Yesterday I was doing nothing and slipped a rib outta place.  Yeah.  It was one of those “is this really freakin happening…again?” moments where I found oxygen tough to inhale and my suppressed rage pretty easy to access.  To say I was in pain, confused and thoroughly ticked off, is an understatement. But I’m finding that truth often speaks the loudest in pain and this didn’t fail to deliver a great dose of understanding.

By now, our family is so used to these “daddy’s back’s out” expereinces that it’s like a routine fire drill.  Everybody moves to their predetermined position–one kid runs to get an ice pack, another plugs in the back massage thingy and my poor wife drops whatever she’s doing to figure out how to help her helpless husband.  Then everybody stares in anxiety as the biggest human in the house is reduced to a fetal-like position on the nearest floor or bed.  It’s really a beautiful way to start a day.  They’ll all need therapy someday.

Bio-freeze was starting to warm the area of my back as I drove into the city for the first of many meetings.  I was still hacked.  “I can’t function with this broken machine of a body!” I yelled to no one in particular.  “I can’t depend on this piece of junk You gave me…it doesn’t work!” I said pounding the steering wheel.  Now I had accurately directed my speech toward God.  He’s into honesty…we’d do well to get on board with that too.  But graciously, instead of stopping my heart and allowing my car to careen into the ditch, He answered my cry.

I was reminded of the passage in Psalms 147 where the writer gives beautiful insight: “His (God) pleasure is not in the strength of the horse nor his delight in the legs (or back..nathan version) of a man, the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”

You see, it’s not the outside exterior that God finds pleasure in.  It’s not the physical prowess that God delights over.  He didn’t look at our mere appearance upon creation and call it “good.”  It’s much deeper.  It’s the beautiful inner weaving of human will and human mortality; our conscious decision  to accept the dismantling of our bodies while our minds are being renewed.  The hope that even in the midst of the outer shell wasting away, the inner self is being formed with a greater hope, a transformed perspective, a fresh beginning in the hands of an Almighty God.

Being “humbled” by pain seems too pious.  The process for me has and will continue to be gloriously humiliating…getabsorbed…n

Last year at Catalyst 08, I wanted to jump off a building. Or at least draw one of those cartoonish type holes that Bugs Bunny seemed so adept at using and disappear for a while. Or maybe blow something up. Yeah, it was that kind of season. You’ve had em, right? So intense that you can’t focus on anything else and so heart-breaking you never think you’ll recover and so…

So last year!

As we get ready to embark on our journey to Catalyst 09, I can’t help but wonder “what will this look like next year?” So much has changed since 08 I can scarcely believe my eyes. Fresh dreams, incredible futures, limitless potential….I’ll be riding in close proximity for hours with some of the brightest, most energetic, creative, and passionate people I’ve ever met. This beautiful group from City Community Church in Indianapolis make my head spin at the eclectic possibilities and my heart leap at the potential message of hope we’ll collectively express to the world. I actually like just being with these people! At CityCom we’ve know that investing in some of these present leaders will reap huge dividends in their lives and for the global Kingdom in years to come.

Thanks Catalyst team for providing a conference that encourages growth, challenges mindsets and breathes life into all of us by giving us a space to worship our King together. Every year I’m there, no matter what season of life I’m in, you truly are a great “leadership filter for what’s next in the Church.” You’re changing the landscape of Indianapolis…getabsorbed…n

I just ran into the umpteenth person this week who is basically afraid of the adventure.  Safety in the familiar is understandable but probably not Kingdom.

My constant nagging question of late is “what am I doing that I couldn’t do apart from God?”

In other words, am I operating under my own strength and therefore accomplishing what’s easily attainable by sheer human endeavor? Or am I completely dependent upon God to move through my life to do His will through me? Hmmm..I know today’s answer…you? getabsorbed…n

A blank canvas elicits different emotions from different people.

One artist may move toward the opportunity, brush in hand, in passionate anticipation of what’s to come.  The other may stare in visible horror at the lack of any safe direction or instructions given for the seemingly vast amount of white space they must fill.

No matter which artist you are (and you are an artist) the blank canvas represents huge responsibility.  Pushing the limits is perfectly acceptable but remember no one has to like it.  Staying safe within the known contexts of previous paintings isn’t a sure thing either.  You’ve been given brush and colors for this time and this season.  It’s your responsibility to use them well.

