Jeremy Copeland

Tools

2012-02-01T12:06:00.001-08:00

I love reading from other people what helps them be more efficient and more productive. Here's a couple of things that are helping me lately:

Evernote.

Seriously it is unbelievable. It's the only such tool that I actually pay for the premium service (though the free version is absolutely enough for most people).

In case you don't know, Evernote is basically a place to store anything and everything you need to remember. You use "tags" to organize things. Everything in it is searchable, including photos!

I currently forward every email that I want to keep to my evernote (every evernote user has a unique email address they can forward things to and it goes straight into their evernote account). I have also set up my printer/scanner so that I can scan every important document or receipt or photo or magazine article straight into Evernote - and then I THROW IT AWAY! Seriously. No more paper files.

I also have an evernote extension on my web browser so that every time I see something cool online - a blog post, a picture, an idea of any kind - I simply click the evernote button and it is now forever in my evernote account. No more bookmarking everything, no more trying to remember where I saw that post before.

The ipad and iphone apps are amazing and everything is synced instantly so it's all available no matter when or where I need it.

Kindle app.

So I'm one of those guys who loves the physical book. I love to feel it in my hands, I love to write on its pages and I love to be able to see my progress through a book. So going to an e-reader has been something I've really hesitated to do. But in a very short time I'm beginning to see the HUGE benefits to reading on my ipad.

First, if I continue to go this route - my entire book collection will eventually be with me at all times. Pretty cool. AND it will be searchable. Ever try and find that one quote from Andy Stanley but you aren't sure which chapter, or maybe not even sure which book it was in? Problem solved.

Second, the notes. So this is taking some time to adjust to - but I still have the option of highlighting and making notes on everything I read. Typing in my thoughts, using a stylus to highlight - these are new things I have to still get used to. But the benefit is this - everyone who has a kindle account (free through amazon.com) has a dedicated kindle page with all the books you've read and everything you've highlighted and every note you've made. Not only are those notes and highlights searchable on the ipad or kindle, but they are also searchable online. AND HERE'S THE KICKER - since they are on a webpage, I can "clip" them (an Evernote extension) and send them to my Evernote account. Which means, all of my notes for a particular book, and every highlighted paragraph or line is now right there in my Evernote account with a dedicated note for that book. And yes, it's searchable.

IFTTT.com

I've just recently started using this site, but if you use social media or blog or anything like that then this page is brilliant. It is basically a tool to help you organize your online presence. Through it you can create rules for everything you do online. IFTTT stands for "If this, then that". For example, I have a rule setup to where everytime I post a picture to my Instagram account, it adds that picture to a photo album on my Facebook account. I set it up once, and never have to worry about it again. You can set up rules for twitter, for your blog, for Facebook, or for any other account you use. It's amazing.

Anyway, that's a few things I'm using right now that are making my life more manageable. What tools are you using and how are you using them?

5 of my favorite things about yesterday at STORYCHURCH

2012-01-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was another incredible day at STORYCHURCH. I believe we are experiencing some of the greatest days we have ever had as a church right now. Here again is a few reasons why I believe that:

Our Fight For Your Heart series is blowing my mind. We are seeing unbelievable breakthroughs for people as we confront some of the most dangerous attitudes of our hearts.
Andrew Cron made his singing debut for us yesterday. (Yeah, that made the top 3.) Oh, and you can buy the song he sang HERE and watch it above.
STORYKIDS is making giant leaps forward every single Sunday. It is one of the BEST things going for us right now. New check-in, new classrooms, new bright colorful classes, new signs, new technology that has brought in new energy and excitement. The WOW factor has gone WAY UP. (PARENTS - did you know you can follow STORYKIDS on twitter? Now you do.)
We had 15 people at CHAPTER FOUR: DREAM TEAM yesterday learning how they can be used by God in our church community!! YES!! (By the way, don't miss CHAPTER ONE: CHURCH this Sunday.) To find out more about the GROWTH TRACK - go HERE.
Saw this on Facebook from a STORYCHURCH mom this week: "[My son said] I don't wanna go to dr., I want to go to church." - LOVE THAT!!

If you go to STORYCHURCH, tell me what excites you about what is going on right now. I'd love to hear from you.

7 Reasons yesterday was awesome

2012-01-23T09:32:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was one of the best days we've ever had as a church. Here's why:

People were set free. Many of us CANCELED THE DEBT of someone who hurt us. And in doing so, we not only set them free but ourselves as well. Anger no longer holds the power over us that it did.
Our first ever CONNECTION GROUP FAIR! ->
This spring STORYCHURCH launches 9 different connection groups. Yesterday was your first opportunity to see each one, to learn about their groups and to get plugged in. If you didn't get to sign up, you can go HERE now.
We played Angry Birds. I'm not talking about that guy who plays on his cell phone all service long - we played it from the stage. That was pretty fun.
The worship team was outstanding. We have seriously one of the greatest teams on the planet and we are so blessed to have them lead us every week.
STORYKIDS continues to be more and more exciting. I am SO IMPRESSED with our leaders, the work they put in, and the quality of ministry they put forward each week.
Speaking of our kids ministry - we added two new staff people yesterday to our kids ministry. Shawn and Annie are HEROES!
Our DREAM TEAM knocked it out of the park yesterday. I saw people switching roles to cover for others who were sick, greeters standing out in the freezing cold (because the 1>99!), people creatively solving problems and finding new and better ways to do what we do, and never settling for "good enough."

I LOVE MY CHURCH!

What was your favorite part of yesterday?

Fight for Your Heart

2012-01-10T17:39:00.001-08:00

It's time for a check up. Your spiritual health depends on you having a healthy heart.

Guilt. Anger. Greed. Jealousy.

These four things represent spiritual heart disease.

If you've ever found yourself lashing out and wondering "Where did that come from?" or you find yourself secretly celebrating a coworker's failure, or maybe you constantly try and make up for something you did long ago - you've probably got a heart issue. And it won't be long before it affects every area of your life.

Over the next few weeks at STORYCHURCH, we will challenge you to move toward confession, forgiveness, generosity and celebrating other's successes. We will challenge you to fight for your heart.

I can't wait to see what God does in your life and in mine. I believe He is going to bring about healing in ways we didn't even think was possible.

(If you want to get a head start, I recommend reading Andy Stanley's book Enemies of the Heart.)

2011 Books

2011-12-31T08:31:00.000-08:00

This has become sort of an annual thing for me now. I set a goal for how many books I want to read in a year, and then I keep track. In 2010 I had a goal of 24 books - 2 per month. I didn't quite reach that goal. So I kept that goal for 2011, and this year I nailed it. Here's what I read in 2011:

From the top down - Lukaszewski
The Next Christians - Gabe Lyons
Storylines - Croft & Pilavachi
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Covey
Chuch Smith, a Memoir of Grace - Smith
Momentum - Hickey
Getting Things Done - Allen
The Art of Curating Worship - Pierson
Love Wins - Bell
7 Practices of Effective Ministry - Stanley
Blink - Gladwell
The Divine Mentor - Cordeiro
The Principle of the Path - Stanley
The Attractional Church - Hornsby
Soulprint - Batterson
The E-Myth Revisited - Gerber
The Making of a Leader - Clinton
Strong Fathers Strong Daughters - Meeker
Lasting Impressions - Waltz
Enemies of the Heart - Stanley
Rework - Fried and Hansson
EntreLeadership - Ramsey
Taking your Church to the Next Level - McIntosh
The Thank You Economy - Vaynerchuk
The Flinch - Julien Smith (free on the kindle by the way, and a great quick read!)

Without going into detail on every one, my favorites were probably Strong Fathers Strong Daughters, EntreLeadership, and the Flinch. One thing I noticed is that I didn't read a single novel this year (though I guess I did read a couple of the narnia books to my daughter). So I need a novel or two for next year. I always tend to read things I want / need to learn about, but I need to squeeze in a few more just for enjoyment.

So, did you read any of these? What was your favorite read of 2011? What would you recommend make my list for 2012? I've got some work to do - my new goal is 36!

Why Flashmobs make me cry

2011-12-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

There is something beautiful about watching large groups of people do things together. It's absolutely amazing to watch. Think about the organization that goes into something like this, the practice, the hard work, the details.

Have you ever felt like you were a part of something much bigger than yourself? Ever seen the results of a project that took tons of time and tons of people to pull off? I dream about stuff like this. Not dancing to Black Eyed Peas for Oprah per se, but being a part of something epic, something world changing with a group of other people that seems literally impossible.

Who's with me?

Let's Change the World

2011-12-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

Are you ready STORYCHURCH? Today we kicked off our CHANGE THE WORLD campaign by launching a new page on our website. Through it, you can see each of our three major initiatives, videos, and more. While most of us probably won't be giving until Sunday, you can begin giving TODAY online if that's how you decide to give.

For this Sunday, I pray that you come prepared to give generously and sacrificially to help us CHANGE THE WORLD. Here's how this will work: If you are a regular giver to STORYCHURCH, we encourage you to continue to give your REGULAR OFFERINGS in the normal way - through our giving box or online.

WE WILL BE DOING A SEPARATE OFFERING DURING THE SERVICE FOR OUR CHANGE THE WORLD OFFERING.

There are 3 WAYS TO GIVE this Sunday:

GIVE CASH in the envelope we provide.
GIVE BY CHECK made out to STORYCHURCH with CHANGE THE WORLD on the memo line.
GIVE ELECTRONICALLY with your debit or credit card* on a new ipad giving station we will have set up.

I cannot wait to see what God does this weekend! Don't miss it. And while you are at it, invite someone to join you - the Christmas season is one of the most likely times of the year that people will attend church with you. Don't miss the opportunity to invite!

See you Sunday - let's CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!

(*Disclaimer: Please don't go into debt to give. In other words, if you carry a balance on your credit card month to month you are incurring DEBT. If you couldn't pay for it TODAY, then please don't give it.)

Change the World - KIDS

2011-12-07T06:09:00.001-08:00

One of the most amazing things to me about STORYCHURCH is our ministry to kids. On any given week, 35% of our church is under the age of 12! That is a significant number - one that isn't common in church world. We believe that God has uniquely positioned us to reach young families and it is incredibly fun to be a church full of little kids running around. The running joke around our church is that you better be careful about what you eat or drink because people often end up pregnant. In fact, there are currently 7 pregnant women in our church right now (though 1 or 2 could be having babies any day!).

Here's what I believe about kids ministry. I believe our kids aren't simply the future of our church, I believe they are our church right now. Our kids are capable of following Jesus, sharing their faith with their friends, and making a real difference in the world. That's why we don't see STORYKIDS as a babysitting service. They aren't simply watching our kids while we do the real church stuff. They are teaching, training, and releasing world changers. Those kids are learning that God loves them, that we love them and that they have something to offer the world as an active part of the kingdom of Jesus.

The second part of our "CHANGE THE WORLD" offering on December 18 is focused on kids. As amazing as our kids ministry is, they have been functioning with old, even broken equipment and outdated technology. Our vision for our kids ministry is to make it one of the funnest, most incredible experiences of a kid's week. Our plan is to update curriculum, technology, check-in procedures, safety, and to really raise the fun and wow factor for our kids. As a parent of three of my own, I want my kids to LOVE their church and to LOOK FORWARD every single week to being there.

The beauty of focusing on our kids with part of our CHANGE THE WORLD offering is that we are investing in the next generation. Our generosity now will have a lasting impact for years to come.

I hope you will join us for this exciting offering together on December 18. Please pray about how you and your family might give generously to see us make a difference in the lives of others this Christmas.

Change the World - WATER

2011-11-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

As we enter the Christmas season, we are challenging each other at STORYCHURCH to CHANGE THE WORLD this year. This year our goal is to raise $15,000 in a special offering on December 18 that will go to three different initiatives. This week we focus on clean water.

In December of 2010, STORYCHURCH members gave enough money to fund the drilling of a fresh water well somewhere else in the world. In August of 2011, that well was finally drilled in partnership with Living Water International.

We literally CHANGED THE WORLD. And we plan to do it again.

Thoughts for the Superheroes of STORYCHURCH

2011-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hey STORYCHURCH, I'm thinking about you this morning. Yesterday we wrapped up our series AKA and I think it was one of my top 5 favorite days as a church. Here's why:

The Fun Factor - seriously we had a lot of fun. From getting a group of people on stage staring at the sky for 10 minutes while I taught, to some staged crowd-sourced announcements, to superhero cutouts and free t-shirts. We had a good time didn't we?
Worship - Holy smokes. The band just about rocked my face off and the spirit of worship and celebration among you all was incredible. I love to watch us growing in our expression and participation in worship. The new song we sang at the end is called "Great I Am" and you can buy it HERE or watch the video HERE.
Stories - I talked to two people specifically yesterday that told me amazing stories. One of those stories is from a person who is beginning to embrace the story she was meant to live. She has been attending for months, but more as a cautious observer. But Jesus is changing her to the point that while she still isn't totally sure where she stands - she can't help but talk about it with others, share what she is learning, and invite neighbors to experience what she is experiencing. WOW. (Which reminds me, if you have a story to share of how God is changing you through STORYCHURCH - share it HERE.)
Creativity - I am so proud of our AKA series. I think it's one of the best things we've ever done. And you know why? Because someone (Josh Grossmann, to be exact) used their gifts and talents to make it incredible. Here's what we all need to learn from that: STORYCHURCH IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU AND I USE THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN US. Seriously if you aren't serving yet, please make your way through the Growth Track and get plugged in. If you enjoyed this series, if it touched your life in any way - it's because Josh poured his heart, soul, time and talents into it. And YOU can have that kind of impact on someone else too.
Generosity - Together we gathered dozens and dozens of shoeboxes full of goodies for kids all over the world this Christmas in partnership with Operation Christmas Child. You guys never disappoint here. Thanks for being a giving church. AND, our kids ministry decorated the boxes and made cards for them - HOW COOL IS THAT?

I'm so thankful for you all and that I get to pastor my favorite church in the world. We're just getting started!!

My most recent favorite moments as a dad

2011-11-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

In no particular order, here is why being a dad has been awesome lately.

Watching Hannah play soccer - seriously, so much fun. After five or six scoreless seasons in which she wondered if she would EVER score a goal - she now has 17 on the year. This week they beat an undefeated team 4-1 and Hannah scored all four goals. PROUD DAD.
Wrestling - my kids new favorite pastime and mine too. A week or so ago I had one of the fullest, busiest, tiring days I've had in a long time. When we got home the kids and I had an epic wrestling match for the ages. Just when I didn't think I had any energy left, they managed to find a few more drops to squeeze out of me. Loved it.
Praying for Joy - My daughter Joy had eye surgery last week. It was scary and stressful, but I loved gathering the family around before the surgery and laying hands on her to pray for her. I love to see my kids pray for each other and for all of us to learn that kind of dependence on God. (And she is doing great by the way)
Popsicles - Hannah's teacher told us a story last week. It seems that she dropped the class off at P.E. with the understanding that another teacher would take the kids from P.E. to their next activity. Before she left she told Hannah "You're in charge." I'm sure she was kidding. But when the other teacher never showed, Hannah took charge. She lined up her class and led them by herself to the next thing. When she arrived with a perfectly behaved class and no teacher it earned them all popsicles. She'll be running that school soon.

The Wrestler: Bonus thoughts on Jacob

2011-10-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

One of my kids' favorite activities is to wrestle with dad. In fact, yesterday after an incredibly long day (in a good way!), my two youngest and I had one of the most epic wrestling matches we've ever had.

As I was thinking about that, I couldn't help but think about Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32. It's a weird passage of Scripture. It really is. I mean, who wrestles God? And how in the world does Jacob hang with Him all night long? And then there's verse 25:

When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Whoever this "man" is - we later learn that He is divine. Jacob goes so far as to say that He saw God face to face. So, what does it mean that "the man" (God? an angel?) could not overpower Jacob? And yet, despite the fact that He can't overpower, all it takes is a touch to send Jacob to the chiropractor with a displaced hip. Weird isn't it?

But then I got to thinking about wrestling with my kids. My kids and I don't wrestle with the intent of "winning." We aren't trying to pin each other. It's not about overpowering each other. It's about the struggle. They love to struggle with dad. But let's be honest - if I wanted to win, that wrestling match could be over in a second (at least for a few more years!).

I don't believe that the man "could not" overpower Jacob as much as he "would not" overpower him. The evidence of that being the fact that he easily disabled Jacob once he decided it was time to be done. I think the "could not" refers to the fact that Jacob was persistent. He wasn't going to let go or give up no matter what. And THAT, I get. Once me and my kids get going in a wrestling match, I CAN'T match their intensity and persistence. Eventually, I pin them down just so I can take a break.

Yesterday I encouraged us to get in the ring and wrestle with God. I encouraged us all to see the struggle as a necessary part of our new identity that is waiting on the other side. But today, as a wrestling father, a couple of other thoughts came to mind:

DON'T WRESTLE THE WRONG PERSON. As my kids and I wrestle - I'm protecting them the whole time. I'm watching out for them, I'm softly giving them resistance. Jacob doesn't wrestle Esau (the guy who wants to kill him). He wrestles God - the one who loves him and wants to gently restore him and give him a new identity.
WRESTLE WITH A PURPOSE. It isn't about winning, it's about the struggle. If you wrestle God with the intent to win, I've got some bad news. God is never going to say "uncle". But here's the encouraging thing - he isn't going to overpower you either. He won't force you to submit. The struggle is the point. It's the struggle that softens our heart.
CELEBRATE THE LIMP. In one quick move, Jacob is both wounded and healed at the same time. That wound given by God is what takes Jacob (deceiver) into his new identity and a future he never could have imagined. Your limp is the outward evidence of the inward touch of God. Limp proudly into your new identity.

A few thoughts for STORYCHURCH

2011-10-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

It's Monday morning and I'm sitting in Caribou coffee (AKA my office) trying to get my week off to a good start. Here are a few things I wanted to share with you this morning:

I'm just blown away every day that I get to pastor you. Seriously, this is my FAVORITE CHURCH IN THE WORLD. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I hope you can say that too.
God is stretching us right now in this AKA series, isn't He? So many of you have talked about what He's teaching you. It may be my favorite thing we've ever done as a church. I would love to share some of the stories that are emerging with our church. If a light has come on for you - consider sharing that with us by emailing hello@storychurch.org.
Word is getting out. One of my favorite questions for guests is "how did you hear about us?" I love to hear the ways that God is connecting people to our community. Lately, many of our guests are your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends. Thank you for sharing with others what God is doing in your life. This is too good to keep to ourselves. (By the way - yesterday was our HIGHEST ATTENDANCE EVER!!)
Our GROWTH TRACK continues to roll out every week and so many of you have jumped in. If you haven't yet begun the track, what are you waiting for? I think it's one of the absolute best things we have going right now. Chapter 3 will be this Sunday and will help you to discover your God-given shape.
Our CONNECTION GROUPS are flourishing. Seriously the relationships that we are seeing happen and the depth we are seeing between people is blowing me away. If you aren't yet connected in a group - go here now ---> www.storychurch.org/connect.

