The Question: Are you a "watcher" or an "experiencer" of God's presence?
You can see it throughout the Old Testament. The Israelites had a tendency to watch their leaders experience God's presence while they stood at a distance and watched. (Exodus 33:8) Do you watch or are you passionately pursuing God's presence in your life?
The Problem: We have plenty of things that fill our lives.
The average American spends 2 hours a week on facebook and nearly 30 hours watching TV. That leaves _________ time in God's presence. Without time with the Father how will we be changed, transformed, and molded into the image of Christ? God's presence is the difference maker.
The Only Solution: Time with Jesus.
There are no substitutes. You want to go deeper, spend time with Jesus. You want to live a life that matters, spend time with Jesus. You want to experience life to the fullest, spend time with Jesus. You want to know where you'll be or what you should be doing, spend time with Jesus.
Our Prayer: Learning from Moses.
In Exodus 33 you see Moses in one of his greatest leadership moves of all time. He's asking all the right questions: God, will you teach me your ways so I can lead these people? God, will your presence go with us and distinguish us from all other nations? God, will you reveal yourself (your presence) to me on a completely new level? Those are the prayers of a leader who understands the importance of God's presence.
5 things to do in the Land of Obscurity....
(a continuation from "The Land of Obscurity Part I")
So, what's your back story? Every so-called "success" in life has one of these. It's not always sexy and rarely is it front page material. In fact, it's usually defined by words such as perseverance, development, and process. I know, words we all love.
Welcome to the "land of obscurity." The place void of all spotlights. It tests your motives, your character, and your perseverance. So what will you do in the land of obscurity?
5. Learn to listen.
Ever wonder why you have two ears and only one mouth? Figure it out. Learn to be a good listener and subsequently a good learner.
4. Wholeheartedly serve people right where you're at.
Don't live so consumed in the "land of tomorrow" that you don't serve, love, give 100% today. You can't just flip that switch on one day.
3. Attach yourself to great people.
You never outgrow needing mentors. Find (hunt down, pursue, stalk, hound) people who are going where you want to go and become a follower.
2. Do the little things with excellence.
It's pretty simple. Doing the little things with excellence trickles into every other area (i.e. follow through, be on time, go above and beyond, be accountable, finances, etc.)
1. Develop your core values.
These values shape your life and your future. Either figure out what you value or life/others will shape them for you.
When all the spotlights
are off…
Nobody
dreams of obscurity. Ask a child, "What do you want to be when you grow
up?" Rarely will you ever hear them say, "I want to be unknown,
unimportant, and inconspicuous." Talk to a kid on the high school football
team and not too often will he say, "I hope to ride the bench my entire
career if at all possible."
Quite
the contrary, most people want to do something great, something noteworthy,
something that others will look and say, "that person is a
success." Whether you have a personal drive to succeed or
expectations placed on you by others, most of us would agree that we have a
deep inward desire to achieve.
When
success is the end result most people will do whatever it takes to get there.
They look for the next job opening, internship, degree, business partnership,
shortcut, etc. Whatever it takes to catapult them to that next place in life.
Success,
however, is an elusive term. It's elusive in that there is no benchmark to
adequately define it and it when it is defined it's usually done by others
around you. Not only is success elusive it's also extremely addictive. When you
crave it, it can easily become the center of your entire existence. It becomes
an endless, uncelebrated pursuit of something that was elusive and indefinable
from the beginning.
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“You can be whatever you want to be. Dream big.” When is the
last time you heard those words?
The chances are you were a kid.
We don’t say that to adults.
People who believe that are naive and just downright
unrealistic. I mean, not everyone can be the President of the United States.
Not just anyone can find the cure to cancer, right?
In fact, if we’re honest most people don’t like other people
who are dreamers. We don’t always like people who combat the status quo or
infringe on our comfort zones. Why? Because quite honestly we probably have
dreams that we’ve already given up on and we feel guilty.
We live in a world where people start out with big dreams
but they’re soon derailed by problems, pain, broken relationships, life, etc.
Our dreams turn into unrealistic fantasies and the pursuit of what can be is
traded for the reality of the “right now.” Our dreams get shelved for another
time, another day, and another place never to be picked up again.
For most of us there is something deep in our heart that pulls at us. If
you don’t know what those things are then ask yourself these questions: What
would you do if money were not a factor? What would you pursue if you knew you
couldn’t fail? What is that cause, people group, or idea that you always think,
“Why hasn’t anyone done something about that?” More than likely what emerges is
a God-given dream.
How many people today get the opportunity to see even a
glimpse of their dream become a reality? I would argue very few, but why?
Maybe because our dreams get killed along the way by one of these assassins...
Dream Assassin #1: Tell your dream to whoever will listen.
I learned this the hard way. I grew up loving to write.
Eventually I thought I might even pursue this writing gig one day. I had written
something I was particularly proud of and decided to give it to an acquaintance
who was both an editor and well-respected writer. She read it and returned it
to me with corrections and comments that might have well said, “Just stop
writing and wasting your time.” It was neither constructive nor beneficial
criticism
I learned my lesson. Don’t just share your dream with anyone
and especially with someone who doesn’t truly care about your growth and development.
