Its true, I put ketchup on my eggs. However, I'm very specific about it. Only if they are scrambled and only at a restaurant, not at home. I'm picky and if you know me you know that when it comes to food I'm extremely picky. I only like it certain things and I'm not big on trying new food items because I think they will make my tongue curl up.
The same is true in churches today. Many churches only like ministry one way, because that's the only way they've done it. Sure its been successful but is it effective? I don't want to known as the one who doesn't try different tactics to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to be known as one who tried different things, programs, processes. Even though some will fail, I don't want to be picky in ministry. I want to preach the Gospel effectively in different ways.
On the flip side, if all you do is try different programs or processes to preach the Gospel people are likely to view you as an ADD Ministry. Because they see no consistency in your ministry, it's just you doing different stuff that never sticks. You attempt everything but gain nothing. It's not about doing the newest, hottest thing it's about knowing your people and community and reaching them for Jesus Christ to the best of your ability. Determine how the people in your community acts/lives, this should determine what you do. If you live in the country where everyone hunts and listens to Kenny Chesney it wouldn't be smart to have a hip-hop group come and minister, not many will be touched if that's not your community. If you know your people you will have a better chance of reaching them for Jesus Christ.
I love seeing stronger financed (rich) ministries minister, because they have a no holds bar mentality. At any cost they want to proclaim the Gospel. I've realized that I too can have this mentality. No I didn't win the lottery and our youth ministry doesn't even have a budget, but should that stop us? Should we wait until we have the resources to minister? NO!!! Let's change the destiny of those who live in our community for Jesus Christ. It will look different everywhere, but the same thing will occur no matter what you do or how much you have. The outcome will be men and women coming to know Jesus Christ and they will never be the same.
Don't be picky with how you do ministry like I am with food. Try new things, improve what you do. Don't try everything, just what suits you. Let's be and do what Christ has called and created us for.
As a side note this week I'm going to live this out by applying new items to Reaction Student Ministries and by trying new food. I don't know what yet, but I just hope I like it.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
I'm Inadequate and I Like It!
Over the last few weeks I've come to the realization that I'm inadequate to be a leader. I've read the books, listened to leaders, and led in different areas in life. Even after a little experience and knowledge I'm not adequate to call myself a leader. However, I'm still in leadership, why? If I feel inadequate why am I still a leader?
I'm able to lead not because of my own ability but because where I am is where Christ has directed me to be. God uses inadequate people to accomplish His will a lot of the time. A quote I where I have no idea who said, "He calls the unqualified and qualifies the called." The 12 men that were Christ's key disciples were not religious leaders or the 'high and mighty' they were normal people of their day that Christ developed. I'm not adequate but Christ still uses me.
No matter your experience is in life God can use you to accomplish His will. My past is full of mistakes (drugs, rebellion, deception, distrust, etc.) and yet God still wants to use me in various roles. God wants to use you now, as you are, to accomplish His purpose. He doesn't want to wait so you can "clean up" He wants you just as you are, because that's the way He made you.
I'm inadequate and I love it because then God gets all the glory and I get a nice hand clap.
I'm able to lead not because of my own ability but because where I am is where Christ has directed me to be. God uses inadequate people to accomplish His will a lot of the time. A quote I where I have no idea who said, "He calls the unqualified and qualifies the called." The 12 men that were Christ's key disciples were not religious leaders or the 'high and mighty' they were normal people of their day that Christ developed. I'm not adequate but Christ still uses me.
No matter your experience is in life God can use you to accomplish His will. My past is full of mistakes (drugs, rebellion, deception, distrust, etc.) and yet God still wants to use me in various roles. God wants to use you now, as you are, to accomplish His purpose. He doesn't want to wait so you can "clean up" He wants you just as you are, because that's the way He made you.
I'm inadequate and I love it because then God gets all the glory and I get a nice hand clap.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Change Your City
We all complain about where we live: bad leadership, not enough policemen, to much violence/corruption, ETC. We all see our cities getting worse and worse. What if it didn’t have to be this way, what if it could change. I believe it can, I believe you have been placed in your city to make a positive impact. One that will radically transform your community into one that people respect and appreciate. This will not go without hard word and time. I believe God created everyone for a purpose. A purpose that will take the potential that’s inside you and make it a reality. Therefore, I believe every city holds potential that hasn’t been unlocked. I believe God wants to use you to change your city. The question is will you stand up to the challenge?