For Better or Worse: Foundations

2011-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last week at STORYCHURCH we began a new series called "For Better or Worse." I had so much fun team teaching with my wife as we shared some of what we believe to be the foundations to a healthy marriage. As a recap, here are the five things we shared last week:

Be the person you want to be married to - Let's face it, 4s don't get to marry 10s. If you wake up one day and realize you are laying next to a 9 and you are hovering around a 5 - you better get to work before she wakes up and realizes it! Single person - you won't find that faithful, dependable guy at the club picking up girls. He won't suddenly become Mr. Faithful just because you come along.
Healthy marriages LEAVE and CLEAVE - In Genesis, right from the beginning we are told that when two people get married that two things should happen - they should LEAVE their families, and CLEAVE to one another. Many marriages suffer because one or both people have never really left home. Mom and dad are still more important to them than their spouse. Some may have left home, but they've never really began to stick to each other. Sometimes that can be evidenced by separate accounts, separate names, etc. (notice that's a "sometimes" and not "all the time"). Do mom and dad decide your vacation or holiday schedules? Healthy marriages have detached from one family to form a new one.
When two become one, don't try to make them two again. Have you ever seen this happen? "YOUR child is out of control." "I bring home the paycheck and all HE does is spend it." "SHE has so much debt." When you get married, there isn't anymore MINE and YOURS. There is only OURS. It is OUR debt, these are OUR kids, and this is OUR mess. And if it is going to get better, WE better get OUR act together. On the flip side, I've seen single people try and jump into a WE reality when the fact is they are still two people. Moving in together, buying furniture together, getting cell phones together, paying bills together, mixing finances together - this is messy stuff that can have disastrous results when two aren't really one yet.
Great marriages don't just happen. It's hard work. You can never stop studying your spouse. Learn about them. Read a book about relationships once in a while. Get better at being a husband or a wife. Dudes - we are so inclined to achieve and accomplish that we often think that once we land a wife the mission is accomplished. NOT SO! She wants to be pursued the rest of her life. If you don't keep pursuing her, someone else just might.
Pursue Jesus first. I heard Pastor Perry Noble say one time - "You don't have a marriage problem, you have a Jesus problem." The truth is that without the solid foundation of Jesus in your marriage you will never have the kind of marriage that you could have. If two people in a marriage will commit themselves to pursuing Jesus, that marriage WILL get better. EVERY TIME. If you are learning to be more graceful, more compassionate, more forgiving, more selfless - your marriage can't help but be awesome.

If you want to listen to this message you can do that by going HERE and subscribing to the podcast.

And let me personally invite you, if you are anywhere near the Triangle to join us this week for part two of our series. You can use this link to invite someone you know to join us!

Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

2011-08-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

I want to have a healthy marriage, so I think I'll flirt with my secretary.

I want to be financially secure, so I'm going to rack up some consumer credit buying things I can't really afford.

By this time next month I want to lose 5 pounds, so go ahead and supersize that.

I want to get into a great college on a scholarship so I think I'll party tonight instead of studying for that test tomorrow.

Recently I had the opportunity to read a really great book by pastor and leader Andy Stanley called The Principle of the Path. This book reveals a very simple principle that we all know to be true - Direction, not intentions, determines destination. Andy explains the incredible disconnect so many of us have between what we say we want to happen, and what we actually do about it.

It's a quick read and really simple to understand. As a pastor myself, this book has given me a great way to talk to people about the connection between our choices and the circumstances we find ourselves in on a day to day basis. I believe this simple principle could transform the way you and I think about the choices we all face every day.

If you are finding yourself frustrated with your present circumstances and want future decisions to lead to better results, then I would highly recommend you grab a copy of this book.

(Disclaimer: Booksneeze gave me a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.)

Close your eyes

2011-08-31T07:02:00.000-07:00

This morning in my reading through the One Year Bible, this one verse stuck out to me.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says "We live by faith, not by sight."

Wow, so much packed into that little sentence. For me this is a constant tension in my life. Really up until a few years ago almost all of my decisions and my actions were based on what I could see. In other words, if I didn't know how it was going to work out, I probably wasn't going to do it. But then there was church planting. Since I began this process I've learned about moving and acting in the midst of uncertainty. From moving to surviving financially to leading down a path I've never been - all of it has been by faith. And God has proven himself so faithful during this time. He has provided for us when we didn't know how it would happen. He has blessed us for taking steps of faith where we didn't have clarity.

But the tension for me remains. Almost every day as a pastor I'm faced with what I can see - the very real circumstances of people's lives. There are marriages that are struggling, people healing through an abusive past, surgeries, and all kinds of hurt and pain. I'm faced with statistics, with attendance numbers, and with budgets. I'm faced with a growing church and growing kids ministry that doesn't have the volunteers to keep up. There are facts and figures and dates and schedules that start to dominate my thinking.

It would be very easy for me to allow what I can see to consume me, to overwhelm me, and to ultimately paralyze me. But we can't live that way. We won't live that way. We, as the people of God, we live by faith not by sight. The unseen drives us and compels us to keep going and to keep believing a different future is possible even when all that we can see now tells a different story.

Don't let your sight overcome your vision.

Sometimes I think you and I would do better if we closed our eyes every now and then. Because what we can see often keeps us from taking steps of faith. We lose hope. We lose our vision.

Your marriage doesn't have to be this way. Your finances can turn around. You can heal through this struggle. There is hope for you. When we stop living by sight and start living by faith our vision outgrows our sight. We start to believe things that right now seem impossible.

So whatever is holding you back today from doing what you know God has called you to do - close your eyes to it. Let the vision in your heart override what can be seen, and may your faith drive you forward into the uncertainty of the future.

A follow up to Sunday

2011-08-09T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hey church, can I just say that Sunday was awesome? Seriously, it was an incredible day. I think it was maybe the best start to a new series we've ever had. If you weren't there, make sure you download the podcast and check it out.

Here are a couple thoughts I've had since Sunday. If we really believe that 1 > 99, then here are a few things I'm asking you to commit yourself to:

Pray for your lost friends - Seriously. Pray.
Invite - You do what you can do, and I'll do what I can do. You invite your lost friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives and baristas, and I'll make sure we communicate the life-giving message of Jesus to them in a non-goofy, engaging way.
Be friendly - If you have been to STORYCHURCH more than once, then you are part of the welcome team. Invite someone to lunch, give out your phone number.
Be aware - If our goal is to reach lost people, then constantly be aware of how you contribute to that! Park far away, give up your seat, jump up to get more chairs, walk someone to kids ministry, give them the last muffin, introduce them to someone else.
Serve - join a serve team. We need kids ministry people, greeters, ushers, set designers, artists, cooks, writers, musicians, smilers, hand-shakers, coffee makers, and lots more. Each person helps contribute to an environment where lost people can be found by the One who is pursuing them.

Courage Day 2011

2011-08-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Courage Day!

Three years ago today my family and I said goodbye to CA and headed east to follow a crazy calling to plant a church. We celebrate the day every year now as a family holiday - Courage Day. Though this year our big celebration will be on Saturday (Kimi is planning something secret, anyone know what it going on?), today is that day and I didn't want it to pass without calling attention to it.

The church that now exists is the greatest church on the planet. I'm so proud to be part of this community of people and I'm blown away every day that I get to be part of it. Thank you STORYCHURCH for having the courage to follow Jesus wherever He leads us.

This thing is just getting started!

Clean Water

2011-07-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

Scott Harrison is changing the world. His organization Charity:Water provides clean, safe drinking water to some of the most unreached people groups in the world. Great ideas like this one don't just happen. Someone has a wild dream, then decides to do something about it. Most people never get to the second half of that - the doing part. Too many of us stop short because of the cost, the criticism, or the difficulty. I bet the people of this village are glad that Scott was willing to pursue the vision he had to change the world. I bet they are glad that he didn't listen to the naysayers, to the people who said it couldn't be done. I bet they are glad he didn't give up.

We promised we'd be back. from charity: water on Vimeo.

My dream for STORYCHURCH

2011-07-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at STORYCHURCH we talked together about Ezekiel - a sort of unsure prophet who God uses to speak life into a bunch of dry bones. By the time Ezekiel is done speaking to them, they are standing in front of him - not as a bunch of dry bones, but as a vast army with tendons and flesh and the breath of life in their lungs.

Imagine the scene! Ezekiel is speaking and the bones start rattling. A leg bone flys across the valley and attaches itself to a hip. A spine stands up and ribs attach themselves. Soon tendons start forming and flesh appears. And then the breath of life enters their lungs and a huge gasp is heard.

I believe God wants to use STORYCHURCH to be a voice in a valley of dry bones. I believe he has positioned us to speak hope and life, to dream dreams for people that have lost the ability to dream those dreams themselves. One of our primary roles is to remind people that God isn't done with them, and that hope still remains - that we serve a God who resurrects the dead!

What if every time we gathered in homes, in coffee shops, or in our Sunday services - there were dry bones coming back to life? What if our worship was constantly accompanied by the rattling sound of bones being joined together? I believe we can be that kind of community. I believe God is ready to do amazing things in and through us - and many of you have already experienced it. Many of you were nothing but dry bones, and now you have life like you never had it before.

I'm asking you to beg God with me that we would see this happen on a regular basis. That lives would be put back together, hope would be restored, marriages renewed, families rebuilt. Finally, I'm asking you to be bold. Become an Ezekiel in your neighborhood, in your work place, and in your families. Speak life into places of dryness, speak hope into the darkness, and dream dreams for people that they can't dream!

Renewal

2011-06-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we need renewal. We can't keep our foot on the gas all the time. I'm really thankful for the opportunity to recharge a little bit by stepping back and taking a real vacation. It's been a long time. I'm looking forward to spending some time with friends and family and doing whatever we feel like doing.

I hope you build into your life a rhythm that allows you to work really hard, but also to rest, to step back and to breathe deeply. In my family we fight pretty hard to maintain a sabbath - a day of rest every week. For us, it's usually Saturday. It's the day we play, the day we take naps, the day we go to parks and get outside.

But beyond that, we all need an extended break. Time away from the normal stuff of life. Time to spend money instead of making it, to build memories instead of building our empires, to pour into our families instead of our customers, and to refresh our souls.

So get outside, plan a vacation, take a nap - do whatever it takes to refresh.

I'll be at the beach if you need me.

Secret followers

2011-05-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was reading a familiar story this morning - the story of the burial of Jesus from John 19. I've probably read it dozens of times in my life, and yet today I saw something I've never seen before. Check it out:

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.

Did you catch that? Look at it again - a secret follower of Jesus who was accompanied by another man who had been so afraid to be seen with Jesus that he went to Him at night - these are the men who end up with the body of Jesus, preparing it for burial.

All day long I've been thinking about this. I wonder about a lot of things. How did these two secret followers of Jesus find each other? What was it like to be burying Jesus after having been too afraid to be seen with him in public? Were they ashamed? Were there regrets? What was their conversation like?

Then again, this particular moment seems to be a very public thing. They go to Pilate (and Mark's gospel tells us that Joseph "went boldly to Pilate") and ask for the body. Both of these men are prominent people. They have a lot to lose in this moment to be seen as sympathetic to this "blasphemer" and "enemy of Rome". Their secret following seems to have taken a public turn.

Here's what I take from this though. The story of Jesus death is surrounded by other stories of people who totally blow it. There's Judas who betrays Him, the disciples who desert Him, one who denies Him, a crowd that mocks Him, religious people who reject Him, and these two guys who are afraid to be seen with Him.

I don't know about you - but I've found myself in just about every one of those groups at some point. And there's been more than one time in my life when I've been afraid to be known as a Jesus follower. But resurrection changes that doesn't it? No one knew the reality of Jesus death more than the guys who wrapped his body, placed it in a cold, hard tomb, and sealed it up. We don't know much about what happened to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea after the resurrection. But I can guess. My guess is that their secret was out of the bag. I bet their fear gave way to hope, to new life, and to resurrection.

Jesus has that affect on us. He transforms us. He changes us. He embraces us. Whether we've denied Him, rejected Him, deserted Him, mocked Him, or even been afraid to be seen with Him.

May you be encouraged today to follow Him boldly.

Jon and Jenny

2011-05-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

Last week Kim and I said goodbye to some dear friends who came to mean so much to us in the short two years that we knew them. Jon and Jenny James (in the picture above, with Andrew in the middle, for reasons only Andrew could probably explain) were part of the launch team of Story Church. (In case you don't know what that is, it's basically the handful of people who commit themselves to helping to get a brand new church off the ground.) We had been meeting in my house with about three other families on a weekly basis when Jon emailed me one day out of the blue. He and his family were looking for a church and he said that they would like to come to one of our meetings to get to know us. Little did we know that we were about to meet some of the most critical team members Story Church would have in our first two years.

Over time as we began to get to know them, Jon and Jenny fit like a glove. I quickly learned that Jon was not only very smart, but an incredibly gifted strategic thinker. I had always heard that God would provide just the right people at just the right time for our church, but this was really unbelievable. Jon and I met at least once a week to talk about the church, to dream big dreams and to talk about how to create the systems that would make Story Church sustainable. He saved me time and time again from myself as I would start down some trail without a plan. Where I tend to be big picture, Jon always helped me to think practically and to ask the important questions of how we get there.

Jon played in the band, rarely missing a week. He set up our sound system. He built the carts we use for our setup. He created the online tools we use to track and measure the health and effectiveness of our church. He gave generously from day one. He managed our volunteers - from the first time they served to the scheduling to the shepherding of each one. For the first year of our church Jon even pulled the trailer with his truck.

Jenny served in our kids ministry from day one. When she wasn't with our kids, she was the first face people would connect with as she would welcome them from the stage. And all this while carrying around a small man / large baby we know and love as Jimmy.

On a personal level, Jon really helped me to get to know this city that I've come to love in Durham. Jon introduced me to Cosmic Cantina - where we regularly debated the merits of the Chicken Burrito vs. the "Old School" Chicken Burrito. He introduced me to Parker and Otis, now one of my favorites. And then there's Bali Hai and the unceasing quest to get the most food for the best value. No one can stack food better or create a more complete bridge of food than Jon. I should also credit Jon for my transition to coffee - as he introduced me to the mocha, the gateway drug I needed to make the jump. He took me to a Duke football game, but more importantly, he got me in to Cameron to see my first Duke hoops game.

Jon and I laughed a lot. Which to me was maybe the most important thing of all. Jon became a friend for me in what were some of the most lonely times of my life - those first two years of the church planting process. I don't know if I would have made it without a friend like Jon.

We always knew that Jon and Jenny would only be here a short time as he finished up his PhD. I can only say the time was too short. It's hard to completely explain how much Jon and Jenny have meant to my family, and to the Story Church family. Our church may not have made it this far, but certainly not in its present form if it hadn't been for this amazing couple.

Jon and Jenny have moved on to Cleveland where Jon goes to work for the Federal Reserve. I know one thing for sure - Cleveland just became a better city. I thank God for the time we had with the James family and pray that He blesses them in every way in the years to come.

We had hoped to have one last Sunday with Jon and Jenny to publicly acknowledge them and the contribution they made to Story Church. In the end, that wasn't possible. But if you have benefited in any way from the ministry of Story Church it is only because of people like Jon and Jenny. Please don't hesitate to let them know how thankful you are for them by responding here, or send them a message on Facebook here, or here.

Dear Church Planter

2011-05-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

Church planter, I want to talk to you today about numbers. Every church planter faces the temptation to measure the success of their church by numbers. The number of butts in seats, and the number of dollars given in offering. Those two numbers - butts and bucks, become the dominant numbers above all else. And let's be honest, they are pretty important stats. Without people, you don't have a church. And without finances, you can't continue to have a church. At some level these are important numbers. But while these numbers tell a story, they don't tell the WHOLE story.

Two weeks ago we had some of our highest numbers ever. It was close to our highest attendance, and it was by far our highest offering ever. And on Monday, I was feeling pretty good. We had turned a corner, we were on our way forward, ready to hire staff, ready to take our city for Jesus. And then there was this week. Below average attendance, and our lowest Sunday offering ever. And you know what? Monday I felt like sitting in a dark room and listening to Depeche Mode all day.

But then I was reminded of a different set of numbers:

1 - the mom who attended with her family on Mother's day and though in her 60s said it was the first time in her life she was moved to tears as God spoke to her through worship.
2 - the couple beginning to see God put their marriage back together.
3 - the number of kids who were dedicated on Mother's day as parents and families committed themselves to following Jesus together as a family.
4 - the family of four who have started coming recently and are finding new life.
5 - the family that just moved 2,500 miles to be part of the Story Church team.

So church planter, numbers are important. Attendance and offering are important. But they aren't the most important. A crowd doesn't mean lives are being changed. A great offering doesn't mean that marriages are being healed. Be faithful with what God gives you now, celebrate the numbers that matter most - and in the end, I believe those other numbers will be just fine.

Reparando

2011-04-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Not long after I moved to NC I was introduced to Bill Cummings, founder of Lemonade International. Lemonade is a U.S. based non-profit that works in partnership with Guatemalan leaders to help bring restoration to the largest urban slum in Central America - "La Limonada." Bill and his wife Cherie have grown to love this place and have committed their lives to bringing attention and relief to some of the world's poorest people. On the ground in La Limonada is a woman named Tita Evertsz. It was her love and sacrifice for the people of this city that originally captured Bill and Cherie's hearts. Tita's story is incredible. So incredible in fact, that it recently caught the attention of a group of film makers.

On Thursday, May 5 the movie "Reparando" will have a special screening in Raleigh, where Tita Evertsz herself will be present. I would strongly encourage you to purchase tickets here and go hear about the incredible ways in which hope is rising in the slums of Guatemala.

Reparando - Trailer - 01 from Athentikos on Vimeo.

Parenting moment

2011-04-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

You never know when they are coming. Those times when life seems to hand deliver a moment packed full of opportunity to teach, to guide, to parent. Yesterday was one of those moments for me.

My oldest daughter is a bit of an entrepreneur. Over the weekend she ran her own yard sale on Saturday, and then a lemonade stand on Sunday. In fact, as the lemonade stand seemed to be stalling she and her friends began to take it door to door. At the end of the day she had actually made quite a bit of money, and she and the next door neighbors would end up splitting the profits.

