Mark Beeson

Spring Hill

 

                                                                              - Photo by Amber Cox

After three decades of personal commitment to camping ministry I finally got to SpringHill (the Michigan site). It's 3.5 hours from Granger, but the drive is easy. Time flies when I'm traveling with Sheila.

I had an appointment with Michael Perry, president of the SpringHill camps. His leadership is rooted in a background puree that integrates his love for kids, the outdoors and camping. Michael gave his life to Christ at a Young Life Camp while he was in still in high school. He's been at Spring Hill for 11 years. He is a remarkable leader. He's an inspiration.

The tour of the SpringHill camp rocked my world.  No kidding. The camp environment is truly amazing. It's beautiful, manicured, wild, innovative, kid-friendly and consistent with their mission.  They are determined "to create life impacting experiences that enable young people to know and to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ."

That's a mission I could buy into.

If you get a chance, check out SpringHill. I think you'll be glad you did.

Philippians 3:7-10  -  But all these things that I once thought very worthwhile—now I’ve thrown them all away so that I can put my trust and hope in Christ alone. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ, and become one with him, no longer counting on being saved by being good enough or by obeying God’s laws, but by trusting Christ to save me; for God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith—counting on Christ alone. Now I have given up everything else—I have found it to be the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought him back to life again, and to find out what it means to suffer and to die with him.

 

She said, "I just don't know if I can..."

When the weekend service ended, I rushed to my computer.

I had to immediately write this conversation down. I didn't want to forget it.  Having just been with RAJ for a week, this conversation triggered something in me. So, I'm sharing the initial exchange with you....

A quaffed and cultured woman came to me this weekend and said, "I feel like it's hard for me to follow Jesus. My husband isn't helping me with the children."

"What?" I said.

"My husband. He isn't as helpful with the children as he should be. I just don't think I can keep coming to church. It's so hard. I don't know how I can be involved in church activities if my husband doesn't come around. Do you know he only got four weeks off last year? How am I supposed to stay involved and attend church with my children under these conditions?"

"So you've been coming to church without your husband?"

"Oh no," she said.  "He comes with us. But he doesn't really help me get the kids ready. I just don't know if it is worth it. It's so hard. I just don't know if I can keep doing this."

I pressed for clarity. "Coming to worship services? You mean you don't know if you can keep coming to church on the weekends?"

"No," she corrected me. "I don't know if I can keep being a Christian. It's just so hard..."

And that's all I can tell you.
The rest of the conversation I've reserved just for her.

(I'm not sure you'd enjoy hearing the rest of what I said.... )  

                                                                                    

I will tell you I had a little chat with her about 2,000 years of Christian persecution.

Would it help you to see what it's like to live boldly for Jesus under difficult circumstances?
Check this 9 22 08 report from Rajendran. He's one of our pastors and he serves me as Director of our International Ministries. His report on the persecution of Christians in India will astonish you.

Raj's report made me weep.

Matthew 5:10  -  You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

Commissioning

 

Hundreds are now trained, prepared and commissioned for the launch of our Elkhart site. Jeff and Leslee Bell are running point for us. This is a photo of Jeff and Leslee greeting members of their ministry team during worship last night.

If you live east of Granger and Mishawaka you'll want to be present for the first service.  Your friends and neighbors will be thrilled to learn you are bringing GCC to their community. Persuade them to join you in taking a step toward Christ next Sunday at one of our sites.

Worship in Elkhart begins Sunday in the Encore Theater at 9:30.

Matthew 28:18-20  -  Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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."

 

The Question Now Churning Inside Me

We long for something more...

And we should.

In his final speech in the House of Commons, Winston Churchill said,

"The day may dawn when fair play, love for one's fellow men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth serene and triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell.  Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair."

When Churchill acknowledged our longing for a day of justice and freedom, when people play fair and love one another, he described the relational world Jesus said we should long for...and pray for. Churchill called for courageous and indefatigable effort. Until then, he eloquently proclaimed, we must not quit.

Until God's "kingdom comes" and His "will is done," we long for it; the question is, "Do I want it enough? Do I want it so much that I won't flinch, weary, despair or quit?

How much do you want it?

That is the question now churning inside of me.

Galatians 6:2-10  
       Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
       Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
       Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Morning Prayers

 

This morning I was praying for you.
   I prayed you'd join me tonight for Bible Study.
      The Journey begins at 6:30 this evening.

In God's Word I put my hope.
   I put my hope in Him.
      In Him you can trust.

Psalm 130:1-7
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord.
More than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Seagull / Laridae Larus

Wings deployed for a wet landing, this bedraggled seagull fought the wind to land near a floating minnow. I was fishing in Ontario when I captured this image.

Most gulls are ground-nesting carnivores that eat live food and act as opportunistic scavengers. They nest on large colonies and their young are precocial (meaning they are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching).  It takes four years for a young gull to develop the adult plumage of a bird like this one.

Of the family Laridae and genus Larus, the taxonomy of gulls is particularly difficult. [Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification. The word comes from the Greek "taxis" (meaning "order") and "nomos" ("law" or "science").] The broad distribution of gulls has led to widespread hybridization. I did a little research and discovered a current list of 28 Larus species.

Amazing.

Try to imagine the variety of birds. The remarkable array of birds flying through our skies is beyond imagination. One family of those birds is Laridae. One genus of the Laridae family is Larus, and there are 28 species distributed through the Larus genus!

The creative majesty of God is astonishing!

I'm impressed, not by the bird, but by the God who made it.

How about you?

Genesis 1:20-22  -  Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying, "Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth."

One Great Moment

Dusting Maust took this picture. He is a great photographer, brilliant strategist, towering musician and good friend. When I asked him to capture this highlight moment in Raj's life, his immediate response was positive and supportive. Even though he was franticallhy getting ready for Innovate '08, he grabbed his camera and jumped to my aid. I'm grateful.

Since we had a couple thousand people gathered at GCC for The Journey on Wednesday, it seemed the perfect time to introduce Raj as GCC's Director of International Ministries. As everyone cheered and waved, we turned around and Dustin got this great shot.

I thought you'd love seeing our moment with Raj.  He is a leader worthy of honor.

Thanks Dustin.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13  -  And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love! Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part.

 

Under-promise and Over-deliver

Some of the best advice I've received:"Under-promise and over-deliver." I believe ourincredible staff, and selfless volunteers at GCC's Innovate '08, did that.  They delivered more than anyone expected. They were awesome!

They came early, stayed late, worked hard and stayed on mission.

They listened to our guests. They added the value of caring community to the value of disciplined teamwork.

They sang for us, danced for us, taught us and inspired ut.

They pointed us to Jesus.

