You can usually hear it in their speech.  

Dreamers sound so different from the norm but I’m out to create a dreaming culture for the staff at City Community Church.  Dreamers think up new ways to communicate, effective processes to solve problems and they push the boundaries…just what I like and just what this culture desperately needs when it comes to church environments.

 

I noticed lately that my imagination has been suffering.  Yeah, not life-threatening like a terminal illness…or is it?

 If you’re in an environment that doesn’t promote creativity and imagination you’re gonna have to be extra proactive at stimulating those original qualities given to you by your Maker.  I look around and most people are just flate bored.   If you’re truly “made in His image,” then part of that image would be the capacity to imagine far past the normal borders of everyday living.  The world and especially religious institutions are gonna attempt to suck any creativity right outta your head and heart.  Don’t let ‘em.

Three quick imagination starters:

1.  Read things other than management or vocational books.  I realized part of my problem was I had so many books around that were all about managing present reality and dealing with people issues.  NOT ONE OF THOSE encouraged me to dream and create nor did it stimulate my imagination.  I’m cautious about what I feed on (you are what you read) so I stepped over to the classics section of the library for inspiration.  Sounds funny to grab a classic but these books have normally stood the test of time.  I grabbed Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment .  They’ve been great at re-kindling my imagination.

2.  One of the other things our family enjoys, especially in the car, is radio theater.  When you’re forced to watch scenes on DVD or movie your subject to someone else’s visual interpretation.  Part of your brain just gives up cause Hollywood has done the work for you.  One of the great radio theater books that we’ve discovered is Focus on the Famiy’s   Chronicles of Narnia.  (You can listen to a clip here) It’s about $30 on their site for 19 Cd’s, the whole series, and it’s amazing.  Our family has loved, it’s great for long trips and it’s definitely stimulating my ability to dream again.  

3. Get around dreamers.  There’s a big difference between lazy loafers and genuine dreamers in the Kingdom of God.  Loafers wait passively…dreamers act passionately.  If you’re not keeping company with at least one or two dreamers chances are you’re not living the dream God has for your life…getabsorbed…n

Ok…below I’ve laid out a pretty detailed account of our recent visit to Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, LA.  Led by ARC co-founder Dino Rizzo and an amazing staff, this church is not only bringing hope to Louisiana and the world… but also the bathroom.

You are more than welcome to read the comments and thoughts below (and you should!) where I’ve outlined our family’s recent visit.   But if you’re short on time, I can some up the whole experience and attitude of the church with this:  the guys bathroom had a little basket of lotion, hair gel, cologne and mints with a freshly lit candle rounding out the display.

Dang and double dang.  I just stopped and stared for a long time.  Until it was awkward to be staring in the restroom like that:)  Why, I’ve only seen this on covert operations into WOMENS restrooms, where they have couches, plasma tv’s and food service….triple dang.

Now before you go asking me what fragrant candles have to do with Jesus and the plight of the orphans in Africa, let me tell you this: it has everything to do with it, especially when you’re leading the way.  Healing Place Church didn’t SAY they cared for orphans and widows; they didn’t have to.  If the God they serve has so moved upon their hearts that they would stop and consider putting smell-goods in a men’s restroom, then I gotta figure taking care of orphans and widows is a given.  When you excel at the details, the small things; when you’re setting the pace and creating an environment for the rest of the church to care about others, you’re opening the door to whatever God has in store.  And everybody knows that you can’t do BIG things well until you instill a heart for SMALL things and steward them to their fullest.  When everybody on the church sees the heart for people and living well the details, then service to the world will be in the natural progression of that type of leadership.  And that, my friend, is what Healing Place Church does.  It’s not pre-pubescent potty-talk…it’s mature faith living itself out in love for God and love for people.  Even in the bathroom.

You could feel it when you hit the door.  ”The Thing” was here…

Call it what you want…the anointing, the presence of God, great communicators, powerful worship, warmth…yeah, all of those and more have made Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge a strong voice of hope in the community and around the world.  And it’s growing.  Hey, healthy things do, you know?