Somewhere toward the end of the day, another boy came over to play. Without replaying all the details, it appears that he was pretty impressed by the amount of money she had made. And he felt like he wanted some of it. So when they were alone, he put the pressure on. My daughter resisted at first (I only know the details because we found out later), but eventually caved and gave the boy a $10 bill.

So where do you go with that as a parent? Some might downplay it. Others might run down the street and strangle some kid (haha, I have to admit I thought about it!). I think it was a divine moment for me and my daughter. Here are a few of my thoughts.

Pressure

As far as I know, this is the first time she has ever faced big time peer pressure. But this is a specific type of pressure isn't it? This is the first time that a boy has pressured her to give him something. And unfortunately, it probably won't be the last time a boy puts the pressure on. And THAT makes this moment so important. It's also why I would gladly pay $10 for this learning experience. The conversation we had afterwards was priceless. Parents (especially dads!), I'm convinced that these seemingly small moments when our girls are 7 are the key to having 17 year olds who are confident, strong young women who have discernment and the ability to stand up for themselves. And these conversations set the stage for an open, honest dialogue with your kids as the conversations continue over the next 15+ years.

I'm certainly not a perfect parent, and I have much to learn. But I have had the unique opportunity to work with hundreds of teenagers over a 10 year span. There is a clear difference between the girls whose identity, value, and sense of self worth come from their fathers, and those who are searching for it elsewhere. My daughter needed to hear from her dad yesterday that it is ok to say NO. She needed to hear that she should never have to give in to the pressure of someone else. She needed to hear that she has the strength and the ability to stand up for herself and to be confident in doing so. She needed to hear that what that boy did to her was wrong and she should never settle for it.

Parents, don't ever pass an opportunity like this up to guide your kids, to walk with them through their thought process, to talk about their fears, the decisions they made, and how they feel afterwards. Role play it with them, talk about how they could have handled it differently, ask lots of questions. Resist the urge to rescue them and to make it all right. I know that feels like what we need to do sometimes, and maybe at times we do, but there is such value in these moments. You won't always be there. And you won't always be able to fix a situation. But if we teach our kids discernment, and we teach them wisdom - they won't need to be rescued next time.

What about you? How would you have handled this? Have you ever had a situation like this?

Easter in West Village

2011-04-13T13:07:00.001-07:00

I am so excited about our upcoming Easter service on April 24 in downtown Durham's West Village. We have a unique opportunity to meet in a location that puts us in the heart of our city, and only a mile from Duke's campus. Because this is such a new thing for us, you can imagine that there is lots to do to make sure we have a great celebration together. Below you will find some of the specific ways you can get involved.

INVITE - We would love to see more than 200 people in attendance this Easter. Invite your friends, invite your coworkers, invite your neighbors, invite the mailman, the banker, your barista, and anyone else who comes within 10 feet of you! This Sunday (4/17) we will have 1,000 invitations to give you to pass out all over the city. You can also invite people through Facebook here, or by sending them this link.

PRAY - Pray that God would do something incredible in our church this Easter. Pray that people who are without hope would come into contact with a community celebrating the resurrected Jesus.

GIVE - Doing something this big and this different comes with lots of extra costs for us as a church. If you want to help us reach our city, consider giving above and beyond what you would normally give.

BRING - We are collecting flash drives (1 GB or larger) and scientific calculators (not graphing) for an incredible ministry in Durham known as the Genesis home. We'll be collecting them on 4/17 and Easter 4/24.

TAKE - This Sunday 4/17 we will have Easter baskets for you to take home and fill for kids through the Durham Rescue Mission. We recommend you fill it with fun stuff (candy, toys, stuffed animals) as well as some practical things like socks and a toothbrush. Inside the basket you will find all the details you need to fill it and drop it off at the right place by Friday, April 22. If you'd like to volunteer your time at their event, follow the link to find out more.

SERVE - If you can help us set up on Saturday 4/23, or if you would like to help us welcome guests on Easter, please email us and let us know!

One year stories

2011-04-04T15:53:00.001-07:00

I listened to this bit of audio from our one year anniversary service again this week and it occurred to me that I didn't ever share these. So if you have eight minutes and want to get really excited about what God is doing in STORYCHURCH, give it a listen. (It's just audio, but worth the listen!)

Billy Hornsby

2011-03-24T18:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, on March 23, 2011 the world lost a great man and heaven gained a legend. Billy Hornsby was the president and founder of ARC (the Association of Related Churches). His vision was large and it outlives him today.

I first met Billy (pictured on the left) through another friend. I shared a meal with him another time, and got to sit and listen to him share life, vision, and a passion for seeing people fall in love with Jesus through the planting of life-giving churches. Story Church simply wouldn't exist like it does today if it weren't for the support of our friends at the ARC. In a time when I felt like we were drowning, the life-giving spirit of the ARC was a breath of fresh air. And that spirit, that culture that exists within this movement, is a direct result of Billy.

The day before Billy died I received his new book in the mail, free as a gift from him and the ARC. He never stopped working to pour himself out on the lives of others. His influence will never be able to be measured. He squeezed life out of every last second. It's a beautiful thing to watch someone reach the end of their life with as much dignity as Billy did. He finished so well.

Though Billy had never been to Story Church, his fingerprints are all over it. While all of us within the ARC will miss him, we proudly carry his vision forward.

7 Myths about Courage

2011-03-04T10:58:00.001-08:00

We finished up our Courageous series recently and I have personally been deeply impacted by all the things we've learned as a community. I think for me it was the most important learning we've done together as a church since we started. If you are interested in hearing the message series, make sure you check out our podcast.

I've had some big posters (giant sticky notes really) on my wall for the past couple of months as we worked through Courageous and on one of them I had posted 7 myths we believe as it pertains to Courage. I'm getting ready to clean house a bit and switch gears so I wanted to record them and put them out there before they are gone for good.

7 Myths about Courage

Courageous people aren't afraid - I think we tell ourselves this in order to excuse ourselves from actually acting on the things we know we should be doing. As if people who demonstrate great courage didn't have to deal with fear. The truth is that courageous people have fear, they just don't allow it to win.
Courageous people have a special calling - I think this is related to #1, but a little different. This is more about ignoring the dreams and ideas that we have and just giving in to the life of "normal". We tell ourselves that those people who do courageous things must have a special calling from God, whereas I'm *just* called to be a _______. I don't buy it. God is calling all of us to live courageous lives of faith, and some of us actually go for it.
Courageous people have clarity about the future - Every one of us has uncertainty about the future. For many of us, that uncertainty is the source of all the fear we experience. But courageous people don't have some magical ability to see how things are going to end up. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that courage is taking the first step when you can't see the rest of the staircase. You will never have the clarity you want. Don't let that be the excuse that keeps you from ever taking the next step.
Courageous people are born that way - This is the "some-people-have-it-and-some-people-don't" mentality. We tell ourselves that courage is like the ability to dunk a basketball. God made some of us to dunk, and some of us to play golf. Unfortunately it isn't true when it comes to courage. Courage is more like a muscle. We're all born with it - but regular exercise helps it to grow.
God wouldn't ask me to do something risky, "foolish", or "crazy". - Really? Have you ever read the Bible? Ask Daniel how the lions den was, ask Joshua about marching around a city for seven days, ask Gideon about intentionally fighting a massive army with only 300 men, ask Moses about standing up to the most powerful person in the world with nothing but a stick, ask Abraham about nearly sacrificing his own son. Jesus said that his followers would face persecution and even death. He said that to follow him meant to eat his flesh and drink his blood. He said it meant to give everything away. He said that our enemy is like a lion seeking someone to devour. Sounds pretty risky to me.
Courageous people act with the full support of others - It would sure be nice if this was true, but it isn't. People don't like change. Courageous people are change agents. They aren't satisfied with things the way they are. They take risks. They step out in faith. And you know what that does? It makes "normal" people nervous. When you take a step of courage, it begins to threaten my perfectly controlled safe world. And so I will start to say things like "You don't really want to do that", or "think about what that will do to your kids", or "it's not worth the trouble", or "the issue is so big, what can you really do anyway?". You will face serious opposition to your courage - and it will probably come from the people closest to you. Be ready for that.
Courageous people don't fail - The truth is that courageous people probably fail more than most people. You can't fail at something you never attempt. So courageous people try, then fail, then try again, then fail, then try again - and maybe get it right. Don't ever let failure make you retreat back to "safe". You will fail. Push on - the dream is one step closer to becoming a reality.

What are your thoughts? Have you experienced any of the above? What would you add to the list?

A couple more thoughts

2011-02-07T10:58:00.001-08:00

For my STORYCHURCH family, here are a couple of bonus thoughts on yesterday's message and Joshua 7:

Both courage and fear are HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. Be careful which one you are projecting.
Achan's sin (cowardice really) affected thousands and thousands, but it affected those closest to him the most - his family. THEY PAID THE PRICE for his lack of courage.
Contrast Achan with the unspoken hero of Joshua 6 - Rahab the prostitute. Her courage to hide the spies was the primary reason for Israel's success. And her family was saved as a result. THEY REAPED THE BENEFIT of her courage (6:17).
Speaking of Rahab - that one act of courage resulted in her rescue, her family's rescue, and an eventual place in the lineage of King David - and oh yeah, some guy named JESUS.

And a couple more thoughts:

Not everyone will be excited about your courage. Some might oppose you, and some might even try and make you fail - even those you thought were on your side (see Achan). When you start to follow Jesus into courageous things, it makes THEM feel uneasy - and THEY don't like that. So THEY will do whatever it takes to get YOU to stop dreaming and start fitting in with everyone else again.
Don't be surprised when the ones that support you and believe in you are the ones you'd least expect - like Rahab the prostitute (and the enemy of Israel).

And one more thing:

Don't ever be the Achan to someone trying to be Joshua. Honor, encourage, support, cheer on, rally behind, celebrate, lift up, and fight with the people you know that attempt great and courageous things for God. There will be enough people opposing them - THAT ROLE IS ALREADY FILLED.

Another first for STORYCHURCH

2011-01-17T06:24:00.001-08:00

There are only so many things we can do "for the first time". We've had our first service, our first Easter, our first Christmas eve, our first anniversary, and now our first baptisms. Yesterday we had the amazing opportunity to baptize five of our own - five people with stories of life change that will never be the same. Lee, Will, Thy, Jillien, and Connie led the way and took the courageous step of baptism.

We weren't sure exactly how it was going to work. We ended up borrowing a portable baptistry from Pine Ridge Church in Burlington, NC where my friend Tadd pastors. It worked out really well. The biggest fear was whether we would get the tank filled in time, and whether we would freeze to death or not! haha. We had some trouble getting it filled at first, as all the hoses we brought were frozen solid. But we eventually broke up the ice and the water started flowing. However, the water did end up pretty cold, but we all survived.

I loved hearing the stories. Each person shared a bit about what had led them to that point. Each story is unique, and yet each one has a similar thread - people lost on their own, and now full of joy and peace as Jesus has changed them. Lee was an atheist, Will drove by for months and saw the church before he ever gave it a chance, Thy had never been to church before his wife dragged him to Story Church, Jillien has found new life in the midst of a chaotic transition, and Connie has found peace amidst a very difficult road as a single mom.

It's beautiful really. The way that Jesus takes people from all walks of life and all sorts of situations and begins to change them from the inside out. I'll never forget this Sunday. It was the first of what we hope are many, many days of celebrating life change and watching people embrace the story they were meant to live.

Courage pt.1

2011-01-06T08:16:00.001-08:00

This week we launched a brand new series at STORYCHURCH called Courageous. In case you missed it, you can listen to the message here. My plan is to reflect a bit more each week here on the blog to both reinforce what we're learning together and to give opportunity for further learning and discussion together. So jump in to the discussion!

I believe that when it comes to Courage, there are several myths we believe about those that seem to have it and those that don't. Let's tackle a couple of those here.

Myth #1: Courageous people aren't afraid.

It's funny really to think about, but many of us really think this must be true. We see people that take courageous steps and we assume that they don't feel the fear that keeps me and you grounded. We say things like "I could never do that" and we justify our fears as something we could never get over. But the truth is that courageous people are just as scared as you and me. Maybe even more so. Because unlike you and me, they actually put those fears to the test. Instead of being potentially dangerous, or potentially risky, they remove the "potential" and just go ahead and live the dangerous and risky. I love how in the Scriptures there is this constant command to not be afraid. Joshua is told around a dozen times between Moses and God himself to not be afraid, to be strong and courageous, to not fear. The only reason you tell someone to not be afraid is because they are afraid.

Myth #2: Courageous people have clarity about the future.

We often tell ourselves that we would go ahead with that dream in our hearts if we only knew what would happen next. We assume that courageous people take acts of courage because somehow they know that in the end it's all going to work out. The truth is that courageous people are just as fuzzy about the future as you and me. They do have clarity though - clarity about a vision, a desired future. But how they will get there? They have no idea. And yet, they take the steps they need to take to begin to see that vision become a reality.

The reality

Fear and uncertainty will never go away as long as you follow Jesus. The truth is that as you follow Jesus and as He begins to transform you, you will begin to dream crazy things. He will start to birth a vision in you that seems ridiculous. And at some point you will have the opportunity to either follow Him in obedience or stay where fear and uncertainty leave you alone. But I can promise you this, that as you choose to be courageous, the call of Jesus will be stronger than the fear and uncertainty. He will strengthen you and will never fail you.

Courage is being willing to do what you already know you should be doing. Many times we hear from God and it scares us so much, that we decide we'll go ahead and start "praying about it" for the next five years. Stop praying about what God has already told you to do. Be obedient.

What are your thoughts? How has fear or uncertainty paralyzed you in the past? What do you think God may be calling you to today?

One year

2011-01-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we celebrated one year at Story Church. One year. Wow. Someone asked me recently how the vision for the church matches up with the real thing now that we're a year in. It's a great question really.

The mission of Story Church is to help people embrace the story they were meant to live.

So the question is, how well have we done at doing that? In what ways are people embracing a new story, a different story, and beginning to embrace a larger view of their life and the place and role they play in the bigger story God is telling? Here are some of the ways I think that has been happening in year one:

People who were without hope have found it.
Some of them had no relationship with Jesus or his church a year ago, and today they are passionately following Him. Others had lost hope that church could really be a life-giving community where people were real and authentic in their pursuit of Him, and have begun to see that in Story Church.
We are finding ourselves a part of a bigger story.
For the first time there are lights coming on for many of us that are realizing that following Jesus isn't just about the "some day". It's not just about being forgiven and one day ending up in heaven. We are beginning to see the invitation of God to participate in the redemption and restoration of the world. And that's exciting.
The world is a different place.
Story Church has literally changed the world. A dozen kids around the world are now being cared for, fed, educated, and supported as a result of our people. 600 people in one village have clean water now that didn't before Story Church. A second village will be getting their clean water well soon. Women who were rescued from sex trafficking were given jobs. 100 needy kids in Durham were given backpacks full of school supplies to start the school year. Single moms were given fun days out with their kids. Church planters were funded, resourced, and coached.

So how well is the vision lining up? Pretty well I think. But like I told our church this week - we are no where near what I believe God wants to accomplish through us. I fully believe that we are just scratching the surface of what God has in store for us.

So let's get on with it shall we? Year two is here. The Story has yet to be written. Let's write with a renewed passion and energy to see even more people embrace the story they were meant to live.

Books

2010-12-29T03:36:00.000-08:00

I like to keep track of what I read in a given year. To me, it's like going back and seeing the path I've walked and the ways in which I've grown. I'm so thankful for the things God has taught me this year. My goal was 24 books - 2 a month. I didn't quite make it, but I got close. Here's my list from 2010:

Church Planting Landmines - Nebel and Rohrmayer
Derailed - Irwin
Primal - Mark Batterson
Lost and Found - Stetzer
Failure - The back door to success - Lutzer
Plan B - Pete Wilson
THE ENTIRE FREAKING BIBLE!! (In a 90 day sprint!)
Death by Meeting - Patrick Lencioni
Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell
Choosing to Cheat - Andy Stanley
Linchpin - Seth Godin
21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership - John Maxwell
Everyone communicates, few connect - John Maxwell
Funded and Free - Graham/Sangl
Wild at Heart - John Eldredge
Wooden on leadership - John Wooden
Radical - David Platt

What did you read? What would you recommend make my list for 2011?

How STORYCHURCH changed the world

2010-12-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

I love my church. Seriously.

We've been working our way through the Advent season, speaking of hope, of peace, of joy, and of love. All throughout we've looked inward and forward. Inward to acknowledge the ways we've grown cold throughout the year, and forward with hope and anticipation that Christmas can still change the world.

And throughout this season the anticipation has built. The light has grown stronger.

Sunday was one of the most incredible mornings we have ever had as a church. I don't know that I have ever been more proud to be a pastor. All month long we have been talking about the Advent Conspiracy and challenging our people to give more, and spend less. Give more of themselves, spend less money on meaningless stuff. And instead to take that extra money and turn it into something that would change the world. So this Sunday we took up a "Change the World" offering.

We had two goals: Be able to fund a well in a third world country that would literally change that community for generations to come - $5,000. And secondly, to replace a trailer we've outgrown and to then be able to give our trailer away to another church plant - $3,000.

And STORYCHURCH responded big time. All together we have so far raised just under $10,000!! This means we will definitely be able to reach both of our goals.

But we aren't done yet! There's still more we can do. There are more places that need water, more church plants that need funding, more single moms that need help. Though we've already met our goals, let's do even more than we could have ever imagined! If you'd still like to participate you can give here and under "gift options" simply write "Change the World", or place your gift in our offering box on Christmas Eve and mark it "Change the World."

Thank you STORYCHURCH for being an amazing, life giving, generous community of Jesus followers!

Don't forget our Christmas Eve service this Friday at 6pm. Invite your friends and family - the celebration just got a little bit bigger!!

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge: A review

2010-12-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

The first time I read Wild at Heart I believe was just after college. Recently I received a copy of a revised and expanded version that was released on the ten year anniversary of the book. Wild at Heart is a classic. The book deals with the heart of a man. John Eldredge contends that there are three desires in the heart of a man: A battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue. And yet at the same time there is a question that haunts every man - "Do I have what it takes?" At the heart of every man is a fear that he won't have what it takes to come through when he needs to. It's a fear that he'll be exposed as an impostor, that he isn't really a man. Eldredge does an amazing job at answering that question and addressing that fear in a way that affirms the man in who God has made him to be.