I am so proud of Christ's servants at GCC - the "paid" servants and those "unpaid" as well. They made Innovate '08 a smashing success!

Psalm 15:1-5  -  A David psalm God. Who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you. Make an honest living, never take a bribe. You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."

A Few of My Favorite Take-Aways from Innovate '08

 

 

Some of my favorite “take-aways” from Innovate ’08 are below. Conferences like this can be overwhelming.  I’ve found I benefit from reflection on the comments and insights gleaned from the available harvest of data. 

I hope these insights add value to your life. They certainly help me…

1.  Mark Beeson – Stop Talking

“We, like the early followers of Jesus, are at the crossroads of the oriental, mystery-seeking, story driven Jewish mindset and the immediacy of the Roman mind that says, ‘Boil it down and give it to me now.’”

2.  Shawn Wood – Brand Schizophrenia

“BRAND is the aftertaste left by an emotional experience; it is a deep-seeded feeling of what people think of us.”

“My daughter Isabelle said, ‘I want to touch the poop!’ Shawn’s wife said to him, ‘We’re in the back yard…you didn’t pick up the dog poop…Isabelle is determined to touch it.’ I see all this stuff around me that God didn’t make for me to do.  But I want to do the stuff!  I want to touch the poop!  Whatever God didn’t create for us to do…is all poop!”

“This is us. This is Seacoast Church.

1. We are Spirit Filled.
2. We are practical.  Not a lot of talk without action.
3. We are non-spooky. We are not a spooky church doing spooky things.
4. We offer a mystical experience.  We light candles. We pin things to a cross. Our services last as long as they last.
5. We are in multiple locations.
6. We are on the cheap.  We are cheap.”

“That is our DNA.”

3.  Tim Stevens – Pop Goes the Church

“How do you do better at looking into the culture and see more of Jesus in the culture?

1. Use Pop Culture to package a topic to attract a crowd.
2. Use Pop Culture to get people thinking, or laughing.
        Build trust
        Lower Defenses and loosen ‘em up.
3. Provide a new interpretation for a Pop Culture element.
4. Use Pop Culture in church to honor the people who are serving….people who are making
       ministry happen.”

4.  Rob Wegner – Missional Moves

“First Move:  The Gospel is not only to save souls…it is to save ‘wholes.’ The Gospel is not only verbal proclamation. That is not incorrect; that is incomplete!  We must bring up there down here!  Demonstration proclamation transforms!  We don’t just give a hand-out…we give a hand-up!”

“Second Missional Move: from Flashlight to Laser Focus.”

“Third Missional Move: from Professional…to Full Participation. Rather than hire others to do the ministry for us….we do it!
What hinders full participation? (a) Fear (b) Busy-ness”

“Demonstration Proclamation brings the church to its finest hour!”

5.  Life Church Directional Leadership Team – Innovate Impact, Part 1

1.   1. An organization is the reflection of its leadership.
2. Willingness to “get naked.”
3. The difference between where you are and where God wants
         you to be is the pain you’re unwilling to endure.

“Self awareness is impossible from inside the frame.”

6.  Steven Furtick – Innovate Impact, Part 2

“Between the Promise and the Payoff…there is always a process.
We forget the promise, and forfeit the payoff because we’ve fainted in the process.
Ask God to clearly remind you of His Promises!
What if the whole time….God was preparing you for what he was preparing for you in the process?
The process wasn’t pointless!
The process was the point!
God is preparing you in the process. God is training you!”

7.  Mark Beeson – Start Doing

“The more clearly you define ‘who’ you are, and ‘what’ you do, the more latitude your teammates have to enjoy ‘how’ they engage the mission.”

Wisdom of Solomon 7:12-14   -  And I rejoiced in them all, because Wisdom is their leader, though I had not known that she is the mother of these. Simply I learned about her, and ungrudgingly do I share- her riches I do not hide away; For to men she is an unfailing treasure; those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God, to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them.

Steven Furtick at Innovate '08

Artists matter. They help us worship. They help us pray and confess and give praise. They help us think. Innovate was far better because of their devotion and service.

 

Steven was on fire. He nailed his talk (which was, in point of fact, a great sermon well delivered). I was so proud of him! He gave us a lot...and I think if he had more time he'd give even more.

Here are some of my notes from his session....

 

Steven Furtick
Charlotte, NC  -  Elevation Church

1044 went public with their faith a few weeks ago….at Elevation Church

When I was 16 a 60 year old pastor gave me the book, “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire” and a sentence in that book was, “I’m scared of the thought that my life might pass me by without God doing something great with my life.” At 16 I determined to plant a church in a major metropolitan area to reach people who were far from God. 

Let me speak to those of you who have heard the voice of God….about THE PROMISE and THE PAYOFF.

This is from the life of David….

All I know how to do is preach….I want to show you something from the Word of God…our success has been compressed…our destiny accelerated.

I studied the story of David.

1 Samuel 16…”The prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house…”
The man of God showed up and nobody even invited David to the party.

I know what it feels like to wonder if God is every going to use “my life” for anything great.  One time when I was 5 years old, Santa came by to visit after nap time and nobody woke me up from nap time!”  I’m still scarred by it.

Is there a Gap between the promise God made you, and where you are?

1 Samuel 17:13 “…the 3 oldest sons…”
                In front of all his brothers, David was anointed.
                “….in the meantime….” – David went back and forth from Saul’s palace to tend sheep!

Meanwhile…as others are seeing so many saved….does it feel like you are being passed by? 

Between the Promise and the Payoff…there is always a process!  Don’t miss that!

David is anointed by God to be king…great calling, great mandate, and great potential!
                There must be something more…
                I want to reach my generation. I want to reach my generation!
When we used to meet at my house….I had a White Board set up.
                I wrote, “Southeastern United States Mega-church”
                I knew our church was going to grow.  I had a big vision….and a small budget…and 4 people.

I’d meet at my house one week, and his house the next week: We were multi-site.
                We’re going to see God do something awesome in our generation.
                So, we had our first meeting with 14 people.
                Greeters outnumbered the newcomers.
                I’d get sick to my stomach….

We forget the promise, and forfeit the payoff because we’ve fainted in the process.

You are called to do great things for God!  That is the Promise!

Scattered awkward applause is the worst.

Vs 17….Jesse sent David to the front lines…

                You want me, the king-elect of the nation, to carry cheese to my brothers?

This is a powerful principle for everyone about to faint from the process…

Vs 20….    “…early in the morning (David got up because his dad told him to)…”
                “…David ran to the battle lines…”

I had not heard that before.

I never knew that the whole thing started because he ran cheese and bread to his brothers and was positioned to fight a giant!

I clapped for the offering because God loves a cheerful giver…when we had just three families!  I still do that for 800 families!

Work them like they are paid, even if they are not.  I believe that you can’t get the buy-in from people you lead because you under-challenge them.

Sometimes you’ll hear God’s voice like Elijah (1 Kings)….sometimes you’ll hear God’s voice…like when the servant looked for the cloud…Elijah heard it before he saw it.

Some of you have lost your audacious ability to look at your staff, budget and facilities…you’ve lost your audacity … you are fainting in the process!

Don’t faint in the process!
Get up early in the morning! Deliver the pizza! Preach your way out of it! Pray. Fast.

Don’t let go of the process God has you in…because the promise is worth it!

Core Values are very good in a vacuum. They were real sexy until we planted the church…now we don’t use them much anymore.

I saw a video of Bill Hybels baptizing people. Our staff watched it….I told my team, “We’re going to be doing that someday in Charlotte!”  We recently baptized over a thousand in two weeks.

It always starts small; don’t despise the day of small beginnings.
God said to Moses, “What’s in your hand?” 
“It’s a stick.”

It starts small.
2 Kings 4….a widow had to pay off her husband’s debts….she got jars…God filled them.

David’s Trash Talking Speech before he took on Goliath.

Ask God to clearly remind you of His Promises!
You are starting to doubt the Promise.  Time has talked you out of your dreams.

Be encouraged wherever you are.

(vs 32)  “….let no one lose heart..(put me in coach)…Saul said, ‘you can’t…’  … Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep…lion…bear…he has defied the armies of the living God….God will deliver me…(Saul said, ‘go on with your bad self…’)

What if the whole time….God was preparing you for what he was preparing for you in the process?

Mr. Miaggi moment…”OK. Paint the fence. Sand the floor. Wax on…Wax off.”
I came to learn how to fight.
“Let’s see what you’ve learned……”

The process wasn’t pointless!
The process was the point!

The process is the point. God is preparing you in the process. God is training you!  You keep preaching. You keep praying.

Saul came over and tried to put the royal armor of Israel on David.
                We invited a consultant to come. In the 2^nd Service everything fell apart. The band did a cover song…that everyone knew…and it was butchered.  I’d been trying to “do what you are supposed to do…”

I used to use a stool because Andy Stanley used a stool. I had a Mr. Potato Head ministry. I got parts from everyone and wasn’t who God made me to be.

You’ll have to preach your way out of this one….I preached for an hour and ten minutes.
                I told my wife, “Today I ruined the church…”
                The church grew by 30% the next week.
                Then I preached an hour and 12 minutes…then an hour and 15….
God made me a promise. He has anointed me. 
I may be running pizza, I may be awkward…but I’m going to stay faithful in the process and I’m going to see God come through with the Promise!

I’m going to keep on! I will see the Promises of God come to pass!

 

Life Church TV at Innovate '08

Life Church TV
13 Campuses averaging over 20,000 each weekend.

Directional Team…..here at Innovate ’08.

Principles for each person to be himself…

Three points/elements in the organization of Life Church…

1.       An organization is the reflection of its leadership.

2.       Willingness to “get naked.”

3.       The difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the pain you’re unwilling to endure.

We need to execute on what we already know to do.

1.       An organization is the reflection of its leadership.

This leadership team could not have existed if Craig had not allowed it to exist.  We surrender ourselves to him and recognize his authority, but he often defers to us. 

So, how critical is it for “leadership” to be self-aware? If we feel unhappy with our team’s performance how aware should we be that the organization is reflecting our own leadership?

These three elements of our organization apply to all of us…no matter how large, or small, we are.

2.       Willingness to “get naked.”

Craig has always invited us to speak into his life.
It’s not unusual for him to ask – after his message – “OK guys, how can I make that better?” He really wants critique? He talks through things and gets feedback.

It’s important for your Senior Leader to be vulnerable. 

For us…we are evangelistic in our focus. Craig talks in “vision” and “mission.” We are always going after “the mission.”  The downside can be that we don’t take the time to really celebrate “the win.”

Multi-site. Know who you are and then know what God wants you to do. (Shawn Wood)
If you don’t understand who you are, or where you are going, you’ll find that the people around you won’t know where they are going.

We are a “mulit-site church.” We want to do anything short of sin to reach people for Christ.

We built a church building and filled it. We noted there was a movie theater down the street… And we realized we couldn’t build one building big enough.

You have to have a “safe” culture, if you want to be “self-aware.” Otherwise, it’s too scary.

Fundamental attribution error…people attribute other people’s bad behavior to their “character” but they attribute their own behavior to their own circumstance.
People can personalize operational issues.

The development process…
How do you develop your staff team?
How do you have a development culture?

                It beings with your hiring process.
                Make sure you go through very candid conversations as you interview….
                                ….so people know the culture you have is “naked.”

                2.  Willingness to get “naked.”

The smaller and newer your church is…the more difficult it is to stay on course.  Everyone thinks they can speak in to the leader.  Know yourself! Know who God has called you to be! Craig was confronted by his largest small group with this, “if you don’t do what we say, we’ll leave.” Craig told them is was probably best for them to leave.

Self awareness is impossible from inside the frame.
You don’t have perspective to see….
You have blind spots….because you see through a filter.
True self-awareness only happens when you get perspective from outside yourself!

Sometimes you have to recognize that you’re not camera friendly…or something.
Black is sliming.  (“I was going to lose weight but I decided to wear black instead.”)

Our sense of who we are, and who we think we are….

Education can become alienation….that’s what happened at Life Church TV’s California trip….the four leaders went to California on a trip…bonding as a team.  The challenge was that Craig wasn’t with us on the trip!  We came back excited….and it was not a good thing at all.  He wasn’t ready.

Have the “whole” team together!

3.        The difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the pain you’re unwilling to endure.

Examples: Five of our campuses used to be other churches….they “became” Life Church.  We merged with a church that had 45 staff…and Life Church only had 19 staff!  We had to let 32 staff go!  The piano player had been playing for 25 years….we let her go.  Imagine the pain!  We closed a Day Care. We quit a Sunday School program.  Every change was painful and intense. Nothing about it was easy….but those were critical decisions for the church.  We saw God take that church from 600…and grow it to 4,000 in just four years!  God honored the decisions of that process.

Out of the 35 that were let go….half of our 19 were in that number!

It would have been easier to keep Sunday School, but we had to be who God made us to be.

We moved two teams – of five members each – to Phoenix. Within 90 days we merged them into one campus and moved people back home.  We made mistakes. We learned. 

We want to bring this….wrap it up…and close.

Important:

12 months from now, if we all came back to Granger, and we hadn’t implemented some of what we’ve learned…it would be really sad.

Question:  What is the decision you need to make…maybe it’s painful.  What decision is God calling you to make?  “God will not reveal more truth about himself until you obey what you already know.” (Oswald Chambers)

We are educated well beyond our level of obedience.

What decision do you need to make?  Write it down.

“The capacity of our leadership will be found at the threshold of our ability to endure pain.”

If we believe what we sing about, if we believe the words we find in scripture…there is no decision too difficult as we obey the call of Christ!

Rob Wegner at Innovate '08

 

Leroy King and Kim Stewart set the table with "Where Is The Love?" 

 

Rob Wegner delivered today. His talk was tremendous...maybe one of his best ever.  He drilled down into some of the "missional moves" we're initiating here at GCC.  I loved the passion and power of his presentation.

Here are a few of my notes from Rob's talk this morning....

 

 What is the hardest thing for people to believe about the faith?

Simple: That God is love.

People ask, “Where is the love?”  How are people supposed to believe that God is good when their children are dying, or they don’t have a doctor, or a loved one might die today because there is no vaccine that costs only $1.  How is person supposed to believe?

What is God’s plan, to make it believable that God is good?

The Bible says, “The church is the plan.”
And God doesn’t have another plan.

Jesus has given local churches the invitation to make it believable – that God is good!

GCC

Part I was: “How do we get people into the church?”
Part II is: “How do we get the church into the community?”

GCC has been discovering “missional moves.”

GCC has 10 Missional Moves.

Today we’ll get three or four.

Question: What is the Gospel that Jesus preached?

Churches are filled with well-meaning Christians who would not answer that Question as Jesus would answer that question.

Illustration: Rob was pulled over by a police officer. He recognized Rob as a pastor at GCC. Rob apologized. Rob was corrected and let go. Millions of Christians think that the “Gospel” is about “getting out of trouble with God.  They think the Gospel is about “minimal requirements for getting out of trouble with God.”

Look at Mark’s Gospel:  “…Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the Good News of God…”

Good News was the label Romans used to announce good news…a newscast announcement about good news.  So, the Gospel is the “announcement” that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35, Luke 8:1, Mark 9:1-2, Luke 10:1, 5-9….over 100 times Jesus speaks about “The Kingdom of God.”

The Kingdom of God is the bookshelf that all the other books and topics sit upon; it is the essential world-view of God!

After His resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples and spoke about one thing…The Kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

So, answer this question: “What is ‘the Kingdom?’”

If you asked the average Christian here in the states…they’ll answer one of two ways.
a. Where we go when we die…
b. Here in my heart.

It’s either “live after death,” or “internal realities.”  Not that those answers are incorrect, but they are inadequate.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Let Thy Kingdom come…and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Hebrew parallelism. Amplifies, clarifies and explains…

Jesus says, “The Kingdom of God is the place on earth where God’s will is done, as it is in heaven.”
The light of heaven breaks through on earth; it is available for me.
It’s not just length of life, it is quality of life!  It is supposed to spill out.

GCC’s Mantra: “Bringing up there down here.”
Huge expansive vision Jesus had for “The Kingdom of God.”

Question: What would that look like in your church, your community and your family?  What will it look like when the Kingdom comes fully?  It will come fully when He comes…but we are to live to bring the Kingdom to every sphere of human concern and involvement.

The Kingdom of God is so expansive!

When we define the Gospel as minimal requirements, or simply as “my head,” or “my heart,” we reduce it too much.

First Move:  The Gospel is not only to save souls…it is to save “wholes.”

The Gospel is not only verbal proclamation. That is not incorrect; that is incomplete!  We must bring up there down here!  Demonstration proclamation transforms!  We don’t just give a hand-out…we give a hand-up!
Verbal proclamation and demonstration proclamation creates an unstoppable force!

The notion of this is terrifying to most churches.  We’re going to need God’s help for that. We’re going to need a miracle for that to happen. You’ll have to talk about that…and we keep saying (at GCC) the phrase, “Up there down here.”

Second Missional Move: From Flashlight to Laser Focus.

Rob grew up in a mission-minded-church that had a huge map of the world….with red thumbtacks…and the goal was, “We must get more thumbtacks on the map!”  There was passion in our church…and the idea was, “More is better.”

I wonder if churches are confusion the Great Commission with the Great Commotion?” We didn’t have any skin in the game.

The flashlight…scatters light and makes it harmless.
The laser…in the hands of a skilled individual…and bring sight to the blind, or remove cancer.

We knew we needed a laser focus at GCC.

Acts 1:8   “You will be my witnesses….”
Jesus gave us four spheres of influence…and we must engage each sphere.
We narrowed our focus in each sphere!

MC3, Englewood: Chicago, Cross-cultural experience in each sphere, Tamil Nadu, India.  We decided we’d rather be 20 feet deep in three places than three inches deep in thirty places.

How did we focus at GCC?

1. Spirit led promptings.  We were looking for God… “Where are You active? Where do you want us to follow your lead? What do you want from us?”
   We started with relationships…partnerships.
   MC3 started with a mission in Chicago….where we worked with children in Chicago.  The children kept asking, “When are you going to come back?”  The answer, “Next summer,” was difficult for some of our people; they had a “holy discontent.”  They started to dream about doing something in our own home town! 
   Desiring an “ongoing” presence with troubled children…they said, “We’ve got to do this at home.”  We went to the housing authority…and were met by skepticism. “The kids in these projects have enough problem with abandonment, without the Church adding to their problem.”
   We started small. God poured out His favor. The ministry began to explode! It began to grow like wildfire!  It began to give influence in that community.
   “Granger Community Church is my favorite church in this whole community and they can whatever they want in this community.”  Wow.
   
   Food Drop once a year. We mobilize thousands of our people to give food across the community. One year we got a call from a “mission” we didn’t even know existed. They wanted food and we took food. We were amazed when we first saw it. 
   Our volunteers wanted to get involved.
   Like yeast in dough, our volunteers changed the DNA of the whole thing. 
   They sold us the building for $1.
   God wanted an outpost of the Kingdom of God in this neighborhood!  We were sent; we went.
2. Smart thinking.  Who has God called us to be?  Our unique DNA…our fingerprint…what does it look like to take our DNA out into the world?  How are we fit together?  You can’t bottle someone else’s vision or DNA.
   We boiled it down into a document called “Life Mission Values.”
   Jesus gave us one mission, the Great Commission!  He didn’t give us “missions.”
   If you follow Jesus, it is simply your “life mission.” 

Narrowing our focus dramatically increased our impact.  Silos of ministry become synergistic collaborations.  This builds ownership.

The NEXT Missional MOVE is “From Professional…to Full Participation.”

Rather than hire others to do the ministry for us….we do it!
In the Book of Acts, missional activity was based in the local church!  This kind of missional ministry involves everyone. Everyone gets mobilized!

Get people out of their seats and into God’s story!

What hinders?

1. Fear.
   the size of the problems
   the safety of my friends and family
2. Business.
   I can’t commit
   I so busy…
   I’m already working 65 hours a week….

So we realized…we must lower the barriers of “fear” and “busy-ness.”  We needed an on-ramp locally!  So we developed a thing called…”2^nd Saturday.”

Here is the magic of 2^ndSaturday…It is NOT an end…it is an ON RAMP.  We have 21 teams operating. We want to identify an access opportunity so people can connect and new people can get involved. Our teams get an infusion of potential volunteers every time we serve!

Our goal is 100% mobilization!

Bottom line.

The time has come for local churches to figure out what God has called them to do. What is the place where God has called you to stand and fight? God has not called us to sit in safety, but to go to the very gates of hell and fight for all we’re worth!

Demonstration Proclamation brings the church to its finest hour!

God, where do you want us to stand?
Our God reigns and there is Good News for the poor and oppressed!
Our God reigns!

Injustice will NOT have the final word; We will stand – as the Church - and declare, “Our God Reigns!” We will demonstrate His Love!  We will bring up there down here!

 

Guitar Dave at Innovate '08

Did you see what Dave did with his guitar yesterday?

Is that possible for mere mortals?

Who is this guy?

Zow.

Chops.

Psalm 108:1
  My heart is steadfast, O God;
        I will sing and make music with all my soul.

 

Day 2 Begins at Innovate '08

Here we go!

The second day of Innovate '08 is about to begin.  Rob Wegner kicks us off with a snappy talk titled "Missional Moves."

Can't wait...

Psalm 5:11-12 
    But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
        let them ever sing for joy.
    Spread your protection over them,
        that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 
    For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
        you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
 

 

 

Brilliant

 

                                                                                      - photo by Jeff Petersen

DC and Jeff demonstrate their genius of planned spontaneity between every Innovate session. Their play-by-play review of the sessions, and their forecasts for the upcoming speakers, prove their brilliance.  These guys are amazing.

I'm so proud of the lives they're leading.

Hebrews 13:7  -  Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

 

Tim Stevens at Innovate '08

 

                                                                      - photo by Jeff Petersen

What follows are some notes from Tim’s talk. I believe it was the best talk I’ve ever heard Tim deliver. This is what he said…

Tim Stevens grew up “sheltered” from pop culture.

When I was 18, I went to a Christian Concert (without permission) where they played music with a beat.

In 1994 Tim went to Star Trek Generations (26 years old and it was his first movie ever).  He felt there was something powerful in the movie.

 “I didn’t have room in my theology for God to move through the medium of film.  I’m probably the most unlikely person to talk about this.”

There are times when people are spiritually tuned-in…more so than usual.  People are making spiritual choices – they are on a spiritual journey – without the church.

Reality #1 – Most churches are not impacting their communities. 

Put people in one of three buckets: churched, un-churched and de-churched. Most of us are doing pretty well with the “churched.”

The bottom line: most churches in America are not getting the job done…..yet the de-churched and the un-churched make up most of the people in our communities.

Reality #2 – Spiritual interest in increasing in America.

Many haven’t found everything they’re seeking in weekly services.

Spiritual interest is at an all-time-high…as church attendance is in decline.

Watch TV and you’ll see how interested our culture is in spiritual life.  Spiritual questions are being posed, but people are not going to the church for their answers. Maybe they don’t see the church as a safe place to explore their questions. What do we do with these two realities? Churches aren’t getting the job done…and spiritual questions are being asked more than ever!

I’m not ready to give up on the local church. We can enter the spiritual conversations of daily life.

John 1:14  “Christ became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”
               

Apostle Paul (17:15) in Athens…the city was full of idols….reasoned in the synagogue…as well as the marketplace…Paul gets to the council….he had to use their culture to reach them.  “I see…you are very religious…what you worship as unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”

He started with an idol and ended talking about Jesus. 

He begins to quote a Greek poet….he had the words memorized. He is quoting a poem written to Zeus. “As some of your own poets have said, ‘…..’”

Paul leveraged culture so he could tell people about Jesus.  If we don’t do that…we risk being irrelevant.

Sometimes, in our churches, people get the sense that “we don’t want them to ask questions.”

We need to leverage culture….not to be cool…but so we can see people’s lives changed.

How do you do better at looking into the culture and see more of Jesus in the culture?

Practical Examples:

1. Use Pop Culture to package a topic to attract a crowd.
2. Use Pop Culture to get people thinking, or laughing.
   Build trust
   Lower Defenses and loosen ‘em up.
3. Provide a new interpretation for a Pop Culture element.
4. Use Pop Culture in church to honor the people who are serving….people who are making 
   ministry happen. We do a “volunteer appreciation” extravaganza each year….

Why do all this?

Why not just stay as far away from the culture as you can?
Why not just let the church be for Christians?

If all this works….and more go to church than ever before….it means more strain on the everyone…more work…more challenge….more responsibility…more headaches.

Why?

The answer:

It is so that…
 … a man losing his marriage will succeed in keeping it…
…so the elderly woman finds purpose…
…so the sexually abused teen can get out of the cycle…
….so the couple can lead their family with the help of community….
…so the woman can see her true beauty is from God….
…so the woman in the mask will find courage to be honest….
…so the man bound up in religion can be freed up to live with Joy.

As they do…they’ll use their God-given abilities to address the biggest issues our society faces…

The will: Serve more. Pray more. Give more. Love more - in the church….and in the offices and stores and streets of the community. And this world will never be the same!

 

Shawn Wood at Innovate '08

 

Shawn Wood delivered a tremendous talk this morning. His use of media support was clean, clear and helpful. He was brilliant.

Here are some of my notes on his talk….

I came to Innovate the first time three years ago; soaked in everything. I’m excited about what GCC does. We’re excited to partner with GCC in One Prayer. I’m honored to be here.

This church is an incredible example to all of – not just for innovation – for what it means to be Kingdom-minded, and to ask,  “How can we help other pastors?

Shawn is at Seacoast Church in South Carolina.

Lost 44 lbs one year ago. 
Gained 12 lbs back.
Baptist Theological Seminary Grad

My entire job at Seacoast is to create experiences.
People have issues about “stuff” – how we tell the story through spoken or sung word or digital, web, print media, etc.  People ask about how we do stuff, plan stuff, how stuff happens.

96% of issues fall into one of those two buckets.  Big stuff or little stuff.

4% of the issues fall into the category: “Why did I buy an iphone?”

(My fully charged treo is better than your dead iphone.)

Several paths paralyze.