Led by Dino Rizzo and an incredible staff, this 16-year-old multi-campus church had our family before hello. Guests are encouraged to turn on blinkers giving the parking team a clear heads up to direct first-timers to a totally different lot.  When you hit the door you can feel the warmth of the place as clearly identified volunteers welcome you and basically fall over themselves to help you get where you need to go.  It’s not cheesy “used-car-salesman-this-is-my-Sunday-morning-gig” help…it’s authentic and genuine.  And it’s the South…they hold the doors wide open.

The place was packed but seats were reserved for guests close to the middle.  And I’m glad they were.  By the time service started I doubt there were more than a dozen or so empty seats giving the place an air of expectancy when the worship team started.  Ushers were very proactive in helping people find seats all throughout the service by communicating well with each other and actually walking with folks… not pointing.  Did I mention how beautifully warm everyone was?

The worship team was powerful with a contemporary edge that drew me into a participatory mode.  Nothing was distracting but everything made me believe that THEY believed what they were saying about this Jesus they proclaimed.  Drive’s me nuts when worship teams don’t mean what they say.  And you know what I mean…

Great interaction between worship team and staff guy that closed out the time.  Dino’s message was clear and poingant, taking folks on a journey of a “simple Christmas” and encouraging people that now was the time to recieve Christ in your life.  Very clear.  He’s just a guy speaking truth in a culturally relevant way  Did I mention the warmth?

Clear call to salvation and a quick walk up the stairs to get our children and the morning service was over.  This was one of 4 identical services that run about 7,000 folks and I can see why.  Our kids told us what a blast they had in Kid’s Church and that the children’s pastor was one of the funniest people they’d heard.  Very warm.  Did I say that already?

So if you’re in the Baton Rouge area, check out Healing Place.  God-honoring, warm, one of the most innovative churches in America, giving and oh yeah, a great bathroom…getabsorbed…n

Last week I had the opportunity to Journey to Bethlehem southern Indiana style.  Now check out the real deal Holy Land style…with BBC correspondent Aleem Maqbool.  Long read with great videos…getabsorbed…com

Journey to Bethlehem

(Occasionally I get the opportunity to review books through Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.  This is one of those occasions and it couldn’t come at a better time for all of us!)

Chances are you’ve got a ton of books on your shelf.  From fiction to fact, humor to drama and all of the other titles in between.  Yeah, me too.  How many of those do I really need?

Here’s one.  For all you Dave Ramsey fans here’s almost the female version of wit, practical advice and tips that will leave you with peace of mind as you map out your financial future.  But don’t worry guys.  You’ll like this one too.  Especially if you AND your wife read it together:)

You really can be rich in every way, every day.

So you want to own the home you love, make memories on wonderful vacations with family or
friends, finance college educations, and help others too?

You can-starting here and now.

With lively humor, proven know-how, and practical principles for financial health, Living Rich for
Less helps you stretch your dollars to realize the lifestyle of your dreams. Ellie Kay’s entertaining
and enlightening examples show you simple steps to save, spend, and give smart, and her three
main principles are undergirded by dozens of effective rules and hundreds of Cha-Ching Factor^TM
tips that keep or put money in your pocket.

Ellie knows what it’s like to be financially-strapped or struggling, wanting to be the Joneses but
feeling as poor in spirit as in pocketbook. She went, within two and a half years, from being a
new wife and mom with $40,000 in consumer debt and seven children (and college educations)
to support, to being completely debt-free and within fifteen years able to pay cash for eleven
different cars, give away three of those cars, buy two five-bedroom houses (moving from one to
the other) and nicely furnish each, take wonderful vacations, dress her family in fine fashion; and
support more than thirty non-profit organizations in more than a dozen different countries, giving
away more than $100,000.

Isn’t that the kind of transformation to a rich life that you want?

Living Rich for Less helps anyone get there in our taxed-out, maxed-out times. Because financial
security doesn’t mean just genuine prosperity, but being able to live luxuriously, give generously,
and care for yourself as well as the others around you.

 

www.Amazon.com

www.ChristianBook.com

 www.FamilyChristian.com

I’ve got one to give away for the first person who emails! nathan@citycommunitychurch.com

 

Drove through New Orleans yesterday on our way to visit friends.  Surreal.  I can’t figure out who was more shocked by the devastation, Tricia and I or the kids.  They had so many questions.  