Paint wildly with great passion and vivid colors but never forget the incredible sense of responsibility you have to the viewers and critics who will undoubtedly follow…getabsorbed…n

 Our family was blessed by my in-laws and enjoyed an incredible time visiting all the parks in the world that Walt Disney imagined.  My creativity comes alive when I’m in a place like Disney as boundaries are pushed, dreams become reality and the Etch-A-Sketch is continually shaken.

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

So excited to be heading down to Atlanta for the next step in our planting of City Community Church in Indianapolis. Gonna get “assesed” by the Association of Related Churches. Now they’ll have on paper how truly crazy we are about the Kingdom:)
Really lookin forward to hangin out with like-minded people and absorbing some of their experience driven expertise.
First though we’ll visit Northpoint Community Church. Andy Stanley has spoken into our lives via podcast and Catalyst Conferences, greatly challenging our thinking and bringing great application to the relevant Truth of the Bible. You should checkout his podcasts on itunes…getabsorbed…n

I think that a compelling vision can often feel like a threat to the security of others. I know when I’m in the presence of someone who is articulate, passionate and driven toward a specific goal, I suddenly find myself mentally trying to compete with them.  Like, “yeah sure you’re vision is captivating and all that but I bet you’ve never had a date?  Nah, nah, nah, nah.”

Why?

Am I that insecure as human being that I can’t appreciate/celebrate the passionate expression found in the heart of a fellow man or woman?  Am I that comfortable that when someone comes along and stirs my christian nest I’m immediatly angry that they would disturb me in such a manner?  Am I that shallow to think that if God, the Creator of all things, is working through one particular individual He can’t possibly work through me because, well…He’s already working through somebody else?  Gheez…but probably.

Unfortunatly we often DO think this way.  Sad but true.  I know if these are things that raise their malicious head inside of the context of my own life then I would imagine other struggle with feeling threatened as well.  So when I have an expression that needs to find outlet, I often find myself asking for forgiveness cause I know most people are going to feel intimidated by my passion.  But I made a deal with myself today: no more apologies.

If God has dropped a Kingdom-sized idea inside of the heart that He designed and has set you ablaze with a passion to see HIS desires fulfilled, then don’t apologize to the people around you if they feel a little threatened.  That’s their problem, not yours.  If jealousy arises in YOUR heart because of what someone else is doing for the Cause, now that’s your problem and not theirs.  Jealousy for anything but the things of God does not a nice person make….getabsorbed..n

Proverbs 27:4 “We’re blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?”

Goofy, fun, scary…a tad bit true…getabsorbed…n

http://www.ministrybestpractices.com/

You know when my wife and I moved here ten years ago, we were deathly afraid of downtown Indianapolis. We purposely lived on the outskirts simply so we wouldn’t have to navigate the city that loomed before us like a concrete giant. Its busy streets, peculiar culture and well just bigness scared us into retreat.

Far too many churches live in this state of continuous retreat. Fear of the unknown and existing comfort levels push us further into ourselves and further from the people that live around us. This should not be!

What thoughts come to your mind when you think about the city or town that you live in? Did you know that God has called the church the pillar and foundation of truth for YOUR local community? If you don’t currently have God’s heart for your city or town, here are a couple of things that might get your heart rate up:

Pray—-EVERYTHING rises and falls on this! Too many of our hearts bleed simply for us. The bible says that through the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. When you pray, you are warring in the heavenlies, asking light to disperse the darkness and cultivating the spiritual soil of your city. This is great preparation for the seeds of truth

Change your perspective—Jesus left His throne in heaven and experienced the greatest perspective shifts so he could feel what we feel. When’s the last time you walked the streets of your town? Find out what makes your city tick. Remember you’ve already tilled up the soil with prayer; now your eyes are ready to be open to the culture of your city. What art, what music and what message is going to effectively reach the people you are within earshot of. Getting a change of perspective will go a long way to getting God’s heart for your city.

Partner with those in your city—Find out the people who are already doing a good work and join them. Begin associating yourselves with churches that preach Christ have a heart to reach the lost. Find other organizations that may be doing humanitarian work and offer to volunteer. Government isn’t going away anytime soon. Find the plan that your city officials have and find ways that the church can come along and support. Government provides the structural piece but can’t provide the spiritual component. That’s where the church plays a huge role

My prayer is that you’ll understand God’s heart for your city. Through prayer change in perspective and partnering with your city you’ll begin to realize the promises that God has for the place you live…getabsorbed…n

Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation… (Proverbs 14:34)

City Community Church

“the heartbeat of God in the heart of the City”

(COMING MARCH 1st DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS)