‘Building’ a dream…

I spent the day at Irving Bible Church in support of my wife and the company that she works for.  While there I sat and soaked the atmosphere that is IBC.  Let me tell you.  What I saw when I walked around was what it looks like when church dreams.  That is more than a church.  It was a community center!  If I wanted coffee in the morning…I could go there.  If I wanted to take my kids to play at 11:34 am I could go there…ANY DAY!  If I wanted to ignite my visual senses…I could go there (wonderful art displays).

As we get ready to build our own church I hope that we stop and dream!  I think about what we could do and what our church could mean to the community if we would build more than a church!  It would take money…yes.  But it’s takes a dream first!

Time to Dream, and Dream Big!!!

Before I go…Some blogs that I think that you should see.  Check ‘em out!

Steven Furtick – Creating a Culture of Generosity
Perry Noble – Questions Leadership Teams Should Ask

Just Words?

I wonder how many of you are like me…how often are our words just that…words?  No action…just talk.  No reaction…just idle conversation.

A couple of weeks ago, I was hit like a ton of bricks by some words that I believe need not only be in my vocabulary, but rather become the backbone of my existence.  They are words that I hope define my life and my ministry from this point forward.  You will see, these aren’t hard or difficult words to know by definition, but they are challenging to live out (well, some of them).

They are:

consistent
intentional
excellence
generosity
leadership
courageous

What are the words that are challenging you?

My kids…

This is our birthday week!  Lilah turned 7 on Monday and Luke 4 on Wednesday.

Lilah Gean was our surprise.  Kallie and I didnt plan on having kids so soon into our marriage.  Our ‘5 year’ plan as we called it was trumped by God’s ‘6 months in – Guess what, you’re pregnant!’  I wouldnt go back and do anything different.  Lilah teaches me so much about faith and God.  She looks at everything as possible.  She can do anything and if she can’t then someone can.  I need to look at God the same way.  I try to do so much, but instead of me doing it all, start relying on God, cause he can!

Lilah got ‘A’ honor roll on her first report card this year.  I am so proud of her.  She’s worked very hard and I know that she loves her school and her teacher!

Luke Gaines…well he’s just a mess!  So kidding!  I love my boy!  Luke will always be a reminder of my grandmother.  Gaines was her family name and it’s an honor to have it as a part of my son’s name.  I hope he feels the same way years from now.  Luke is so full of energy.  When it’s bed time, he always has that little bit of extra juice left to keep me up for another hour!  He love Bumblebee (Transformers) and sees every yellow car as BumbleBee!  It’s funny.  But like Lilah, Luke knows that God is around.  The other night we took the dog out for the bathroom and it was chilly.  Luke asks, ‘why it is so cold?’ My response was, ‘God wanted it to be like that today.’  His response was to pray…he said, ‘God why did you have to make it so cold…it’s freezing out here!’

Crazy to think about how fast kids grow up.  My kids seem older than they should be.  Or maybe it’s just that I have loved them so much during this time of their lives I don’t want it to end.  Are a few pictures from their special days.

Happy Birthday you Two!

God thank you for great kids.  It certainly wasnt in my plans to have kids so young and so early in my marriage, but WOW…what a tremendous blessing they are to me and to my wife.  Help me be the best daddy possible for them.  I celebrate them, I celebrate your awesomeness for creating such great kids.  Thank you for the gift of being a dad!  I pray that I dont screw it up!  In Jesus Name…Amen

9-11-01

Tragedy … Helpless … Insecurity … Loss for Word

Those four words pretty much describe the day that was…9-11.  I remember Kallie just left for work that day.  I sat on the end of the bed and just turned on the Today show and they were just getting the breaking news that a plane had hit the first tower.  At the time it was thought that it was nothing more than an accident.

But I remember sitting back watching the second plane fly into view thinking, “OH MY HOLY GOD!!!”  I sat in total disbelief that anything was happening.  This was a major TRAGEDY.  I felt HELPLESS.  I felt INSECURE.  I was at a LOSS FOR WORDS.

You know we are fortunate.  This was our ONE day of terrorist attacks.  But there are so many places where terrorist attacks are everyday occurrences.  How it must be for those people to live this way…everyday.

I can’t help but think about it from another angle:

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8

There is a terrorist that is out there to get me everyday.  He comes in different forms, from different angles (sometimes good angles), and attacks me when I begin to get closer to God than he wants me to…that’s the devil in a nut shell.

9-11 was horrific, I will never forget.  But it also reminds me that the devil attacks me everyday…not just once in a blue moon.  I don’t for sure how many attacks Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, other foreign governments/agencies have stopped.  I am grateful for their dedication to keeping me safe! I am also grateful to my Lord Jesus Christ that has probably stopped the devil more times on my behalf than I realize.

My thought this morning was that I take my salvation for granted.  I know on 9-11 I did my freedom!  Thank you Jesus for always being there for me, even when I didnt know about it or even want it.  Thank you to all the men and women that served on 9-11 to save lives and continue to save lives!

