Looking Ahead

I am so excited about the next several weeks @ Radiant Life Fellowship. This Sunday, our worship is going from 30mph to 60mph. Come and check out the expanded team of lead worshipers. Thank you, Jacob, for leading us and building a worship team...all while diving back into Greek. You rock.
Our family ministry is standing at the edge of an awe inspiring dream. We have a dynamic team assembled and lead by Christine. It only takes a few seconds of conversing on the subject of family ministry before it becomes obvious how passionate she is about shepherding our families and leaders. Christine, you rock.
This Sunday, we're going to take an honest look at the church's score card in a sermon titled: "Practice Is The New Game".
Next Sunday our brother from another mother Actionnel (from Bayonnais, Haiti) will be with us and bringing the Word. Looking at a possible dental trip to Haiti over Easter.
Then I'm so excited to lead our church into our first chapter by chapter study through one of the most avoided books of the Bible: Leviticus. Good times!!!

Math: -++=x

Lent can be a time to establish (or reestablish) some good habits. A few years ago I started observing Lent and it's made Easter so much more meaningful. Today is Ash Wednesday. I think we may (as a family) have a little Ash Wednesday ceremony tonight at home.

Here's an equation to think about related to Lent: -++=x

Translation: subtraction plus addition equals multiplication.

What do you need to subtract from your life?

It might be a bad habit or waste of time or something that is permissible but not beneficial. Last year I took a day each week and fasted from food during Lent. This year, I'm going to do the same.

What do you need to add to your life?

You can't just subtract something. You've got to add something to your spiritual routine. I'm going to read a book a week throughout Lent. I'm also adding a day of prayer to each week.

I'm believing that subtraction and addition will result in multiplication. Honestly, I don't think I've ever been filled with more anticipation about what God is doing in my life and the life of Radiant Life Fellowship. But I'm believing Him for greater things! I want Him to multiply what He is already doing!

Question: what are you subtracting or adding for Lent?

Practice is the new Game (part 2)

I live across the street from a high school football coach. I also live across the street from a guy who works on the pit crew for a Nascar race team. Both of them (Chris and Zack) will tell you that most of their effort and time is put into practice.
Practice is what you do to get ready for the game. Right?
It's Stretching.
It's creating better habits.
It's repeating something over and over again in order to get it right and help it to sink in.
It's pushing yourself beyond what you previously thought was possible.
It's both learning more about yourself and your team as well as studying your opponent.
Some of the little things we do as a church on a regular basis would be what I would call our "practice"

• We meet together weekly to remind each other that we are not crazy and we are not alone.
  
• We observe communion every week because we need regular reminders of God's grace.
  
• We serve locally at Urban Restoration in order to keep perspective on being grateful.
  
• We give $ with eye-popping generosity, because we need reminders that everything we have is a gift from God.
  
• We are in montoring/accountability relationships because without those close connections, we'll veer off track.
• We regularly gather in homes and eat together church is not just about coming to a building for a service.
  
• We practice hospitality by welcoming strangers into our homes in order to give them access into the hope we have discovered in Jesus.
  
• We spend daily time reading the Bible and doing a Life Journal because we are attempting to create sacred enclosures around the most important part of our lives: Our time with God and the numerous mentors found in the Bible. Adding this to our daily routine gives us LIFE (Radiant Life) as we invest in our relationship with our Creator, Father, Teacher, Lover and Friend: Jesus.
• We partner with parents (The Grove, Virtue Packs, Life Groups, Mentors, etc) as they disciple their children in order to raise up men and women who love Jesus with their heart soul and mind and love others as themselves.
  
• We sing songs of worship because our hearts need an outlet to express our love in creative ways.
  
• We meet in Life Groups because we were never meant to do this alone. We are on a team.
  

Is there anything else I'm missing? I love this team.

Ash Wednesday & Lent

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, we remind ourselves that we have limits. "From dust we came...and dust we will return." Some people even mark their foreheads with ash as a symbolic way of marking the moment. The ashes come from burning the palm branches that were saved from last year's Palm Sunday...when Jesus came into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, to celebrate passover and ultimately become the passover sacrificial Lamb. Ash Wednesday triggers the season of Lent (which is 40 days, not including Sundays, until Easter).

Much like the season of Advent, throughout history, lots of people have used this season to prepare themselves for Easter. Using a variety of methods and strategies, we (Jesus followers) try to identify with the last days of Jesus' life, death and resurrection (here on earth) during this season. Some people choose to give up certain foods, habits or cravings during this season. Others attempt to pick up new habits. That way, on Easter Sunday, there can be a sense of celebration and breakthrough.

I'm curious to find out what plans you have for Lent. Are you planning on giving up something during Lent? What about picking up new habits? Have you put any thought into it?

