Jan 6 2011

Whole New Ball Game

Today is the first day that I have even been able to sit down, and do a little bit of work on the ol’ PC since my transition to church planting.  I don’t have an office set-up yet so I have been working at the local McD’s, but hopefully come the first of the week we will have a central hub/office for North Lake Church. 

This has been a great change of pace.  Over the past few months I have become so content in ministry.  Nice office, nice church, nice group of people, and I found myself too comfortable with where I was at.  It wasn’t until I started reading Steven Furtick’s book “Sun Stand Still”, that I started realizing that I was sick of settling for great when I can experience God’s best.  I have stepped out in faith, and loving every miniute of it.  The McDonalds saying “I’m loving It” doesn’t even decsribe the excitement, and adventue that I am experiencing right now. 

The worst part about being on a spiritual high is knowing that there are some spiritual lows that are going to effect me just as powerful. It is important that as I begin this adventure that I am reminded that this is a whole new ball game.  Not only am I on a different team, there are different rules, different opponents, different strategies, different rivals, but the same old adversary.  It is like going from playing baseball to football.

The most important thing is that I am spiritually equiped for this (Ephesians 6).  Time to strap up the helmet, put on the shoulder pads, and lace up the cleats.  It’s Game Time!!

Dec 23 2010

Merry Christmas 2010!! – Giving

I wanted to take just a second during this hectic holiday season to wish all of my family, friends, and followers a Merry Christmas!!  I also want to thank everyone who has supported my family in our transition to church planting.  It has been really intimidating, but we are excited about what God has in store for our life and for North Lake Church.

Please be praying for my family as we adventure on one of the most hectic 12 day journeys of our lives.

12 Day Schedule: Continue reading →

Dec 14 2010

At What Age Do You Tell Your Child the Truth About Santa?

I have really been struggling with this idea over the past few weeks,

“At what age do you tell your children the truth about Santa?”

I posted this thought on Facebook and Twitter the other day, and I received dozens of responses.  Of course there were those who live in fairy tale land, and still believe in the mythical version of Santa at 45 years old.  I bet they live in their parents basement. j/k :)   And there were those who were dogmatic about it, and said you shouldn’t have started to begin with.  All these answers left me feeling like there has to be some balance.  I want my child to have an imagination; I want him to challenge the norm and experience the extraordinary. I don’t want him to grow up closed minded, and so distant from reality that he is unable to function in society.

I asked myself “if I had it to do over again, would we have even started with Santa?”  My answer is not of great importance because either way he believes.  My biggest thing concerning the issue with the mythical version of Santa is Continue reading →

Dec 7 2010

Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership Part 3

Initiative

You have to take the initiative to be initiative. You rarely ever have a natural desire to be initiative.

Most hidden passage of scripture for Church Leadership: Galatians 2:1-10

  • It is time to Move (after 14 years), Initiate God given vision. v.1
  • Bring others with you (Barnabas and Titus) v.1
  • Go because of Vision/Revelation v.2
  • Proclaim the Gospel/God’s Vision v.2
  • There will always be false brothers/believers/followers/staff v.4 – Purpose is to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ.  Try to catch you slipping up, and enslave you to
  • Never give in to false brothers, not even for a moment, so that the truth of the Gospel will be promoted. v.5
  • You cannot be partial even to those who seem to be (LEADERS) influential. (What they were makes no difference to me; God show no partiality)  Theses people add nothing to you, your ministry, and your vision. v.6
  • Feed the Vision, Grow the Vision, Share the Vision, Communicate the Vision, Initiate the Vision.
  • When you are faithful to God’s vision, He will put pillars (faithful men) in your life to support you. v.9
  • Remember the purpose of your vision. v.10
  • It is time to initiate your God given vision!!

Key things you should be initiating: Continue reading →

Nov 21 2010

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I have never been so haunted by such a scripture as Joshua 24, and I will share a little more in detail here in a little bit, but the command in this passage has plagued my mind for going on a year now.

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I came across this passage earlier in the year during a quiet time, and then Brandon preached this passage during his Journey through the Word Series, and it also happened to be the theme of this year’s church camp.

Everywhere I went this passage followed.  God has a way of getting his message across one way or another, and I believe it is something we all need to hear.

Joshua 24:14-15  Read/Pray                        Choose this Day – Whom you will serve.

The Sunday School answer quickly comes to our minds, “of course we choose to serve God”, but have you weighed the consequences of serving God?  We are so quick to say, “Yes, I will serve God”, without any thought of what is required of us in order to serve God.

In Order for us to serve God the Scripture clearly tells us that we must:

Continue reading →