Gone, but never forgotten!

And so it begins…

We started youth back up tonight.  After hearing that many were coming, we only ended up with 13, but I was still excited.  It was great to see everyone and get back on the saddle tonight!

I set up a new challenge for the students tonight (and really for myself).  I asked them to commit to spending time with God everyday, serving God in a ministry, giving to God’s kingdom, and bringing people with them.  Of the 13, I got three to step up and commit.  SO proud of them for doing it and look forward to keeping them accountable and encouraged through this.  One of my girls even was worried about weeks she couldn’t make it and if I would be mad at her if she didn’t make her commitment.  Knowing that she’s going to push herself to better her relationship with God…how in the world can I be upset with her?

I am excited about where we are heading.  Not sure what all God has planned, but we’re going to get after it!

Also so glad to have our worship band with us.  Guys, worship is going to be sweet this year!  Great start tonight (even with only part of the band there)!

Come on God!  Teach me so I can lead them!

“I smell Satan!”

Oh I used to love Dana Carvey as the ‘Church Lady.‘

Recently I started B90X.  It’s an intense cover to cover reading of the Bible.  I have been challenged to read the Bible multiple times all the way through.  The last time that I ‘tried’ I got about two months into the reading and well…got lazy.

Twitter has become a fascinating thing.  It has connected me with people from around the country that I otherwise would have never known about or even cared to read about.  But I find myself being challenged by their thoughts, their experiences.  Through a former staff member I worked with, I have become interested in following a group from North Carolina called Elevation Church.  Pastor Steven Furtick challenged his people to read the Bible in 90 days.  After seeing their comments on Twitter…I made the commitment.  I am 5 days in and already am seeing so much more than I did the last time that I read.

Why the Church Lady you ask?  Evey guest that would sit with her would mention something and she would say, “…that smells like Satan!!”  At almost every turn, I see Satan trying to ruin God’s plan.  From the outset in the Garden to (where I am at now) the Exodus, Satan has woven himself in to almost every situation, even though it was man’s choice to make certain decisions.  Such the situation with Joseph and his brothers.  They allowed sin to creep into their lives and it caused them to make a bad choice.  But at the end of this incredible journey, I love what Joseph said to his brothers…“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.“ (Genesis 50:20).

What I love about my reading of the Bible so far…if Satan invades my life…I don’t have to go back to the start…I just have to start moving again.  Adam…failed…redeemed by grace..life on earth goes on.  Noah…sinner…listened to God’s instruction…helped God start the world over again.  Abraham…liar…risk taker…became the father of all mankind.  Jacob…betrayed his brother…wrestled with God…blessed to start a nation.  Moses…murderer…picked to lead over a million people out of bondage.

All of these men are consider saints, patriarchs, pillars of faith.  But at their core, they were men that built a relationship with God.  I don’t think in my lifetime I will ever lead a million people out of slavery, but I can help a million being a slave to sin!  Who knows what all I will be able to accomplish in my lifetime, but I am convinced, unless I make this book a MAJOR part of my life (more than it is now), I will not succeed!

And in case you are wondering…I don’t say that because I am a pastor…I say that because I am a man that needs God to become more in me!

Stirring…

It’s 10:30 as I start this blog entry.  I am in Little Rock, AR and I feel that I should be sleeping the night away.  But there are questions/thoughts inside of my head that I just believe that I should write down…what better way to do that…than this blog.

When it comes to church…here are some questions that for whatever reason drive me crazy or comments that make me want to hit something (Some which I heard this morning):

• “People will get mad…”
• “Why did you do that?”
• “I’ve heard people say…”
• “How come we cannot…”
• “That’s not going to work…”
• “The way we’ve always done it…”

My responses:

• “People will get mad…” – So?  Pharisees got mad at Jesus!
• “Why did you do that?” – Because the Great Commission calls us to movement…let’s move!
• “I’ve heard people say…” – First, name the people…second, are they doing anything other than talking?
• “How come we cannot…” – Because the church has been in decline…time to switch it up!
• “That’s not going to work…” – How in the WORLD can you tell me that in less that a one-week trial period?
• “The way we’ve always done it…” – URRRGGG!
• “It’s best for me if…” – Church isn’t FOR YOU…it’s for GOD…and for people TO CONNECT WITH GOD!

I am growing tired and restless!  Seriously.  The church cannot be held down!  It’s time that we MOVE OUR FEET and reach out into the community and find people that need Jesus.  If we, the local church, are not willing ready or able to function (Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, Worship, Evangelism) properly, then God will move on to the next group of willing/able/ready ‘at a moments notice’ people and use them to build the kingdom!

Please dear God dont pass me by…and please dont allow my church family to sit in Neutral or Park…let us be in OVERDRIVE!