I probably questioned my abilities for at least a year after than encounter. If
you share it too early or with the wrong person it could potentially sabotage
or derail your dream forever.
Dream Assassin #2: Wait until everything is perfect.
Guess what? If you’re waiting around for the stars align
before pursuing your dream then you better get comfortable. So many people fail
to step out and begin the pursuit because they need one more degree, they need
to get past a certain stage in life, or all the pieces aren’t in the perfect
order. More than likely even if your dream is years from reality there is
something you can pursue or prepare for today.
Dream Assassin #3: Pursue your dream alone.
Maybe it’s possible but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it
done. When I think back to the greatest innovators and leaders of our era there
were always key individuals that surrounded them. The late Steve Jobs, who will
go down as one of the greatest innovators of our time, may have actually been
best at getting the right people around the table than he was at actually
developing amazing products.
Who will partner with you to see your dream become a
reality? In the trials and opposition that you will inevitably face who will be
a source of strength and encouragement in your life? Seek out individuals,
partners, mentors, colleagues who are committed to you and your dream.
Dream Assassin #4: Interpret roadblocks as a sign.
This sounds pretty simple but it’s by far the number one
reason why dreams are never realized. We face roadblocks or a series of
obstacles and think to ourselves, “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.” Quite
the contrary, instead, you should think to yourself “this dream must be
something special.”
We know obstacles will come but for some reason we don’t
prepare ourselves to persevere through them. Any runner in a marathon knows
that the dreaded “runner’s wall” will hit them at some time during the race. It
may be mile 19 or 20 but regardless it is downright agonizing. You have to grit
your teeth, endure the pain, and just persevere. Our dreams are no different.
I have no idea what you’re dream may be. It may be for your
family, your career, for a non-profit, or to tackle a social justice issue.
Regardless, it will take you navigating these assassins and developing a
personal resolve to persevere regardless of the circumstances. I pray that you
dream big and that you never settle.
Over the past 2 years CityChurch has been a part of planting seeds of the gospel throughout our city. We've partnered with organizations, churches, and businesses for projects such as...
- Crisis Pregnancy Outreach
- Tulsa Boys Home
- Filling the Void - feeding the homeless
- Wright Elementary (events & mentoring)
- Brookside Events (clean up, parades, kids events)
- Mowing yards
- Projects for widows & the elderly
- 111 Project (foster care initiative)
- Tulsa Hope Academy
- Laura Dester Emergency Children's Shelter
- Etc, etc.
On Sunday, October 2nd we won't have service, at least not service as usual. Our entire church will gather at 9:30am and then disperse throughout our city to work on 13 different projects. It's our hope and desire that through these acts of love and service doors will be opened to share the love of Christ and that our city will never be the same.
WE ARE GOING TO BE THE CHURCH, NOT JUST GO TO CHURCH.
We've got 13 different projects happening that day. We could use your help. To sign up click on the link below and let us know which project you want to be a part of. Let's continue to see a city transformed by Christ by continuing to plant seeds of the gospel in our city!
Childcare provided that day at the Tulsa Ballet from 9am-1pm.
Love Tulsa Sunday ends with a party in downtown Tulsa that evening at 4:30pm with live music, food, and stories of what God is doing in our city.
http://citychurchtulsa.com/love-tulsa/serve
This past Sunday night at BIGteam we unveiled the concept of "Mission Partnership" to our people for the very first time.
I can vividly remember sitting in a living room 2 years ago looking around at the 15-20 people in the room and asking for them to partner with us to start CityChurch. Last night I sat in a room of about 120 people committed to CityChurch and helping us take that next step.
We handed a "Mission Guide" to every person in the room. It's a small booklet that describes who we are and what we're about as a church. It also talks about where we're going & the future vision. Just like any great football team has a playbook and strategy on how to accomplish the goal, we as the church, must develop a plan in order to see the mission accomplished. In this case, the mission is seeing more lives changed by Jesus Christ.
After explaining the mission and how we're planning on getting there I asked everyone to prayerfully consider committing to the following:
- Faithfully attend Sunday gatherings
- Be part of a Community Group committed to experiencing biblical community with others
- Use your time and abilities by serving on Sundays or as a part of our Love Tulsa initiative
- Become a financial contributor that works toward a minimum of a 10% tithe
- Create an environment of life change and discipleship by continually inviting others to church and helping others take the next step on their walk with Christ
If I'm honest, the response so far has been greater than I even anticipated. It's going to be incredible to see what God can do through a church that is wholeheartedly committed to living out the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
To download the complete Mission Guide click here.
There have been some great things happening this summer at CityChurch. I wanted to share with you a few of those things.
1. LOVE TULSA - Our Love Tulsa initiative is taking off. In fact, it's beginning to take us places we never dreamed. We have began the process of partnering with churches from all over the city to make LOVE TULSA a citywide initiative of churches working together on common issues (i.e. addiction recovery, foster family care, public education, social justice issues, etc.) This has been spearheaded by a new addition to the CityChurch team, our new Love Tulsa director Mollie Myers. She's a superstar & we're blessed to have her.
