Patrick Grach - thoughts on life and leadership

WHY I LOVE THE CHURCH YOU HATE

2014-04-01T10:58:00.002-04:00

Please read my blogpost on "why I love the Church you hate!" It's my heart in prose. It's personal and passionate, and I hope it captures your heart as well:

http://www.patrickgrach.com/2014/04/why-i-love-church-you-hate.html

WE DON'T DESERVE THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

2013-12-24T16:12:00.001-05:00

We may be listening to carefully and living the messages of Christmas, one in particular!

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout, I'm telling you why. He's making a list, Checking it twice; Gonna find out who's naughty or nice. He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake.

From very young, we’ve been taught to believe that we receive Christmas gifts based on merit, i.e. the Naught and Nice list. If you’re good enough, you deserve presents. If you’re too bad, you deserve and get coal.

Conclusion – gifts are not gifts at all, but the consequence of a year spent in good or bad behavior.

How good do I have to be to land on the nice list and how naughty do I have to be to land on the naughty list? I mean, “How do you measure the good and the bad to decide?”

So, how GOOD IS GOOD ENOUGH? AND HOW BAD IS BAD ENOUGH?

Watch Lifehouse Church's Christmas message.

SOLA: Part 3 (Full Message) from Lifehouse Church on Vimeo.

Enjoy the message and be encouraged that the GIFT of CHRISTMAS is UNDESERVED! So, RECEIVE FREELY!

Fired up,
-Patrick

A Christmas wish from our family to yours...

2013-12-24T16:02:00.002-05:00

Don't miss the video Christmas wish to you and your family from Laura and I. It's an honor to pastor Lifehouse Church and share our thoughts with those of you who follow this blog.

See my blogpost and video HERE.

Pastor/ Church Response to #DuckDynasty Controversy AND Why it's not about Homosexuality

2013-12-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

Don't miss latest blog post on the Controversy over Phil Robertson's comments & Duck Dynasty HERE.

WHY is REVELATION in the BILE?

2013-04-22T11:49:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest blog about Apocalyptic times and why the Book of Revelation is in the Bible:

http://www.patrickgrach.com/2013/04/why-of-book-of-revelation.html

Is God a means to your end?

2013-04-18T15:43:00.001-04:00

This may be my favorite posts of all time.

Read my latest blog posts: "God is NOT a means to an End"

And my favorite: "God is both our MEANS and END"

OVERCOMING BURNOUT

2013-04-17T16:38:00.001-04:00

Don't miss latest blog post on the CAUSE, SYMPTOMS, and CURE for BURNOUT:

http://www.patrickgrach.com/2013/04/overcoming-burnout-part-3-cure.html

BARE NAKED VALUE OF A CHRISTIAN

2013-03-08T14:25:00.001-05:00

#CONNECT UPDATE - latest blogpost at www.patrickgrach.com.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A CHRISTIAN IN OUR CULTURE?

Don't miss this illustration from Shantung Compound.

DON'T FORGET - PLEASE SHARE

2013-03-08T09:51:00.003-05:00

New Blog Post at www.PatrickGrach.com. Latest blog: http://www.patrickgrach.com/2013/03/dont-forget-very-important-please-share.html.

THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT FIGHTING FAIR: Learning to dealing with Conflict by the Bible

2013-03-07T19:37:00.001-05:00

Read NEW posts at www.PatrickGrach.com Blog. Most recent post "Dealing with CONFLICT."

Please SUBSCRIBE to my new blog, since this blog has been moved. Same author and content, just new location!

THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT EARNING TRUST

2013-03-07T15:59:00.001-05:00

Read NEW posts at www.PatrickGrach.com Blog. Most recent post "How to Earn Trust."

Please SUBSCRIBE to my new blog, since this blog has been moved. Same author and content, just new location!

