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• More on Steven Furtick
• “He doesn’t know what cannot be done…”  – Craig Groeshel on Steven Furtick
• “I’m an expert at being just dumb enough to believe that God can do anything..”
• I want to have some stories to tell when I’m older about how God came through Big.  I don’t want to build my 401K account, buy a boat, and just die.
• Elisha was a “drop the boom” message kind of guy- speaking boldly the Truth to the king.
• We can study, prepare, and do all we can do- but only God can send favor, mercy, salvation, and make it rain.
• We can be filled and inspired with great music and information, the difference between a daydream and a vision is the audacity to act, to start.
• “If your vision for your company or church isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God.”
• Start digging ditches- Faith that God will bring the rain…  Faith without works is dead.
• When we (pastor’s) say we’ve heard from God, what we mean is 55% sure, probably, give or take, possibly, I think….
• We’re comparing our behind the scenes with someone else’s highlight reel
• If we will dig the ditches, God will send the rain.  When we do what we can do, He will do only what He can do.
• When in doubt start digging ditches.  Not one ditch, a bunch of ditches… keep digging them…
• Sometimes it can feel like nothing is happening but you have no idea what God is doing.
• Believe God can do great things! 

What If:

• We could set aside our need to be “right”?
• We didn’t need to “win” the debate?
• We focused on being peacemakers and extended a hand to those we don’t understand?
• We found commonality with those “different” from us and collaborated on projects to bring real change to our communities and world?
• We responded to people not about where we think they are wrong but focused on where we could agree?
• We truly loved people?

What Could Change?

• Could Athiests and Believers agree that people need clean water and work together to bring solutions to millions in need across the globe?
• Could the tradition church find commonality with non-traditionalists and work together to bring Hope to their local communities?
• Could a church work with the gay community to fill food pantries?
• Could Christians and Muslims work together to provide relief to earthquake victims?

This is messy and doesn’t fit nice a tidy in a box. However, I do know I want to love more, talk and debate less, and be part of something Greater than myself. What might I learn about myself, others, and God from engaging more in these relationships?

This is a church I want to be part of…. this is a person I want to be…. these are the people I want to lock arms with…

Wow. That was the sentiment from my friend I met with last night. The context was this:

“Mark, I went back to church this past month (Granger Community Church, my church) and couldn’t help but be frustrated by some conversations I overhear in the lobby and think, you fake SOB! I don’t know what it is but it seems that the older I get I have this radar that can spot fake people, it’s like a Fake Radar. I see it in the business world….church….everywhere…”

Ugh. But if I’m honest, much of what he is saying is right on… This reflects a piece of what the book “Unchristian” discusses with the real perception our culture has about Christians.

So what makes us appear fake?

• The obvious one is hypocrisy. If we pretend we have it all together, life is good, our jobs, marriages, kids, friends, and thoughts are perfect… newsflash, the masses can sniff that out in a hurry… and if they know you at all… they know you’re pretending and you’re then a hypocrite.
• How we talk. I think we mean well, but I believe our attempts to give God the glory, “in all our ways acknowledge Him”, “in everything give thanks”, and our practice of trying to live a life of holiness… it comes out as statements like “Praise the Lord”, “God told me…”, or verbally thanking God outloud 164 times a day. To the masses, this doesn’t register and they either think it’s all fake or that you simply live life 3 steps away from the cuckoo nest.
• We judge without relationship. We can be so flippant about the statements we make to people and about people. How can we really know what’s going on deep within someone without having a close relationship with them? We skip the “seeking to understand” piece which leaves the impression of us as judges without planks in our own eye.

The result? We look like characters in a fictional play rather than being relevant or real.

The rest of my conversation centered last night centered around this:

• We don’t have to be that way. We can be real, authentic and get to the work of changing the world. Whatever you don’t like about the fake Christians you encounter…. well… don’t be like that.
• Let our actions speak louder than our words. There are hungry people, we should feed them. There are oppressed people, we should free them. There are people that are overwhelmed, we should help relieve their burden.
• Build real relationships with those without Christ or lacking in faith. Why should they care about your opinion or seek your help if you’re not doing life with them? I can talk to my friend about working on a great marriage, how to face challenges with kids, or stress in the workplace when I have a relationship with him. And let’s be real, my friends help me as much (and often more) than I can help them. It’s in these real, quiet, intimate conversations that we can point them to Jesus. He either is who He is or not, right?
• God did not call us to be fake, He called us to change the world and find His purpose in and through us.

