I’m learning there’s never a dull moment in multi-site ministry…

Yesterday I headed to our Dickson Campus to spend the morning.  Things were moving along right on schedule.  We had just finished our program overview meeting and were prepared to do a full run-through of the service when the power went out in the entire building.  We quickly learned that no breakers were blown, that indeed the entire street was without power and we didn’t have any idea when power would be back up.  It was 45 minutes before the first service.

The Dickson Campus staff and I rallied together quickly to come up with a “plan b” (I couldn’t resist ).  Within 20 minutes we had chosen a new location for services that provided natural light, we had put together an acoustic set and I was reading through Pete’s message notes to try to come up with at least a devotional based on the 3rd element of our vision statement.

We pulled together the volunteers that were already there, talked through our plan, assigned new responsibilities, prayed… and I’m not joking… immediately after we prayed, the lights came back on.  Just in time for us to begin the first service.

Scenarios like this morning are just a reminder to me that you never know when you’ll really need to lead.  Leadership happens in the unplanned moments and today I was so proud of how our Dickson staff stepped up to lead through this potential hiccup.

I’m so glad we actually heard Pete’s message because it just might be the most intense, passionate, challenging message I’ve ever heard him deliver.  My notes won’t do it justice, but I’ll try…

DNA – Relentlessly Dedicated by Pete Wilson

The real crisis is that people are going to church but they are not growing in Christ-likeness.

I believe the “space between” is all about us changing the world.

I really believe this church can change the world.  I believe this church is called to change the world.

Somewhere along the way, we bought into the idea that church exists to serve our needs.

If you don’t live like you believe your life was created to impact the world you will miss the point of salvation and sanctification.

Matthew 28:19

Mark 16:15

Acts 1:8

God’s general will for you is summed up in these verses.

There is a disconnect in our lives between the grace of God and the purpose of God.

You were created by God to enjoy His grace, but you were also created to extend His grace.

Isaiah 43:1-2,7

Psalm 67:1-2

The ends of the earth have never needed God’s grace more than today.

Missions shouldn’t be just a program in the church, it’s the whole reason for the church.  Nobody gets a calling to do missions.  It’s what we do as followers of Christ.

Every single one of you are here for a purpose and a reason.

Wake up to God’s call on your life!

What would happen if a group of people rise up and say “it’s not about us”?

Give graciously. God has a purpose for your life and it’s to make a difference!

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Today we also celebrated many of the amazing things we have been able to do as a church thus far.  This is just the beginning!

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

Another GREAT “grey” leadership issue is finding the balance between ambition and self-promotion, especially as church leaders.

In our ambition we pursue the dreams that God has laid on our hearts.  I believe that God expects action, intention and drive from us.  He doesn’t want us to be passive and lazy.  He’s chosen us for the greatest calling we could ever have – to make His name known in all the world.

However, when does our ambition cross the line and become self-promotion?

When does chasing our God-given dreams and passion become a chance to make our name known rather than His name known?

Do you know when you’ve become more concerned about others knowing you rather than others knowing Him?

That line gets really fuzzy.  Most times we don’t know we’ve crossed it until well after we have and we have trouble looking back and finding the step that took us over the edge.

Do you ever wrestle with this?

If so, how do you keep yourself in check?  Who holds you accountable?  Who speaks truth into your life?

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, three you find disorder and every evil practice.  James 3:16

Control.

Direct.

Manipulate.

Maneuver.

Arrange.

Plan.

Organize.

We do these things all the time.

We’re always trying to create the outcomes that we want in life.

But inevitably, with nearly everything in life, there comes a point when you can no longer plan, control or manipulate the result.

There is always something beyond your control.

That’s when you get to the letting go.

How do you handle that moment?

Do you become…

Anxious?

Fearful?

Peaceful?

Angry?

Frustrated?

Numb?

Detached?

Can you surrender the uncontrollable to God?

What do you do when you get to the letting go?