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Week 3

2013-01-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

God hasn’t called us to be busy, to maintain, or even to manage, but to join an unquenchable Cause. God has a purpose for our lives that is bigger than mere existence. His plan is that our lives would matter forever. And don’t we all want to leave a legacy and be part of something bigger than ourselves? Jesus said, “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.” John 7:18, The Message

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, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Week 3 Focus: Advancing God's Kingdom

Sunday, Jan. 20: Pray for national and world leaders; pray for the President, Congress, and leading powers around the world. Pray for peace and wisdom as they lead the nation. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Monday, Jan. 21: Pray for our state, county and city leaders to have wisdom and focus fiscally and morally. Jeremiah 29:7
Tuesday, Jan. 22: Pray for national and world events. Spend some time praying for current national and world events as mentioned on the news. Consider how Christ might be seen and glorified through these difficult times. Genesis 18:25
Wednesday, Jan. 23: Pray for national and area renewal and for a greater awareness of the need of Jesus Christ. Psalm 85:6
Thursday, Jan 24: Pray for peace among the nations. Pray for the nations of the world to experience the peace of Christ; that those who are experiencing chaos and turmoil would seek the glory and peace of Christ. Psalm 96:3
Friday, Jan. 25: Pray for the spread of the gospel to foreign nations. Pray that the gospel would be shared to every nation, especially the unreached people groups of the world. Pray for church planters and missionaries to be sent to these far-reaching areas. 1 Thessalonians 1:8
Saturday, Jan. 26: Pray for the persecuted church around the world. Consider and pray for our brothers and sisters facing persecution around the world. Pray for endurance and strength to stay faithful to the gospel. Hebrews 13:3

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Week 2

2013-01-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Church is relentless as God anoints and appoints pastoral leaders to lead the Church to fulfill His purposes. Only God calls leaders over the Church, but they must first respond in obedience with a reckless faith in God. May God raise up an army of servant-leaders who are willing to lay down their lives in order to advance the Cause of Christ.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV

Pastors often get distracted with the details of administrating a “machine” rather than boldly pursuing the “mission” of God to seek and save, that which was lost. May God strength and renew the leadership of our church and call new leaders, pastors, and missionaries, so God’s Kingdom is radically advanced.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15, NKJV

Week 2 Focus: Leadership of the Church

Sunday, Jan. 13: Pray for unity and harmony of the church, for our church and area churches to be unified in our purpose to make disciples. Ephesians 4:1-3
Monday, Jan. 14: Pray for purpose and vision of the church. Pray for both the church’s purpose and vision of making disciples and putting campuses and churches throughout the tri-state area. Pray for your role in fulfilling that vision. Ephesians 4:15-16
Tuesday, Jan. 15: Pray for wisdom and direction for church leaders. Pray for our Pastors, Elders, Deacons, that they would be filled with God’s wisdom and direction for the church; that they would have bold vision and strategic planning for the Kingdom of God. Hebrews 13:7
Wednesday, Jan. 16: Pray from division, strife, and false doctrine. The reality is, all eyes are on the church. The potential for division and disruption is high. Pray for protection for the church family. 1 Chronicles 4:10
Thursday, Jan. 17: Pray for marriages and families in the body of Christ. The health of the church is defined by the health of the family. Marriage and family are under grave attack. Pray also for families and marriages in our area. Ephesians 6:18
Friday, Jan. 18: Pray that there would be an increase of both un-churched and de-churched people (the lost) making decisions for Christ and serving the body of Christ. 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Saturday, Jan. 19: Pray for missionaries around the world. Pray that the gospel would be spread around the world; pray for missionaries on the front lines of church-planting, Biblical training, and compassion ministries. Matthew 28:18-20

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting: Week 1

2013-01-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing can survive, let alone thrive, without water. Does your spiritual life show symptoms of dehydration? Is it brittle, lacking luster, fragile, or crumbling? Does it look good on the outside, but inwardly feel dry? The answer is to this dehydration is simple and accessible; spend daily time in prayer, Bible reading, worship, and devotion with God.

What does it take to be relentless in our spiritual life? To abandon empty rituals and dry religion? To live the vibrant spiritual life that God has purchased for each of us? The abundant life is found only through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you willing to take 21 days to discover and embrace the “extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love?”