Eldredge's writing style makes for a great read. He regularly dips into his own life and shares stories of his experiences counseling other men and raising up three boys (now all grown). Reading it again was such a joy. I realize now, looking into the rear view mirror that this book shaped me more than I knew. It breathed truth into my life that I really needed in a very formative time as I wrestled with what it means to be a man. And now, being a father with a baby boy I read it in a whole new light. One of the greatest responsibilities I get as a father is to help answer "the question" for my son.

As for the revised and expanded version of the book - it wasn't clear to me what was expanded and/or revised with exception of one part of the introduction where Eldredge comments on what it's like now 10 years after the book was released. It has a different cover, but as far as I could tell the contents of the book have pretty much remained the same - the same classic, life-giving book that it has always been. I was so glad to read it again, and it certainly won't be the last time.

(Disclosure: Booksneeze.com has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for me to review. I was not required to give a positive review of the book. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

Adventures in missing the catch

2010-11-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson dropped a pass - a game winning, wide open, overtime pass that would have won the game. That's a bad day no matter what. But then, he tweeted this:

I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO...

The bad day just got worse. Here are just a few thoughts on life and leadership I have after hearing the story (and reading Romans 11 this morning).

1. Watch out for entitlement creep.

It's real easy to confuse God's blessing with entitlement. God doesn't owe us anything. Everything we have has been given to us by him and it's already more than we deserve. Disappointment and failure isn't punishment - it's the ingredients to a great story.

2. Worship is not a commodity to give or withhold. We don't bestow it upon God as though He needs it.

God isn't looking for favors from us. Worship isn't a business transaction where I do my part, now you do yours. God is still God and worthy of worship, but he doesn't owe me because I worship Him.

3. Worship that doesn't change us is worthless.

If we're "praising 24/7" but in the end it's still about us, we may have missed the point. If you and I aren't becoming more humble, more generous, more life-giving to those around us as a result of our worship, then maybe it isn't really worship after all.

4. Perspective comes with time. Allow yourself to go through the process.

I've been in athletic competition where I cost my team the game. My mistake, or my inability to make the play ended our chances. And you know what? There were plenty of great days after that. Whether it's in business, in relationships, or whatever - allow the time necessary to give you the right perspective on the situation. At the end of the day, it's still a football game. I think back to last year's near perfect game by Armando Galarraga - which after replays clearly was a perfect game blown by a bad call. Galarraga handled that disappointment with the utmost class because he stayed calm and held it all in perspective.

5. In the extremes, don't grab a microphone.

A really bad day got a whole lot worse because the disappointment Johnson felt was amplified when he broadcast it to the world. On the other extreme, sometimes in the moment of celebration we over-promise something we can't actually deliver. I think of the Office episode where Michael Scott ends up at a shareholders meeting with the microphone. The crowd starts cheering him and he loses control promising to save the company - something far outside his skill and ability.

I recently had a bad experience with a company's customer service. I too spewed forth on Twitter. I'm thankful that a couple of friends gut-checked me on that one. I blew it. Thankfully I didn't have several thousand followers and a host of media outlets that picked it up. Which brings us to points 6 and 7.

6. Leadership is costly.

When you are in a position of influence, or when your voice carries a lot of weight and/or authority, you pay a great cost. You can live or die on your words. Joe Smith down at the community flag-football game could miss the catch, spew forth on Twitter, and never hear so much as a squeak about it. Not so when you play in the NFL.

Leaders must limit themselves and apply a filter that other people may not have to do. Is that fair? I don't know. But it's reality. As a leader you represent something much bigger than yourself - and that may be your family, your company, your school, or even your church.

7. When you blow it, own it.

No one likes to make mistakes. But when we do, we've got to learn to own our mistakes - especially when they are in plain view of others. Many people fail to do this because they hate to admit defeat - they believe it is weakness. But the truth is that someone that makes a mistake and then owns it is seen as strong, not weak (see the Galarraga story above and the reaction of umpire Jim Joyce).

God wants me to fail

2010-11-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

It's true. And it's something I've been learning lately but is really difficult for me.

I'm actually a bit of a perfectionist, if I'm honest. Let me give you a few examples. I don't play games for the fun of it. I play to win. If I don't win, it drives me crazy. I want to quickly figure out a better strategy and play again. Which means I can be pretty competitive at just about anything. It's not that I don't like you, it's just that I want to crush you in competition. Games like "Angry Birds" for example, drive me crazy. It's addictive to me because I must beat it. I can't let those little pigs win. A few years ago I picked up woodworking as a hobby. I've built a few things, but to be honest, it too drives me crazy. I want to build things with precision and yet my skills aren't there. I notice every imperfection, every slightly crooked cut. In school I used to do really well. I got pretty much all A's in high school and college - with the exception of science classes. No matter how much I studied, how hard I worked, I could never seem to get better than a B, and it's the only class I ever got a C in. And it drives me crazy to this day.

I tend to let failure rule. I could get 99 out of 100 right and all I can think about is the one I missed.

So here's my dilemma. I'm a church planter. That may or may not mean much to you, but a church planter is basically an entrepreneur on steroids. It's someone who is trying to start something from scratch without funding, people, buildings, or any existing structures. While there are some obvious guidelines (the Bible for example), there's no blueprint for how to plant the church that exists in my head. Which means there's lots of trial and error. We start things that don't work and so we tweak it and try again. Some of what we try completely fails.

Now back to what God has been showing me. I've noticed lately that with some things I would rather not do anything than to try it and fail. Fear of failure has paralyzed me. Uncertainty about the outcome has left me unable, or unwilling, to move forward. I want it to succeed the first time. And so I believe God has been confronting me on this, because here's the deal - the difference between those that see their dreams become a reality and those that don't is very small. In fact, it's a single step. Those that are willing to step into the unknown change the world. Those that aren't, don't.

The vision I have for my church is scary. It scares me. It really does. And yet it is the most exciting thing I have ever dreamed in my life. And God is showing me that between here and there will be lots of risk. Lots of failure. Lots of doing it the wrong way before we figure out the right way. So I'm beginning to see God as the One who invites me to fail. He calls me into the unknown, he challenges me to risk. It's a scary reality, but one I hope I can embrace more and more.

So I'm praying this for myself and for you today (especially those of you that are part of Story Church!):

2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

May you and I have the courage to fail.

Hey Story Church - help us out!

2010-11-16T10:31:00.001-08:00

If you attend Story Church would you do us a favor? We believe that what God has been doing in us and through us is something amazing. We believe that the life that we are experiencing as a result is something that should be shared with others as well. There are lots of people out there looking for a life-giving church. So would you do us a favor? Here are a few ways you can help us to get the word out:

Write up a great review on Yelp.
If you blog, put a link to Story Church on your blog.
"Like" us on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter and retweet us every chance you get.
Most importantly? Live an authentic, loving, generous, Jesus-centered life. There is no greater invitation than that!

Thanks for helping us get the word out!

Numbers

2010-11-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

The number 100. It's a good number. A nice, round number. It's the first number that is three digits instead of two. And up until recently it was a number we had never reached at STORYCHURCH. That is, until yesterday. Yesterday, on my birthday, we had 101 in attendance!! It was exciting, not just for me, but I think for most of the people in the church who have been with us for a while. It's feeling fuller all the time and it's fun to be part of something that is growing and picking up momentum. And I think God calls us to celebrate. We SHOULD stop and take notice and party and rejoice over cool moments like this one. I was personally on cloud nine all day yesterday and woke up today feeling about as good as any Monday morning I can remember.

Numbers are important. They tell a story - not THE story, but a story. The reason we celebrate milestones like that is because every one of those 101 people is a life that is being touched and changed as they interact with and approach Jesus. And as cool as 101 is, we keep pushing and praying for more. The reason? Again, because we want to see as many lives as possible transformed by the good news of Jesus.

But there are some dangers with numbers as well. So as we celebrate, here are a few things I caution myself and you with today:

The DANGER OF ACCOMPLISHMENT - There is a danger with every milestone to pat ourselves on the back and say "Look at what we accomplished." I never want to be in the place where I think that any of this had anything to do with me. God chose to speak through donkeys before. The fact that He would use us is pretty awesome, but make no mistake - God is the one moving and changing people's lives, not me and not Story Church.
The DANGER OF LEGITIMACY. I don't know what else to call it. There's a real sense in which a certain number carries with it a level of legitimacy. Like, we're for real now because we had 100 people. I never want to lose the awe over the fact that ANYONE shows up! It is a miracle to me, and what God is doing in the life of 1 is just as important as a crowd.
The DANGER OF DECEPTION. When our numbers are down, I often feel like we failed. When they are up I feel like we are the best church in the world. I make the mistake sometimes of assuming God is at work when lots of people show up, but that he isn't when they don't. It's a lie. The reality is that I often hear the greatest stories of life change on days when we have some of our smallest attendance numbers.
The DANGER OF COMPARISON. It's real easy to start comparing ourselves to other churches, other ministries. I sometimes find myself comparing myself as a church planter to other guys doing the same thing. God hasn't asked us to plant their church, He's asked us to be faithful with ours. No matter what God is doing somewhere else, we must be faithful to do what he calls us to do.
The DANGER OF RESTING. Last I checked, there are still hundreds of thousands of lost people in the Triangle. Celebrating 100 is fine, but this is no time to rest. We aren't even beginning to scratch the surface of what God can do in us. People need Jesus and they are lost without Him! That truth has to continue to drive us to help people embrace the story they were meant to live.

To my friends at STORYCHURCH, my fellow story tellers - we are just getting started. As we celebrate this week the things God HAS done, don't lose sight of what He still WILL do. Pray for continual impact, for opportunities to share, and that we will hear more and more stories of God changing lives in our midst in the days ahead. I'm so blessed to be on this journey with you guys!

Sparky

2010-11-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

About ten years ago I had the privilege to play a round of golf with Sparky Anderson, a hall of fame baseball manager who passed away yesterday at the age of 76. Some of you may know I'm a baseball fanatic. I played baseball in college at Biola University. It was as an alumni when I went to play in a fundraiser tournament that I got paired up with this legend. As a fan, I knew him as a manager who had won the World Series in both the American league with the Tigers, and the National league with the Reds. But I didn't know what to expect that day.

Sparky was a small man as you can probably tell by the picture. But he was a man with a huge heart. He talked and shared with us as though we had been buddies for years. At one point during the round I hit a tee shot that sliced way right into a bunch of houses. I eventually learned I had broken a window of one of those houses, as the homeowner met me half way down the fairway. Sparky had a good laugh about that.

At one point I asked him about the greatest player he'd ever had the privilege to see play. Without hesitation he said "Roberto Clemente." Clemente was a dynamic player for the Pirates in the 60s whose life was cut short when his plane crashed on a disaster relief effort. But to hear Sparky talk about him and describe his abilities was almost as real as seeing him myself. He spoke with passion as a fan, and yet someone with the credentials to speak in such a way that you believed every word he was saying was true.

I've always tried to be a learner, to observe people and figure out what makes them a leader. In the baseball world, Sparky was one of the most successful and admired leaders in the history of the game. As a player - he was terrible. He couldn't hit to save his life. And yet as a manager he was one of the most successful men of all time. And here's the deal - he accomplished that by smiling, by being genuinely joyful, believing in his players, and when necessary taking a stand for them. He was a leader of men. A passionate, fiery, joyful, pleasant, small in stature, yet giant of a man.

Baseball lost a good one this week. I only spent about four hours of my life with the man, and yet, I'll miss him.

Story Church lately...

2010-11-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

We're almost 10 months old. I can't even believe it at times. And yet, in other respects I can't hardly remember life apart from this church that I love so much. I seriously can't believe I get to do this. Here are some of the things that have been happening lately:

Growth. We've experienced a really fun season lately where we are seeing more and more people each week and more and more who are excited about making Story Church home. We think we'll crack the 100 mark sometime soon!
A couple of weeks ago we had some visitors who came because one year ago our launch team (the group that helped get Story Church started) washed their car for free one day. Wow.
Baby boom. More like explosion. Not that babies are exploding, but you understand. At some point I will try and count all the babies from this year, but in the last six weeks alone we've had four new babies join the Story Church family.
Connection Groups. We've got three groups going now of people that gather throughout the week/month to just hang out and do life together. Love it.
Amazing God stories. It's been awesome to see people give their lives to Jesus and watch them begin to be transformed. Never gets old.
Baptisms coming soon! Sometime in November we'll be having our first baptisms as a church and I can't stinking wait. So excited to share their stories.
Community. I was watching our people yesterday just hang out, talk, love each other - it was amazing. New people were headed to lunch with some of our members, others were sharing coffee and chatting. So proud of who we are becoming.
Looking ahead - we are quickly approaching our one year anniversary. WOW. We're going to throw a celebration of epic proportions. It's only the beginning - the best is yet to come!

One of the other things that I love about our community is that in times of difficulty we get to come along side each other and lift each other up. This week my heart is heavy while a couple in our church goes to be with family who lost a baby this week. Please pray with me for Jeff and Sara and their family as they seek to be a source of strength and encouragement this week in the midst of pain, unanswered questions, and difficulty.

Catalyst 2010 Recap

2010-10-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Catalyst is a leadership conference put on every year in the Atlanta area. 13,000 people descend on an arena to hear from some of the best leaders in business and the church. This year's theme was "Tension is good." Each talk had to do with the tension leaders face in many different aspects of leading. It was a really great theme. My goal for this blog post is to give you the twitterized version of each speaker - 140 characters or less. In the following days I'll probably follow this post up with some more depth on one or two of the things God showed me during these few days. So here goes:

Andy Stanley (@andystanley) - Pastor of Northpoint in Atlanta

You have no idea what God wants to accomplish through your life. Don't trade that legacy in for something as temporary as a bowl of stew.

Daniel Pink (@danielpink) - Author "Drive"

What motivates people? We need to get beyond carrots and sticks and give people autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Christine Caine (@christinecaine) - A21 campaign dealing with human trafficking

Compassion is never compassion until you cross the street and get involved.

Seth Godin - author, blogger, bald guy with cool glasses

Those who change the world aren't the compliant. They are the risk takers, the ones that connect people using their art to give away ideas.

Beth Moore (@bethmoorelpm) - Author, speaker

The tension of insecurity as a leader. Can we be dead enough to ourselves to welcome wherever God is moving and whoever he is leading through?

Francis Chan - pastor, author, speaker

Doing "weird" stuff like selling your house and moving to Asia is completely normal biblically. Caring for the poor and choosing to live with less is the way of Jesus.

Perry Noble (@perrynoble) - Pastor of Newspring church in Anderson, South Carolina

It's easy to follow God when you're by a brook and ravens are bringing you food. When the brook dries up, God isn't punishing you - he's preparing you.

Gabe Lyons (@nextchristians) - author, researcher

The next Christians aren't leaving the church because they don't want to be Christians. They are leaving because they are longing to be part of a restorative movement.

Craig Groeschel (@craig_groeschel) - pastor Lifechurch.tv

Generational tension is necessary for the church to move forward. Older generation needs to invest in the younger. Younger generation needs to honor the older and learn to be under authority well.

T.D. Jakes (@bishopjakes) - pastor of Potter's House church

We must get off the corner (a place of comfort) and into places outside of our comfort zone. We need diversity. God doesn't allow sameness to procreate.

Andy Stanley (@andystanley) - Pastor, author

Every organization has problems that shouldn't be solved and tensions that shouldn't be resolved. The role of the leader is to leverage the tension for the benefit of the organization.

On the other side

2010-10-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced one of those situations where you are suddenly reliving something you've done before - but this time you have a completely different perspective? Last week I got to be part of a church planter's assessment in the Philadelphia area with Converge. About two and a half years ago, Kimi and I went through this process as we began to explore whether or not God was calling us to plant a church. It's an intense week to say the least. Long days, high stress. We were there with a handful of other potential church planters. The days are filled with personality profiles, psychiatric evaluations, group based problem solving, projects, preaching, interviews, presentations, and more. There's pretty much never a moment when you aren't being assessed by a group of people with clipboards.

So this last week - there I was, sitting on the outside of the circle, clipboard in hand. Haha. It's funny how that happens isn't it? It was a really great experience for me though as I was able to recall the thoughts and feelings that I had during that time. There was so much uncertainty, so much fear, so much anticipation of what might be. When we left the assessment center, we felt we had a very clear direction from God about our next steps. It ultimately led to a resignation, a cross country move, and the birth of a new church community.

Anyway, I loved the process. As brutal as being assessed was, being an assessor was maybe even more brutal. While the stress isn't there, the hours are much longer, and the weight of what we were doing in trying to determine God's call on people was pretty heavy. I'm thankful for the opportunity to affirm people and to be a small part of their journey into what I know is going to be a life changing endeavor. I value opportunities like this one and I'm committed to helping other church planters as much as I can.

I know you are, but what am I?

2010-09-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

My daughter loves to dress up as a princess. In fact, when she dresses up, she assumes the identity of whatever princess dress she is wearing. So when I say "Joy, you look so beautiful!", her response is a matter-of-fact "I'm not Joy, I'm Sleeping Beauty." It's really quite cute. But what if when Joy turns 20 she's still dressing up as a princess and assuming that identity. What if she never embraces her true identity as my daughter? I'd be crushed.

This Sunday we talked about our true identity. Too many of us have continued to play dress up. We have refused to accept our identity as "Child of God". The Bible is quite clear that this is how God sees us - as his children (see 1 John 3:1, Ephesians 1:4-8). The truth is though, that it's much easier to believe that about someone else than it is to believe it about ourselves. They may be a child of God, but certainly not me. They are loved, but not me. They are forgiven, but not me. It's like that childhood phrase we all used to say - "I know you are, but what am I?"

May you and I live in the reality that we are children of the King. And may we begin to say to each other "I know you are, and so am I."

Childlike Faith

2010-09-09T14:36:00.001-07:00

This Sunday at Story Church we kick off a brand new series called "Childlike Faith". It's a series I've been thinking through in my head for three or four months now and I'm really excited about it.

In Luke 18:16-17 Jesus says this:

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

So here's a question for you - what do you think Jesus meant by that? What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a child? What are the child like qualities that you think Jesus wants us to mimic?