Practice is the new Game

Coaches and players know that if you don't practice, you won't improve. Practice is what makes Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Jimmy Johnson and any other athlete better. Sure there might be a bit of raw talent that's latent in some people...but practice is the catalyst that explodes any raw talent into a superstar.

It's no different for those of us who are Jesus followers. We have been given the Holy Spirit (the very presence of Jesus inside us now). But that doesn't mean we sit around and wait for the big game. We've got to continually prepare ourselves, so that when the opportunity comes..we are ready.

2 Timothy 4
2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

What's the big game for Jesus followers? (some suggestions)
1) My response to life.
2) Am I able to forgive?
3) Am I able to show "love wins" in all situations?
4) Do I care for the poor, the widows, the orphans...?
5) Leading someone to become a Jesus lover with their life

What kind of PRACTICE? I will suggest 3 things.
1) You and I need to practice by having consistent time reading and studying God's Word.
2) You and I need to practice making friends with not-yet Jesus followers.
3) You and I need to practice by regularly putting others before ourselves. Serve.

I know some people don't like to practice. They just want the coach to put them in the big game as the franchise player. They don't want to read stuff. Don't ask them to write anything and they've got plenty of Christian friends. Why practice?


"How the @#%#* can I make my teammates better by practicing?" -- Alan Iverson

For the people of Radiant Life Fellowship...PRACTICE is the new GAME

What Would You Do?

Check out this video clip. It's Penn of Penn and Teller -- the magicians. Apparently at one of their shows, someone stayed after and gave him a Bible. These are his thoughts about what that man did and how he did it. Penn is an atheist. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this. Would you take an opportunity like this man did for Penn? How would you share what you have found in Jesus with an Atheist?

Dancing and Leadership

Jenny & I just finished our 2nd ball room dance session last week. We've been taking dance lessons, on Thursday nights, along with several other couples from our church.

Now I don't think of myself as very coordinated. I feel clumsy. I struggle clapping on the right beat for a whole song.

I've discovered some leadership lessons from dancing. They might also apply to marriages. Thought I'd share a few.
1) When Jenny and I dance together, as a couple, someone has to lead and someone has to follow. If that gets confused, we're headed for a fall.
2) As a leader, I have to think ahead and prepare my partner, Jenny, to follow my lead. That means I need to know what my next move will be before I can comfortably lead her into it weather it's a turn, twist or twinkle.
3) Trust is essential. I have to trust that Jenny will follow my lead as we dance the floor. She has to trust that I will lead her to dance with beauty and grace and flow.
4) Communication is key. A lot of times it is non-verbal. Sometimes it's a gentle nudge on her back or a lifting of her hand that cues her in that a change is coming and she should prepare for it.
5) Lead by example. The direction I position my body and head is the direction we will go.
6) Sometimes we have to stop and re-adjust in order to continue the dance.
7) Practice. Practice. Practice. We practice at home in front of our kids. They need to see that we are having fun and learning something new. We'll never get comfortable with dancing together until we're confident with the basic turns and rhythms.
8) Offer grace. It's risky to dance with someone. Provide an atmosphere of grace where you and your partner can learn together. I found I needed lots of grace because not only was I charged with leading our dance together, I also was learning the moves as a beginner. Jenny never expects me to be a perfect dancer...she just wants the chance to dance with me.
9) Leaders are learners. There's always a new dance to learn together.
10) There's a good chance you'll bump into other people on the dance floor. Have patience. Be kind. Offer grace.
11) Dancing and laughter go hand in hand.
12) Observe how others dance together. Pick up and acquire their best parts.
13) Make your dance together unique. No one else dances your dance. There's only one of you.

SPRINT!

SPRINT!

The best way to overcome your fear of creativity, brainstorming, intelligent risk taking or navigating a tricky situation might be to sprint.

When we sprint, all the internal dialogue falls away and we just go as fast as we possibly can. When you're sprinting you don't feel that sore knee and you don't worry that the ground isn't perfectly level. You just run.

You can't sprint forever. That's what makes it sprinting. The brevity of the event is a key part of why it works. You give your all without thinking about the stuff that keeps you from giving your all. This is a great way to get past fears.

"Quick, you have twenty minutes to come up with ten risky MISSIONAL ideas for our church, your family, you."

*I saw this concept of "sprint" in an article by Seth Godin

I Can't Give Away What I Don't Have

Each week, I get to coach two different Upward Basketball Teams (3rd grade guys and 5th grade guys). During our practice times, we take about 7 minutes to pause and read a portion of the Bible (usually 1-2 verses) and talk about what they might mean for us. Last night, the verses challenged the guys to consistently make time to continue reading their Bible.

Is a consistent, on-going, Bible reading plan a value to you? How's your time with God during the week? Is it a priority? If it is, you're making time for it.