The Mooey Principle:
“Mooey is the stuffed head of a cow on a blanket.”  Mooey is an important part of our family.
Mooey was purchased from some website in Europe…as a “back up” Mooey. When Mooey is missing we search. We celebrate when we find Mooey.

The reason we love Mooey, is not because she has a cute stuffed head with no legs. Mooey is not made out of expensive cloth.  Mooey is valuable to us because we love Isabelle.  The object of our affection is Isabelle.

When Isabelle stops loving Mooey, we won’t care abou Mooey.

If I lost Isabelle, and said, “Here is Mooey,” my wife would go crazy. 

In our churches, I see good intentions…but we let the “stuff” become the object of our affection, when the only reason the “stuff” is important, is because of Jesus.  Jesus is all we need. Jesus is all we want.

Stuff will never change a life, or transform a community. We’ll end up with Brand Schizophrenia.
Our only motivation should be that we know Jesus can transform lives. 
The reason we do it is because of Jesus.

Brand Schizophrenia kicks in and we don’t know who’s vision we are. Are we God’s vision?
Sometimes we say we are one thing, but the truth is, we do another thing.

We must manage brand.

What happens?

I want to be who God made me to be. When I try to manage myself, there is an authenticity that leaves the room. People who manage everything they do…to get to a certain goal…are inauthentic.

We try to perfect brand.
We chase after excellence…trying to improve on everything. 
We stop being about “effectiveness” and pursue the “stuff” of image.

We need to be who God made us to be.
Be who you are supposed to be….

Be authentic and be you.

If it is just about the stuff…just go work in the marketplace and make some money.
If it is just about the stuff….put up a sign to encourage people to get a better “hobby” than church. Church is not a “hobby.”

I want to pour my life into something that matters.

Examine who we are – in Jesus – and who we are supposed to be as a church.
Only then can we find our brand, only then, when we know our mission.

Shawn illustrated the point:

On a trip….I realized I had no idea where we were going.
I looked up and realized, “I don’t know where we are.”  I was making great time but had no idea where we were going. 

Sometimes I feel like that’s where we are with our stuff.
Where are we driving? What difference will our destination make?
Competing voices make us ineffective.

And I believe that “effective” is what the goal is supposed to be….reaching people for Jesus.

Are we trying to be a church that God never created us to be…so we can do things that God never created us to do?

Ask: Who did God create us to be? 
        What did God create us to do?

BRAND does NOT equal STUFF.

Brand is much more.  Brand is a deep seated feeling of what people think of us.

BRAND: the aftertaste left by and emotional experience.

What is the aftertaste people have?
This culture is looking for an experience, something to touch and feel. I want to feel the music. I want to feel the media. I want to go to your website and feel like I know you a little better.

Shawn added another illustration:

Welcome to MOE’S. (unique Mexican menu)…Shawn orders a “Naked Joey.” I drink Diet Coke and Mountain Dew.  I haven’t had a drink of water since 1982.  I eat…and take a sip of Diet Coke…only to discover, “Oh no! This is Mr. Pibb! Oh no!”  That is a BAD experience.
                I went over and said, “Something is wrong with your Diet Coke.”
                What if they said, “We’re sorry. We’ll call Diet Coke and insist they get a new logo?”
                                Or what if they said, “We’ll call and ask them to change the formula for Me Pibb?”
                                Of what if they said, “We’ll call and ask that Mr. Pibb becomes Diet Coke?”

Do we do that in church?

How do we respond?
                Try to keep people convinced they are wrong and they should like us?
                Try to get a better marketing “brand” and just keep doing what we do?
Do we answer the questions people are asking?

Or should we say, “We better drink from the fountain.”

Someone wasn’t paying attention when they hooked up the canister of Diet Coke to the fountain nozzle for Mr. Pibb.  We need to pay attention to the details.

We need to find out who we are.
We need to do good things. Do good things over and over and over again.
Find out what people need. Give an experience with an after-taste that says, “That’s where I need to go.”

If God didn’t call us to do it, even if it is a good thing, would it be sin?
We are attracted to sin, especially when it is wrapped in a good thing.

Follow another illustration Shawn utilized:

“Isabelle said, ‘I want to touch the poop!’”
Shawn’s wife said to him, “We’re in the back yard…you didn’t pick up the dog poop…Isabelle is determined to touch it.”

I see all this stuff around me that God didn’t make me to do.  But I want to do the stuff!  I want to touch the poop!  Whatever God didn’t create for us to do…is all poop!

If we are not meeting the experience…lives will not be changed.
That’s what it all boils down to…changed lives.
God uses us!  And he uses stuff we create.
And we use all these things to see people step across a line that changes their entire eternity!

We dare not worship the stuff.
We worship the Creator of the stuff.

Our Sr. Pastor sensed that God was telling him, “This is not who I created you to be.” He felt something had gone wrong. Something was missing. He went on a sabbatical.  Our number one purpose was to help people connect with God and become the people of God.

He traveled and asked God, “How do we get back to that place?”

He sat down and said, “I don’t know what it’ll look like ten years from now..but I want to know what God has called us to be.”  He sat down and wrote it out.

This is Seacoast.

1. We are Spirit Filled.  It is the Holy Spirit!  It is God!
2. We are practical.  Not a lot of talk without action.
3. We are non-spooky. We are not a spooky church doing spooky things.
4. We offer a mystical experience.  We light candles. We pin things to a cross. Our services last as long as they last.
5. We are in multiple locations.
6. We are on the cheap.  We are cheap.

That is our DNA. That is the experience we want to create. We ask – with every idea that comes up – and measure everything we do by asking those questions. We want to be who God uniquely gifted us to be, so we can do what God uniquely called us to do.

Shawn’s Challenge:

Don’t try to be someone else.
Find out who you are as a church.
Start doing something – with who you are – so people have an after-taste that changes who they are.

Ephesians 1:18 - “I ask God to make your eyes focused and clear, so you can see exactly what it is God is calling you do…”

 

Dance the Dance

 

 

Here they are: Kristin Baker, Brooke & DC Curry, Seth Bible, Ted Bryant and Amy Franklin.

These are the dancers who opened Innovate '08.

We couldn't have opened better.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 -  One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance.

 

RAJ at GCC

 

                                                                                     - Photo by David Harris

Last night Rob Wegner and I were able to introduce RAJ to everyone studying the Bible with us. RAJENDRAN is our Director of International Ministries and it is a real privilege to have him with us. We prayed for him, blessed him and asked for God's favor on his ministry.

He's with us for Innovate '08.

Say, "Hello," if you get the opportunity. You'll be greeting a humble man of great faith. He is leading our work in Tamil Nadu. Maybe you'll get a chance to hear his testimony. I hope so...

Matthew 28:18-20  -  Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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."

Building On What We've Been Given...