California

2010-09-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

I recently spent about a week in my hometown of Yucaipa, CA touching base with old friends, family, and those that pray for and support me and my family. It was a pretty incredible trip. Here's a recap:

First of all, I got to meet with many individuals over coffee or lunch and tell stories about Story Church. That was a huge highlight. Only a year ago, there were no stories to tell! Now I could go on talking forever about the people, the life change, and the growth and excitement we are experiencing.
One night I got to hang out with some friends who were former students in my youth group. There's about 8-10 of them that gather every week just to pray together and talk about Jesus. They are about 20 years old. How cool is that? Blows me away. Anyway, I shared with them a bit about what God has been teaching me, and then they all laid hands on me and prayed for me. Very humbling. Very awesome.
I spent one evening with my best friend and his family, eating dinner, laughing, sharing stories and just catching up. I miss him and his family a ton.
Another night I got to catch up with another friend and his family. He's kind of my arch-rival. In a good way. We are both super competitive and we love to compete in whatever way we can. This time it was one of our favorites - FIFA on the PS3. We used to be neighbors and we spent many nights doing this same thing.
On Saturday I got to reignite another passion of mine - baseball. Before moving I was a coach at our local high school. This day they happened to be holding some tryouts so I got to head out to the field and hang out with a bunch of young talented players and all the coaches. They put me right to work evaluating players and I had a blast.
Later that day I headed over to my aunt's house for a BBQ. It was great to see my cousins, aunts and uncles and grandma. My aunt Missy made her famous Skor bar cake in my honor. Doesn't get much better than that.
Sunday was all about telling stories with my home church. I had the opportunity to get on stage in front of both services and thank them for loving us well, sending us, praying for us, and supporting us.
That evening I got to go hang out with some other friends who are planting a church in the neighboring city. I love seeing what other church planters are doing and learning from them.
On Monday I got to hang out with another former student and encourage him. He's had a rough couple of years, spending some time in jail and fighting addictions. Pray for Billy.
Finally, Monday I spent a little time in heaven. In case that's not totally clear to all of you, I'm referring to Angel Stadium - the home of Angels baseball.

It was a jam packed week but really a great time reconnecting with people. The goal of the trip was to raise some personal support and to thank those that have supported us for these two years. In that regard it was a successful trip and I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to go, thanks to my friends at Converge.

Happy Courage Day

2010-08-02T05:54:00.001-07:00

August 1 is Courage Day. At least in my house it is. Two years ago on August 1, 2008 I climbed into a truck with all my earthly belongings and drove away from a comfortable life in southern CA to plant a church in Durham, NC. Yesterday morning I was busy setting up preparing for the weekly services of that church when my daughter came running in with a card yelling "Happy Courage Day." Apparently my wife has turned this day into a family holiday - a day to celebrate a step of courage that our family took together. How awesome is that? So yesterday was a day of celebration in our house. And every year now on August 1 we will celebrate together.

Do you know what is strange about courage though? When you take one step of courage, you want to take another. It's as if the first one is the hardest. When we are finally willing to take the "risk" to do something different, to do something extraordinary, it's as if a switch is flipped mentally and we are suddenly freed to pursue all kinds of dreams. What seemed to me to be a HUGE step two years ago seems tiny compared to the dreams I have for our church now.

So Story Church - we celebrate with you on Courage Day. God has been so good to us. Your willingness to take a risk and join us on this adventure is such a blessing to us. But - are you ready for what's next? I believe the greatest need for courage is still ahead of us. God is birthing some huge dreams in us right now and I can't wait to go there with you. The best is yet to come!

Radical Generosity - Part 3

2010-07-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

The third and final reality I see in Luke 16 is this:

Money promises what only God can deliver.

Luke 16:13 says "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

I know that no one sets out to literally worship money, but the fact is that if you organize your whole life around acquiring it and pursuing it - you are serving it! The truth is that it owns you, not the other way around.

Somewhere along the line we begin believing that if we just have enough of it, we'll be not only happy, but we'll have peace, contentment, fulfillment, joy, stability, security, and hope. All things that we should be finding in our relationship with God. This is why some of the happiest, most satisfied people you've ever met don't have much money. It's because they have found their true worth in something other than their bank account.

Radical Generosity - Part 2

2010-07-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

There's a lesson I learned several years ago that was game changing for how I think about my finances. That is this: I'm a manager, not an owner. Everything I have belongs to God. Everything. My money, my house, my car, and all of my stuff. It's all His.

Luke 16:12 says "If you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?"

Psalm 24:1 says "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Imagine what it would be like if you and I lived as if this were true. We would spend money differently. We would treat stuff differently.

And if we are serious about having a radical impact on those around us, then suddenly radical generosity becomes much easier. After all, it's not ours. It belongs to God. So giving it away, using it to bless someone else, sharing out of my excess with those that have none - all of this begins to make perfect sense.

Live as though you were the manager of what you have, rather than the owner. My guess is that your grip on "your" money and "your" stuff will start to loosen, and those around you will begin to feel blessed. And I wouldn't be surprised if God lets you manage even more.

I fired my wife

2010-07-14T05:58:00.000-07:00

It just wasn't working out. I know she was doing the best she could, but the fact is that there was just too much on her plate. One of the hardest lessons I've been learning in the church planting process is how to balance my ministry and my family. And part of that balancing act is making sure my wife isn't trying to do more than she should do either. Yesterday it became pretty clear that her desire to help me and take some things off of my plate was resulting in nothing but stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. So I fired her. I fired her from kids ministry. I fired her from feeling the need to pick things up that don't need to be picked up, and from trying to do everything all at the same time. Maybe being fired is a bit harsh, but she thanked me in the end.

As a leader one of the most important things we do is to make sure the people around us are working/serving in life giving ways. And that happens when people are functioning from areas of strength. People don't get burned out by working too much, they get burned out by working too much doing the wrong things. As a young church of six months, we are just now starting to really understand that. In the beginning it's basically "If you have a pulse, then we need you serving here." But now, as we are growing and getting more volunteers, we can start getting people into areas that are life giving for them. It's not easy, but it's so important for the health of everyone involved, and for the health of our church.

So Kimi was one of the first victims. She was fired from a job that was life sucking rather than life giving for her. And she was reassigned to the things that give her life - being a wife, being a mom, and when she has time - leading and encouraging women to embrace the story they were meant to live.

Radical Generosity

2010-07-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Radical generosity leads to radical impact. I believe that more than almost anything. Generosity opens the doors to allow us to impact, influence, and ultimately shape our culture and the people around us. I was studying Luke 16:10-13 recently and came across three realities that I think shape us in how we think about our finances. Over the next couple of days I'll unpack them here.

Luke 16:10 says "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

Reality #1 - Money is a test for what matters most.

A lot of times we hear people say things like "If I had their money, I'd be a lot more generous." It's easy to look at how much an athlete gets paid, for example, and insist that if it were us we would give away our whole salary and live off of endorsements, etc. Can I just say it? That's bull. No we wouldn't. I know we like to think that, and maybe it gives us an excuse for why we aren't generous now, but the fact is that we wouldn't change. Jesus says basically the same thing above. He says that however you are now is exactly the same person you would be if you added a bunch of zeros to your account. More money doesn't make a stingy person generous. All it does is magnify what the person already is.

And beyond that, Jesus says here that money is simply a test for what really matters. If we can't be trusted with something as insignificant as money, why would he trust us with what really matters - "true riches." You see, Jesus is talking about a lot more than cash here. In fact he contrasts "worldly wealth" with "true riches." For Jesus, the opportunity to have influence and to impact those around us comes as a result of how we steward the physical stuff he gives us. So if you and I want to have radical impact on those around us, how we use our money and what we do with it matters.

Radical impact comes from Radical Generosity.

Community

2010-07-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

This week marks six months since we launched Story Church. I'm thrilled at where we find ourselves today. In many ways, it's completely different than I thought it would be, but I couldn't be happier with our progress. Yesterday I had the opportunity to reflect with our church on what God has done these first six months, and to begin to dream about the kind of community we can still become.

In just six months, we've seen incredible impact on people's lives. Many of the people in our church were completely detached from God just six months ago. Today they find themselves not only regularly attending our services, but more importantly they are finding a community where they belong. They are connecting relationally with others who are seeking to live like Jesus. Together, we've been able to serve our school where we meet. We've blessed the teachers, we've volunteered hours at the school, and currently we're in the middle of a backpack drive for the new school year. We've had global impact as well - giving so that a community in the Central African Republic now has a clean water well where they once had none. We also saw our community step up and give sacrificially toward Haiti relief when the earthquake hit.

More and more we are seeing our mission take shape - to help people embrace the story they are meant to live.

On Sunday we began to dream together about a different kind of community. One where authenticity was the rule, not the exception. We are beginning to take the risks to be open, honest, and real with each other. I don't want to be part of a community where all of a sudden we hear about a divorce. I want to be the kind of community where two years before that happens, he is able to share with someone about his struggle with pornography. There's too much at stake in our marriages, in our families, and in our communities to pretend we have it all together. We have to be willing to be real with each other and "carry each other's burdens" as it says in Galatians 6.

This kind of authenticity starts with me. It starts with you. And I think we're off to a great start. But the reality is that future generations of Story Churchers will be deeply impacted by the kind of community we shape and form here in this first year or so. I hope and pray that we have the courage to not only talk about it, but that we will be willing to get beyond the fear of becoming vulnerable with each other, and to engage in deep, authentic community.

Plan B by Pete Wilson

2010-06-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your dreams are shattered? What do you do when your life isn't turning out the way you thought? What to do you do when you have to turn to Plan B? Those are the questions posed on the jacket of Pete Wilson's new book "Plan B".

Pete Wilson is the pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville. All his years of experience counseling people, walking with them through their darkest moments, and trying to answer questions about why God allows certain things to happen have led him to write this book.

A Plan B life is the life that isn't working out according to our plans. It's the life where cancer shows up, where we lose our job, where our finances dry up, where the marriage ends. The Bible is full of Plan B stories. Joseph has a dream about being a ruler, only to find himself in a pit and sold into slavery by his own brothers. But then he finds himself in power in Egypt, only to again be thrown into prison and seemingly forgotten. David is anointed as king, and then spends the next several years of his life running for his life and hiding out in caves.

Pete Wilson does an incredible job walking us through the difficulty of the Plan B. What I love about it the most is that it is really birthed out of a pastor's heart, with years of experience. It's honest, raw, and doesn't try to sugar coat anything. He readily admits that we don't always have the answers, we may never know "why" things happen.

Pete's conclusion is that Plan B situations have the potential to change us into something greater. Some people choose to grow through their Plan B, and some people don't. Pain and suffering and heartache and disappointment are the catalysts for growth in our lives. There's a great quotation from C.S. Lewis here that says "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." If you are a follower of Jesus, you can probably attest to the fact that it's in the most difficult times of your life that you lean the most into God. You read the bible more, you pray more, you seek him more.

The message of this book is very hopeful. The fact is, your Plan B is not the end of the story. It's not. For many, they give up too easily, they are ready to quit on the idea that things could ever get better. But your Plan B is not the last word. There is still more story to tell. Stick through it. Allow the situation to change you, to mold you, and to break you if need be. On the other side is something beautiful.

For more information about "Plan B" check out the website at http://www.planbbook.com.

(Thomas Nelson provided me with a free copy of Plan B for my review.)

Sunday reflections

2010-06-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a gathering of Story Church folks we call our "Dream Team." These amazing people are the ones that serve in so many ways in order to make the vision of Story Church a reality. It's kind of hard for me to explain what is happening in our community. What was once a vision in my head and heart is beginning to become much bigger. The thing with vision is that the more you give it away, the more it grows. Our people are getting it. And the excitement is contagious. Tonight we heard stories from multiple people that have found hope and life in Story Church after years of doing life apart from God. Today they are not only regularly attending, but are now serving and helping others to experience the hope that they are finding.

I'm just really proud tonight. I'm proud of who we are becoming as a church community. I'm proud of the heart and passion I see in our people. I'm proud of their willingness to serve, to become vulnerable with each other, and to share their lives with one another. And I'm proud to be their pastor. I can't wait to see what God does in us.

The power of Story

2010-06-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

It's been 10 days now since the LOST finale, and I'm still thinking about it. Chances are, if you watched it, you are too. Whether you loved it, hated it, or didn't watch it but are tired of everyone else talking about it, one simple fact is hard to deny - Stories are powerful.

If it weren't true, we wouldn't still be talking about it right? Those that are disappointed with the ending are disappointed because their beloved story didn't end the way they wanted to. Those that liked the ending feel a sense of satisfaction that a good story ended well. I think that deep inside each of us is a desire for a great story. We love to hear them, love to tell them, and I think ultimately want to live one.

We love stories of courage, of bravery, of love, of beauty, of sacrifice, of hope, of generosity, of reconciliation and redemption, because we were meant to live this kind of story.

This is probably why fear, greed, hate, selfishness, bitterness, and revenge aren't very fulfilling. People who live by those things aren't very happy people.

This is why I think that Jesus offers us the greatest thing we could ever have - a story that is fulfilling. He invites us into an epic tale, to live in the way we were created to live, and to experience the life that only He can offer.

A Pair of Jacks

2010-05-25T16:31:00.001-07:00

This week, two long standing shows came to an end. For several seasons now my wife and I have been watching both LOST and 24. At the center of each show was a character named Jack. In LOST, we had Jack Shepherd. In 24, Jack Bauer. As each show came to an end, I had very different feelings about both. As LOST came to an end, there was a sadness, and yet a sense of satisfaction for me. And as 24 came to end, there was a sense of relief - that this show was finally over.

I've been thinking about why I grew to love LOST, and grew to loathe 24. For me, it was all about the characters.

First, Jack Bauer. 24 used to be one of my favorite shows. I was caught up in the plot twists, the character development, and all of that. I think the issue though was that Jack never seemed to develop. He was always the guy who would do whatever it takes to save the day. If that meant self-sacrifice, great. If it meant torture, great. In his wake was an endless sea of bodies. It seemed like they tried to redeem him a bit this season, starting out a changed man who was looking forward to being a grandfather and retiring from this kind of life. But within the hour he was killing people again - so it all seemed rather fake. The violence of the show continued to increase, constantly trying to outdo the season before. In the end, it just seemed to lack any kind of creativity. The plot was pretty much predictable. I did actually think they were going to kill off Jack Bauer in the end, but I heard there's a movie in the works, so I suppose they can't do that just yet. Speaking of predictability - here's something you can take to the bank: The movie will be about someone getting a hold of Jack's daughter and/or grandchild and Jack will come out of hiding to once again save the day.

And then there's Jack Shepherd. In six seasons, Jack also plays the hero. He's a surgeon who is constantly saving the day, healing people, and fixing whatever is broken. He's also struggling with the death of his father, and his feeling that he's never been good enough for him. He stands for reason, and struggles with anything mysterious that can't be explained away by rationality. Over time he comes to accept the idea that there is a larger calling and purpose on his life. He's a leader that fails at times and struggles with what that means. But Jack is growing, he's learning, he's changing, and he's becoming more transparent. The show itself is building with all kinds of mystery, unexpected turns, questions that don't seem to have answers, and characters that continue to develop. There's nothing predictable about it. In the end, there are still lots of questions. But one thing is certain - as Jack's eye closes there's a sense of peace in me the viewer. His is a story of redemption that came not as a result of violence but as a result of love.

So my conclusion? Jack Bauer will be back for more in a blockbuster summer movie, but Jack Shepherd's story is the one that will live on.

Story Church - 4 months old

2010-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

I've realized that if I don't stop to reflect every so often on the life of our young church it would be easy to forget the things we are learning and seeing take place. So here's a quick update on what we're seeing four months in.

People keep showing up. That's a win. I know it doesn't sound like much but when you start something like this you aren't sure that's going to happen.
New people keep showing up. So not only are people coming back, but we continue to see new faces just about every week.
Community is happening. This is one of the highlights for me. I keep hearing about families that are hanging out, couples getting coffee together or playing tennis, play dates happening, and friendships forming. It's exciting to see people forming relationships as a result of Story Church.
Continued opportunity to serve our school. The more we develop a relationship with the school where we meet, the more opportunities we are having to be a blessing there. We've had people volunteer at book fairs, in classrooms, and to proctor tests. We've brought breakfast to the teachers on multiple occasions. We've been able to help out with school wide events. And at the end of the year I get the opportunity to speak at the 5th grade graduation.
Community involvement. A key part of our vision is to be a blessing to our community. So it's been pretty neat to have been able to sponsor a local 5-6 year old soccer team, to give a single mom a fun day with her kids, and to bless some random people with cold water or a free car wash.
Global involvement. In our short time together as a church we've built a well in Central Africa for a community that previously didn't have access to clean water, and then when the earthquake in Haiti hit in our second week as a church, we ended up giving away our entire offering toward relief - more than $1,600.
Learning together. It's been so cool to be able to lead our people through the Scriptures. Many in our church are either unfamiliar with the Bible or have been away from any kind of church for many years. Together we are learning and growing and trying to understand what it means to be active players in the Story God is writing in the world.
Firsts. We've had a number of firsts now. Our first service, our first Easter, our first time of communion, and this last week - our first child dedication.

We continue to face our share of challenges as well:

As we grow, the need to organize ourselves and multiply leaders is an ongoing issue.
Keeping the vision simple. It's so tempting to add layers to what we're doing. It's also easier to do that. The harder thing is to stay true to the vision and keep it simple.
Of course there are financial challenges as well. We have some margin in place that is keeping us going for now, but to grow this church and pursue the vision we have we will need to grow in our finances as well. The church will need to be self-sustaining within a year or so, and we aren't there yet. We're paying the rent, but we can't afford any salaries for any staff at this point - myself included.

Anyway, lots to celebrate in these few months. I'm really glad I sat down and typed this up. As a leader, it's really easy for me to think about the future and to be a little bit bummed that we aren't yet what I see in my mind. But we have accomplished so much already. And in the grand scheme of things, we are still brand new!! 4 months in and we're just getting going!

Reading

2010-05-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

For the last 30 days I've been attempting to follow a 90 day reading plan that will have me reading the entire Bible in those 90 days. It's been crazy. As of today, I am completely on pace - but I've been playing some serious catch up over the last couple of weeks. The thing is, the plan has me reading about 10-11 pages a day (roughly 15 chapters). So when you miss a day, or two, or three you suddenly find yourself 40 chapters behind.

Anyway, here are a couple of things I've been learning.

#1 - Scripture is amazing. I mean the whole story is just amazing. And I think when we read it in bite sized pieces we lose out on that fact. Reading huge chunks at a time has helped me to really appreciate the story.

#2 - There's a definite story line. God is clearly seeking a relationship with his people and they keep messing it up. And yet he keeps pursuing them, and they keep messing it up, and he keeps pursuing.

#3 - I don't know squat about the Bible. I mean I was a bible major in college. I've been a pastor for 10 years now, regularly teaching the Scriptures. And yet there is so much here that I feel like I know almost nothing.

#4 - God's mercy never ends.

#5 - The default setting on man is to seek after a story about himself.

