I Remember When...

I was reminded tonight at the mall, that it would no longer be socially acceptable for me to sit on Santa's lap to tell him what I want for Christmas. I know... that sounds weird coming from a guy that's 25!

But seriously... I miss that naive feeling that I had as a kid. I just knew that Santa was real! In the same way that we lose that naiveness (yes I just made that word up) about Santa... I think we also lose it regarding Jesus! We don't necessarily abandon our hope in Christ, but we do abandon the dream that Christ plants in our hearts. We think that they are too big and not able to be attained! We can't afford to lose our vision, passion, and dreams that we have for the expansion of the Kingdom of God! To take this leap of faith that God is calling you to, it might require you to be a little bit naive. Not in an ignorant fashion, but rather we ought to make sure that we are always susceptible to the things that God has for us to accomplish through him.

Do you still believe that God can use you to accomplish great things for His Kingdom, or has your flame been extinguished???

Do you still hear hooves on your roof when you go to sleep the night before Christmas???

A Harsh Dose of Reality...

I just thought that I would share this blog from Chris Elrod, a church planter and pastor in Lakeland, FL. His blog today rocked my world!!! If what he said isn't true... your only lying to yourself!!! Sorry... had to say it!

Check it out:

The Color Of Your Cow by Chris Elrod
Posted December 2, 2008 Filed under: General

One my favorite business books is Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow”. If you’ve never read the book, check out Mark Batterson’s recent blog post about it….it’s really good. Over the past four years I have really wrestled with the color of Compass Point’s cow. What makes us different? What make us unique in the community? What makes people want to come to Compass Point on Sundays instead of the dozens upon dozens of other churches in the Lakeland area? What makes people far from God even want to come to Compass Point in the first place?
I personally think it’s takes time…several years…to really discover the color of your church’s cow. In all honesty the pastor and the leadership doesn’t define it…it’s the people that attend your church that define the color of your cow. In Lakeland there are a BUNCH of brown cow churches (traditional) and even more black cow churches (hyper-charismatic, prosperity movement). There are also quite a few white cow churches that look a lot like the NorthPoint or Willow Creek model. I’m not so sure Compass Point is all that much of a purple cow in the community…but the people far from God that show up each Sunday think we are. In the end…that’s all that matters.
What they see as our purple cow appeal is not the size of our church (we’re small), how awesome our staging is (we suck at that stuff) or the cool postcards we’ve mailed out (we’ve never done that). No…the purple cow appeal they see in Compass Point…what we do well…is that we reach people in the margins…people in Lakeland REALLY far from God. We are really good at it…because we work hard at it. It’s not easy…people with drug problems, broken marriages, sex problems, alcohol addiction, living in homeless camps, just paroled from prison…or just the garden variety freak…are really messy. But that’s our calling…that’s our vision…that’s what God created Compass Point for. We don’t run from it…we don’t try to fight it…we don’t chase after other church’s vision…we just embrace it…and therefore our community embraces us. More importantly people really far from God embrace us…and come to know Jesus.
The point of this post? For God’s sake…literally…stop planting churches that look like every other church in your freakin’ town!!! Be different…reach a different demographic…find your purple cow appeal. What makes your church different from every other church in town. If the words “real”, “relational” or “relevant” are the best you can come up with…please do the world a favor…quit and go flip pizzas…you will probably suck at leading a church. Every church in the 21st Cetury should be real, relational and relevant! What makes your church different over and above those things? What is your church’s purple cow? If you don’t have one…spend some times on your knees getting broken before God!!! After that go hang out in a bar in your community and ask the drunk people what color your cow should be. Once that is all done…go be the purple cow church that reaches the people far from God that no other church in town wants to reach!!!

God's Providence...

Thank you God for always going ahead of us, clearing our paths, and providing wherever you guide us!

God never ceases to amaze me! I just found out tonight that my wife and I have raised some more support for our time at Mosaic. I received a message tonight from a friend of mine, Brandon Park, (aka the youngest guy I know with his Doctorate), who wanted to share some great news with me! He is the lead pastor of Wayside Baptist Church in Miami, FL. This is the same church where my father-in-law has faithfully served for the last 10 years. Brandon sent me a quick message just to let me know that Wayside would like to get on board to help support us while we are at Mosaic, and possibly beyond that (when we launch Baytown)! More importantly I have guys like Brandon, and churches like Wayside that are supporting Joy and me through prayer! I couldn't ask for anything more important! In my opinion (technically more than my opinion, because it's biblical)... prayer supersedes everything else!!!

So... thank you Brandon, Wayside, James, Mosaic, and all of the friends, family, and churches that are helping to support us through your prayers, and through your checkbooks!!! It does not go unnoticed!

Striving For Mediocrity...

Why is it that the church seems to always be striving for mediocrity???

We always seem to be happy with the way things are. I guess it's just easier that way.

So when is it that we will take the initiative to change this???

It's not something that just happens overnight.

WARNING DISCLAIMER:
Some effort & sacrifice is required &... BIG things might happen!!!

It's time that we get out of our comfort zones to try to accomplish something great for the Kingdom of God! There is no magic formula to usher in excellence... just doing what it takes, even when it's not convenient or comfortable! Just like I have challenged myself recently... I challenge you to step it up and take things to a whole notha level!!! I promise it's worth it!!! Besides... I think that Jesus stepped up to the plate, sacrificed more, and got more uncomfortable than you or I could ever imagine... and it was all because He loved us!!!

So if you really claim to be so passionate about your relationship with Christ... why not do the same for Him???

Great Blog!!!

I know that many of you that read my blog read James' blog as well (if you haven't... click on James Ross' blog on under the "blogs i read" section)! I just read his latest blog that he posted today and I was blown away!!! Therefore, I just had to copy and paste his blog to my page as well. The more people that see and read this post the better... And FYI I completely agree with James' sentiments below!!!

where is the feedback? (James Ross)

I was wondering why a lot of people say they read my blog, but no one comments on it. Maybe my readers are just not good with words, maybe their too lazy to comment, or maybe they just don't get technology. Then I was advised by a friend of mine that I had to change the settings because it was currently set to only let registered blogspot users have a say. What a simple thing I was doing to disconnect people from my blog.

I think this sums up most churches today.

They have a great message, but no one is responding to it. They figure out all the reasons in the world why people are not getting into what they are doing; a liberal culture shift, young people's attention spans, money, etc. They are completely unaware of the fact that they have shut the world out and are only interacting with those "inside". It takes some simple adjustments to change from being a gathering of people focused on self to being a living body that reaches out to a world in need. The message they have is compelling, it is what people are born to hear.

The questions is whether or not the Church is ready to respond to the world's response to the Gospel.

As a blogger I am now ready for your comments. As a follower of Christ, I am ready to see you respond to the message of Christ.

Dream BIG...

What do you really believe that God is capable of in your life???
Are you attempting to limit what he wants to do in and through you???

Sometimes I think that we forget how big God really is! I am currently reading a book entitled "GO BIG" by Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius, and I am constantly being reminded that God has endless potential.

Why wouldn't God want to reach your community for his glory???
Why can't he use you, or your church???

Our churches have become stagnant and stale! It is time to wake up and remember that we are to be the salt of the earth! People should come to your church expecting excitement, not dreading disaster! I believe that it is not the fault of the people, but rather it is the fault of the pastor that so many churches have plateaued and are dying. It is the job of the pastor to constantly be casting the vision of the church, so that the people know what it is that is expected of them.

Are you busy casting vision, or are you caught up in the television???

It's time to get real... we live in a sin sick Satan serving society!!!

What are you willing to do to change all of that???

At Mosaic, we believe that God is up to something BIG... not because of us, but because we serve a BIG God!!! I would tell you some of the things that we are expecting here at Mosaic, but I would have to kill you!!! LOL... no but seriously!

If your dreams don't scare you at least a little bit... are you really even dreaming???

There are things about our future church plant (Baytown) that scare me even now... and we still have over a year before we even Launch! This uncertainty is to be expected... if we ever expected to reach the unchurched people of Crestview... and the unchurched people of South Florida!!! It time to step up and step out and do something that involves a little risk... even if it means we have to get a little uncomfortable to reach our goals!!!

Vote YJC For President...

With the Presidential election in still fresh in our minds... we need not forget that the Florida Baptist Convention is right around the corner. I am not sure if you are happy that Obama is our President elect or not, but there is nothing you can do to change this if you voted for McCain. Just pray for President elect Obama, and our great nation!

In less than a week the Florida Baptist Convention will be convening in Lakeland, FL. During this time many things will be discussed, many friends will see on e another, and opportunities for change will be on the table. The greatest opportunity for some positive change is voting for the right candidate to be our FBC President! A good friend of mine will be one of these candidates, and I firmly believe that he is the guy that we need! This guys name is John Cross! Some of you might be familiar with him, and some may not be.

John is the lead pastor of South Biscayne Church in North Port, FL. He has been the pastor there for close to 20 years, and has seen many great things happen in this time. Don't get me wrong... it wasn't all peaches and cream. Some people left South Biscayne because they weren't ready for this change. They were more concerned with maintaining the church than expanding it! John on the other hand is very Kingdom minded! God has used John to take South Biscayne from a small church of about 100 people with very little impact in the community, to a church of about 2500 people on the weekends that does nothing but impact the community 24/7!!! They are on the cutting edge... always evaluating what can be done to reach unchurched people more effectively! Don't think that John and South Biscayne's ministry is merely limited to South Florida! They also have a strong presence in the Ukraine, where they make frequent trips to love and reach out to the Ukrainian people.

John is the kind of person that excites people around him to reach the lost... myself included!!! His passion for loving the unlovely is contagious!!! I can say without reservation that John Cross is the man that the Florida Baptist Convention needs! We need a change for the better, and I believe that John is the guy that God wants to use to do this!!! So... in view of all this... VOTE JOHN CROSS (aka YJC) for President @ the Florida Baptist Convention this year!!! I promise you won't be disappointed!!!

Don't Try To Dominate... Listen...

Why is it so hard for us to listen to others???

Why do we feel like we are the only ones that have anything of worth to say???

Why is it that while we are "listening" to people share something with us... we are already thinking about what it is that we can say that will top their thought???

People want to be heard, and many times they can tell when we aren't really listening to them.

Yesterday my buddy James and I had the priveledge to hang out with John Cross, pastor of South Biscayne Church in North Port, FL (http://www.southbiscayne.com/). I always enjoy getting the opportunity to hang out with people like John, because there is so much that I can learn from them.

Yesterday... something else jumped out at me though. John is a really good listener. He is genuinely concerned with the lives of others. I had to check myself a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't talking too much (aka-my wife gave me the nudge). It was hard not to talk though, because John is such a good listener. If anyone should have been listening yesterday... it sould have been me!!!

In conclusion... a good listener is also a good conversationalist... so make sure you're not dominating the conversation.

Greeting...

This past Sunday I had a brief meeting with our greeters @ Mosaic. We discussed some of the issues that can present themselves when trying to make first time visitors feel welcomed.
Here is some of what we touched on with some additional thoughts as well:

• I believe that greeting is one of the essentials of the church. I would rate the message, music, and children ministry above greeting, but greeting sort of encompasses all of these areas. The pastor can make people feel welcome by the way he communicates; the worship leader can make people feel welcome by the way he, or she is able to get people involved in singing; the children's ministry not only can make the the children feel welcome, but many parents will tell you that how their children respond on Sunday mornings is essential in their decision making to choose a church.

• We have all had a negative experience when visiting a church. We pulled into the parking lot, walked through the doors and made it to an empty seat without one person saying "Hi". This can be very discouraging when you feel all alone in an environment that is supposed to be inviting and personable.

• It is not much better when a greeter pretends to be interested in you either. In fact... in some cases it might even be worse. Take the time to smile and be genuinely interested in someone you've never met before. A big part of this is listening. If they aren't very talkative... pose some interesting questions and sit back and listen.

• Help people find their way around. This is especially pertinent with families that have young children. Make it an easier process on them. Get to know them some as you walk them over to the children's registration area. I guarantee you that this will leave a lasting impact on them!

• Lastly... You can never have too many greeters!!! I don't care if you have 20 people, or 9,000 people at your church on Sunday! Some of you might be thinking... "Well... they are a much larger church, so they will obviously have more greeters. It's just easier for them because they are a bigger church than we are." Actually... that is not true! It's not easier for them! They have more people to greet if they are larger... meaning that they obviously need more greeters. That large church got to be so large for a reason! They probably were very good in their earlier years at making people feel comfortable and welcome. Don't think that I'm saying that God's hand wasn't in it, or the pastors messages weren't engaging, or the worship wasn't outstanding!!! Those are all important factors as well... but for the purposes of our focus in this blog, I am trying to focus on the greeting aspects.

A perfect example of this last point is NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. (http://www.newspring.cc/ ) They are an excellent example of a church that started small and grew quickly without loosing their focus. They are an 8 year old church plant that now has over 8,000 people on Sundays. My wife Joy and I have had nothing but good experiences when attending their. Last time we were their we were probably greeted by 15-20 people from the time we pulled in the parking lot, to the time we sat in our seats for worship! This only happens when churches have the right focus from the start.

Even if you have 50 people at your church on Sunday... greeting must be a priority! You must always think like a church that is twice your size. If you average 50 people on Sunday think like you are a church of 100. Have as many greeters as possible... getting to know new people... all the way from the street to the seat!!!

AND...

I guarantee you that no visitor will ever complain that your church was too friendly, or that too many people greeted them!!!

Slavery Sucks...

The focus of this past Sunday's message is that "the borrower is slave to the lender." This can be found in Proverbs 22:7.

Here are some alarming statistics I came across about the American cultures issues with debt...

• If you go to cardweb.com, you will see that the Avg. American family with at least one credit card is $9,200 in debt.
  
• The avg. cardholder has 2.7 bank credit cards, 3.8 retail credit cards, and 1.1 debit cards. That’s 7.6 cards per cardholder!!!
  
• 43% of American families spend more than they earn each year.
  
• In the past 10 years, bankruptcies have gone up by 100%.
  
• In 1929, 2% of American homes had a mortgage.
  
• In 1962, 98% of American homes had a mortgage.
  

The point is… We have a problem!!!!!!!!!!!

The good news is… there is some pretty cool principles in the Bible that can help lead us out of this debt that we have gotten ourselves in.

I would encourage you to read 2 Kings 4:1-7.

This is the story of a widow whose husband left her with some serious financial debt. It was so bad that the creditors were going to take her sons into slavery as payment. She approached the prophet Elisha and told him that she literally had nothing except a little oil. He then told her to collect as many jars as she could from her neighbors. When she had done this she was to pour the little oil that she did have into all of these jars. She ended up filling up all of the jars and had enough money to pay off her debts plus some to live off of in addition to that.

You and I might look at this situation and say that it was crazy that the prophet told her to go out and collect all of these jars from her neighbors. After all... she had NOTHING!!! Plus... thnk of how this must have hurt this woman's pride to have to ask her neighbors for these empty jars.

The worse off you are financially, the crazier the things you might have to do to get out of this "Money Pit" we call debt. Cut your cable; get rid of your WiFi; stop eating out at places you can’t afford; start cutting out coupons and shop for bargains; forget that vacation you’ve been saving up for and pay off your credit cards; etc, etc, etc… Even if you don't totally get rid of something like your cable... you can at least down size in the amount of channels you have. It's OK not to have 5,000,000 channels-4,999,980 0f which you'll never even watch!!! After all, do you really need ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Alternate, ESPN Plus, ESPN U, etc... ???

So... with all of this in mind... Is there such a thing as a good debt??? YES!!!

Romans 13:8 says not to let any debt remain outstanding, but to be in debt to one another in love. So we are not to let any debt remain outstanding, but we are to have a continuing debt to love one another.

I believe that outstanding financial debt that you and I have can sometimes keep our focus off of the debt that we are supposed to have… and that is the debt to love one another!!! So if you remember any of this blog... remember this!!!

THE ONLY DEBT THAT’S PLEASING TO GOD IS THE DEBT TO LOVE OTHERS!!!

Imagine what we as the children of God could do for his kingdom, if we were financially debt free!?!?
I believe we could change the world!!!

Proper Priorities...

Nobody wants to hear your excuses... right??? It doesn't really matter what your excuse is... it is still an excuse!!!

Example: On Tuesday I was late to the Mosaic staff meeting. I showed up to the meeting with about four different excuses that sounded really good in my head... but actually weren't even worth uttering. They sounded stupid when I started sharing them with James and Eric, so I went ahead and just shut my mouth so my excuses didn't take up any more staff meeting time than necessary.

Excuses also apply to our marriages. Your wife doesn't want to hear your lame excuses... such as: I didn't take the trash out because... , I was going to do the dishes but... , I was just about to throw a load in the washer when...

Take it from me guys... SHE'S NOT IMPRESSED!!! There is no legitimate excuse that you can make that won't end up making you look really pathetic! The worst excuse of all (that should never be made) is why you haven't spent adequate time with your wife. She doesn't have to have Flowers, Fillet Mignon, or any of those Sappy Cards you might pick up for her on your way home from work! Those things are all nice... BUT... my guess is that she is just looking for some quality time with her husband!

The last thing your wife wants... is for you to get home from a long day at work and pick up the phone to call someone (business, or friend). She also doesn't want you to come home, eat the dinner that she cooked, and go pass out in the bedroom... leaving her all alone... yearning for your attention and affection. It's time for us to step up and be the men that God has called us to be! What are you waiting for???

First Day...

Joy and I started our first official day @ Mosaic Church in Crestview, FL http://www.mosaiccrestview.com/ . It was an amazing day all the way around! First of all... our amazing weekend actually started Saturday night. James and Christie had an amazing meal prepared for us and were so hospitable to a couple of young, green church planters like me and my wife! We really enjoyed hanging out with them in anticipation of what God was going to do Sunday morning @ Mosaic.

The next morning at Mosaic did not disappoint!!! We started our new message series "The Money Pit" and it was very insightful. Eric M. our Worship Leader did a phenomenal job of leading us into the presence of God! Got to love Pink Floyd's song "Money". Immediately following that... James R. (lead pastor/teacher @ Mosaic) did a phenomenal job of communicating what it was that God had put on his heart. It not only spoke to Joy and me... but I think everyone around us! You can check out a summary of James' message on his blog which is listed under the "blogs I read" section.

We then had a great time @ Whataburger for our "Vision of Mosaic" meeting/ open discussion. There was a good group of people there interested in the vision of Mosaic and where they might fit into the mix. We also had some pretty cool prospective interns (college students from BCF) there today. I'm looking forward to seeing some of them get plugged in @ Mosaic!!!

At end the day... we went to Starbucks for our first night of "Open" (a new small group for the Fall semester). This is a time for people to discuss their struggles, life questions, and how they relate to scripture. It went good... plus I got to eat a chocolate chunk cookie!!! Can't go wrong there!!! Great weekend!!! Can't wait till next weekend!!! Hope to see you there!!!

Last Day...

Ok... so it's been a while since I've posted on my blog. I know... I'm slacking! Sorry. Anyways... today was my official last day @ LBC. It feels good to have the good bye's out of the way! No one likes good bye's. They were good to us, but we are compelled by the Holy Spirit to move on. I am ready to see what God has in store for us next. We are ready for our first day @ Mosaic!!! I really believe that God is going to grow us through this period. I hope that I can be of as much service to Mosaic, as I know Mosaic will be for me.