 

 

The entire facility is packed with people on The Journey.  A couple thousand are here studying the Bible right now.

Here's a photo of one of the smaller rooms jammed with men and women studying. Jason Miller is serving this crowd. By the time his Bible study is concluded they'll be well fed.

We're on our way. 
We're building on the faith we've been given.
We're learning to live for Jesus.

2 Peter 1:5-8  -  Don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus.

Incredible Opportunity

The best training for church leaders is happening right now at GCC.

DC Curry is training Student Ministry leaders from across America.

 

Mark Waltz and Shelly Arredondo offer the best counsel for First Impressions.

 

Kem Meyer is without peer on Web Strategy...and she's sharing what she knows.

 

Jason Powell is the best IT guru in the country; his forum is soaring.

 

Rob Wegner has teamed-up with Mike Constantz for a great P.E.A.C.E. Briefing.

                                                                        

Scores of ministry leaders have come for training. I couldn't be more proud of the team here. Everyone is serving our guests with love and grace.

We're offering our best practices...and our best effort.  We're determined to marshal and direct our energies wisely. I believe the Kingdom is a little closer as a result.

Galatians 5:22-23 
    But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

 

 

What Is In Your Hand?

Be thankful for what you have. It's God's gift to you.

What you do with it is your gift to God.

Ecclesiastes 6:9  -  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; mere dreaming of nice things is foolish; it’s chasing the wind.

What It's Going To Take

Wednesday night we'll gather for Bible Study at 6:30 PM. We're on The Journey toward spiritual maturity. More than 2,100 of us were there last Wednesday. I wonder how many will be in our building this week.

Are you going to grow up? The Journey classes will help you.

I heard a preacher say, "Maturity takes time. How much time depends on what you want to be when you've grown up. If you want to be a squash, you can be fully mature in 60 days. If you want to be an oak tree, it'll take 100 years."

Yeah. Good point.

James 1:2-4  -  Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Real Trouble

Many of you know GCC has been in southern India for years.

We are training. We're teaching micro-enterprise/business entrepreneurs. We're digging wells. We've planted hundreds of churches. More than 120,000 men and women have completed Core Class 101, which we've translated for the people of Tamil Nadu. The church is bringing "up there down here." Scores of us have traveled to India. We've been marked by the faith and courage of God's people there. The light of Truth is pushing against the darkness of a hierarchical cast-system, and some of those born in the Hindu "upper class" are not responding well to God's declaration that every person has worth. Many in the radical Hindu upper-class feel their power threatened. The consequence is persecution - severe persecution.

Our friends in India are suffering. Entire villages have been recently burned. Churches and homes have been set ablaze...and hundreds of our brothers and sisters are being horribly murdered in the attacks. The epicenter of the persecution is a district called Kandhamal.

I'm asking you to pray for God's will to be done in Kandhamal. And I'm asking you to give a generous offering this week at GCC.  We need to hit our budget...so we can do the helpful things God has called us to do in India...and here at home.

Rob Wegner runs point on our work in India. One of Rob's friends, a pastor in Orissa (the location of Kandhamal), wrote Rob this personal letter. Despite great personal risk, he wrote to clarify the situation. His letter specifies circumstances which might help you pray.

Here is his letter.

Dear Brother,

Loving greetings to you and your beloved family in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope this letter will find you and your family in good health and spirit. By the grace of God we are doing well.

Bro, I am regret to inform you that in Orissa VHP and Bajrang Dal have burnt many churches and killed many servants of God since last one week, thousands of people are scared of their lives although there are protection in most of churches but still the destruction and persecution is going on. Now the situation in Orissa has become very bad. All over Orissa the VHP and his colleague have started burning churches and lives. Till today 29 pastors, one Nun and ten hostel children burnt alive. This is first time in Bargarh district the VHP has started the violence. In our Bargarh district the persecution is increasing a lot and people are leading their lives in pain and worried. Last year Dec 2007 in Kandhmal district they did such violence. Nearly four thousand brother and sisters have fled away to the forest and hiding themselves from the hand of those people without food and clothe. Now all over Orissa state people are living now in fear and tension. Police security has been deputed now in all churches and curfew has order given in 8 districts. . These people are vomiting their anger and encouraging people to attack and kill the innocent Christians all over Orissa state. Still today they have killed 17 people, burnt 100 churches, 813 houses and 120 school and hostel were burnt and demolished. so far 95 Panchayat, 255 villages 26,260 people have been effected by the same people. The state government is not able to control the victims

Bro, it is also painful for me to let you know that the opposition has cross the limit of giving persecution. More than 70 people have been forced and cut all their hairs and became bald, they were forced to drink the cow dung water. Really it is very much shameful and unbearable. So please pray to God that he will do some miracle to control all these things and filled them with proper knowledge to surrender and repent for their evil deeds. .

Bro, day before yesterday they had targeted to destroy our churches and more than 100 of peoples came to attacked us but thanks Lord that we were awaking with some of police home guards and some other brothers of our congregation and because of that they fled away. Till today our family members are sleeping in one of our believerʼs house and whole night we are staying out side and trying to protect the Lordʼs house. Since we donʼt have the door and windows in our church we are very much worried for that. So please pray that God will open some door to fix the doors and windows in church as early as possible.

All over Orissa evil people is rampant in different forms, from killing to sexual abuse to prejudice crimes. It is incredible that people have become heartless and proud in their evil intention. Please pray that God will stop such vagrant evil-minded people and cause them to surrender to God. Also pray that God will give us the strength in our hearts through these perilous times and also gives us songs in the night so that we can remember that joy comes in the morning. Rest is O.K. Please convey my best regard to all your family members.

                                                                               

Hebrews 10:32-36 - Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

So Many Reasons to Keep Praying...

Maybe you've heard. The first rehearsal for our Elkhart Site was incredible. One hundred ninety GCC'ers waded through Sunday's flood waters and opened the theaters for a practice service. (Eleven inches of rain fell on Michiana this weekend.) 

We're preparing for our first weekend service in Elkhart (scheduled for the first Sunday in October...only 19 days from now).

Yesterday we had some real "pros" attending our first dress rehearsal. We wanted their critiques.

Jim Tomberlin was there. His comment? He smiled and said, "Looks like this works!" 

The rep from Portable Church Industries declared our opening, "...was by far the smoothest and most professionally organized church opening he has ever seen," and he's seen thirty of them!

All this excitement about launching our new site is in the wake of our first Journey Bible Class. We're celebrating that 2,134 people were in the building last Wednesday evening to study the Bible....as we celebrate the commitments of 703 people to follow Jesus...and we celebrate the baptism of 378 converts!

Pick a reason to pray with thankful hearts; God has given us several!

Colossians 1:9-10
    For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

 

 

I'll See You This Weekend....

