“Just had to defend my faith in a grocery store, a guy just talking junk about Christians, faith…don’t mess with my savior man.”

Those Outside the Kingdom Need to See

When we make it our mission to “defend” the Gospel, what we do is “Offend” with the Gospel. I’ve never seen anyone offended into a relationship with Jesus. We must show others who God IS before telling them what God SAID. When we unload our offense at someone because they have said or acted in a way that we don’t like… It’s NOT OK! They aren’t in the Kingdom, we can’t expect them to act any other way. Show them the character of Jesus….

NOBODY can “Mess with your Savior”

We should never feel we have to call people out because we think they are “hating on Jesus.” The reason they are “Hatin on Jesus” is because some rebel in the name of Jesus was hatin on them first! It’s not that they don’t like Jesus…

They have never met Jesus! They have met You! They don’t like YOU!

So stop telling them you represent Jesus! Please! More harm is done to the Kingdom with words in the name of “defending” the Gospel. Just “Man Up” act like “The Man” of Jesus, and not like an idiot “for Jesus” and the Kingdom will thank you.

That is all…

1- You will never be able to give more to others that what you have gotten from God

2- Those that you choose to be with you will complete or completely destroy the vision

3- No matter what is happening with you, never neglect those with you

4- If you lose your passion you will lose those who followed you for your passion

5- If you lose the vision, you will lose those who followed the vision with you

6- Never let hurt or betrayal harden your heart, bitterness and lack of trust will kill the vision

7- Celebrate the strengths of those with you, give honor to those whom honor is due

8- Don’t give promotion to quickly, it will hurt the young leader and those they lead

9- Dont be to slow in promoting a strong leader, they will find another track Ito run on

10- If you don’t replace yourself, with someone greater than yourself… Epic Fail

Which of these give you the most trouble? Got any to add?

” I dont like to Retreat. It’s like paying for the same ground twice” !

Gen George S Patton

There’s something disheartening about gaining ground, gaining territory, and then having to get it back later. You’ve fought for the land, you’ve battled for the ground you’ve taken, blood has been shared, you’ve stayed awake with it, you’ve agonized over it… don’t lose the ground you’ve already gained.

Never retreat!

Don’t let your pride, your selfishness, your impatience, or your sin interfere with the ground you’ve taken.

God promised the Isrealites that they would see the Promised Land… He never said they wouldn’t have to fight to get it.

Keep fighting, don’t retreat!

Is your Church office closed?

Or, if it’s a smaller church, is the pastor or other PT staff given this day as a paid holiday?

If you really want to make a difference and be an agent of change with people and culture… All great minds, revolutionaries and world changers pay a very high price for their contributions.

The cost…

• Separation
• Discrimination
• Ridicule
• Hatred
• Slander
• Pain
• Betrayal
• And…maybe even death!

If you knew you could really make a difference, but knew the price in the beginning…Would You?

You really want it that Bad?

“This is what the Church should be doing.”

Was the basic premise of the blog I read recently. They author was trying to explain, how the church has gotten off track, and in the first short paragraph he used these words…

• Missional
• Spirituality
• Abstraction
• Enlightenment
• Rationalism
• Reductionism
• Utopianism
• Consumerism
• Programism

I don’t think it’s that complicated! It can’t be! How could you explain that to a pastor with the equivalent of a 3rd grade education in the up country of West Africa? Answer…You couldn’t.

I think God love the Simple

I think the purpose of God’s church and His plan for His people is simple. Simple people are the one’s He uses. So, it must be simple for the simple (Like me) to get it.

• Love God with all you have
• Love others with all you have
• Help People..Find, Follow and Be Like Jesus

Now, if what you are doing is making that happen. Go back, and check how you are doing it, and change it. But don’t complicate it. Just feels like the simple God, gets lost in all that.

Just my view…From the simple spot!