We can do better. This isn’t about shying away from our faith and keeping it hidden… it’s about being effective and letting our internal faith drive love and authenticity. I love my friend and his candid conversation. This is the world we live in, this is who we are to serve. And friend, if you happen to read this, I’m so thankful for our relationship and what you’ve added in my life over all these years. I hope we can connect soon and keep pressing in…. let’s not let either of us settle for mediocrity…

There is no God.

I can do whatever I want, take what I want, whenever I want.. it’s all about here.

Crud, there are other people that can do what they want also.

Now I have to be creative, manipulate, and lure to get what I want.

The winners of this game are those who can entertain, attract, out-earn and outsmart.

It’s survival of the fittest. And once you’re on top, you’ll do whatever is needed to stay there.

Those who lose try to pacify their life by paying the winners to entertain them.

The losers go through this short life with temporary bursts of experiences and vices to get by.

The losers are “duped” into thinking they could get on top, that hope keeps them in the game.

All the players hold on desperately to this life, and death is tragic.

That is, if life is all about here and this world.

Then enters God.

Suddenly the prospect that life is not about here but for some life with God changes everything.

Athiests rise up to challenge the existence of God.

The winners mock the idea of God.

All resist any suggestion that they may be wrong. They have “the right” to do as they please!

Kill, destroy, mock, belittle any talk of God… whatever it takes to keep our game intact.

It’s all OK if your God idea is in your own personal box, but keep it out of our game.

The Choice. God Says:

The last will be first and the first will be last.

That life on earth is short and you won’t take your treasures with you.

That death is not something to be feared… we are eternal beings.

The game you play on Earth will leave you empty.

In fact, I’ve dumped that game on it’s head. It’s rigged, can’t you tell?

I’ll take care of the bad guys, don’t worry about it.

I have a plan to give you purpose and meaning for every day you’re there on Earth.

I know you better than you know you. I’d like to help.

It’s a question worth pursing. We’re living in our choice right now. A life as if there’s no God or there is a God. It changes everything.

I can’t believe I’m going to repeat this, but my Dad always said…”Be rich in the things money can’t buy”… I don’t know how many times I rolled my eyes at that growing up (the last time was probably a few weeks ago.. but… OK… uh… it’s true.

I was reminded by this from a new blog I read by Larry Jones. He is a maximizer and is right on… If we’re told “money is the root of all evil” then we better know how to root out that evil… Check out his site… no sense for me to ramble about it’s already been said…

As Christ-followers, if we’re fretting around like everyone else in these crazy economic times… We’re missing a phenominal opportunity to step-up and step-in….

“A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”- Warren Buffet

Lesson: Observe what the masses are doing and consider an authentic distinction to do exactly the opposite.

How many times have you been part of a meeting talking about what the competition is doing and the reaction is to adopt a “we do that also” strategy?

• While the masses dread Monday at work, find a way to love it.
• When no one wants to deal with a particular client, be the one to ask for that account.
• While everyone is looking for fuel efficient vehicles, look for a ridiculously low priced SUV
• If everyone’s cutting their lawns with vertical lines, go horizontal…or better yet, put in astro-turf
• When people are panicked about the economy, have peace knowing our God will provide
• When all insurance agents send out calendars with mug-shots of themselves to their clients, send all your clients $5 Starbucks cards and offer to meet them for coffee
• When one candidate for President is for a $700 Billion bailout, be the candidate against it with a confident, thoughtful plan B

It’s time to go launch a mortgage company. Thanks for the reminder Mr. Buffet.

re·lent·less Session 9: Bill Hybels- “Relentless”
–adjective
that does not relent; unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh; unrelenting:

• God searches the whole world looking for hearts fully committed to Him.. there He sends His strength and power…
• Mother Theresa decided to “refuse Him nothing“… What does it look like in my life to give God cart blanche’ authority in my life?
• Takes steps to move time and resources out of day to day worldly pursuits and more into His work…
• Embrace callings from God without delay- Lives are lived with regret with “If only I had listened”, “If only I had acted”… reflections in life…
• Every leader can tell stories about how their dream almost died… It should come as no surprise when this happens to you (obstacles beyond your control, overwhelming circumstances)
• How do I know when I hit obstacles if I missed what God called me to do or when God is working on His own time line? Be very careful when in this era….
• Mother Theresa was amazingly relentless… just to be allowed to “start” her calling…
• Outlast the problems, the obstacles, the people in the way- Who knows what God may do if you hang onto the calling- We must endure… Sometimes the calling may only come once in a lifetime…
• Be relentless about becoming a Godly leader… be relentless to be someone worth following.
• Mother Theresa: “I will seek to love Him as He has never been loved”- said in one of her “dry” times in her life…
• Much of life can be lived without feeling the “presence” of God. Mother Theresa felt this… Hybels is honest about the same feelings..
• Very powerful video…. “Here am I, send me…”-
• “What life are you waiting for to finally step up and step into God’s call for your life?”-BH

Thoughts:

• Am I living in a way that will allow me to hear God’s call for me and His purpose in my life?
• There are some phenominal “causes” I’ve seen in this summit… yet I don’t feel any nudging to jump into them- When do you know a trigger has been pulled in your life? When do you know when it’s YOUR calling?
• I think one of the hardest challenges of a vision/call/idea is having the persistance to go on while many people close to you are telling you all the reasons why it doesn’t make sense…
• Why does God’s presence seem absent so much of the time?
• God…. “Here am I…. send me….”
• So… is it us? Do we sit back waiting for God to just do stuff, say stuff, and take care of stuff….or… are we really His plan?

Chuck Colson : Defending the Faith

Prison Fellowship Ministries

Author: The Faith (currently reading)

• “I wish we took our faith as serious as the Marines take their job”- CC
• #1 test of leadership: Serve your people – #2- Give them the greater vision #3- “Follow me”
• Your job is not to pander to your people, it’s to lead them-
• 57% of evangelicals say that Christ is not the only way to heaven- it’s a misunderstanding of “tolerance”
• Two truth claims cannot be both true. They can both be false, but not true.
• People are in prison because the lack of moral training during the moral formative years.
• In the US, are we in “Babylonian” captivity?
• What is Christianity? It is a world-view to see all of life through… it’s not just a religion, a belief in Christ, or fellowship…. Every area of life is under the lordship of Jesus Christ
• 14 core truths of our Faith… here are some of them….
• #1- God Is- There is a God- we’re not alone or an accident
• #2- We have His Word – Inerrant Word of God
• #3- The Fall- we live in a fallen world with free will
• #4- The Incarnation- Birth of Christ defeated a real enemy Satan- He came to die for us. A conversion is Christ in me, not me picking/choosing
• #5- A Triune God- One God, Father/Son/Holy Spirit
• #6- We’re Reconciled to One Another- unity of the Body- community- “I don’t go to church, I belong to church”
• #7- We need to live holy- Our works should reflect our Faith
• #8- There will be Judgement- (We live by revealed Truth)
• How can you “impose” a belief- we “propose”… we’re not about theocracy, we’re about freedom… It’s an invitation that rests of sound premises that are tested and true…

Thoughts:

• Clearly our culture, even within the church, the idea that there is one “truth” is in question. There is disagreement about “One Way” to God- One must land on this issue- yes or no? At the end of the day, do we have confidence that the Bible is Truth? That Christ is the Way? Or, are there several paths?
• I think many people fear the confrontation of trying to explain the tough questions- “So all Muslim’s are going to hell?”…”So I can be a good person but still go to hell?” “Homosexuality is sin?”… For most people…it’s easier to “punt” these questions, avoid them, not try to understand the greater questions… many then resort to what feels good… “There are many paths to heaven, there is no hell, you can believe what feels good, good people go to good places when they die…”
• I believe the most critical decision we all have is to “get God”… research, read, press-in, test, ask questions to the right people, don’t give flippant answers based in nothing… I believe Truth will be found… Test “Seek and you will find”….

Today’s technology-driven, viral world has made it easier and easier for businesses, people, and ideologies to become more decentralized in our generation.