It was a crazy, good day today at Cross Point.  Our team put a lot of work into making this weekend a memorable one for everyone with the launch of our DNA series.  We do this series once a year to share the vision, heart and soul of our church.  You would think it gets old… but it doesn’t. Especially when you shake it up and deliver it for the first time in 3D!

I’m so proud of our Creative Team led by Stephen Brewster.  They dreamed big, tried some new things and Matt Singleton pulled out some of his best work, delivering 10 different videos that he created for this weekend, most of them in 3D.

Our 3D extravaganza did not come without it’s share of challenges and stressors, but all in all it was a great day and most importantly Pete shared a powerful message about the importance of the first part of our vision.

DNA – Radically Devoted by Pete Wilson

Matthew 16:24-25

Every church is unique and different.

We do not think Cross Point is the best church.  It takes lots of churches for us to be the body of Christ.

We believe that Cross Point has a unique vision that God has called us to.

We want to be a community of people who are radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to one another and relentlessly dedicated to reaching the lost.

Question that plagues all of us: Why am I here?

We have to determine what we are doing with the space between – the space between when you accept Christ and eternity.

Jesus did not define spiritual maturity by what you know.  He defined spiritual maturity by how you love.

Some equate spiritual maturity with Bible knowledge.

Spiritual maturity should be defined by our response to Jesus.

There is a big difference from being a fan and being in the game.

The church has produced a lot of fans of Jesus but not a lot of followers of Jesus.

What does it mean to be radically devoted to Christ?

Commit to believe whatever Jesus says.

Commit to obey whatever you have heard.

Jesus intended for there to be spiritual transformation in the space between.  He intended for us to become more like Him.  He intended for us to make an impact on this world.

Jesus created a new vision for life, not a new list of rules.

Luke 6:46-49

The gospel does not call for reflection, but for action.

We believe in God, but we live like He doesn’t exist.

The space between is where the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ begins to chip away and we become the men and women God has called us to be.

We’re not called to just be receivers of God’s grace, we’re called to be agents of God’s grace.

We’re not called to be fans of Jesus, we’re called to be followers of Jesus.

Jesus didn’t just do something for us.  He did something to us.

It’s not ok to blame others for your spiritual maturity not being where you want it to be.  It’s your job to own your spiritual maturity.

Ever been in a season of life that you just don’t like?

Maybe it’s a new job that isn’t what you expected?

Maybe it’s a season in your child’s life (like the terrible 2′s) that you wonder if you both are going to live through?

Maybe it’s being single or single again?

Maybe it’s a relationship with a family member or friend that for as much as you try to get it right, it’s just all wrong?

Ever been in one of those seasons where you’ve been trying so hard for so long that you just want to quit?

Walk away.

Give up.

I’ve had my share.

There have been seasons of my life when it has taken everything in me to push through and stick with it.

I didn’t want to.  I really didn’t want to.

I’ve literally begged God to fix the situation.  To let me give up.  To release me from the frustration and the pain.  Usually he doesn’t let me, and I find myself reflecting on this verse:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

⁷To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Although my circumstances may be different from Paul’s.  They say that Paul’s affliction may have been physical.  Maybe for you it is.  Maybe it’s metaphorical.  But either way, I think the thing that most captures my attention when I read these verses is this part:

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

I think sometimes God allows us to live in the discomfort of a season or circumstance because He is up to greater work than we can see.  It’s for His glory, not ours.  It’s for His power and strength to be seen… even if it’s just for us to see.

In a world that encourages us to:

…seek comfort

…find the easy way

…play to your strengths

…live your best life, etc.

I think we find ourselves very restless with the thorns.  We think we deserve better and so we whine and cry and blame instead of trying to find a way for God’s power to be made perfect in our weakness.

I love this next part of verse 9, Paul says:

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Did you catch that?

“So that Christ’s power may rest on me.” There’s something very comforting about the idea of God’s power RESTING on me.

In the midst of your thorn, there is comfort if you’ll allow God’s power to be made known through your weakness.