#6 - Living in pre-Jesus times sucks. Seriously, the law is so frustrating. It's so detailed, so all encompassing that it's literally impossible to keep it. I suppose that's the point.

#7 - Seven is a better number than six, so I had to add one more.

One of those days

2010-04-25T18:28:00.001-07:00

Well, today was the day I always heard about. It's the day when everything that could have gone wrong in church planting did. I started off the day tired already. It was a late night, getting back late from a long drive from Virginia. One of the Sunday morning rituals for me is to move the van out of the driveway to make room for the truck that comes in and pulls our trailer out of the garage. And so it began - a dead car battery. We were able to get it jumped pretty quickly, so disaster averted. Once we got to the school, things continued to go south. We had sound issues, a broken guitar that led to a weird mic situation and feedback. Then it was the computer's turn to go haywire. For some reason all of a sudden the display on my computer went crazy. Every slide for every song and every announcement suddenly went crazy and resized itself, including changing the size of the font. With a mad scramble we managed to fix it. But then about 5 minutes before we started I realized that one of our songs was wrong. We were playing "Nothing but the blood" - but not the old version, but the newer Matt Redman version. In other words, wrong lyrics, wrong order. We scrambled to type it in as fast as possible.

It was a wild morning. And I suppose we should have expected it. It was the first time we celebrated communion as a church. It turned out to be a very powerful morning. A morning that I will never forget. We experienced something this morning that I haven't seen yet. Despite all of the things that went wrong - the presence of God was powerful. As Alastair Vance tweeted - "Egg on your face, devil."

As we were cleaning up, one of our key leaders said "It's over! Nothing can go wrong." We had a good laugh. And then we noticed that this week's message failed to record. Geez.

Up the Middle

2010-04-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

I have a friend named Matt. He wrote a book called Up the Middle Church. Though Matt's a diehard baseball fan, for some reason he wrote a book with a football analogy - but we'll forgive him for that. Anyway, here's the deal. Planting a church is hard. I hear stories about churches that just explode in growth, and I learn about leaders who seem to never make mistakes and everything they touch seems to turn to gold. But you know why we hear those stories? Because they are the exception - not the rule. Stories get told about things that stand out, that are different than the norm. The fact is that the norm for church planting is one yard at a time, up the middle. Most of us experience a grueling, tough battle where we gain a little bit of ground, then get sacked for a loss, then we get back up and gain it back and hopefully make some first downs along the way.

Leading up to Easter, we did a huge marketing campaign as a church. We spent a pretty good amount of money to do a huge mailer to our community, we hung door hangers on close to 2,000 homes, we put out yard signs all over the place, and we did Facebook ads like nobody's business. And you know what happened on Easter? We had two less people than the week before Easter. Sack.

I was in a coaching session yesterday with about six or seven other church planters, led by the same friend Matt who wrote the book. Everyone was sharing about the last month's "wins" - the things that went well. Many of the guys had record attendances on Easter - 250, 350, etc. When I shared about our Easter I'll be honest, it felt a little like we had failed. But here's where talking to other people is so important. One guy shared that two years running they went down in attendance on Easter, and this year they finally had a good one. You know what that little admission does for someone like me? It reminds me that this church planting thing is an "Up the Middle" process. The gains we are making in seeing individual lives being changed is amazing. I'm learning to celebrate those one yard gains more and more all the time.

I'm thankful today for community. For guys that are out there on the field with me and struggling with me for one yard, two yards, a first down. Make no mistake, we're winning the game.

Easter Recap

2010-04-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

At the risk of being way behind here, I didn't want to let Easter squeak by without saying a couple things about how things went at STORYCHURCH.

First of all, I couldn't be more proud of our team. Many people worked very hard in order to make it a really special morning. We had a really great celebration of Resurrection. We kicked off a brand new series on Easter, called EPIC. It's basically an exploration of the story of God and our role in it. Easter Sunday proved to be like one of those movies that starts with the pinnacle scene of the story, and then the rest of the movie is spent showing the build up to that moment. Resurrection is the pinnacle scene of the Story. It changes everything, and it's the filter through which we interpret everything else in the Story.

We promoted the heck out of Easter. We did a huge mailer in the community, spent several hours out hanging door hangers, had signs up all over the place, and ran Facebook ads like crazy. Despite our efforts, we didn't see the huge number of visitors that we had anticipated. For me it was just one more reminder that you can't manufacture the movement of God. I'm certainly not anti-marketing. I think it's important to let people know we exist as a church and that they are invited. But the fact is, that God doesn't need a mailer to build the church. And for me it was just a gentle reminder that He is in control, and this thing is in His hands. It's so easy to get caught up in the belief that crowds equal success or God's favor. It just isn't true.

The most exciting thing for me about Easter was the growth we DID see. Not numerical growth, but growth that took us deeper as a community. After the service we did an egg hunt for the kids and one for the adults as well. I know, kind of silly. But this wasn't your average egg hunt. It turned into a giant community building day. Aside from the hunting of eggs, people were laughing, playing, joking, and seriously having a great time. I was really proud of our leaders that put it together and even more excited by the relationships I'm seeing form. Community doesn't happen in the hour on Sunday mornings when we gather for worship. I mean, it's part of it, but sometimes it takes a crazy egg hunt to get people to begin to open up and do life together. And that happened on Easter for us.

Resurrection

2010-04-04T04:29:00.001-07:00

Resurrection: Rob Bell from The Work of Rob Bell on Vimeo.

Living Water International

2010-03-31T06:45:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

At Christmas last year, Story Church participated in the Advent Conspiracy. Many of us decided to spend less at Christmas on stuff we didn't need, and instead to give toward clean water wells for people that really needed it most. This week I was notified by Living Water International that the well we helped to build has been built. The well is in Bozoubolo in the Central African Republic (see the map above of the exact location of the well). It serves more than 600 people. I can't tell you how excited that makes me! The fact that as a church, before we even officially launched, we had helped to build a well that provides clean water for 600 people is amazing to me. And I think this news came at a great time. For me, its a reminder that what happened at Christmas matters most because of what happened at Easter. The baby who was proclaimed by angels at Christmas was good news to the world because he would one die and free us from sin and death and usher in a new kingdom. It's a kingdom of life and love and grace and hope. It's why Jesus not only proclaimed truth, but he demonstrated the fruit of the present kingdom through miracles of healing. For us as a church, we celebrate the baby Jesus as well as the risen Lord, and we embrace the role we play in the resurrection story. My desire for us is that while we proclaim good news to the world, we are also demonstrating it through acts of justice and mercy. And today, 600 people are experiencing life giving water as a result.

Isaiah James

2010-03-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today my son entered the world, but it wasn't an easy ride. At 8 lbs. and 10 oz. he's a big little guy. We had praying and planning all week to get through the weekend, past my wife's baby shower on Saturday, and past church on Sunday morning. So when Kimi began having contractions Sunday afternoon, all I can say is the timing couldn't have been more perfect. After a couple of hours at the house, we decided to head into the hospital. Once we got checked in and Kimi got checked out, we realized that her contractions were between two and three minutes apart. It seemed that this baby wasn't going to wait long. But once Kimi got hydrated a bit things slowed down and we settled in for a long night. All together it took about 12 hours, and at 7:05am Isaiah was born. However, like I said before, he didn't come easily.

As it turned out, his shoulders were too wide, and with the combination of the cord around his neck, things got really scary there for a few minutes. He seemed to be stuck. I'm pretty sure we witnessed the closest a doctor gets to being panicked. By the time Isaiah was finally born, around a dozen doctors and nurses were in the room and busily working on both mom and baby. It was close to two minutes before Isaiah made even a single sound. He was silent, and from our perspective lifeless. Kimi and I knew that things weren't going well. It was a very scary moment. I don't know if you've ever been in one of those moments of total helplessness but it was tough. I began praying out loud for Jesus to breathe life into him, and for him to cry, to do anything. And then it happened - we heard his little cry. At that moment I felt like I began to breathe too. We knew that he would be ok.

The doctors continued to work on him for a good 15-20 minutes until his color normalized and he began to respond the way he should. In the end, he didn't even need to go to NICU and was able to just stay with us.

I am so thankful to the many that were praying for us. I believe that today your prayers literally saved Isaiah's life. Every birth is a miracle, and the gift of life is the most mysterious awe inspiring thing I've ever experienced. But today was a miracle of a different kind and I will never forget the gift we received today.

Now, off to teach this little guy how to throw a curveball.

Distractions

2010-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here's some thoughts from today's message at STORYCHURCH. You can find it online here if you'd like to listen.

What happens when following Jesus leads down a path you weren’t expecting? John 21 starts out with the disciples deciding to go back to fishing. These are men who spent three years with Jesus, with a certain sense of where this whole thing was leading. They didn’t know when, but at some point Jesus was going to establish a kingdom and they were going to be a big part of that. But then Jesus is crucified. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Not in their version of the story. By the time we get to John 21, Jesus has risen from the dead and already appeared to the disciples. But still, it’s different now. They aren’t spending every waking moment with him. In fact, it’s all mysterious and uncertain now. Jesus comes and goes - and he even looks different than before. Everything has changed. What now? The disciples aren’t sure. They don’t seem to have any sense of purpose for their own lives now. So they return to the one thing they know - fishing. They go back to the boats. It’s interesting to me that Peter is the one who goes first. “I’m going out to fish” he says. The other disciples say “we’ll go with you.” Peter is a leader. Jesus has pinned him as a leader from day one. But in the absence of Jesus, Peter doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know where to lead. But it’s clear that people want to follow him.

The last time we saw the disciples fishing, they had had a pretty unsuccessful night of fishing. They haven’t yet met Jesus. He asks Peter if he can get in his boat and teach from the water. Peter agrees. A little while later, Jesus tells Peter to go throw his nets into the deep water. Peter reluctantly agrees. As a result, they catch so many fish that it nearly sinks two boats. Peter’s response is amazing - “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” This is the beginning of a new life for Peter and the disciples. Jesus calls them away from fishing, and they leave everything to follow him.

Now back to John 21. Peter and the disciples go back to fishing. Again, they have a pretty unsuccessful night. Jesus is standing on the shore, about a hundred yards away. He asks how the fishing is going - and it isn’t going well. Jesus tells them to throw the net on the right side of the boat, because that’s where the fish are. It seems like about this time the disciples would have been having flashbacks. I can almost picture them squinting toward the shore - “Is it him?” For whatever reason, they listen to the stranger’s advice. When the net begins to overflow, their suspicions are confirmed. John says it first - “It is the Lord.” Peter immediately jumps in the water and swims to shore. He can’t even wait for them to row in. When he gets to shore he finds Jesus cooking breakfast, fish and bread. Where did Jesus get the fish?

When the rest of the disciples make it to shore, it says that “none of the disciples dared ask him ‘Who are you?’ Then knew it was the Lord.” They knew it, but how? Apparently not because they recognized him by his appearance, but by his miracle. It’s an interesting thought. Jesus has physically changed. He doesn’t even look the same. Or he does, and they still couldn’t convince themselves that he was alive.

After eating, Jesus asks Peter an important question. What’s interesting is that he doesn’t ask all the disciples. He asks Peter. “Peter, do you love me more than these?” I used to think he meant, “do you love me more than these guys love me?” But I think he’s actually saying “Do you love me more than these - these fish.” It’s as if Jesus wants to know Peter’s commitment level. But he’s also affirming Peter I believe. Peter is, after all, the one who denied Jesus three times. And so here, three times he gets to tell Jesus that he loves him. In the process, Jesus delivers a divine calling to Peter. Feed my sheep, take care of my sheep, feed my lambs. Peter is singled out amongst all the disciples as the one Jesus wants to take care of his sheep. Who are Jesus’ sheep? The other disciples in this context I suppose. But leadership is costly. Jesus tells him that it will eventually cost him his life. And he ends it with a call to “Follow me.”

Peter receives a divine calling from Jesus, that includes a pretty hefty cost. Things have certainly changed haven’t they? The last time Peter left fishing to follow Jesus, it was for something greater. He had a sense that something great was coming his way. In fact, something great was coming his way, but not the way he expected it to happen. This time, the call to follow Jesus comes with a vision of how it will end - with Peter’s crucifixion and death. It’s no surprise that Peter is looking over his shoulder at this point. It’s then that he notices John following closely behind.

“What about him?”

It’s an honest question. I mean, if following Jesus means my death, at least tell me I’m not alone. Let me know that someone else will be in it with me. There may also have been a bit of wonder in that question as well. What about him? What is his calling? What will happen to him? It too is a natural question. How does my calling compare to his calling? Maybe his is better. Maybe it’s worse. I wonder how my calling stacks up against his. Where does my calling rank in the hierarchy of calling?

Jesus’ answer is difficult. “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

Your calling leads to a brutal death. What if his calling leads to immortality? So what? You must follow me. Peter, you must embrace your own story. You are not John. You are not anyone else. I’m calling you to lead. Your calling is unique.

There’s this false idea we have in church world that says that one’s value and worth is based on the outward things we can see - the blessings. He’s rich, so God must love him more. They are way more talented than me, so their purpose must be more important than mine. They seem to have it easy, my life is hard - God must not love me as much. And that causes us to covet each other’s calling. We believe that to be them would be so much better. To live their story would be way more satisfying than my own.

Somewhere along the line, as followers of Jesus, we must come to understand that each of us has a purpose. God has uniquely shaped us to accomplish his will. For some of us that will mean great wealth. For some of us that will mean poverty. For some of us that may mean a beautiful family, for others it may mean a single life, or a childless life.

The danger in comparing our lives to those around us is this - the only life that will fulfill us is the one that follows Jesus. Living their life will leave you hopeless. Living their story will not satisfy you. The question Jesus asks of Peter should echo in our ears all the time - “What is that to you? You must follow me.” Your calling is unique. Your story is the best life you can live. Embrace it.

OK Go does it again

2010-03-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

OK Go is one of those bands that I learned about first from their treadmill video. Then it was the marching band in a field. Today I saw this. Wow. Their videos must take weeks or even months to set up and choreograph. I'm impressed.

The blog that wasn't...

2010-03-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted a blog, that I then immediately deleted. Here's why - it wasn't anything controversial really, I wasn't calling anyone out, and I wasn't going on a theological rant or anything like that. Actually, it was quite the opposite - it was a short video from the Office, previewing this week's episode. This week Pam and Jim are having their baby, and there was a funny scene where Jim is freaking out. I resonated with his emotions - as my wife is probably going to have a baby in the next two weeks. Of course, in the middle of this clip was some pretty typical Office humor, which by the way I laughed at.

However, the reason for deleting it was not out of a legalism that this was somehow bad or evil (in fact I posted the link above), but that it suddenly occurred to me that not everyone finds that funny. In fact, to some people it may have even been offensive. And as a leader of an organization, a pastor of a church, I suddenly felt the weight of that.

Now, the specifics of the Office aside, I find myself today wrestling with the bigger issue here. How do wisdom and authenticity interact and relate, particularly for a leader? I long to be inwardly exactly who I am outwardly. But here's the deal - as a pastor and a leader I don't simply represent myself. I know of other leaders who have said things publicly that made things difficult for their organization and/or the people associated with it. My guess is that those leaders would probably have guarded their words a little more if they had it to do over again. And particularly with the internet, once it's out there, it's out there forever.

I'm a pretty big fan of the book of Proverbs in the Bible. All throughout this ancient text are warnings about controlling your tongue, holding back, guarding your words. Here are a few:

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. - 13:3

Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly. - 13:16

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. - 21:23

Where do you come down on this? Do you "just be you" and let the chips fall where they may in the name of authenticity, or is there a responsibility that rests upon a leader to show a little prudence? Is it being inauthentic to filter yourself, or is it wisdom?

Six weeks in

2010-02-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

This last Sunday was our sixth Sunday together at Story Church. Today seems like a good day to give a quick recap and assessment of where we're at as a church. The reality is that we are beginning to see the dust settle from our launch. It's been an incredible beginning - but it's just a beginning. Our first six weeks were kind of strange. We launched with a series called GROW. But in week 2 the earthquake in Haiti hit, and we set our series aside to tackle head on the issue of suffering. We had our biggest offering that day - which we gave away to Haiti relief. Week 4 was snowed out, so our original 4-week series ended up lasting six.

Since our launch, we continue to see new faces each week. People continue to hear about us from facebook, from yard signs, and now we're beginning to see people get invited by their friends. As a pastor, I'm most excited about seeing people get connected relationally, and beginning to get plugged in through serving.

One of the important lessons I've learned in these first few weeks is to define the "win" and keep that in front of me all the time. For us, a "win" is seeing people who don't normally go to church coming and getting involved. It's seeing people ask questions, take steps to further their relationship with Jesus, and seek healing and wholeness in their relationships. And we're seeing tons of those things.

As a confession, it's real easy to get caught up in numbers like attendance and offering - two realities a church needs in order to sustain life. But to keep the "win" in focus has been huge for me. I know that those other things will take care of themselves if we stay true to the vision God has for us as a church - to help people embrace the story they are meant to live.

If you are a Story Church attender - what have been some of the highlights for you so far?

A new look

2010-02-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

I revamped the blog a bit today. Mostly just a style change, and added a twitter feed. I'm hoping it inspires me to use it more. I'd like for it to be more interactive, so if you read it let me know you're here.

Laughing until it hurts

2010-02-03T06:52:00.001-08:00

Every once in a while my kids want to sit on my lap and watch YouTube clips of puppies or kitties or monkeys or whatever. That was getting a little old so last night we broke out Photobooth. We had one of the funnest nights I can remember. We were all crying laughing. (Well, not all of us - my youngest looks concerned about what is happening to her face - which made all of us laugh even harder.) I love my family.

GROW

2010-01-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

We're in the middle of a series called GROW at STORYCHURCH. In week one, we talked about a principle that Andy Stanley describes in his recent book "The Principle of the Path." It basically says "Direction, not intentions, determines your destination." In that first week, we set a vision for our church and the direction we want to go. We described what we believe is the abundant life Jesus is offering in the kingdom - available here and now, not just someday when we die.

This week, we tackled what I think is one of the most important things to consider if one wants to grow. That is, where you are planted matters more than anything else. Or, as we said - SOIL MATTERS. We talked about the importance of learning from someone else who is already experiencing the abundant life of Jesus. Our environment, the people around us really have a huge impact on what we become. So we looked at a guy named Lot from the book of Genesis - and his decision to plant himself in a place that ultimately led to him losing everything.

Now that we're going strong every week, it's pretty fun to be able to build from one week to the next. I'm looking forward to jumping in to some super practical stuff this next week.

