A few reminders for STORYCHURCH

This is a big weekend for all of us who follow Jesus. And for STORYCHURCH, it's one of the biggest weekends in our short history. Here are a few things to remember going into the weekend for STORYCHURCH.

• Keep inviting. They say that most people will say yes if you simply invite them. Let's pack out the Carolina Theatre!
• Speaking of the Carolina Theatre - we're meeting there! Don't show up at Spring Valley Elementary or you will be lonely!
• Plan on joining us tomorrow (Saturday) at the Durham Easter event downtown from 2-4pm. Your kids will love it!
• On Sunday, please arrive early. We want to make sure we are ready to receive our guests so help us out by getting there early and getting your kids checked in.
• Parking will be at the YMCA across the street from the Carolina Theatre.
• It's not too late to volunteer to help us out as a greeter! Just show up early (at least 30 minutes) and we'll get you in place.
• Get those last eggs out for EggDurham!!
• Finally, continue being the generous church we have become by giving whatever you can to help the Durham Literacy Center through EggDurham.

I can't wait to celebrate the resurrection with you. Let's celebrate like never before!

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Manager

Last week I had the opportunity to take a behind the scenes tour of the Baltimore Ravens training facility. We saw everything from the locker room to the weight room, from the the classrooms to the indoor practice facility. It was incredible. One of the highlights was getting to hear General Manager Ozzie Newsome share a bit about leadership.

One thing that stood out to me was his sense of accountability to the owner. He said that he was getting ready to have his annual meeting with the owner - something he called "a trip to the principal's office." Even someone as high up in an organization as Mr. Newsome still has to be accountable.

And that got me thinking. This week at STORYCHURCH we began a new series called "Treasure." My message this week was about how the biblical view of money and possessions is that we are MANAGERS not OWNERS. Everything under the heavens belongs to God. My car is actually God's car. My lumpy couch is actually God's lumpy couch. My role? I'm the manager. In fact, I like to think of myself as the "General Manager of the Copeland franchise." It's my job to spend the money, to take care of those who rely on me, to make sure my family is staying focused on what we are trying to accomplish as a family. But at the end of the day I'm just a manager. God is the owner. And I'm accountable to Him for what I do with what He's given me.

Jesus teaches us about this in Matthew 25:14-30. Three servants get entrusted with their Master's wealth. The Master goes away for a bit and eventually returns to settle accounts with his servants. He wants to know what they did with what He had given them. Two of the servants put those resources to work and actually earned more. One of them did nothing with it and actually buried it in the ground. The first two get rewarded with even greater things, while that third servant has everything taken from him because he proved that he wasn't a very good manager.

I don't know about you, but I want to be someone the Master can entrust with even greater things.

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7 Reasons yesterday was awesome

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Speaking of our kids ministry - we added two new staff people yesterday to our kids ministry. Shawn and Annie are HEROES!
7. 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?

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Fight for Your Heart

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.)

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Change the World - WATER

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.

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The Wrestler: Bonus thoughts on Jacob

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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A few thoughts for STORYCHURCH

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!!)
4. 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.
5. 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.

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Courage Day 2011

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!

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My dream for STORYCHURCH

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!

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Jon and Jenny

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.

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Easter in West Village

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!

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Billy Hornsby

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.

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7 Myths about Courage

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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?

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A couple more thoughts

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.

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Another first for STORYCHURCH

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.

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Courage pt.1

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?

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One year

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.

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How STORYCHURCH changed the world

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!!

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God wants me to fail

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.

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Hey Story Church - help us out!

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!

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