Pray for us... this Saturday we are going to Pensacola to scout around and pray over potential places to plant Baytown. I'm excited that we are going to start getting the ball rolling. There is definitely a lot of uncertainty in this endeavor to plant a church, but we know that God is going to provide for us beyond any expectations that Joy and I could ever have!!! I know this because God never calls us to things that he hasn't already made provisions for.

Crazy Week...

This week has been so crazy!!! The new semester just started here at BCF, and I am already working on my third paper this week. Between my job and school I have began to get a little stressed out. OK... I am incredibly stressed out!!! It's amazing how your attitude can change when you are spread too thin. I have to catch myself and make sure that I'm not being a jerk to those around me. It's real easy to do when you justify in your head as to why you have the right to take the day off as a Christ follower. So... don't forget about the people who are watching you. You might be the only opportunity for someone to see Jesus! Let Him exude through you! Be an imitator of Christ as Paul says in Ephesians 5:1. Who knows... God might use you to change someones negative view of the church!?!?

Bitter Sweet...

Today was a bitter sweet day for me. I announced to Leonia Baptist Church (the church that I have been serving at the last 2 years) that I would be resigning as their Student Minister. I guess you could say that it went about as well as it could go!?!? There were people that were both sad and hurt... but they understood that God was calling my wife and I to be church planters. I told them that there was no bad blood... no one drove me out... and I am not leaving for more money. I am leaving because I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to follow where He leads.

August 31st will be our last day @ LBC, & September 7th will be our first Sunday @ Mosaic Church (www.mosaiccrestview.com) in Crestview, FL. If James, the Lead Pastor @ Mosaic, and I had to give myself a title... I guess you could consider me an Associate Pastor. It will be a temporary position that is preparing my wife and I to plant our own church in Pensacola, FL in August of 2010 (you can check it out @ www.baytownchurch.org). Please pray for me, my wife, Mosaic Church, Baytown Church & the people of Pensacola.

WOW...

This week has been crazy! It's orientation week at the college... I have been preaching at a Youth Revival since Friday... and my in-laws are in town (realize I do love them immensely). I would like to finish my recap of the Youth Revival @ FBC Defuniak Springs.

Tuesday:
The alters were flooded once again!!! Also... one of the high school guys came up to me after the message to let me know that he also feels called into full-time vocational ministry. He feels called to be a worship leader and currently leads worship for their Student Ministry. AWESOME!!! It doesn't get any better than that! This brings our count to 2 people that have surrendered their life to the ministry!

Wednesday:
It's not a good idea to eat Pizza Hut before teaching! Very rough on the stomach! I had the opportunity counsel with one of the students before the service, and then the same student ended up giving his life to Christ during the invitation! WOOOHOOO!!! He said that he had been wrestling with this for quit some time and was finally ready to give his life to Jesus!!! Once again... it doesn't get any better than that!

Overall it was an amazing week! It was well worth the fact that it added to the craziness of my already busy schedule! I can't wait to see what God is going to do in the lives of these next generation leaders that have surrendered their lives to Christ!!!

Never Ceasing to Amaze...

Sorry for my absence in the blogging world lately... I do have a good excuse though. I have had the priviledge of speaking at a Youth Revival @ FBC Defuniak Springs in the panhandle of FL. I would just like to say that the youth there are amazing. They are a cool group of kids that seem to love Jesus A LOT!!! Let me just give you a recap of last night and tonight.

Sunday night:
There were more adults than youth there, and it was obvious that some of the adults were not into the "concert" style of worship... but they survived and from the response I got afterwards, they were happy to see the kids jumping up and down worshiping Jesus (I was too)!!!

Monday night:
WOW... I was so pumped to get to teach on the subject of "Answering The Call". It was like I was a shaken up bottle of soda ready to explode... and I did!!! At the end the alters were flooded with students (nothing beats moments like that)!!! After all... this is the next generation of leaders! At the end I asked for anyone who felt called to full time vocational ministry to come down... (I really felt like there was someone there that needed to step out). That's when a 12 year old middle school girl came down and shared with me that she feels called to be a full time missionary to France!!! I couldn't even tell you what the back of my hand looked like at 12! She is already learning the books of the Bible in French... and plans to start learning the language soon. She will be going on a mission trip to Peru next year and needs our prayers! How cool is that!!! After hanging out with the students afterwards... I realized that they really seem to be grasping a lot from the past couple of nights. Very cool!!!

I am excited to see what God has in store for the last two nights of the Youth Revival. Please pray that God has his way... both with myself, and the students. By the way... I love the song "God of the City"! It has been our theme song for the week and has really ministered to me!

What's your excuse???