Plan

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God has a great plan. The “Grand Plan” for the growth of His Kingdom. We don’t see this plan, but can see the fruits as it becomes visible around us.

People

When God gets ready to move, He always puts people together. They aren’t sure how they ended up there, in that place, around those people, but…Here we are.

Purpose

Then, God reveals His purpose. Generally to His appointed leader, the one that will carry the vision and rally others around the Kingdom vision.

This is the point I want to make…

God decides (and Satan) who is AROUND me. I decide who is WITH me. God will put people in your life to help ensure the success of His purpose in your life, but we have to make the choice to bring them with us. We must choose wisely.

Rehoboam (Son of Solomon), was surrounded by incredible leaders that helped his dad build the greatest kingdom ever known. They were there to help ensure his succes as king. However, there were also rebels in his life. When the time came to choose who he would let be WITH him, he chose the rebels.

The result…A divided nation, broken families, enemies formed and thousands of lives lost. Choose wisely who you let be with you!

Promise & Power

Then, if we are walking in God’s purpose, there are always promises that come with power. We don’t do great big God stuff. God does great big God stuff through a person willing to listen and be used as a weapon in the Kingdom purposes of God.

Those great big promised filled, power infused moves of God are never done with a single person! God always gathers groups, circles, communities and churches together to do these great things. But remember, Satan is there putting people around you too. Tempting you and enticing you to bring them with you, to help destroy and derail what God is about to do.

Who do you have WITH you?

This will make or break me, and those around me. I  leak on those around me, so if I have a bad attitude, I will bring the whole team down. Jump into the joy…Boy!

My Altitude

I must be a big dreamer. I have to constantly take off with God and dream with Him. Listen to His plans. They are so much more awesomer than mine ever were. Get up there…Fly High!

My Aptitude

I gotta learn some new stuff! Starting to feel more stupider than those around me. It’s gonna be hard to help and feed others if I’m starving, or feeding on the same ole stale stuff. Open that thing…A mind is a terrible thing to waste!

My Amplitude

I love, absolutely love encouraging and building leaders. I’ve been pretty quiet over the last year, trying to get a book written, and just dealing with some emotional struggles. Now, I must engage in the lives of those God puts into my life, and do it with a loud voice! If the love is never shown…The love will never be known!

I plan on rocking these! How about you?

1- How do we get people to come to church?

2- How do we get people to join a small group

3- How do we get people to invite their friends?

4- How do we get people to grow in their faith?

I have asked myself and others these questions many times over many years, and have  come to realize these are the wrong questions…

Ask the right question….

What can we do that will cause others to Crave…Church, groups and invite their friends? We will never be able to “get people to do” anything for any length of time. We can manipulate and beg a few, gut those techniques only last a short while.

Own the Outcome

If what we are doing, is not producing what needs to happen…We change how we are doing it. No exceptions! We must own the OUTCOME. We have to take responsibility for the results, and not get stuck on “our how” but be willing to do whatever it takes to see Kingdom growth in our context.

Ask the right question, own the outcome and then plan or change the “how” accordingly.

There are somethings God has put on my heart lately. They seem elementary, but very heavy, and at times difficult to keep in the forefront of my mind. One of those is…

Today

As a planner and one that likes to see the big picture, it becomes easy to talk of all the great things I see God doing, this year, next year or in another place…but what about today? What am I going TO DO Today? Today, is the most important day of our life!

Today is the last day you may have, today will never be again, and if tomorrow does come, it will still be today.

I will treat today as a longed for and much anticipated  encounter with my lover, her name is “Today.”  I will not waste a moment, it may be the last I ever see her. Today is beautiful and full of power, she has something great to show me, and she gives many opportunities for me to show others her awesomeness. I will not be selfish with her!

Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your heart… ~Heb 3:12b

Embrace today, listen to what God has for you to do today! Don’t harden your heart, or procrastinate.

“What are you going to do?” Today asks, “What if this is the last you will see of me?”