Love hangin out with our CORE team for City Community Church!  Sunday nights have been great times for vision casting, interaction and stirring the imagination of an amazing group of people.  (we watched a clip from Willy Wonka last night… pure imagination..the Gene Wilder way of course:) I walked away challenged  by what I hear coming out of their hearts.  The plant of this new Indianapolis church will change the landscape of our city…and beyond.

I often think church and organizational leaders struggle when it comes to giving and receiving challenge.  I learned a long time ago to be comfortable NOT KNOWING EVERYTHING.  Here’s the deal: I grow when I’m challenged and chances are the two (or three or more) of us can sharpen each other to the point of actually impacting the world for the Kingdom of God.  

If you’re a leader, don’t be afraid to challenge people to become more and to grow past who they were yesterday.  Deep inside, most folks WANT to change; they’re begging you not to leave them the same way they came.  We all need someone to challenge us not to settle for comfortable.  This type of challenge can only come from a leader who is himself or herself constantly subjecting themselves to God’s challenge to become more like His Son.  Get leaders like that and your followers will turn the world upside down….getabsorbed…n

I just spent a few days around the area of southern Indiana where I grew up.  My folks were so kind as to take our family to one of those Journey to Bethlehem type deals

I’m an absolute creature of habit.  Especially in the mornings.  I think it makes me a more intimate child of God, a stronger worshipper, a more effective leader, a more affectionate husband, a more involved daddy and a more supportive friend.

I’m up at 5:20.  I either pray and read at home or some other location with a bowl of oatmeal and cup of coffee.  I love this time.  It’s sacred, special, intimate and the fuel that runs my life.  I can sing, pace the floor, read the Bible, speak promises out loud from God’s Word or just sit in His presence.  There’s no agenda, no time constraints..just being with Him.  It’s very intentional but wonderfully organic.  It’s what makes me who I am.

Then I hit the gym (more to listen to podcasts than anything:) and am hard at it the rest of the day doing the things that God has called me to do.

That is until lately.

Since the end of my old world, my routine has gone out the window.  Or should I say stayed under the covers.  I never realized how tired and worn out I was from the weight of the previous post.  Throw some unrelated circumstances into the loop and wow..whirlwind.  During some transitional time, I would just sleep late into the morning…totally out of routine for a routine guy.  The rest of my day would suffer as I sought to regain lost time somewhere else in the day but I never could.

I needed that rest.  Though I guilted myself for not being a better steward of my time, reality was REST was what was needed for that time.

Today was different.  For the first time in weeks, I am back on routine.  Again, it makes me who I am…child, worshipper, husband, daddy, friend.  With the launch of City Community Church (a new expression in downtown Indianapolis coming March 1, 2009) and the added responsibilities that come with a new church plant, I’m so grateful for the rest I recieved over the past weeks.  Grateful for what it taught me and grateful for the routine I’ve received back because of it.  

The real whirlwind is just beginning…bring it on…getabsorbed…n

When I read words like this I’m at once in awe of the simplicity of the Good News and cut to the quick at how critical it is that these words find true expression in my daily life.  Life is too short and eternity too long…

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) 

 

“True Christianity establishes that which is of common concern to all mankind, publishes good-will to men, and shows us God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and therefore cannot be thought to take its rise from such narrow opinions and private interests as sects owe their origin to. True Christianity has a direct tendency to the uniting of the children of men, and the gathering of them together in one; and, as far as it obtains its just power and influence upon the minds of men, will make them meek and quiet, and peaceable and loving, and every way easy, acceptable, and profitable one to another, and therefore is far from being a sect, which is supposed to lead to division and to sow discord. True Christianity aims at no worldly benefit or advantage, and therefore must by no means be called a sect. Those that espouse a sect are governed in it by their secular interest, they aim at wealth and honour; but the professors of Christianity are so far from this that they expose themselves thereby to the loss and ruin of all that is dear to them in this world. “

getabsorbed…n

Just sat with an incredible group of people that could potentially comprise the launch team of City Community Church in Indianapolis. Wow! When I look across the diverse landscape of people and passions represented in that room, i’m in awe of God’s unique way of bringing folks together for His purposes.
His cast of characters and blend of back-stories make this a special group for a Kingdom cause. I pray that the vision for City Community Church begins to lodge in all of our spirits and that those who are called to take the journey will wake up with an insatiable desire to take the heartbeat of God to the heart of the City…getabsorbed…n