What's your excuse for not getting in the game??? How long will it take before you run out of excuses as to why your not serving others at the church you attend??? How long before you decide that you want to make a difference in somone else's life??? How long before you decide to love the unlovable???
etc, etc, etc,....................................
How long before you run out of excuses???

Visitors...

This is a pretty cool blog that I read today by Seth Godin, a marketing wiz. This blog is very applicable to the church. Don't ignore the new people, but at the same time... don't dumb down what you're doing to the point that there is no longer any cost to following Christ. Make it easy for people to ask questions. They won't have any questions unless there is some substance to what it is you are talking about. Churches ought to create environments that cause people to ask questions... and where the environment is safe enough that they feel comfortable enough to ask those questions that may arise. (Many churches are comprised with people who are so pompous and arrogant that new people don't feel comfortable asking them). There is a link to Seth's blog under the "blogs i read" section if you want o check it out.

Should you ignore the n00bs?
In the old days, a common DOS warning ended with, "...press any key."
And yes, there were plenty of tech support calls that asked, "where is the ANY key?"
Every interaction with your public runs the risk that some people just won't get it. They won't understand the protocol at your jazz club, or figure out how they use that new thing you just built. They won't get your verbal shorthand or they'll be frustrated by your presumption that they're insiders.

One approach is to n00b-proof your offerings. To create products and services so simple and so well-explained that every single person will get it. Big warnings, extra paragraphs of copy, limited features... make it idiot-proof.

The problem with this approach is that you can never be simple enough. And of course, the bigger problem: Once you dumb it down so every single person gets it, you bake out the magic and the mystery and the elegance. Simple example: it's not obvious how to use an iPhone, not obvious what to do when you walk into a church for the first time, not clear what to do when you visit Facebook for the first time either. At the symphony, should there be big applause signs so that people don't clap at the wrong time?

Great design is intuitive. Great design eliminates confusion. But not for everyone, not all the time. The words and interactions you use often have a sophistication that will confuse some portion of your audience.

Why not consider making it easy for the confused to ask for help? And treat them with respect when they do. If you don't create a little confusion, it's unlikely you've built something remarkable.

And to go one step further: sometimes it's okay to lose the n00bs. Not in an arrogant way (except for some brands) but in a way that says, "this might just not be for you..."

Putting Pharisees in check...

I thought that this was a pretty bold message from Steven Furtick, lead pastor @ Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. (http://www.elevationchurch.org/) It is about time somebody stood up to man-made religiosity! I liked it and just thought that I would share it with everyone. Hope you like it... let me know what you think???

"Kris Kross will make you jump..."

I think that many of us remember the young rap group that inspired all of us to wear our clothes backwards in the early 90's (if you aren't old enough to remember them... please don't comment... you'll make me feel old). They went by the name Kris Kross... and in one of their songs, (their biggest... actually their only hit), they said, "Kris Kross will make you JUMP, JUMP".

If Kris Kross could make us jump, (& don't lie... you know you jumped every time that song came on), then what is God capable of doing??? Well... I'm glad you asked! Kris Kross may have made you jump... but God requires believers to LEAP. There are times in life where God calls you and I to a leap of faith. The difference is... it was easy (& fun) to jump when Kris Kross' song came on, but it's not easy to leap when God calls us to. See when God calls you and I to take a leap of faith... He is asking you and I to step out of our comfort zones and trust Him with all we have.

Jesus' 12 disciples know this first hand because that's what they had to do in Matthew 4: 18-22. Jesus asked them to drop their nets... aka their lively hood... and follow Him. Guess what... they did. Was it easy??? I would venture to say that it wasn't all that easy. Was it worth it??? I guarantee they would say "HECK YEAH!!!" People go out of there way all the time in life for things with a lot less eternal significance than following Jesus... So why not take that leap of faith and obey God's calling on your life!?!?!?!? What's God asking you to relinquish for the sake of following Him??? I guarantee you it will be worth it!

NewSpring...

Do you anticipate Sunday mornings? Do you attend church with an expectation for God to speak? I have to say that many times I am guilty of just going through the motions of church. It is not something that I am proud of either. This past Sunday God really showed my wife and I how church ought to look. I had the privilege of attending NewSpring (http://www.newspring.cc/) church in Anderson, SC, while on vacation.

My wife, Joy, and I were both blown away. From the minute we pulled into the parking lot, there were probably 20 to 30 people directing traffic. They were very friendly, waving at us as we pulled in ( I realize that they are taught to be friendly and wave, but that's OK because they were good at it). They directed us all the way to our parking spot. We were then greeted by another 10 to 15 greeters on our way from the car to the front door of the church. My first trip was to get some coffee... and let me recommend the medium roast... it was excellent! We entered the worship service and were instantly blown away by the worship band... top notch all the way! Immediately preceding our amazing worship experience, Perry Noble, NewSpring's lead pastor, delivered a message that would make you want to slap your grandmother! In other words, he is an amazing communicator!