I know I carry around in my head, with me, a million ideas, thoughts, dreams and questions. It becomes difficult for me to sort out what's from God and what's not. I find that the still small voice of God gets harder to discern. And when I don't hear God's voice clearly telling me that "I am loved, forgiven and blessed" then I begin to sink deeper and deeper in despair. I certainly don't have any love, forgiveness or blessing to give away...because I've not been able to tap into any reserve inside myself.

I recently read a fascinating story about a musical trainer who worked with Opera singers who could not hit certain notes within an Octave, even though the notes fell within their vocal range. It was a mystery. The trainer did extensive testing on their vocal chords, but he couldn’t find any reason why they couldn’t hit those notes. On a whim, he tested their hearing. And what he discovered is that these Opera singers could not sing a note they could not hear. The problem wasn’t singing. The problem was hearing.

Made me think of that phrase that is repeated throughout the New Testament: he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. I think many of us are trapped in negative cycles or sinful habits or destructive addictions because we haven't heard the loving voice of our Heavenly Father say, "This is my child in whom I am well pleased."

When you start to hear the voice of God--His loving voice, His graceful voice, His assuring voice, His powerful voice--you begin to sing what you're heard. By the way, this is why it's so important to read the Word. When you open the Bible God opens His mouth.

For what it's worth, I'd rather have people hear one word from the Lord than a thousand sermons!

You are welcome to check out my Life Journal if you think it will inspire you to do the same. This hasn't come naturally for me...but I've discovered a treasure and decided it's worth the effort. I would encourage you to read the first half of the book: THE DIVINE MENTOR by Wayne Cordeiro. This is the book that finally inspired me to take action.

Best Stuff

When you give, you give the very best stuff in your closets to the poor because you are giving to Jesus. -- Mother Teresa

The best thing to do with the best stuff in life is to give it away. -- Shane Claiborne

Stir and Spur

At Radiant Life Fellowship, we don't want to just have 'truth' deposited on you. Our worship service has a teaching element to it. We also strive to allow space and time (after the teaching) for reflection and feedback from all of us.

Hebrews 10
23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

So...at Radiant Life Fellowship, when we gather, we "stir" and we "spur" each other. I look forward to the next gathering to hear your stories and reflections as we continue to get Clarity on the journey.

Next time Jacob invites us to "circle up" at the end of our gathering for worship, feel free to use that as an opportunity to 'stir' and 'spur' each other with your thoughts, reflections, questions, ideas, dreams, stories, risks, fears and more. We'll do our best to make time for it.

Stories

The longer I serve as Lead Pastor of Radiant Life Fellowship the more I feel like one of my main roles is that of Chief Storyteller.

I'm the keeper of stories. And it's incredibly important to tell those stories as consistently and creatively as possible so they become part of our culture, part of our legend, part of our vision.

Stories captivate and inspire and help us get clarity. Many of the stories I need to tell to the peeps @ Radiant Life are stories that go back to the beginning of our church. Why we do what we do today, has it's birth in the early days of our beginning as a church. Those kind of stories need to be told again and again. It's so easy to learn how and forget why. So I tell stories of why we give so much money to missions and why we go make our Tuesday night trips to Urban Restoration and why we are in a Life Group with our neighbors who don't go to church and why we celebrate communion every week and why a different person from our church leads us into communion every week. Most of those methodologies and theologies and philosophies trace back to a genesis moment.

For example, last week our church was able to give $250 to a family who'd been visiting our church. The money was not for them. It was so they could show love, in a tangible way, to their neighbor/friend who lost her husband (44 & 3 kids) a couple of weeks ago. He died in his sleep. The wife/mom said "A church, who doesn't even know us, gave us money?" Well, we felt like that's what LOVE looks like in that situation.

Another example, we consistently go serve at Urban Restoration because we need them as much as they need us. If I say the word "poverty" and I don't have at least one specific name and face come to mind of someone I know personally, then my heart is in danger of greed, discontent and anger. We, as a church, now fully fund the distribution of bags full of groceries on Tuesday nights and Wednesday nights @ Urban Restoration. Those are the genesis moments. Stories that need to be told.

As a leader, you need to tell half a dozen stories over and over and over again! If you don't, those genesis stories get buried in the subconscious of your congregation and you can easily forget where you come from and why you're headed where you're headed. Stories bring clarity. And clarity is what we're after.

As one of the Chief Storyteller, you need to turn past experiences into metaphors for the future. Just as it's God's faithfulness in the past that gives us faith for the future, it is the defining moments in our past that give us vision for the future. Vision doesn't happen in a vacuum. It is stories of the past that frame visions for the future.

For what it's worth, Jesus is the greatest storyteller of all-time. History is His-story. Hear his stories once and you remember them forever! When we think of becoming more like Christ, his storytelling ability isn't one of the dimensions that generally comes to mind, but maybe it should be. Just a thought.