2. New Believer Coaches - Several months ago we began to evaluate how well we were following up with new believers and we weren't satisfied at all. In fact, the national average for most churches in the US is that 1 out of 10 new believers continues in the discipleship process and gets plugged into the church. That is an absolutely horrendous stat! We've taken a big step recently and began a process of training 25-30 new believer coaches. When an individual now commits or recommits their life to Christ they will now receive a trained life coach who will walk with them on a 4-week journey where they will explore their story, God's story, and how to begin an authentic walk with Christ. So far, it's been amazing. We'll see how it goes.
3. The Future: This summer has been a season of refining the processes and structures at CityChurch. We've tried to take every ministry to the next level. This includes increased security in cityKIDS, a new process for volunteers, restructuring our entire Connect Team, more Community Groups, etc, etc. We're preparing for big things coming up. This fall we are gearing up for some game changers like unveiling our new Mission Partners initiative & our first ever LOVE TULSA Sunday on October 2nd that's going to be absolutely HUGE!
Please pray for us that God will continue to lead and that we will continue to take the gospel to our city!
Also, if you missed this last week of our new series, Confessions of a Pastor, Pastor Jim shared his story over the past year. It was incredible! The Holy Spirit moved in a powerful way in peoples lives as they were healed of some very deep pains. Click here to watch the video!
It’s important to stop and recalibrate some things in your
life every now and then. Things that somehow got a little off track and needs some tweaking. Do you just let it continue or do you stop and make some tweaks?
Here’s a few of the things I’m learning to recalibrate in my
life….
- Speak
less and listen more. People have always said there’s a reason you’re given
2 ears and 1 mouth. Try to use them accordingly.
- Don’t let
text messages run your life. I’ve
developed a nasty habit lately of looking at my phone the second I get a text
message. I realize I’m spending
half my day just trying to respond.
I’m learning (again) that my phone is a tool and not my master. Maybe for you it's email, twitter, facebook, etc.
- Spend
time with God before you jump into work. For some reason I started looking
at my emails or making a list of to do’s before having my time with God in the
morning. I just can’t do
that. My new rule is no looking at
emails before spending time with God because my mind will be on what I need to
accomplish not what God wants to do in me.
- Don’t
waste your down time. Lately I’ve been neglecting my down time and using it
for pretty foolish things rather than things that actually renew me. I’m not saying all your down time must be productive but real SABBATH is
about refreshment and renewal not laziness.
- It’s good
to break up the routine sometimes. I’m a creature of habit and I like (love) my
routines. Many times to the point where it’s a little unhealthy. Lately I’ve really worked hard to
create opportunities that stretch me out of my comfort zone and cause me to be
spontaneous. You may not have this
problem but I do.
What in your life needs to be recalibrated?
Ok Dads! Let's make this Mother's Day special. Don't wait til Saturday night and get the last card they have left. Join forces with your kids and make it special for Mom, she deserves it! Here's a few ideas - You've got 1 week...
- Have your kids make something special for mom (card, sign, breakfast etc.) It's hard to beat something homemade.
- A good way to get her out of the house (for you to make something for her) is to give her a few hours to do something for herself (shop, massage/spa, lunch w/ friends, etc.) You set it up and make it happen.
- If you're looking for a gift the Vintage Pearl has some cool stuff and there's a Groupon discount (via Misty McCaslin) The Vintage Pearl & Groupon
- Maybe you can do a project around the house that you know your wife has wanted you to do for awhile now.
- Keepsake box: Fill it with cards, letters, poems, pictures, and special stuff she will love for years to come
- You can make really great & cheap photo album books online (www.shutterfly.com)
- Surprises: Clean the house for her, plan a special lunch or dinner
- Things not to get her: cooking/cleaning supplies, household appliances, NOTHING
Any other good ideas?
I’m a thinker. I enjoy analyzing things. Sometimes it gets so bad that I just lay in bed at night trying to turn it off.
This week as I watched the images from the tsunami in Japan play out on my TV screen, I sat with the rest of the world in shock. As a thinker, your mind can’t help but begin to formulate questions when you see such tragedy.
Earlier in the week I sat down with two individuals who were deep thinkers and still processing what their faith was going to look like. They hear the messages about God being good, they see the suffering of innocent people, and they have questions; valid questions at that.
As human beings, we want answers. Something we can comprehend that will put our minds at rest. Something that’s black and white. Something concrete.
We crave clarity and we pride ourselves on being able to formulate solutions and certainties to life’s most complex issues.
After eight years of formal bible and theology training I’ve discussed about every issue imaginable. I’ve spent countless hours scouring the depths of issues from predestination, to the reality of heaven/hell, to the issue of theodicy (the problem with evil).
At times these discussions led me to truth. At times scripture and the use of reason (in that order) led me to conclusions that somewhat appeased my curiosities. At times, most of the time, I had to settle for uncertainty.
I can vividly remember a time in my theological pursuits sitting in a dorm room....
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