Overall, our third service went really well. We're beginning to realize that we need more hands on deck - especially early in the morning for setup. We're starting to get a system down but it's still taking way too long. And that could easily be fixed with a few extra hands.

Week 2

2010-01-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

Another amazing morning at Story Church. I seriously can't believe I get to do this. We did a pretty bold thing this week. In only our 2nd week as a church, we decided to call an audible this week and divert from our series "GROW" and tackle head on the suffering we are seeing in Haiti. I spent all week preparing for GROW part 2, but by Friday night I became convinced that we couldn't ignore what was happening in the world. I couldn't say "Hey, let's pray about Haiti, let's take a special offering, ok now back to doing our thing." So instead we talked about suffering and how we understand that in a world where God is supposed to be in control.

We acknowledged the question many of us were asking - "Where is God?" In the end, Scripture is so clear that God is with the suffering. He's on the side of the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, and the have-nots. As a church planter, I think I will look back to this week as a pivotal one for us. It was a week where we took a bit of a risk in order to make a pretty serious statement about our values and our vision as a church. Not many church plants I know have started by changing their plans in week two and addressing an issue like suffering. And no church I know has given away 100% of their offering like we did this week. I'm so proud of our church, the way they stepped up, caught a vision for proclaiming God's heart for the world, and responded with radical generosity. This day will stay with us for a long time.

STORYCHURCH Launch

2010-01-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, after four and a half years of dreaming, we finally launched Story Church. It was one of the greatest days of my life - to see a vision become reality. I was so proud of our team and so amazed at our God. There are seriously so many highlights, but I'll try and name some of them here.

- Our team did a tremendous job. I am amazed at the people God has assembled here at Story Church and the gifts they have.
- Final attendance was 96 people. More than double what we had at our preview services.
- We learned a lot about what works in getting our name out around here. We did a smaller (5,000 piece) direct mail campaign, yard signs, and facebook ads. By far the facebook ads were the most successful in getting people to our site, and ultimately to the service. The combination of yard signs and mailer did well (when people got a mailer and saw a sign). However, for other church planters - for the cost, I can't recommend Facebook ads more highly.
- Our band, led by @alastairvance did amazingly well.
- Our setup was different this time. We added a significant amount of pipe and drape, and moved our sound board and media off to the side as opposed to the back center of the room. The pipe and drape really gave the elementary school gym a much better feel and created an intimate space. It's a little more labor intensive than I like in a mobile church environment, but I'm sure we can develop a better system for that.
- We had a new sound board and a new projector - both of which worked out really well.
- Just saying, there can't be a better spread of food anywhere in the kingdom of God.
- Our kids ministry rocked it - I heard nothing but great things from parents.
- When I finally got up to preach, I was pretty amped up but also quite emotional. It took a few deep breaths and a prayer to get me calmed down enough to speak my heart. In the end, I think it went really well.
- We gave away John Eldredge's book Epic to everyone there - a great book for a church named STORYCHURCH!
- Overheard "Is this going to be every week?!"
- Met a girl who recently moved here from AZ. Found out she went to the church of my former youth pastor, mentor and friend Linn Winters at Cornerstone Chandler. We were all amazed at the connection.
- Met several young couples looking for a church home. Lots of PhD students. Not sure I'm smart enough for this crowd.
- Got so many emails, texts, and twitter messages from friends and other pastors that encouraged the heck out of me.
- Jesus was lifted high!
- We get to do it all over again in 6 days!!

You can hear this week's message here, and see more pictures here.

Christmas

2009-12-26T13:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of the greatest Christmas celebrations I've ever had. Our church participated this year in the Advent Conspiracy - a movement to try and reclaim Christmas from the busyness and commercialization that it has become. So my wife and I set $50 limits on what we would spend on each other. With a little bit of money and a lot of creativity, we decided to make gifts for each other. She ended up making me an "inspiration board" with several of my favorite quotations from some of my favorite books. It is awesome. I purchased a nice frame, and then drew some pictures and gave it to her. It made her cry, so I guess I win. Haha.

Our church raised over $1600 for the Advent Conspiracy - more than three times bigger than any offering we have ever taken. According to the AC website, it costs $10 to provide clean drinking water for one child - for life. So Story Church gave 160 kids life this year. That's what I'm talking about!!! And the coolest thing for me as a dad - my six year old daughter has been saving change all year. She was able to give more than $30 toward our offering. My six year old gave three kids water for life. HOW COOL IS THAT??

Anyway, Christmas yesterday was really a great time. We opened presents in the morning (even with cutting way back, there was still plenty to go around), then I got to work cooking a big breakfast. My wife's family came over around 11am and we ate like crazy. We played a fun gift exchange game, laughed more than I've laughed probably all year, and played some games. Then everyone left for a couple of hours and we rested and got ready for round two. Dinner was at Kimi's sister's house where we had lasagna and fondue, followed up by more games.

I think the AC movement really enabled me to just enjoy my family and friends this year and to really rest in the idea of Emmanuel - "God with us."

I've already got my idea ready for next year's Christmas. It's gonna make her cry again. Yes!

Prayer

2009-12-16T12:47:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post because it's all I have time for. We are less than 30 days from the launch of Story Church. There is so much going on I can't believe it. Here's the quick list of what this week entails: picking curriculum for kids ministry, establishing some kids ministry policies, planning for our 12/20 preview, preparing my message for Sunday, writing our Bylaws and Constitution, getting funding in place from our friends at the ARC, accounting, planning teaching for the new year, trips to Guitar Center, creating ads for Facebook, creating slides for Sunday, meeting with people regarding a potential new location for Story Church, keeping in touch with supporters, getting background checks done, working on our website, and the list goes on.

Pray for me this week. Pray for Story Church. We've been talking about really slowing down and trying to embrace Christmas and it's kind of hard when you are trying to launch a church at the same time.

In addition to my pastor/church planter hat there's the husband/dad hat which is really the most important to me. Last night we went to dinner which we haven't done in months as a family. That was nice. Today I went and sat in on my daughter's class just for fun. That was nice too.

Trying to keep our family number one during this time is a challenge. Not impossible, but a challenge. Pray for us!

Spend Less. Give More.

2009-12-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

As a church we are celebrating advent by participating in the Advent Conspiracy. It's a movement of Christians that have decided that the consumerism that comes with Christmas isn't the best way to celebrate the birth of Christ. But it's more of a movement for something, rather than a movement against something. It's not a movement that is worried about whether you say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". It's not a movement about Jesus vs. Santa. It's a movement that is encouraging people to give more of themselves at Christmas. The idea is to give more relational gifts, that maybe cost less in dollars, but more in time. It's about spending time together, creating memories and traditions. Many of us are making homemade gifts this year. Some are simply choosing to spend less on things we don't really need and instead to do something together as a family. In the end, we will be giving the money that we would normally spend on needless gifts to people who truly have needs. Locally, we'll be coming alongside a school and providing for families that really have needs. We are volunteering our time to help in classrooms. And globally, we'll be helping to build clean water wells that will literally save lives and rescue people from disease.

To learn more about the movement check out www.adventconspiracy.org.

For creative gift ideas this Christmas check out www.rethinkingchristmas.com.

NT Wright on Social Media

2009-11-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

NT Wright on Blogging/Social Media from Bill Kinnon on Vimeo.

Thoughts?

Story Church - Our third preview

2009-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, November 15 was the third preview service for Story Church. It was the first time we attempted this in the morning, going with a 10am service as opposed to the previous two which were at 6pm. We felt it was important to do at least one of the previews in the morning so that we could figure out timing, lighting, and everything else. Overall it was a good morning. We added some signage this time with some banners out front. We further streamlined our setup and adding some light trees to the auditorium.

I taught on the parable of the Good Samaritan and tried to teach it in such a way that we heard the story in the same way the original audience heard it. I think we were able to accomplish that for the most part. We also tied it in to a movement we are embracing as a church called the Advent Conspiracy. It's a movement that focuses on fighting consumerism at Christmas by giving of ourselves more to each other and by giving to the poor. One of our goals is to deliver a life-giving message every week. I think that this particular message could have used more life. I could have done a better job of connecting the freedom and life that come from loving people as neighbor instead of focusing as much as I did on the ways in which our hearts are closed off to certain people. Both are valid, but one without the other isn't complete. I was trying to get there with our emphasis on Advent Conspiracy, but I'm not sure it got there.

For me, I am still getting back into the swing of preaching. My preparation is getting better, but I am definitely still rusty at times. As a church planter, and the only staff person, it's sometimes tough to find the balance between everything that needs to get done, and the things that only I can do. In other words, I'm trying to learn how to use our team more and more and to focus my own energies on the things that only I can do.

Anyway, as for this preview here are a few things we learned this week:

- Moving our kids registration into the hallway instead of the main room was a good idea.
- Get people involved as soon as possible. We had people serving as greeters who had never been to one of our services. How cool is that?
- We continue to be amazed that people show up. Haha. It's the thing I hear from lots of church planters, but the fact that people actually show up is pretty awesome. They see signs, they find us online, all of it is really cool.
- We're beginning to make the school feel like it's ours. The banners out front and at the entrance really helped.
- We still need more signage inside. We need our kids registration area better marked - though it feels like that is kind of a moving table right now.
- We still need musicians. We had our fearless leader Alastair and we added Jon on electric guitar. But we had no drummer or bass player. I think we missed the energy a full band provides.
- We need a sound guy.
- We need someone who can design our slides each week. I spent a few hours on that this week and it was hard.
- Our clean up seemed to take a long time. Not sure why. I know that more of us were enjoying talking to new people, but we need to figure out how to get cleaned up before noon on Sundays.
- The new sound equipment was awesome. I am excited that we are getting that part of our setup nailed down.
- We need more kids workers.
- I'm still not thrilled with the lighting in the room - I wish we had more control over that.
- It still feels like an elementary school at times. I think we need to invest in some pipe and drape or something like it to cover up some of the realities of where we meet.
- The stage could still use a backdrop as well.
- Offerings still aren't covering the cost of meeting there. At some point that will need to change.

I haven't yet got feedback from our team about their thoughts on the preview. I'll try and post their thoughts this week. We're definitely still figuring things out.

The gospel and suffering

2009-11-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

My friend Luke is a prison chaplain. At the prison he works at, there are five different facilities that house inmates, each one with varying levels of freedom. The lowest level are men who work outside, who aren't locked into cells, and don't have gates keeping them there. At the highest level is full lockdown with double doors, double windows, gates, bars, razor wire, the whole thing. As one of the chaplains, Luke gets the opportunity to preach in each of these facilities. Though he is new, other chaplains have described to him something that he is beginning to see as well. Chaplains describe that the enthusiasm for the gospel is inversely related to the level of freedom that the inmates have. Those that have quite a bit of freedom are generally emotionless and subdued in hearing the gospel preached to them. Those that are kept under higher levels of security express much greater enthusiasm for the gospel.

I suppose this shouldn't surprise me. Jesus had crowds of "sinners" that couldn't get enough of him. Those that outwardly were probably furthest from God were the most attracted to a message of hope and grace and freedom. On the other hand, religious people hated Jesus. Those that outwardly seemed to have it all together had the least need for Jesus (or so they thought) and therefore saw Jesus words as a threat rather than a welcomed hope.

We see the same thing outside of prison walls though don't we? Why is it that the church in the United States is in decline while everywhere else in the world it is flourishing? Why is it that in some of the most difficult, painful places in the world the gospel is seeing unprecedented growth and advance? Freedom, prosperity, and consumerism can be numbing. The church in America is largely filled with affluent people who have always had everything they wanted. We have rarely been in a position where our freedom has been limited. We have probably never gone without a meal - except by choice. If we don't like Church A, then we'll just go down the street to Church B. Or maybe we'll just stay home.

While the reality is that the church here is in decline, I am hopeful for the church. I believe that our best days are still ahead of us. The church in the western world has unprecedented opportunity. But we need a desperation for God. We will never change the world by being comfortable. We must be willing to step into brokenness, to embrace the suffering, and to learn from our brothers and sisters around the world who are poor and marginalized. Our freedom and our prosperity must never be allowed to numb us to the power of the gospel. Jesus said that he came for the sick. He came to set the prisoners free, to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry. I want to be part of a church that is full of sick, naked, hungry prisoners. I want to be surrounded by people who are desperate for God, aware of their own failures, and eager for more of Jesus.

The long, dark, cold winter...

2009-10-26T07:02:00.001-07:00

The day after the Angels are eliminated from the playoffs is a dark day for me every year. There are always the questions of what if, and if they only, and wondering if things could have turned out different. This year it could also mean the departure of three long time Angels - John Lackey, Vlad Guerrero, and Chone Figgins. There is still a World Series coming - which I will watch. But more as a removed baseball fan than a fan of any particular team. I'll pretty much be rooting for the Phillies - I'd love to see a back to back champion not named the Yankees. Pretty much anyone taking on the Yankees is going to get my vote.

Next year the All-Star game will be in Anaheim. I hope to be able to go back to CA and go to the game. I was at the 2002 World Series and fortunately had the opportunity to be at game 7 and watch the Angels win it all. It was the highlight of my sports fan life. I think going to an All-Star game would be the next coolest thing - particularly at my team's field.

As the season ends every year I start thinking about where I'll be by the time the season starts again. I guess for me the calendar year is not as telling as the baseball season. But by the time pitchers and catchers report in late February, our church will be six weeks old. That's a crazy thought. And if all goes well, my son should arrive just in time for opening day. You can bet I'll be holding him that day and introducing him to the greatest game on earth.

Jerel Law

2009-10-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this great post from Jerel Law on Story. There's a conference coming up in Chicago on Story and Jerel is going. I look forward to hearing more from Jerel and from the Story Conference next week.

Humility

2009-10-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Here's some more from Catalyst. It was great to hear from Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point and Outliers. I enjoyed listening to him for the first time. But for some reason I kept thinking "More cowbell."

What does the financial crisis tell us about leadership?
Miscalibration - thinking you know more than you actually know. Overconfidence.
In times of crisis we think we need daring and bold decision making, but we don’t. What we need is humility.

Andy Stanley's questions:
What are the warning signs of an overconfident leader?
- The potential for it is in all of us. All of us start to think we are better than we are.
- We should be looking for it in everyone who is in authority.
- When they stop listening to the people around them, watch out.
Humility = the ability to listen to others.
Can a leader see this in the mirror?
- In the Iraq war, we went in terribly overconfident. There was a point where we realized we were wrong, and had to start over.
What do you say to the leader who has resisted accountability?
- In business there’s a moment where the entrepreneur can no longer do it on their own.
- Growth requires a change in leadership - it can’t all go through one person anymore.

Catalyst 09

2009-10-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

I had the great privilege of going this year to Catalyst, which was last week in the Atlanta area. It was also the first time my wife has gotten to come with me to a conference in a long time (six years we think!). We left the kids at home and had an amazing couple of days listening to some great wisdom. I took notes during most sessions, so over the next few days I'll post my notes on some of the speakers that were there.

My notes are kind of sporadic, so if you have trouble following them and want some clarification, let me know.

First up, Andy Stanley:

Leaders always leave a mark, the question is what kind of mark will you leave?
You won’t really understand the mark you’ve left until way after you’ve made it.
You don’t know a defining moment is happening until long after it happens

Joshua
- He and the people have crossed the Jordan and are beginning to lose their dependence on God.
- At the end of his life he says “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord” - Joshua 23:8-15
- Joshua 5:13 - Are you for us or are you against us? The angel says “no.”
- “I’m not here to be a part of your story. I’m here to find out if you are willing to play a role in my story.”
- This is a question that very few leaders are willing to wrestle with.
- “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
- Joshua made a decision in that moment to be part of God’s story, not his own.
- V.15 - “Take off your sandals. This is holy ground.”
- Before you make your mark and become a household name, I just wanted to make sure you were going to be a leader not just with authority but under authority.
- This is why late in his life he is able to say “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
- God takes full responsibility for the life wholly devoted to him - Charles Stanley.
- Why do we do what we do and who do we do it for?
- Once we settle that in our lives, then we can live with a freedom that is unexplainable.
- God will take full responsibility.
- Our mark isn’t worth our life. Living to make my mark is too small a thing to give my life to.

Second Preview

2009-10-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday was the second preview service for Story Church. Here are my thoughts about what went well and what we learned:

1. Setup went much smoother - everyone was assigned a job, and there was a clear priority list in terms of what needed to get done first.
2. Our new screen is approximately 1,000 times better than the original. It is no longer a jumbotron and we were able to project straight ahead to the stage.
3. Tablecloths made a huge difference! Made our hospitality and check-in areas look sharp.
4. The first preview was too bright on stage, so this time we turned out the lights. It was too dark. We need to invest in some lighting.
5. We are still borrowing from a couple of different sound systems. This makes setup a bit confusing and cumbersome. We need to get our own stuff soon.
6. The flow of the service worked out much better this time.
7. We intentionally had a woman on the stage! We are no longer chauvinists.
8. Our media looked good, we just need to work on the timing of changing slides.
9. We need more signage - outside, inside, hallways, registration areas, everywhere.
10. We did a better job with the offering this time - we didn't belabor it, and we had a cool new box for the offering specifically. It is no longer on the food table :).
11. Our team needs to model worship a little bit more. At times there was some awkwardness because it seemed like people didn't know when to stand or sing or whatever.
12. Alastair still has an accent. Haha. We're thinking about using subtitles.
13. The teardown went fast. We were out by 8pm (service ended at 7:15 - right on time!).
14. We forgot to bring our connection cards and kids registration cards. That made for a panicked 15 minutes until my wife drove home and found them. That's probably one of the most important elements to what we're doing - so slight oversight there!
15. My sermon felt rushed and crammed. I'm out of practice with this preaching stuff and I need to relearn how to simplify.
16. We need a second parking lot person.
17. We need a countdown clock or something like it - it didn't seem like people really believed we were starting when we did.
18. We should probably mention the connection cards more than once.
19. Facebook ads really work! I think we need to do them more.
20. I can't wait for November 15. This is too much fun.

Thoughts on U2

2009-10-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

I was mowing my lawn on Saturday when my wife came outside with the phone. While I hated to stop my masterful yard manicuring, she seemed persistent. What I soon found out was that a friend was calling with news of a lifetime. He had an extra ticket to that night's U2 concert in Raleigh and wanted to know if I would please take it. Hmmm.... Let me think. Heck yes!! Oh yeah, and the seats were amazing. $250 worth of amazing. For free. A couple of years ago I got to see Coldplay in CA on the X and Y tour. It was the most amazing show I'd ever seen. For me there was only one other band that I wanted to see in my lifetime - U2.