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Lessons From a Church Launch: Lesson Three
Strive For Excellence In Everything That Is Done
The third lesson learned from Vertical Community Church's Launch is to strive for excellence in everything is that is done, from child care to how to treat first time guests. Before we can dig into how to be excellent I must decipher the difference between doing something in excellence as opposed to perfection. Perfection means that it must be perfect and nothing is o.k if it is not perfect. Achieving something in excellence is knowing its not going to be perfect, but you're going to strive for perfection and not be perfect is okay. Ministry is not about being perfect, because no one is perfect so why expect a service or church to be perfect.
Vertical Community Church showed excellence in everything they did from setting up to interacting with each other. They set up the facility in a way that anyone would know where to go. When you enter you are shown where to sit and where the children attend either children's church or nursery. Everyone that gave the guests tours were people-friendly, not introverted non-people people. They were full of energy and ready to serve the Kingdom of God. They made sure that their sound was ready and media was functional before service began so when it came time to use it in service it was ready. They made sure the words were on the screen for worship, mics were turned to an appropriate volume. They made sure the service from beginning to end flowed and God was glorified, and did it with excellence.
I will took away notes, knowledge, and wisdom from this visit I paid to Vertical a few weeks ago. One thing that I walked away with and want to share with you is what Pastor Shane did before service. Pastor Shane did a walk-through of the facility about an hour from service time. He walked through every area that was used making sure it was ready for the move of God that would happen. This tactic is one of the many that I've adapted and desire all you reading this to put into practice. To make sure we are operating in excellence begins with the different areas of ministry that occur each service. To conduct an entire service in excellence means that every part of the service is done in excellence.
I learned many lessons besides the three here, but this lesson on excellence is one of most importance. If your guests feel that you don't care about your service/church, they will not care either. Care about your people by caring about how you minister to them, minister in excellence.
The third lesson learned from Vertical Community Church's Launch is to strive for excellence in everything is that is done, from child care to how to treat first time guests. Before we can dig into how to be excellent I must decipher the difference between doing something in excellence as opposed to perfection. Perfection means that it must be perfect and nothing is o.k if it is not perfect. Achieving something in excellence is knowing its not going to be perfect, but you're going to strive for perfection and not be perfect is okay. Ministry is not about being perfect, because no one is perfect so why expect a service or church to be perfect.
Vertical Community Church showed excellence in everything they did from setting up to interacting with each other. They set up the facility in a way that anyone would know where to go. When you enter you are shown where to sit and where the children attend either children's church or nursery. Everyone that gave the guests tours were people-friendly, not introverted non-people people. They were full of energy and ready to serve the Kingdom of God. They made sure that their sound was ready and media was functional before service began so when it came time to use it in service it was ready. They made sure the words were on the screen for worship, mics were turned to an appropriate volume. They made sure the service from beginning to end flowed and God was glorified, and did it with excellence.
I will took away notes, knowledge, and wisdom from this visit I paid to Vertical a few weeks ago. One thing that I walked away with and want to share with you is what Pastor Shane did before service. Pastor Shane did a walk-through of the facility about an hour from service time. He walked through every area that was used making sure it was ready for the move of God that would happen. This tactic is one of the many that I've adapted and desire all you reading this to put into practice. To make sure we are operating in excellence begins with the different areas of ministry that occur each service. To conduct an entire service in excellence means that every part of the service is done in excellence.
I learned many lessons besides the three here, but this lesson on excellence is one of most importance. If your guests feel that you don't care about your service/church, they will not care either. Care about your people by caring about how you minister to them, minister in excellence.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Lessons From a Church Launch: Lesson Two
Accept Anyone and Everyone Who Arrive
The second lesson I learned from the launch of Vertical Church is that they accepted everyone no matter what. I've seen in many churches that have a regular attendance after a while they seem to be picky about who comes into the Church for service. I do understand that every church launch just want people to come to their services. This should be the same mentality of every Christian Church in the world. To get everyone in to the service so they can experience Jesus Christ and be forever changed.
I believe the established Churches get complacent and to comfortable, and the moment someone new enters they get agitated. Why? Because this means that they have to get out of their comfort zones and meet someone new, love someone new, plug someone new in, etc. It means that they actually have to get up and be the Church God created them to be. The moment a Church congregation turns away new visitors is the day the Church, in my opinion, begins to decline.
