I get inspiration from all kinds of places.
Movies, Blogs, TV, Pastors, Art, Music.
With all the intake, I figured I’d post some of my favorite inspiration from 2011. My hope & prayer is that it strikes a chord with you and challenges you to think differently about this world we live in.
We’ve lost sight that we’re not just supposed to pray for people to come to Christ…we’re actually supposed to ENGAGE them in a conversation. (See Romans 10:14 and Romans 10:17, Acts 8:26-40, John 1:35-51)
A phrase he uses quite often, and I love it, is:
FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE!
I cannot agree more with this sentiment. When you come into contact with God and He begins to work on your life, you cannot help but share that with others and bring them to church. God can do amazingly more than you could ever imagine. So, my question for you is…
Who are you bringing to church Sunday?
You know the person you’ve been hanging out with, talking with, neighbors with, work with, spend time with. When is the right time to share with them what’s happening in your life and invite them to church? Now. You have relationships with people and they have no idea what’s happening between you and God. Share it with them, and bring them with you this Sunday as we kick off a new series, “Coming Home” which will be filled with discussion on God’s love, grace, and power to change our lives.
In short, lives are being changed.
I don’t know where you’re at, but God is up to something here… And I’m loving it.
People keep asking:
“What is God all about?”
“Could He really love somebody like me?”
“If I give my life to him and mess up, will He give up on me?”
“Do I have to get everything right before I get baptized?”
“Is there any hope in this life?”
Here’s the great news, people are asking questions and God is providing answers. God is all about love, grace and forgiveness. He absolutely loves someone like you. If you mess up, and you will, God is there to pick up up, dust you off, and walk along this journey with you. You don’t have to have it all together, and it won’t. God is the one who begins and completes the work in you. Best of all, there is a hope that we can experience right now. It’s a hope beyond anything we have ever seen this side of heaven. God gives us a hope when all hope is lost. Man, it’s exciting times here at Forefront!
Take a look a few of the people recently who have given their lives to God. If you’re reading this and check these videos out & go, “I’m not real sure about this, but I have some questions” or “I’ve heard and seen this happening at Forefront, what is this all about?” Please email baptism@forefront.org with your contact info and I will personally give you a call. We can get together and talk about any questions you have.
It’s easy for me to talk about certain things.
God, faith, Mets baseball, art, computers, my family, my little girls, etc.
But, there’s a lot of things I’m not good at when it comes to talking…
Confrontation, asking for forgiveness, forgiving others, being patient.
Over the years I’ve grown in these areas, but I stil have a long way to go.
When you’re not good at something, it can lead to awkward conversations.
Your flaws are out in the open.
Usually, I try and shy away from the awkward moments.
More often than not, I hurt myself and others when I try to avoid the awkward conversations.
It does more harm than good.
Ever been there?
I used to be the same way with prayer.
What? You mean God and I get to talk? To one another?
That’s just weird, right?
It was easy to talk to him about things that I liked or enjoyed.
But, it reached a screeching halt when it came to confrontation, forgiveness, patience.
Slowly, over time, God was moving in my life and my heart changed in what I felt awkward talking to Him about. The moments & strangeness in topics has gotten easier, the things I bring to Him are too many to even count, and there are far less awkward moments in the conversation.
Have you ever wondered if God hears your prayers? Does He even listen? How am I supposed to pray? Is there some magic formula for getting to God? Check out the next three weeks as we dive deeper into this. And head over to the podcast page to listen to the intro week where we looked at the greatest prayer Jesus ever prayed.
I am just in awe at what God has been doing through Forefront. Seriously. Just to be able to see the ways people have been coming to God, sharing their stories, finding healing, becoming whole in who God designed them to be. It’s awesome. But our role as a church is not just to help the immediate community around us. God’s command us to “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28)
So, where do we go from there as a church?
Well, Dan Pollard, one of our pastor’s at Forefront is not only over Global Impact- he’s extremely passionate about it. I love his heart for people far from God and the desire to put down “deep roots” in our efforts globally. Here is a snippet from his blog series he’s doing on Forefront’s global impact:
“During the last dinner before heading home from my first trip to Vietnam I was presented with a bit of food that I will never forget. From what I can tell, it was a radish pickled in something. As my team leader looked on, I stuck the whole thing in my pie hole and crunched away. Did it taste good? Not particularly, but I remembered my training and made it look like it was the best thing I ever ate! It didn’t matter what it was really. We had just finished an amazing week in a place I have since fallen in love with.“
You should keep up with Dan and this series here, and think about attending the meeting on Sunday, November 6, 2012 at Ocean Lakes High School, 8:30am to see how God loved you so much that he wants to include you in his story to reach people on the other side of the world. If you’re interested, send him a quick email.
Who has authority?
In today’s culture it’s completely relative.
Whatever works for you is good for you.
Under this line of thinking, it’s completely different for everyone.
If I don’t like that, it’s not true for me, right?
I was doing some reading in Relevant Magazine and came across this info:
28%.
With that, it means 72% of Christians do not believe the Bible is completely true, literal, or God’s inspired word for our guidance and understanding of God/faith. It breaks my heart and spurs me on to help change that. To strive to always place God at the center of Forefront and His Bible as the foundation of teaching/learning.
When you look at the numbers, what does it stir up inside of you?