How can you allow God’s power to be seen through your thorn?

I was 20 years old.  The world seemed big and bright to this wide-eyed small town girl from Northern Wisconsin.  I had already spent two years 1000 miles away from home beginning my education and now was taking one of the greatest risks yet.  I was loading up my 1992 4-door burgundy Saturn named “Alice” and we were moving to music city.  I had landed my dream job… or more accurately my dream opportunity – the chance to work for FREE for the company I had dreamed of working for since I was 13 years old.

That season of my life is remarkably vivid even 14 years later.  I was interning at the company I dreamed of working for.  I was living in the city that I’d always wanted to move to.  I was working two part-time jobs to make my rent payment.  I was dirt poor… and totally happy!

I fondly refer to those days as my “peanut butter days”.  Peanut butter days because, seriously that’s all I lived on!  I would literally walk into the grocery store with a budget of $20, buy a big jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, and a few other essentials like soap and toothpaste and live off of that for a week or so.

But in spite of my limited resources, I saw God’s provision, His favor and His blessing all over my life. It was one of the most exciting seasons of my life and also one of the most stretching.

You’ve probably experienced peanut butter days too…

… Maybe it was when you went off to college and lived off of Ramen Noodles because all your money went into tuition and books

… Maybe it was when you were newly married, sharing one car without AC, but giddy in love

… Maybe it was when you decided to start a family and to live off of one income, complete with coupon clipping and strategic meal planning

I would venture to guess that most of us have experienced “peanut butter days”.   We not only experience peanut butter days in our personal lives, but organizations also have their share of peanut butter days.  And although we all would rather avoid these days (or seasons), I think peanut butter days can be important for you and your team to lead and learn through.

Peanut Butter Days:

1. Remind us of God’s provision. We’re much more tuned into the little blessings.  Perhaps someone gives you a gift card, an unexpected check in the mail, etc.  It means more when you need it most.
2. Breed creativity. Limited resources draw out unique ideas and new ways of accomplishing goals.
3. Keep us focused on what’s most important. You don’t take for granted the things that really matter like friendships, family and what God is growing in you.
4. Can unify and unite a family or a team if we choose to lean into one another.

Don’t be afraid of the peanut butter days.  Embrace them.  Lead through them.  Learn from them.

They are a greater gift than you may even know.

What’s your “peanut butter days” story?

I’ve been reading through I Corinthians lately and this morning I stumbled upon the “love” chapter.  I started to quickly skim through it since I can recite this chapter with little effort.  I’m sure my good Christian school education made me memorize this chapter one February long, long ago.

But as I began to patronizingly read it, I started to slow down.

I know what scripture says love is, but just knowing doesn’t mean I’m doing it. Just knowing it hasn’t automatically turned me into the greatest lover, so I felt convicted that I needed to take a minute and camp out here.

I started writing out in my journal the phrases describing what love is and I tried to rate myself on how well I display that characteristic of love from 1-10.  1 being very poor.  10 being I totally love like Christ would.

So, let me challenge you to do the same.  Take the following phrases and rate yourself.  Even better, ask someone you love and trust to rate you too.  Perhaps God will reveal a little more about your heart and take you on a journey to loving more deeply than you ever have before.  I’m praying that’s what it does for me… and for you too!

Love…

• is patient
• is kind
• does not envy
• does not boast
• is not proud
• is not rude
• is not self-seeking
• is not easily angered
• keeps no record of wrongs
• does not delight in evil
• rejoices with the truth
• always protects
• always trusts
• always hopes
• always perseveres
• never fails

I grew up spending my summers with my “Nanny” (aka my Grandma) who planted a massive garden every year complete with tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, green beans, carrots, green peppers, lettuce and a strawberry patch.  I absolutely loved that garden.  I would work hours with her planting, watering, pulling weeds and most importantly eating the fruit of our labor.

I miss those days a lot. So, on a whim I decided to do a little patio gardening this year.