 

I can’t wait to see you at GCC this weekend!

Sheila and I will be back from our ministry efforts in Florida. Summit Church flew us to Orlando to work on “The Marriage Show” and train young couples for marriage success. 

I posted the promo video Summit used to announce the event.
Fun, eh?

Proverbs 5:18 - Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

The Journey Is Underway!

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                        - photo by Jeff Petersen

I'm happy!

We’ve turned a page at GCC. We’re writing a new chapter in God’s story of redemption.

Last night 1560 adults squeezed themselves into three rooms for Bible study. A 4th room was packed with 153 Bible-toting-teenagers. It was fantastic! The stories from the parking lot are filled with adventure, anticipation and trial. Cars were lined up on Cleveland east of Juday Creek. People sat in the turn lane on University Drive in a line of cars extending west of Target.

It was crazy.

The roads were filled with people coming to study the Bible!

Jason nailed it.
Bob’s teaching was inspired.
Mark was tremendous.

I hope you’ll invite a friend to join you on campus for Bible study next Wednesday. It’s your time to be part of something that matters.  You have a part to play. You have a role in God’s story.

Open your Bible and Journey with us. We’ll learn to live for God….together.

 

1 Chronicles 28:8 - And now, in this public place, all Israel looking on and God listening in, as God's people, obey and study every last one of the commandments of your God so that you can make the most of living in this good land and pass it on intact to your children, insuring a good future.

 

 

 

Moonlight Baptism

Jeff Petersen took this picture of me as I was giving last minute instructions for GCC's first "moonlight baptism."  (By the time the last Saturday service was ended, it was dark outside.) I have no idea how many were baptized, nor do I know the exact number of people who gave their lives to Jesus this weekend....but it was a lot.

During the last service of the weekend, 427 people got out of their seats and prayed with me to become followers of Jesus Christ. Hundreds more made the same commitment in the first three services. The arts were incredible. It was an amazing weekend at GCC!

After each service we went outside for the sacrament of baptism. This is the very first time we've done baptisms on our campus. (For 22 years we've gone to a lake. Last year we went to the Cove in South Bend.) This year we set up four swimming pools on our east lawn. It worked well.

I couldn't be more proud of the men and women who devoted themselves to Christ this weekend. They were delivered from sin, shame and guilt, and they picked up Christ's burden for bringing "up there down here." They're determined to serve Jesus.

We've shifted gears. We've jumped a growth curve. We're writing a new chapter in the story of Granger Community Church, and you have a role in the story! I hope you'll start The Journey with us this Wednesday. (More than 1,400 have pre-registered already. Sign up now.)

It's a new day at GCC.

Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

 

Journey Classes

                                                                            -  photo by Aaron Beeson

Sheila and I have been praying for everyone signing-up to grow-up. 

The Journey classes begin this Wednesday and I just received notice that 1,040 people have pre-registered for one of the three Bible Classes. Fantastic!

We invite you to register.

We invite you to join us on The Journey.

2 Timothy 2:15 - Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Fishing the Platte River

Sheila and I took the family fishing on the Platte River.

Getting all the gear (and humans) into the kayaks was a feat of staggering proportion, but once we were on the water it was an easy float. For five hours we laughed and talked and fished the Platte.

We were building memories on the river of life.

We had waited all week for this trip.

Anticipation was high. We woke with the sun...only there was no sun. It was 55 degrees, raining sideways and windy. We had a decision to make; spend the afternoon freezing on the river, or stay by the warm fire...   Each option would be fun. Which would we choose?

We chose the freezing rain and biting wind. We chose the Platte. We chose the river. In horrible weather, we had a blast.

My mother often said to me, "Mark, never judge a day by its weather." 

I understand. Mom was right. The attitude you choose makes all the difference. Whatever the day brings - whatever the weather - you decide how you'll experience each leg of life's journey. You decide whether you'll be positive or negative, hopeful or discouraged, fun or depressing. 

The choice is yours.

Choose wisely. Your choice makes all the difference - not in the weather - but in the joy you bring along on your journey.

 I invite you to strengthen the hearts and hands and minds of those joining you in the journey.

Choose hope in God. Choose life.

Your attitude is up to you...

Isaiah 35:3-9  -  Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
     Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there...

The Journey Continues....

                                                                   - Photo by Amber Cox

Hiking in the Sleeping Bear Dunes I've had moments to think about our Journey towards maturity at GCC.  The climb is before us. The summit is worth the effort.

Come this weekend and begin the Journey with me.

The best is before us...

Psalms 24:3-6   -  Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord? Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying. They will receive God’s own goodness as their blessing from him, planted in their lives by God himself, their Savior. These are the ones who are allowed to stand before the Lord and worship the God of Jacob.

Good Times at Sleeping Bear Dunes

Aaron is my son. 

I love him.

He is happy.

If your son wants to do repetitive back flips down the dunes you should be happy too.

Proverbs 23:24  -  The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.

Marking Family Moments

 

 

 

 

 

How do you make memories with your family?
   What plans do you make?
      What trips do you take?
         What moments do you mark?

Sheila and I save money for 51 weeks…
…so we can spend 1 week a year with all our kids.
   It requires discipline.
      It means not doing some “good things…”
      …so we can do a “great thing.”
         It necessitates planning and preparation.
            It sets the stage for a week of joy we’d otherwise miss.

I’m glad we do this each year.

Sheila makes the arrangements. She looks for affordable and fun places to go. She floats dozens of ideas past me, asking for my opinion on one location over another. (Well along in my marriage – after these 32 years – I applaud each idea and always respond, “That would be awesome!”)

This year she picked a little cabin near Sleeping Bear Dunes on Glen Lake. After all, we’re family; who needs privacy or restrooms or lots of personal space? It’s awesome. When you’ve got coffee, you’ve got everything you really need.

Today I drove into the little town of Glen Arbor, where I found this Wi-Fi café at a place called “The Cherry Republic.” I came here to post this blog for you. I wanted you to see this picture of our kids at the top of “The Dune Lookout.”

And I want to encourage you to be intentional about marking moments and making memories with the ones you love.

Start now.

Life is short and your purposeful planning will enhance the potential God has ordained for you and yours.

Psalms 25:12-15   -  Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God’s circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises. My eyes are ever looking to the Lord for help, for he alone can rescue me.

 

 

 

Baptism Weekend - September 6th/7th

                                                                                 - Photo by Dustin Maust

What could be more exciting? 

Next weekend hundreds will profess their faith in Christ. They'll go public, as millions of Christ's followers have done, and receive the sacrament of baptism.

You'll want to bring all your friends. Baptisms will take place after each of the four weekend services. 

I can't wait!

Romans 6:2-4 - We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.