After the service... Trevor Cox... NewSpring's Home Groups Pastor gave Joy and I a tour and showed us the ropes of NewSpring. He was very informative and helpful for young church planters like Joy and me. There were some things at NewSpring that God really used to speak to us and confirm God's direction and vision for the future of our church plant. I could go on and on about all that NewSpring has to offer, but that would take too long and you probably wouldn't read the whole thing anyways.

In closing, I would like to share a conversation Joy and I had with some Anderson, SC locals the night before we attended NewSpring. They said that NewSpring just wasn't their type of church (that's OK, I realize that it's probably not for everyone). Then they said that they didn't like the concert style of worship (their loss). They then proceeded to tell us that they felt like many people just attended NewSpring because it is the IN thing to do (to that comment I say GREAT)!!! If attending NewSpring has become the IN thing to do, that means they must be doing something right. Church should be the IN thing to do. We should all hope that our churches are so influential and culturally relevant that it has become the IN thing to do!!! The fact of the matter is... people come to NewSpring expecting God to show up in an awesome way!!! CHEW ON THAT ONE FOR A LITTLE BIT!!!

Vacation...

Finally!!! It's time for me to get out of this small town they call Graceville. My wife keeps telling me she is tired of driving through the forrest. She calls places with lots of trees forrest's. We will be heading to Anderson, SC for some much needed R & R. This will be a time for us to clear our heads and seek God's direction in our lives. Oddly enough... we are going to New Spring Church (check it out @ www.newspring.cc) and Perry Noble the lead pastor is going to be preaching on discovering God's will. Perfect timing Perry!!! Joy and I have some big decisions to make in the next few weeks. Please pray for us! I am also very excited to get to hang out with some family. My sister Ashley and my brother-in-law Matt live in Anderson. We will be staying with them. Allergies here I come!!! (They have a big lab, Jasmine, despite how cute she is, her dander is something fierce!!!) My parents left Bradenton, Fl today and are already there hanging out with them. Can't wait!!! Early to bed tonight so we can leave early enough to avoid that crazy Atlanta traffic. You know what I'm talking about. We won't be back till next Friday, but I will still attempt to keep my blogging up to par. PEACE OUT!!!

Timing is Everything...

Have you ever just known that it was time for a change in your life? You got so excited that you ran to your spouse and they instantly shot down your excitement with a heavy dose of reality. You then got frustrated that your spouse doesn't have the same level of excitement that you do. Later on, you walk back to your spouse with your tail between your legs because you know that you were wrong for being so zealous without weighing out the variables.

It's not that your excitement was not merited... it's just that it wasn't God's timing. Sometimes God will give you a distant vision for the sole purpose of getting you spiritually prepared for a big change in your life. It is vital, especially as a leader, that you are always thinking about what's after next. See... most people just think about what's going to happen next in life, but if you will start to think about what's after next you'll always be one step ahead and better prepared in every arena of life.

Realize though that the intensity of your call in life may not match the intensity of your spouses call. That's OK though. While sometimes both spouses receive an equally intense call to start a church together, it's not uncommon for one to receive the calling to fill a more supportive role. Don't assume that your spouse is not in sync with you because your levels of passion are not equal. The goal is to confirm mutual calling, not mutual intensity. ("Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas)

So... realize that God has given you your spouse for many important reasons. One of those reasons is to occasionally contrast you. I'll explain what I'm talking about. A few months ago I was ready for a particularly big change in life. I went to my wife with my radical plan about how this change would take place and why it needed to happen. My wife did not respond the way that I had hoped... instead she responded the way that God had planned. She did not have a peace about it. We both decided to pray about it, and I realized that she was right! We continued to wait patiently on the Lord, and now three months later, that same radical plan that had been birthed in me is about to happen and we both have a peace about it. 1 Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." Don't get me wrong, God does call us to take a leap of faith, but... TIMING IS EVERYTHING!!!

Excitement

Do you get excited when others around you are succeeding in life? I think that sometimes we can become jealous and wish that we were the one's seeing the success in life. For example... you may want to see God do some amazing things in your city... maybe your goal is to reach thousands of unchurched people so that they might know and follow the same Jesus that you follow. BUT what if God brings revival to your area (city), but He doesn't use you in the way that you would have like Him to. Maybe God wants to use you in an important way, but it's not what you had initially hoped for. What if God uses the guy at the church across town to start revival in your city, or to write a very influential book, etc...Would you still be happy that God's kingdom is expanding... that unchurched people are experiencing life-change... that your city is finally experiencing revival...??? That is a tough question for many of us to look directly at. I would encourage you to do so. See where you are at personally!

Are you doing what you are doing for your own personal gain and recognition, or are you wanting to see God glorified??? We don't always know why God does the things that He does. But we do know that He sees the big picture in life, and we must trust Him in that. I get overwhelmingly excited when I talk to my buddy James Ross. He is the lead pastor/teacher of Mosaic Church in Crestview, Fl, and let me tell you... God is really using him in some mighty ways to reached out to his community. I enjoy when he shares with me all the awesome things that God is doing @ Mosaic Church ( You check it out @ www.mosaiccrestview.com, or check out his blog down in the right hand corner where it says, blogs i read). I recently had the privilege to preach there on a Sunday in his absence, and I saw first hand all that he has been talking about.