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2, NIV

Week 1 Focus: Spiritual Health & Growth

Sunday, Jan. 6: As you begin fasting, prayer that you would have a hunger for the things of God – His Word, His righteousness, His will. Matthew 5:6
Monday, Jan. 7: Pray that we will be bold and faithful in this season of prayer, that God will raise up faithful intercessors and praying Jesus-followers. Joel 1:13-14; 2:12-18
Tuesday, Jan. 8: Focus on repentance from sin and turning to holiness. Pray for corporate repentance of sin and that God’s righteousness would be a safeguard for our church. Isaiah 58; Psalm 51
Wednesday, Jan. 9: Pray for Jesus-followers to grow in godly character, lay aside ungodly habits, and become spiritually mature; for sexual purity among pastors, leaders, Christians, and to guard against perversion, immorality, and sexual strongholds, broken marriages. Matthew 6:16-18; Ephesians 4:14-32
Thursday, Jan. 10: Focus on the church community: that there would be a growing desire among Jesus-followers and within the church for relationships and “building one another up in love.” 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12
Friday, Jan. 11: Pray for the heart of worship personally and corporately as a church; that we would desire to make God smile, fear God and fear nothing else. Psalm 95 and 150
Saturday, Jan 12: Pray that as Jesus-followers grow in maturity, they will give obediently and generously to God through the church; that there will be an abundance to advance the Cause of Christ. Malachi 3:6-18

My Challenge for 2013...

2013-01-02T17:18:00.000-05:00

At the end of each year, we Americans go through a New Year’s ritual. We evaluate the previous year, and set resolutions to change our habits and lifestyles. We make the same resolutions we’ve made for years, each time failing to follow through with our commitments.

Resolutions start with good intentions: We set goals, we make commitments, we tell our friends, and then we start. Then, as quickly as the new year begins, our resolve wanes. Busyness kicks in and old habits find new life. What was once comfortable becomes comfortable again. Then, we justify our lack of follow-through: the resolution was unrealistic, the timing was bad, and our schedule had too many unexpected demands.

But what really happened to our resolutions? Frankly, we maintained our motivation until the comfort of normal outweighed the discomfort of change. We got busy. Daily life distracted us. Deadlines and demands zapped our energy and quieted our enthusiasm.

The same happens with our spiritual life. We intend to follow God, and really want to. But then life happens, and we don’t follow through! Instead, we follow the crowd; we follow comfort; we follow the path of least resistance. We find our identity and significance in so many empty things, only to leave us longing for more.

For this reason, I’m calling all supporters and Ministry Partners of Lifehouse Church to 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting, January 6-27. This is a call to live “INSIDE OUT.” This is a call to step away from the routine of everyday life and discover once and for all, “I am empty, and nothing can fill me or complete me! I need to be transformed by Christ from the inside out!” If we have Christ plus nothing, we have all; if we have everything without Christ, we have nothing.

Why fasting? Don’t ask me why, but the discipline of fasting works. When we use our physical appetites as a constant reminder to pray, read the Bible or meditate, we grow desperate for God and realize how consumed we are with consuming. Fasting gets our priorities back into right order.

Why 21 days? In Daniel 10:2-13, Daniel prayed and fasted 21 days, during which time a spiritual battle was fought. After his 21-day fast, there was breakthrough and Daniel received the answers to his prayers. These 21 days will be a time for us to get reconnected with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of our souls.

Why now? Throughout the year, things distract and dampen our passion for God, but we want to start off the New Year by clearing out the cobwebs in our hearts and by refocusing the “lens” of our spirit. We don’t want to wander through 2012 haplessly going about our business. Nor do we want to attempt God-sized dreams without God’s presence going before us. We want God-led strategies that will accomplish HIS will in HIS time through HIS power.

Why me? Together, we can accomplish something so much greater and more powerful than any one of us could as an individual. Lifehouse Church doesn’t go through this ritual to earn a spiritual merit badge or prove how devoted we are to God. Rather, we partner together in prayer & fasting as a way to partner with God in HIS purposes, His will, and His Cause for the Church and for every Jesus-follower.

I guarantee this season of fasting and prayer will be the most exciting, challenging, and intense time of the year—both for you individually, and for our entire church and community. As always, thank you for your partnership with Lifehouse and for taking the time to read this heartfelt message. Let’s stop the endless pursuit & begin living from the INSIDE OUT!