I have two tomato plants and one red bell pepper plant.  Small scale compared to Nan’s summer productions, but I’m nonetheless excited about what I’m growing.

I watch my little pet projection like a hawk.  I water them daily.  I watch for any sign of insects or disease.  I monitor growth and salivate over the idea that very soon I’ll have something ripe and ready to eat.

I find myself starting to believe that I am solely responsible for the growth and health of my little plants.

Funny thing is, I do this with much of the tasks and activities that I take on in life.  What started out as a simple chance to invest in the development of something, quickly becomes an issue of entitlement and personal achievement.

“I planted the see, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.“  I Corinthians 3:6-9

Leaders are usually achievers.  They activate.  They direct.  They see projects through to completion.  They’re the prominent voice guiding a team through a project.

We thrive on accomplishment and acknowledgment.

And if we’re honest, we have a tendency to take the credit for what God has allowed us to simply be a part of.

From the passage above, most leaders play the role of seed planter, and we rally and lead teams that water that seed; but eventually the natural temptation is to take credit for the growth.  We invest so much of our self in the planting and watering process… we feel so much ownership, that the natural drift is to take credit for the results.

I know.  I’ve been there time and time again.

“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

I don’t do the growing.   Only God makes things grow.  Period.

So rather than priding myself in the growth, am I taking seriously my responsibility to seed and water what God has entrusted to me?  Am I being faithfully with the part of the process that He has asked me to do or am I focused on the growth and the results?  Am I more concerned with the beautiful fruit that I can show off or am I diligently caring for the seedlings?

How about you?

It’s that time of year.

When these:

Decide to be best buds with him:

The first one or two times I discovered one of these nasty, blood-sucking critters on my precious pup I was pretty grossed out, but over time and repeated episodes, it’s just part of our normal routine.

As I was removing two ticks from Mick this morning with very little drama except for a yell up the stairs to my husband to see if it was time to give Mick another dose of Frontline, I realized I get this way about the ticks on my own life.

How quickly I grow accustomed to the nasty, life-sucking sins that repeatedly latch on to me.  Whether it be anger, insecurity, pride… these “ticks” become such a normal part of my life that I begin to just live with them rather than get worked up by the nastiness they create in my life.

What’s stuck to you… sucking the life out of you and become so normal that it doesn’t even gross you out anymore?

What’s your “tick”?

“Hope Through the Cross” by Pete Wilson

God shouts through our pain.  It’s a megaphone to a distracted world.

There are not always simple answers to life’s difficulties.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean you know how to respond to everything in life that comes your way.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble  But take heart!  I have overcome the world. John 16:33

There are two opposing realities:

1. A God who is big and loving
2. A World that is falling apart

You are not exempt from trouble, but you can take heart that Jesus has overcome.  There is hope in that.

The cross is not just something that gets you into heaven.  It’s an anchor to hold you when your life has been rocked.

The cross is not the starting line of our faith.  It’s the centerpiece of our life.

The Cross Reminds Us…

God LOVES us.

His love for you supercedes anything you may be going through.

God allows FREEDOM but He maintains CONTROL.

Faith is saying “God, I choose to believe in You more than this tragedy.”

There’s a huge difference between trust and understanding.  Can you trust that God is bigger than this tragedy in your life?

God can use our WORST to create something BEAUTIFUL.

So often, I want my dreams more than I want God.

If God never gives us one more thing, we still owe Him everything.  I want to get to the point where I embrace that.

My greatest fear for our lives is that we settle for mediocrity.  It would be horrible to have everything this world has to offer and be separated from Jesus Christ.

Pain is usually involved in transforming our lives.

There is no shattered dream that is so great that God can’t redeem.

Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe God is using your current pain to form something beautiful inside of you?  Is it possible that God is using your shattered dream as a megaphone to rattle your mediocre, unexamined life.

We have a seed that has the possibility to grow into hope and change.  (paraphrased from Henri Nouwen)

Sometimes it’s in the middle of the shattered dream… in the middle of the flood… that God speaks most clearly.