Scotto

- Got share some love with Andrew today.  Comment of the day from him…”If Jesus would have sinned, it would have messed up God’s whole plan.”  I dont know about you…but that increased Jesus ‘AWESOME’ factor for me today!  So glad that Jesus knew how to make the RIGHT choices!

- Also…loved, loved, LOVED Andy Stanley’s recent podcast.  In it he said, ‘You are probably not the smartest person in your organization.’  I SOOOO have to be looking for the Einsteins of our church…we have some ideas rolling around…let’s see what they say!

Call me Baskin Robbins…

…cause today I am 31!!  I know cheesey, but hey, what do I care…its my birthday!

If there is one thing that you should know about me…I hope this day passes by fast.  Some look forward to their birthdays, but me…well I just hope that I pass them by.  If there is a counselor out there that can explain that to me…please go ahead!  What I do appreciate is that people that love me that will send me notes on facebook/email, cards, high-fives, and take me to lunch!

I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I feel today.  God has truly granted me 30 years of grace so far!  And I pray that 31 is another great year.  I am becoming like many that evaluate life and see how, if, what difference their life is making.  I can only hope that when it’s all said and done, that I have truly given my best to get people closer to what they can become and who they need to know…that being Christ.

There will be some celebration of the ‘big day,’ but overall, I am just glad that God loves me and has granted me some of the greatest gifts of all-time…my life, my salvation, my wife, my kids, my family, my church (past/present), and a future hope!  After that…no presents necessary!

Here’s to another year of life!

A Sunday that was…

Man I tell you, I didn’t know how this day was going to go.  With Karl being out of pocket today and a missionary that we support coming to speak, I didn’t know how I was going to get anything out of the day.  I am glad that I am not in control.  God taught me some stuff today.  Bryon who’s missionary assignment had him in France and he was speaking of how God doesn’t send you through dark times, he walks WITH you through them.  It was a pretty intense thought process today and it made me really evaluate how I view life.  Good times there.

But then I talked with people from our church that we had thought would begin to help us with our parking lot team.  I spoke with them for a moment and shared with them some thoughts…and by golly, we have ourselves a team!  I am looking forward to our parking problems now!  And if their families will get involved…we have ourselves the makings of a great welcome team!  Kallie led a meeting for our Children’s ministry and VBS coming this week.  And man…we have some AWESOME KidsView workers!  I am excited to see what all God will do through our KidsView Team!  STOKED!

Reading last night I have to share a line that I read that just simply BLEW me outta the water!  It read, “Authority can shape what a person does, but INFLUENCE shapes who a person becomes.”  This came from Erwin McManus and his book Chasing Daylight.  It has been a great book so far and should prove to be a great read as I finish!

And if that wasn’t enough, a church planter that is a friend informed the world that he had dinner with Ted Haggard.  And sure I know, he had a well known run in with sin, but he still helped grow a large church and I am so excited to know that Stephen, Loren, and Brent had a chance to meet him and fellowship with him…it excited me for what they are doing!  What a resource of knowledge for them to have.  (At least, I think so.)

How I might sleep tonight, I am not sure.  But if this is how the week is going to be…”God, bring it on!”  This will be a great Jesus week!

All in all, in different ways GOD IS MOVING!  I am very excited to be a part of a movement right now.

Where I’m at.

So much has happened, and so much of my time has been spent on other things, blogging has been the least of my priorities.  I loved what my friend John Harris said.  In a recent twitter message he said, ‘How many blogs have you read saying they were sorry they didn’t blog very often and would try to do better? Have something to say people…”

So with this I would like to issue an apology…just kidding!

Where I’m at…

In the last few weeks our church has begun to make a lengthy transition.  It’s first couple of weeks have gone well, but there is SOO much work to be done.  I have chicken scratch notes all over the place.  I have to hand it to our people.  So many have RAVED over the changes and the prospects of the future!  THANK YOU VIEWERS! I am glad that I am not the only one that gets excited about where we are heading as a church.  But again…plenty more work to do!

Spiritually, I am really struggling right now.  But I think that the struggle is a good thing.  I am beginning to see God more clearly.  The hard part is getting myself going to work on the things that God is sharing with me!  Two main concerns that I am working through is personal doubt (which God always seems to blow me away) and giving.  I really need to step up in my faith on both of these!  I have been taught through my pastor.  He has displayed for me the courage that it takes to follow God even when others think that it’s all about to colapse.  He’s shown me that giving generously above and beyond can result in some really cool ‘God moments.’

My family…I am so excited to have celebrated my 8th Anniversary with my wife.  She is simply the greatest!  My parents have been through a rocky year and God has literally held them.  I have learned so much from my Dad and watching him move his knowledge of God from his mind to his heart!  God has a plan for my parents and they are staying true!

So where am I at…a good place.  I like the road I am on.  It’s challenging.  It’s difficult.  But I pray that God will so up.  Wherever you are at right now, know that God has an awesome place for you…keep walking and God will lead you there!  And then some!