For more information and resources for the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, visit our website.

To Albania or Bust

2012-06-04T20:41:00.000-04:00

After 30 hours of travel, we arrived in Tirana, Albania.

While it was eventful - weather delays on the runway at JFK that incentivized us to race through the airport to make our connecting flight to Rome. Only to sit on the tarmac for hours waiting for 30 other flights to take off in front of us.

We made it Rome enthusiastic, then wrangled our way onto the plane for Tirana.

Our team of six will be up early to get to work helping make need repairs and improvements on the Bible School here, before heading to the city of Shkodër for the Convoy outreach event with Adopt-a-community.

Personally, I feel humbled to be here, half way around the world, to share the love of Jesus and show His compassion to a people that I have never met, and know so little about.

What do we have to offer? What difference can we really make?

My conclusion today - the love of Jesus and His gospel are universal messages of compassion and are relevant in every language, tribe, and nation. We are not here because we're Americans or because we have something better to offer them. We are here as representatives Christ, and our only mission is to make Him known. We'll keep you updated. As of now, we'll be back up and ready to work in 5 hrs, so to bed we go.

GAINING PEACE in TROUBLED TIMES

2012-05-24T15:01:00.002-04:00

(Excerpt taking from sermon in series Adventures of Everyman: a study in the Minor Prophets. Message on Book of Habakkuk- listen here)

What do we do in troubled, difficult times of suffering and hardship?

Habakkuk teaches us to PRAY BY FAITH!

In order to PRAY BY FAITH,

WE DISCOVER PEACE IN GOD’S GOODNESS

Habakkuk DISCOVERED peace in God’s GOODNESS through PRAYER.

Not just praying, but HOW he prayed. He spent time ALONE with GOD in PRAYER,

Habakkuk 1:2 (NIV), How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?

Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT), I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint.

How prays like that? What sounds audacious to you, God hears as authenticity.

Each time Habakkuk prayed like this, those prayers are followed by a response,

Habakkuk 2:2 (NLT), Then the LORD said to me…

The timeless principles revealed in the conversation between Habakkuk and God.

Habakkuk TRUSTS in GOD'S GOODNESS:

Habakkuk 3:1, 2 (NIV), A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet… 2 LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day…

The METHOD of Discovering PEACE IN GOD’S GOODNESS THROUGH PRAYER that Habakkuk modeled is explained by Paul,

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV), Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s not instructing that feeling anxious is wrong. BUT that we can overcome those anxieties and deep moments of anguish through prayer.

Not just casual prayer, but a powerful, PEACE-producing prayer. How?

What did Habakkuk do and Paul instruct?

Step 1: PRAY- express request or concern to God. Tell God what you want him to do.

Step 2: THEN BEAR or PETITION. Tell God why you want him to do it. Petitioning is a desperate cry of explaining they why behind the what.

Lay open the fears, weights, burdens of life. God is not afraid of our anguish or despair. Lay it open before Him.

Not only pray to ask God for what you need, but explain to Him your worries and fears that lay under those requests.

When we SHARE our fears and anxieties with God, we will SURRENDER those to Him.

Habakkuk submitted His troubles and sorrow to God.

Step 3: PEACE- Then, in surrender and vulnerable SHARING, God gives us a gift of PEACE,

Habakkuk 3:18-19 (NIV), …yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 2 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

In surrender, we discover the PEACE IN GOD that Paul said is beyond all understanding.

Incomprehensible to have inner rest under such weights, troubles, or overwhelming circumstances. SUPERNATURAL!

Step 4: GUARDED- This PEACE will “will GUARD your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“GUARD” means to “referee” In surrender, peace “governs” our heart and minds, like a referee calling fouls and keeping our thoughts, attitudes, and anxious heart from running out-of-bounds. He keeps us from getting derailed. Peace protects us IN GOD through trouble.

SEDUCED by COMPLACENCY

2012-05-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

Spiritual awakening begins first with WAKING UP!
(An excerpt from weekend sermon at Lifehouse Church)

My youngest daughter used to wake me up at ungodly hours by joyously screaming in my ear, "Daddy! Daddy!" and slapping my rapidly in the face. Trust me, it woke me up and got my attention!