We must rise up away from our compromises and comfort zones the pews and chairs have put us in, and remember what it's like to just want people to come in and experience Christ and not judge them for who we think they are but Love them because Christ loves them. Let's act every Sunday like a Church Launch and everyone and anyone walking through the doors and let God take care of the rest.
The second lesson I learned from the launch of Vertical Church is that they accepted everyone no matter what. I've seen in many churches that have a regular attendance after a while they seem to be picky about who comes into the Church for service. I do understand that every church launch just want people to come to their services. This should be the same mentality of every Christian Church in the world. To get everyone in to the service so they can experience Jesus Christ and be forever changed.
I believe the established Churches get complacent and to comfortable, and the moment someone new enters they get agitated. Why? Because this means that they have to get out of their comfort zones and meet someone new, love someone new, plug someone new in, etc. It means that they actually have to get up and be the Church God created them to be. The moment a Church congregation turns away new visitors is the day the Church, in my opinion, begins to decline.
We must rise up away from our compromises and comfort zones the pews and chairs have put us in, and remember what it's like to just want people to come in and experience Christ and not judge them for who we think they are but Love them because Christ loves them. Let's act every Sunday like a Church Launch and everyone and anyone walking through the doors and let God take care of the rest.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Lessons From a Church Launch: Lesson One
Launch Team Needs To Be A Family
To have a successful launch as a church and a functional group of leaders to minister with you must be like that of a functional family. I say functional specifically, because honestly growing up my family was not completely functional. A functional family is one that loves one another through the great times and the tough times. Nothing holds their love back from one another. Also when an onlooker sees "the family" they say to themselves, "that's something I would want to be apart of."
Attending Vertical Community Churches launch this past Sunday, that's what I saw. I witnessed a group of men and women of God working together to accomplish the Will of God, but doing so with love and acceptance. I didn't know anyone there very well, but they accepted me as one of their own throughout the morning.
Those you work with in ministry must not be looked at as just employees or ministry leaders, but people you love and care about. People you are willing to spend time with outside the walls of the church and are pouring into. Your leaders are just as important as those who attend your services, because if they are not built up and empowered, those who they lead will not be either.
We must be the family that people are looking for. Marriage statistics are terrible and people are looking for a group of people they can look to for guidance and encouragement to be who God created them to be. This will never take place, however, if the team you are apart of or lead are not the family, the Body of Christ.
To have a successful launch as a church and a functional group of leaders to minister with you must be like that of a functional family. I say functional specifically, because honestly growing up my family was not completely functional. A functional family is one that loves one another through the great times and the tough times. Nothing holds their love back from one another. Also when an onlooker sees "the family" they say to themselves, "that's something I would want to be apart of."
Attending Vertical Community Churches launch this past Sunday, that's what I saw. I witnessed a group of men and women of God working together to accomplish the Will of God, but doing so with love and acceptance. I didn't know anyone there very well, but they accepted me as one of their own throughout the morning.
Those you work with in ministry must not be looked at as just employees or ministry leaders, but people you love and care about. People you are willing to spend time with outside the walls of the church and are pouring into. Your leaders are just as important as those who attend your services, because if they are not built up and empowered, those who they lead will not be either.
We must be the family that people are looking for. Marriage statistics are terrible and people are looking for a group of people they can look to for guidance and encouragement to be who God created them to be. This will never take place, however, if the team you are apart of or lead are not the family, the Body of Christ.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Lessons From a Church Launch
This past Sunday I had the privilege of attending Vertical Community Church. It was great to see one's God-given vision become a reality. As I attend I was able to be there during the set up process and help during the service a little. It was great getting a chance to be apart of their launch and to all there at Vertical, thank you. Thank you for letting me be apart of what God is doing and for not laughing at me when I got in the way or did something incorrectly.
I learned three things watching this amazing groups of leaders prepare for the power of God and also how they reacted to God moving in the service. Over this week we are going to bust out three lesson I believe every person on the face of the earth needs to learn from a Church Launch.
I learned three things watching this amazing groups of leaders prepare for the power of God and also how they reacted to God moving in the service. Over this week we are going to bust out three lesson I believe every person on the face of the earth needs to learn from a Church Launch.
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