Decentralized: No leader. Chaotic. No order. Creative. Not about profit. Quick. Easily mutates. Mobile. Think Napster, al Qaeda, AA…

Individuals are now able to work from their phones, play games on the road, have nearly constant internet access, and can stay in contact minute by minute with friends all over the globe. Life is mobile. As backwards as it seems, relationships can actually grow with technology with no face to face contact. The pendulum is swinging towards decentralization. What about the church?

• As people become more decentralized, they will trend toward decentralized options over centralized options. (Church online or podcasts vs. the 10:00 service on Sunday morning)
• We have options to experience some of the greatest speakers in the world every week at any time and any place. (There will need to be some strong reasons other than the pastor to keep me at your church)
• This trend will distract many people to fall away from their faith, lose focus, and without the weekly structure in their life, ultimately will be distracted in life and simply be growing old. This is true.
• This trend will cause ongoing growth throughout the week with multiple options for study, teaching, and connecting with mission all over the world. Faith in action will explode and more people will come to know Christ. This also is true.
• Churches that are losing people will either deny this trend, blame culture, blame their local economy or census report, blame other churches or will press into understanding our changing world to find ways to re-connect with the people in their community.
• God can handle centralized or decentralized. He is God. He’s good. This has not surprised Him. He can handle our various methodologies, styles, trends and personalities.
• No change in today’s church model will lead to continued decline in church attendance in the upcoming decade. (Just because people aren’t within the four walls doesn’t mean that God isn’t at work- He’s always way ahead of any curve, on the curve, and helping those behind the curve)

What does that look like for your church and community? What questions are you asking? This is one takaway from The Starfish and the Spider.

Notes from Granger Community Church this weekend, you can watch it here beginning tomorrow the 14th…

Favorite Quote: “If you have a dream or mission that can be done without friends, your church, and without God- your dream is too small…. it’s paltry.”- Mark Beeson

The Challenge:

• Text, Hosea 4:1-10 v.9 “You can’t tell the people from the priests, the priests from the people…” Currently in the church of America, statistically there is little difference in the how Christians look vs. those who aren’t… divorce rates are similar, money management, promiscuity… Where have our priorities gone? Have we lost vision of what is means to “give our lives to Christ” and settled for having our faith be part of a list of a bunch of other things we also are? Who would seek “deprivation” (No pastor, no church, no friends, no Bible) in their walk/mission with Christ?

Questions to Ask Ourselves… how important is:

• VISION: A picture of what could be and should be… Prov. 29:18 Where there is no vision the people will perish… If I’m different, what does that look like to others?
• KNOWLEDGE: Clarity on mission strategy and parameters… What are steps I need to take to be a person that loves others and communicates hope? What do I need to learn?
• COMMUNITY: Do I have true friends in my life to help me in my focus, valleys, and direction? Ecc. 4:9-12 Two are better than one… a cord of three strands is not quickly broken…
• TEAMMATES: Dependable people who depend on me. Am I dependable? When I serve in a ministry or organization, am I giving leftovers? Is it the first thing that comes off the calendar if I’m tired? Am I a great volunteer? Who is depending on me? If the answer is no one… I need some teammates… I need to engage…
• REMINDERS: Tell me again, what are we doing? Much of being part of a church is simply to remind us of stuff we already know… It’s the exception to hear something brand new, paridigm shifting, or transformational… most are reminders that help us keep a vision of who we are are where we want to go…

(And by the way, that spells VKCTR for those who love acronyms)

• Technology now gives the mesage of Christ “viral” potential, a video on You Tube can be seen by hundreds of thousands in a matter of a few days…
• “If this isn’t a church and/or pastor where you can find your mission and press in to what God has for you, you should leave and find one where you can.”

Personal Takaways and Mind Drifts:

• I want people to see Christ in me through my actions, not my words.
• I love vision, yet sometimes the needs in our world are so overwhelming it becomes paralyzing for me. Where do I begin? Is what I do even making a difference or is it like shooting a forest fire with a squirt gun? That’s why I need teammates, friends, and my church… to help me keep on keeping on….
• Focus is important… I see a lot of people with big visions and big ideas… they create a little stir… and then they’re on to three other visions… I can get spread too thin and try to wrap my time around too much…. Focus is important. I need to be dependable and work or volunteer with excellence to make a real impact and be on mission.
• They showed “The Truth” video for the second time at GCC, it reminds me that great art has the opportunity to be viral. The product and excellence matters. Seen over 700,000 times on You Tube..