Yesterday we took a look at Remember the Titans, and walked through how no matter what people might say/do/act like- our goal is always to start, continue, and end with love. It’s not easy. Loving people is hard. Many times we find difficulty in loving others because we haven’t learned to love ourselves (i.e. “love your neighbor as yourself).
A couple of bonus material items from yesterday’s message:
1. We listed a boatload of passages that show our mission is to “love people.” They’re listed for you below.
2. We didn’t have enough time, but I have 10 thoughts on engaging people and loving others. I truly believe if you put these into practice you’ll see your relationships flourish and watch new ones begin to take shape!
3. The video we played in the opening was great! Justin (our creative arts pastor) did a fantastic job on it. It’s located below for you to share on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
1. Passages on Loving People
Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Proverbs 17:9
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 15:12-13 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Luke 6:27
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Romans 12:9-10 Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
1 Corinthians 16:14 Do everything in love.
Galatians 5:13-14 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 John 3:11
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
1 John 4:7-8 Brothers & sisters, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:11 Because God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
2 John 1:5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
2. Ten Thoughts on Loving People & Connecting in Relationships
1. Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
2. Smile at people. It takes seventy-two muscles to frown, only fourteen to smile.
3. Call people by name. Music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his/her own name.
4. Be friendly and helpful. Even if they’re rude and inconsiderate, you’re not called to be hurtful- you’re called to love.
5. Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is genuinely a pleasure, and if it isn’t, learn to make it so.
6. Be genuinely interested in people. You can like almost everybody if you try.
7. Be generous with compliments, cautious with criticism. For a single hurtful thing you say, it takes 8 encouraging things to off set it.
8. Be considerate of people’s feelings. There are usually three sides to a controversy: yours, the other person’s, and the right one.
9. Be alert to serve. People remember when you are present & helping.
10. Embrace humor, practice patience, and be humble. Enough said.
**11. BONUS: Learn to party well. Jesus was constantly invited and going to parties. Christians (for the most part) don’t know how to party well these days. Let loose and enjoy the company of others.
Today is the 3 Year Anniversary of being the Lead Pastor of Forefront Church. I cannot think of a more fitting place to be doing ministry. God has placed our family in a place where you all are amazing, open with your flaws, and every day counting on the grace only God can give. It’s inspiring to serve alongside you. We’ve followed God through some challenges that looked impossible, and He has brought us through on the other side- greater and stronger than before. I love you guys.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I’m encouraged by it, because it’s a moment to reflect on how humbling it is to serve God full-time through vocational ministry. Unfortunately, the drop out rate in ministry is one of the highest among all occupations. It saddens me because that is a reality for the people I know, with only 3-4 people out of my entire graduating class still in ministry. If you go to a church, take a moment to thank the people who serve you 24-7 in the local church. If you go to Forefront, the best way to show appreciation is to honor the people I get the privilege to work with. They are amazing! Take some time to write a note to Dan, Becky, James, Justin, Barbara, and Lisa. Even if it’s simply to say “Thank you and you rock!”
Finally in the “Triple A’s”– I want to say I am in AWE of what God has on the horizon for Forefront! Seriously. It’s blowing my mind how God is working through this church. This week, I’ve written down some of the stories of what’s been happening. We’ll be posting them next week since our staff will be at Catalyst all week.
Side Note: Speaking of Catalyst, please pray for God to refresh, stregnthen and speak to the hearts of your staff here at Forefront. He always moves us while attending this conference, and having the church praying for us would be fantastic.
Carrie and I love you all so much. We’re thankful to be a family with you.
See you guys this Sunday!
Casey Anthony. Many people still hating on her for the trial.
Even though she was found innocent. Darth Vader. One of the most iconic villains of our day.
He just encompasses evil, right? Mike Tyson. A boxing machine who wrecked people.
He also hurt many people in his personal life. Klan Member. Yeah, it’s weird even typing it.
Seeing the hood and those eyes stir up emotions in me.
But, day to day- you get hurt. People let you down.
They speak harmful things in to being, towards you.
Your self-esteem gets wounded.
You’re offended by a hateful act.
Actually, sometimes people just suck and forget how to live life. I’m one of those people. If you’re being honest, so are you.
We all hurt people, cause pain, do stupid things, and mess up. We all are in need of second chances.
We all have the opportunity to grant second chances.
We have a moment to extend grace and love like Jesus.
So, in the midst of pain…
Are you going to move through your pain and take the step to give a second chance to someone this week? It’s time to drop the grudge.
Going over my message for Sunday.
We’re in our series, “Window Pain.”
Blown away by the response already. 5 people baptized this week.
2 of the people chose Sept. 11th to be baptized. “Changing the day in a good way.”
This week we’re address the Pain of Death.
As I’ve been preparing for Sunday, here is a snippet of my message I’ve read over and over at my desk today…
“The only God I can believe in is one who knows firsthand what it’s like to be a helpless American aboard a plane turned missile, penetrating a building- killing thousands. Who knows what it’s like to be a helpless mother as your child is devoured by the jaws of death. Who intimately knows the pain a spouse feels as they’re smacked in the face with the untimely news that their best friend is no longer with them.
And that is exactly the kind of God Christianity proclaims.“
While this Sunday will be tough, I am looking forward to how He can help us with the pain we’ve encountered individually and as a whole. See you Sunday!