So Saturday is our normal Launch Team meetings for Story Church. My plan was to go ahead and have our meeting, cut it short, and bail out in time for U2 (though I was bummed that I would be missing Muse). The show started at 7, and my thought was that U2 would probably go on about 9pm. So we finished up with our Launch Team around 7pm, and I left the house around 7:15. The stadium is only about 20 minutes from my house so I figured I had plenty of time. Around 9pm I was still in my car, still trying to get to the stadium and find a parking spot! After a couple hours of frustration I began hearing from police officers and walkers that there was no more parking - period. WHAT??? How can there not be any more parking?? So I found a side street, and took off looking for a place to park and run back. Eventually I found a neighborhood, paid a guy $10 to park in his yard, and ran about a mile back to the stadium. By the time I got to my seats and found my friend U2 was on their 7th song - Elevation. My favorite moment of the night (and there were many) had to be the honest, simple singing of Amazing Grace by Bono, with several thousand people singing along. The pastor in me is amazed at the power of a rock star to get people singing of God's grace. It was a profound moment I felt.

The stage design was incredible, the video screens and lights and everything else made the show an unbelievable experience. This wasn't just a rock concert though. These guys are passionate about justice and have learned that their influence can really change the world. They highlighted the One campaign (join now if you haven't already), the political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, the religious fighting of Protestants and Catholics in Ireland, and there was even a word from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

This was truly an experience of a lifetime. Don't you just love those moments where God surprises you for no reason at all - where you just get blessed with something amazing that you don't deserve?

Amazing Grace indeed.

Here is the setlist of the show:

Breathe
Get On Your Boots
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day / C Moon (snippet)
No Line On The Horizon
Magnificent
Elevation
In A Little While
New Year's Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Stand By Me (snippet)
Stuck In A Moment
The Unforgettable Fire
Mofo (snippet) / City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
Crazy Tonight / Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Again) (snippet)
Sunday Bloody Sunday / Rock The Casbah (snippet) / People Get Ready (snippet)
MLK
Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)

Encore(s):
One / Amazing Grace (snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender

100 Days

2009-10-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 100 day countdown to the launch of Story Church. Depending on your perspective, that can either seem like a long time, or not much time at all. For me, it's more of the latter. A couple of months ago the plan was to launch on September 13. I had a hard time giving up that date and pushing things back, but I am so glad that we did. I can't even imagine what things would have been like if we had tried to push it. We simply wouldn't have made it.

So what is there to do in the next 100 days? Here are some of the things we are trying to accomplish in no specific order:

1) 3 preview services - Oct. 11, Nov. 15, and Dec. 20. The previews serve two purposes - to allow people to see who we are and maybe get excited enough about our vision to join our team. And secondly, to let us practice and try and figure this thing out.

2) To grow our team to about 35 adults. It just takes a certain amount of people to be able to hold babies, serve people, etc.

3) To raise money. We are trying to be good steward of what we have, but it simply costs money to start a church that meets in a rented facility. There is sound equipment, kids ministry stuff, food, advertising, rent, insurance, graphic design and more to pay for.

4) Serve our community. We are trying to build into the DNA of Story Church that we are going to be a church that not only exists within our community but that we play a vital role in it. Our desire is to be a generous, life-giving church. That doesn't happen on Sunday mornings alone. So we are beginning to find our place in Durham and the ways that we can live out the gospel to all people.

I'm so excited for these next 100 days. They are vitally important days. They are days of faith, of great dependence upon God. Pray for us and for Story Church. And if you are in the Triangle area, let us share our heart and vision with you. Come out and visit us on October 11 for our next preview. All of the details are on our website here.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: A Review

2009-09-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this book for more than two years. It was at least that long ago now that Donald Miller spoke at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI on the subject of Story. It was a talk that I have gone back to probably a dozen times. It's a talk that led me to dream, and then to ultimately step out and begin planting a church - Story Church.

I must admit that I am already a Donald Miller fan. I've read Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What, and To Own a Dragon. Each of these books has played a key role in my spiritual journey. But even as a fan, I don't think I was ready for what A Million Miles has done to me.

This book is the result of Don's real life experience with editing his memoir Blue Like Jazz to be made into a movie. During the process, he begins to learn all the elements of story - what makes a story good, what makes a story bad, etc. After realizing that his own real life story wasn't really going anywhere, he decided to apply the elements of story to his life. He begins to intentionally seek out a story of purpose and meaning by facing his fears, chasing down his dreams, and embracing the challenges and conflicts that come his way. The result is profound.

A Million Miles is raw. It's gut wrenchingly vulnerable. I found myself regularly laughing out loud. A few pages later I found myself weeping. It was convicting, challenging, inspiring, and unsettling. I was blown away at how vulnerable Miller is in this book. I felt at times like he was letting me in on parts of his life and his thoughts in a way that I haven't even done with some of my closest friends. From the journey to find his dad, to the quest to find love, it was an unbelievable ride.

This is one of those books that will forever change me. I will no doubt read it again and again. As a pastor I can say without a doubt that this is a book I will be giving away to everyone who will read it. It isn't preachy. It's honest, funny, beautiful, and inspiring. And if you and I let these truths seep in, our stories will never be the same.

First Preview

2009-09-15T06:34:00.001-07:00

Now that we're two days removed from our first preview, here are some things that we learned as a team:

1) We knew we had a lot to setup, but we didn't really have tasks assigned. So we ended up looking like a 5 year old soccer team - all of us together running around chasing the same problem.

2) Flexibility is the name of the game in a portable environment. When we showed up, there were 200 chairs set up and the back wall of the gym was open into the cafeteria. While we ended up getting it closed and most of the chairs put away, right from the start we had obstacles we weren't planning on.

3) We needed start times for each of our jobs. What time should we be at the door greeting? What time should the band be done? What time should kids registration start? etc.

4) Our screen is too big. Seriously a 9' x 12' screen is cool, but way too big for our setting. Because of the size we had very little flexibility on our setup and it had to be way over on the side which caused people to look sideways to see it.

5) Transitions. They need work.

6) Borrowing from three different sound systems is confusing. It made for a much more complex setup and teardown. "Is this mine, or yours, or theirs?" Next time we'll try and piece enough together to use just our own stuff.

7) Connection Cards are awkward. We didn't really know when in the service to do them, and it just felt weird.

8) Money. In our effort to not talk much about money and not make an offering a big deal - we ended up making it a big deal. haha.

9) Our band rocked. Too bad they may be all different next time!

10) This is stinking fun. I could give my life to this kind of thing.

Today

2009-09-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the day. It's so cool to work toward something and pray about something for years and then finally get to catch a first glimpse of it. Today is the first preview service for Story Church. We'll be meeting at 6pm at Spring Valley Elementary School. I am so proud of our team. They have worked so hard over the last few months to get ready for this day. They have given of their time, their resources, and have served this community without any negativity or complaining.

It's quite humbling to know that there are literally hundreds of people praying for us today. At my home church in CA they will be showing a video from us today, and spending some time praying for us and our service. Many others have committed to pray for us on this day as well.

I feel a sort of nervous excitement. Part of me thinks we're going to knock it out of the park, and the other part of me hopes someone shows up! Either way, we can't really do anything about that now. We realize as a team that today is a necessary step for us whether anyone shows up or not. It's a day that we need, as a team. We will learn so much today about our systems, about our readiness, and about our ability to be flexible when we need to be.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted about how things went. In the meantime, you can check out the new website that went live today at www.storychurch.org.

Fire

2009-09-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, CA is on fire. And I'm not just talking about the economic condition. You may know that I have only lived in NC for a year. Before that, I spent my whole life in a little city called Yucaipa in southern California. CA regularly gets fires this time of year, and right now there is a major fire in my city of Yucaipa and the surrounding hills. Many of my friends have had to evacuate their homes. I have many firefighting friends as well. Please pray that God will send cooler weather and that those fighting the fires will have success and safety.

(Thanks to Ron Sheveland for the photo)

Taking a Break

2009-08-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

I've been away from the blog lately. I've been away from twitter, facebook, and just about everything else too - including my "work" of starting a new church. And you know what? I'm not sorry for it. Instead I've been hanging out with friends that came to visit. Last week six former students and another friend flew in to spend a week with us here in Durham. It was so good just to hang out with them. I laughed a lot. I don't think I've been laughing much lately. Now they are gone, but by mom flew in and so did my cousin. My cousin and I are leaving today to drive up to Virginia to meet another cousin. The three of us are going to Baltimore for the weekend to catch a couple baseball games - Angels are in town.

I needed a break like this. Next week I'll hit the ground running again ready to go. But for now, bring on the baseball weekend!

Art that speaks

2009-08-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

My five year old daughter taught me a huge lesson the other day. She was busily coloring on a piece of paper. After she was done, she folded it up neatly and handed it to me. When I unfolded it, I saw a picture of a beach setting. I thanked her for the beautiful drawing and she went back to coloring. Only this time, she wasn't taking her time at all. She started scribbling on the paper with multiple colors. "What are you doing?" I asked. Her answer gave me huge insight. She said "This one is for Joy, this is how she colors." You see, Joy is 18 months old. Hannah is right, when Joy colors she simply puts marker to paper wherever it lands and lets it fly. But what amazed me was that Hannah didn't just make a picture that she liked - she contextualized it for Joy. She made a picture that Joy could "understand" so to speak. She spoke her language. Brilliant.

Ok God, I get it. Thanks.

One

2009-08-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, I was on I-40 somewhere in the middle of the United States. I had just left the only place I'd ever called home in Yucaipa, CA. I had left the only ministry I'd ever known. I left my extended family, my friends, my security, my paycheck, much of my stuff. Ahead of me there were many more miles on my way to Durham, NC. There was also a new life waiting for me, a new adventure, a new ministry, new friends, new neighbors, new purpose, new challenges. As I sat with the Story Church launch team on Saturday night in my house, I was blown away by all that has happened over the last year. What began as a vision God gave me and my wife to plant a life-giving church is now a vision that several people share. When we moved here we didn't know anyone. Today we have a team. We didn't know where this church would be - today we have a location. We didn't know if the money would come in - we've never gone hungry.

There have been days over the past year where I have wondered what it would have been like if I stayed in CA. Some days I've been lonely and longed for the deep friendships I left behind. Other times I thought about how nice it was to never worry about whether or not money would show up in the mailbox to pay the bills that were due this week. But then I look at the people on our team and I am amazed. I am amazed that a group of people who didn't know each other a year ago now gather every week to dream together about a church that will transform lives and demonstrate the resurrected Jesus in this community. I'm amazed that God has gone before us and prepared the way.

I always compare that longing feeling, that looking back at the way things were, to the Israelites who were rescued from Egypt. In the Scriptures we learn of this people who were slaves in Egypt. God rescued them out of Egypt and led them to the "Promised Land". But they didn't just go straight there. They first went out into the wilderness. And the wilderness lasted a long time. And it was difficult. And it didn't take long for them to start looking back over their shoulders and longing for Egypt. They longed for the place where they were slaves in forced labor, a people with no identity, no land for themselves, and no hope. It seems strange from our perspective, but I don't think it's that strange really. I think it's natural. I think we long for the things that we know already - even if they aren't ideal. Because going out into the wilderness is scary. It's difficult.

But on the other side, there's a promised land. There's blessing. There's hope.

I don't know what that looks like for you. But I hope that you have the courage to keep looking ahead. Keep following the vision God has given you. There's something so much better just ahead.

I am not a salesman

2009-07-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

When I was little it seemed like I was always raising money for something. (I guess some things don't change - see storychurch.org to give now!) I remember one time standing out front of the grocery store selling candy for yet another church trip. I think this time it was chocolate eggs, large tasty eggs, for $6 a piece. I remember the man who felt bad for me and bought my last 5 eggs which meant I got to go to Disneyland for free. But it wasn't because I was a great salesman. It was pity. I didn't have a smooth sales pitch, an engaging question, or even a sweet catch phrase like "BINGO!" (see yesterday's post if you don't understand)

I still hate selling stuff. In fact, even watching someone sell someone else on something is kind of awful to me. I hate the fact that it feels like someone is getting manipulated. I hate the false sense of excitement, the way the product gets talked up as if it's the greatest thing ever, and the feeling I get when I've been totally bamboozled into buying something I didn't really want or need.

I fear this about being a pastor. I never want to be a salesman. I don't want to have to give a pitch for Jesus. I don't want to have to talk Him up like "He slices, He dices, He blesses." I fear this because I guess there's enough of it in the church world that it makes me afraid to become that. There's certainly a reality to the fact that I want people to come to Jesus because of what He can do for them - heal them, restore them, redeem them. But Jesus isn't a product, and the church isn't just the packaging, and as the pastor I'm not Billy Mays (RIP). If Jesus isn't attractive enough on his own, lived out by his followers, then we're probably doing something wrong.

With that said, I'm all for churches making Sunday morning worship an attractive thing. It would kind of be counter-productive to say that we shouldn't do that. But don't invite your friends to church so that the professional salesman can sell them on Jesus. It doesn't matter what I say as the pastor - the message they will hear the loudest is what they see in you. And frankly, I'm out of the chocolate egg industry.

BINGO!

2009-07-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in Starbucks the other day working on my laptop when it happened. I've seen it unfold probably a dozen times in coffee shops over the years. Some young couple is meeting with some slick salesman who wants them to join his pyramid scheme (close enough anyway) with the promise that what they are about to do is easy and will make them tons of money in almost no time at all. This time, the salesman was selling Identity Theft Protection. He was good I must admit. He knew how to make a sale. He had this young couple saying "yes" a lot. They were excited. It seemed so easy. And to back it all up - he had a catch phrase. "BINGO!" Just about every 30 seconds he'd ask them a question with an obvious answer, and as they responded he would excitedly say "BINGO!" I have to admit, I started looking forward to it. I was anticipating it every time. I even said it with him a couple of times under my breath. I was getting so caught up in all of this that I was ready to join his scheme.

I learned several things from observing this whole thing go down. This week I'll try and unpack some of them for you. In the meantime, let's start with something a little lighter. As far as catch phrases go, "BINGO!" is pretty awesome. What are some great catch phrases that you and I can work into our vocabulary? I'll go first and stay in the classic game department. How about "YAHTZEE!?"

Drops Like Stars

2009-07-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

It arrived by UPS yesterday. I wasn't really prepared for what I was about to experience. Rob Bell's latest book Drops Like Stars is a work of art. From the second I opened the box I knew that this would be quite an experience. The book is large. Not in terms of page numbers or content - but in actual size. It's huge. Think yearbook, or coffee table book. It's pages are bright red. Throughout the book you will find stories, incredible photos, and great insight from Bell.

In its pages, Bell addresses the issue of suffering. But rather than addressing it in terms of "why?" he instead focuses on the "what now?" that comes from suffering. When the unexpected happens, and our frame of reference gets thrown out of whack - what is the result? Bell sees that art and beauty and creativity are the result of suffering. It's from experiencing pain that enables someone to create something that resonates so deeply with an audience.

One part of the book is called "The art of elimination." Bell talks about how when we strip everything away that isn't necessary, something beautiful emerges. In the arena of sculpture for instance, it was Michelangelo who said that his "David" was clamoring to be freed. I loved the story of Johnny Cash that Bell includes. By the early 90s Cash had been almost forgotten by the music industry. Rick Rubin took Cash, stripped everything away except for the man, a microphone, and his guitar. All of his band and everything that gave him comfort were gone. He shares that at the first solo acoustic show in Los Angeles, Johnny Cash was terrified. After thousands of shows all over the world, the idea of playing by himself was almost too much to bear. It was in that terror that something beautiful emerged - the honest, simple voice of an aging legend.

Though I hadn't planned to do it, I read the book from cover to cover in about an hour (maybe less). In terms of written content, there is very little - hardly enough to be called a book. But between his thoughts and the amazing photos, I feel as though I've experienced something great. I'll end with this excerpt:

"I want desperately for things to go 'how they're supposed to.' Which is another way of saying 'how I want them to,' which is another way of saying 'according to my plan.' And that, as we all know, isn't how it works. But it's that disappointment, in that confusion, in that pain - the pain that comes from things not going how I wanted them to - that I find the same thing happening, again and again. I come to the end of myself, to the end of my power, the end of my strength, the end of my understanding, only to find in that place of powerlessness a strength and peace that weren't there before. I keep discovering that it's in the blemish that the Spirit enters. The cross, it turns out, is about the mysterious work of God which begins not with big plans and carefully laid out timetables, but in pain and anguish and death."

Plans vs. Vision

2009-07-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

"Plans change, vision stays the same." I listened recently to another Andy Stanley leadership podcast that hit me at just the right time. I asked on twitter last week for people to be praying for me as I had some pretty big decisions to make. I feel like God really answered many of those prayers by allowing me to hear this particular podcast. In it, Andy talks about how many of us fail to realize that our particular vision is not the same as our particular plan. I know for me this church planting adventure that I am on is one where my plans and the vision God has given me sometimes get confused. I think this is common for many of us. Maybe your vision is about a particular ministry, or about your business, or even a particular vision for your family. Our plans become so important to us. After all, we pray about them, we align our finances around them, we follow our plan to the greatest detail. But which is more important - the plan (how I will accomplish the vision), or the vision itself? Sometimes we have to be willing to be flexible with our plans. Plans change, vision stays the same.

In my context my church planting plan has had some significant changes along the way. The vision has continued to stay the same. Our vision is to plant a life-giving church that encourages people to embrace the story they were meant to live. It's a vision that calls people out of boredom and into the life God intended for them. And yet my plan has often gotten confused with that vision. Originally my plan was that this would happen primarily in downtown Durham. When God began pointing me closer to the Grove Park area, I struggled with that. How could we change our focus like that? Oh yeah - downtown isn't the vision, a life-giving church is the vision. More recently I've wrestled with a new change of plans. For a year I've been planning on launching Story Church on September 13, 2009. And yet recently, I've come to terms with the fact that we aren't ready to launch. At first this was a devastating reality for me. How can I change my launch date?? Oh yeah, September 13 isn't the vision - a healthy, life-giving church is the vision. September 13 is a plan. And it can change without affecting the vision.

How about you? What's the vision you have for your life, your career, your family, your marriage? Is that vision married to a particular plan, or is the plan flexible? If we don't learn to flex the plan, our vision can die with a bad plan. Good vision thrives at the right time with the right plan - but it's not the same as our plan. We die for vision, but not for our plans.

Date Night

2009-07-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

To all my married friends out there, what's the rhythm of your marriage? How often do you go on a date with your wife? How much do you spend? What are some of the creative things you've done for cheap? My wife and I would like to go out every week, but we have basically no money - so we need some creative ideas. Help a brother out!