book Review

One night last week I sat down and read Rob Bell's newest book called Drops Like Stars: A Few Thoughts on Creativity and Suffering.  This book was more of an event than a read.  And of course was nothing short of what I've come to expect from Bell; thought provoking, challenging, enjoyable, and profound.

Rob clearly defines and portrays...
- The Art of Disruption
- The Art of Honesty
- The Art of the Ache
- The Art of Solidarity
- The Art of Elimination

You could also say that this book is a over-sized photo book which makes it that much more enjoyable. My only problem with the book is I got to the end and I was disappointed that it was over.  It's no surprise that I recommend this book.

O.S. Reflection

I know that my ordination service (O.S.) has been over six months ago, but I still want to say how it impacted me in a huge way.

There were many things that I experienced that morning. One was a feeling of responsibility to lead others as Christ has led me.  Another was a deeper love for the church.  A protection from some of my fears and temptations as I was being tempted weeks leading up to the service. Since then I have not be tempted by it. I know that my sinful nature can rise up at anytime, but His spirit in me has not allowed that to happen.

I greatly appreciated Steve's message on the Ephesians 2. He talked to me about always remembering that we're objects of wrath, identifying Christ is in you, and that he works through you.  I pray that my ministry and life exudes this.

And last but not least it was a huge blessing to have so many great people who have come out to celebrate the day of my public ministry being confirmed. I am the sum of many great people in my life. Those from New Life Church of Christ, New Hope Community Church, Shelby First Church of God, my friends, my co-workers, my classmates and of course my family. You have equipped and shaped me to be the man that I am today.

I want to thank...

New Life for pouring into me - telling me the hard things when I need to hear them, for loving me when I failed them, being my spiritual family through the good and bad, and believing in me enough to send me out to lead others to Christ. [New Life, I feel like my friend Tom Jones feels for his home church.]

New Hope for teaching me how to reach out to people far from God. To step out in faith, and for allowing me to lead them.

Shelby First Church of God for allowing me time to develop as a leader, a teacher and a human being.

Those of you who support me as I ventured off to plant a church for God's Glory more than two years ago. Your faith to see God work through me astounds me more than you will ever know.

My family for loving me, and always wanting the best for me.  For keeping me close enough to the church to change my life and leaving me enough in the world to impact it.  For truly teaching me what love.

My bride for showing me what love really is, for teaching me to be a better man everyday, and for supporting me. For being my strength when I have none, and my companion through it all. I am nothing without you.

My daughter for giving me a glimpse of what it is to love like the Father.

My Lord for his grace, mercy, justice and peace.  His love, His righteousness, and His Glory!  For chasing after me when I have left him, and him pulling me close when I draw near.

Breathe Slowly, Fast Heartbeat

Every night I put Selah to sleep. I usually lay down with her and one of the things I do to get her to fall sleep is breathing slowly. As she hears me she ever so slowly start to wind down. Eventually her breathing will slow and she falls asleep.

One night she slept I put my ear on her heart. I was listening to her heartbeat and I noticed how fast it was. Seconds later my heart was beating just as fast.

I wonder if I quieted myself enough to hear God's heartbeat what I would hear?  I'm sure whatever it was my heart and heartbeat would quickly follow suit.

May you take a long hard pause and breathe slowly to hear your God.
May you listen for the pulse of the creator and respond accordingly.
May your heartbeat follow after the one who keeps it beating.
And may you flourish with excitement at what he's doing!

Music Monday | Single Ladies

What fun!

Selah Saturday | Potty Training

We started potty training Selah as soon as she turned two.

So far, so good!

Thankful for Story!

I'm so excited for Story on October 28-29!  I've got this guy, this guy, and this guy going with me to learn how we can better communicate the good news.  Found out that I will get to reconnect with this guy too.

I am also glad that they are raising money to give to urban pastors a chance to go to the conference. If you can support them in any way please check out the story blog and support them by paying for more pastors to attend this one of a kind experience!

The last reason that I am thankful for story - I won free movie tickets from NCM Fathom by twittering about them on Wednesday!  And my beautiful wife has been waiting a while for a great date night! Yeah!

the story of this place...

What is your first thought or reaction when visiting an old building or church?

Mine has always been what is the story of this place? I mean what was this building built for. What was its purpose? Who were the people who believed in it enough to give of their resources and of themselves to make it go? Why did they use that material?

I love to hear these stories because what you are standing in was one person, one groups or one generations dream!

What dreams have you stood in and overlooked? What can you learn from them?