So that leads me to my original question... Do you get excited when others around you are succeeding in life??? Let's stop being jealous, territorial people, and start becoming Kingdom minded when it comes to the church. By the way... the issue that I am discussing is equally applicable to the business world as well. I will leave you with a verse that many people forget about in times like these... Romans 12: 15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Are YOU???

God's Grooming...

Ask yourself this question... What is God grooming you for right now??? God is always preparing us for something... the question is... Do you and I know what that thing is??? What are you passionate about? Can God use that? Do you think that He put that passion in you? If it is a God honoring passion... I firmly believe that God has put it there. Sometimes we disregard our passions and desires though, because we have been taught to. We have to be careful with that kind of theology though.

Don't PUT OFF what God has PLACED IN your heart. If God has placed a desire in your heart it is not your job to doubt whether He is able to do it or not. He is able to do more than you or I can fathom. He doesn't need us... but He so graciously chooses to use us. You may not think that you are qualified to do what it is that you feel God is calling you to... But that is OK because your worth is found in Christ alone. If God has called you to do something don't doubt... because it is God who qualifies you. There is no greater qualification than Christ who resides in you and I as followers of Him! After all... I used to be a heroin addict!

Who would have thought that God had plans for me to be in the ministry. Not me!!! There is no other way to explain that other than God! Since I've been clean off of heroin... I've gone back to school (I'm a junior now), I met my beautiful wife Joy (@ school), we are having a baby, I am starting my third year in youth ministry, and I know that God is preparing me to be a church planter (in His perfect timing). Is there any other way to explain how a former heroin junky could achieve all that apart from God??? Absolutely not!!! So in light of all that... STOP DOUBTING & START DOING, because God is not looking for your ABILITY... but rather He is looking for your AVAILABILITY.

There's Always Time for Prayer... Right???

All of you know that it is very easy to get caught up in the hustle & bustle of life real quick. That's right... I actually said hustle & bustle. There is a famous phrase that tells us of the importance of stopping and smelling the roses. I wholeheartedly agree with that phrase. My wife and I personally enjoy stopping and smelling the salt air when we're at the beach!

I however, would like to add another important thing to the list of things to stop and do. PRAY! It is essential to our very being here on earth. It is the very thing that connects the NATURAL here on earth, to the SUPER NATURAL in heaven. I just got done praying with my best friend James Ross and let me tell you... it was good! It was also needed. I realized how often it is that I forget to stop and take ten or fifteen minutes out of my day just to pray. James and I try to pray together once a week and we are pretty regular with it... but the challenge in my personal life is how often do I get away by myself for ten or fifteen minutes in prayer?

Even Jesus saw it as essential to His day. Mark 1:35 says, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark out, Jesus got up and went to a solitary place where He prayed." If it's good enough for Him... it's definitely good enough for me!!! So go ahead... get away from everything just for five to ten minutes and see if you don't walk away comforted, with a new perspective on things. What have you got to lose??? OR What have you got to gain???

Babies Everywhere

Has anyone else noticed that there are babies everywhere? When my wife and I got engaged last year... we noticed a lot of other people were getting engaged as well. Many of our friends either got married right before or right after we did. Every single T.V. show on TLC seemed to either be about getting married, or on being a newly wed.

Present day... my wife and I are going to be having a baby. We will find out if it is a boy or a girl on August 6th & my wife is due January 3rd, 2009. Many of our friends have recently had babies and it is making me very anxious. I would classify my anxiety as an excitement rather than a worry. Basically, I can't wait to be a father. I even bought "The Expectant Father" today from Barnes & Noble (as recomended by my good friend James Ross... who is also an expectant father).

Even better than that... today my wife and I were able to go and see some good friends of ours in Dothan, AL who just had their baby yesterday. Holding that little newborn baby boy BLEW MY MIND. To think that God chooses to use us, (man and woman), to create as beautiful a miracle as new life, is more than I can even begin to wrap my mind around.

Odd Inspiration...

I was inspired tonight to start my own blog. I have been a pretty avid blog reader for some time now. So... you might be wondering what it was that finally inspired me to start blogging. Well... I was reading a blog tonight that was basically bashing some pretty cool people that I personally admire. I don't like that! I'm sure that all of us grew up hearing the words "If you can't say anything nice... don't say anything at all." I think that it goes beyond that well known statement even. Ephesians 4:29-32 tells us not to talk badly about one another, or let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. Instead we should only say things that build each other up. The fact of the matter is... your words will either HURT others, or HELP others. I don't know about you but I would rather be known as someone that HELPS and BUILDS UP others. This is not something that I personally have mastered, but definitely something that I am passionate about. So there you have it... I have now joined the blogging madness.