All of us get comfortable and complacent. Life has a way of lulling us to sleep spiritually and causing us to dull our spiritual senses and drown out our cry for God.

Joel 3:14, "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

Like these Jewish nation in the time of the prophet Joel, I’ve felt Complacency’s dark figure lurking in the shadows of my heart, whispering with seductive appeal.

I’ve heard Lethargy's comforting song of self-satisfying desires of lust, greed, indulgence, and gluttony.

I’ve felt the brush of Apathy's sleep-inducing touch of self-numbing sins called laziness, prayerlessness, slumber, recreation, and easy-living.

Complacency has told me that my faith is a burden and church is a chore.

Lethargy's whispers have turned violent, as her slumber gripped me with militant tactics- stalking my every spiritual attempt and subverting my spiritual hunger and passion.

Apathy speaks convincingly the dark lies of easy-living, “Why bother? It will cost to much?"

She tells me, "God just wants too much? And it won’t even matter? You’re too weak or too strong. Your too insecure, too ugly, too skinny or too fat. Your too dumb to help or too smart, so why not use your brains elsewhere. You’ll fail so don’t try. You’ll succeed, so take your talents elsewhere where you can be rewarded more noticeably."

She taunts, "People will mock you or laugh at you, are even worse, people won’t care at all."

During times of complacency, inevitably things go wrong.

Like an alarm clock in the night, tragedy, pain, a death, a scare, failure, demotion. They all have a way of challenging us to change How far must God go in getting your attention? If God has to choose between your eternal safety and your earthly comfort, which do you hope he chooses? AWAKENING!

I'm calling us to PERSONAL and CHURCH-WIDE AWAKENING!

Joel 2:1, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill."

You and me- we’ve screamed at Lethargy's whispers. We’ve grabbed the wrist of Apathy's seductive, comforting touch, and demanded, “NO MORE!”

See, We’re done with easy, comfortable living! We want more from life, faith!

We DON’T want our life to be about "ME." We’re done with ease, comfort, and over-stuffed appetites.

We're TIRED of sitting on the SIDELINES while others live relentlessly their faith in God.

Let's choose ANONIMOTY to make GOD'S NAME FAMOUS.
Let's choose PERSONAL LOSS so some may GAIN CHRIST.
Let's choose to GIVE ALL so that SOME MAY BE SAVED.
Let's choose RIDICULE so that SOME MAY know CHRIST’S LOVE.
Let's choose TEARS so that others may know JOY.

Don’t sit on the sidelines. In the short term we may regret what we have done. But in the long run, we will regret what we didn’t do, the risks we didn’t take.

Pastors' Cage Fight (notes from #ElephantRoom)

2012-03-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

I'll try to post some thoughts on a few of the discussions from watching the Elephant Room back in February.

Honestly, if you get a chance, last years Elephant Room was much more challenging and "iron sharpening iron" than this years. In 2011, pastors seemed willing to challenge each other in grace, confronted differences, and candidly present their views while agreeing to disagree.

In 2012, it seemed that the design was set to demonstrate a kumbaya-like atmosphere where pastors, who clearly have significant differences, can agree to agree and get along without making a public scene. This IS a key and essential quality due to the rancor of contemporary mudslinging, misrepresentation, and character assassination that goes on all too frequently both among pastors and churches. Since I bear my own scars and wounds from such ill-constructed, misinformed, and ill-placed personal attacks, I deeply appreciate any voice of wisdom and reason that rises up in today's Church to speak against slander, gossip, and abuse of pastoral leadership and biblical communicators.

Over the next few posts, I'll mix in a few of these discussion points and what my personal, and meaningful take-aways were from this event.

Who is a FOOL?

2012-02-13T14:01:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from my notes in Sermon Series: Fool-Proofing Your Life- a Study of Proverbs

What is the PORTRAIT of a FOOL from teachings of Solomon in Proverbs?

The fool is the antithesis of a God-follower. While the Book of Proverbs, and the Bible as a whole use several words for “fool”, it must be understood that this individual isn’t just silly or goofy like the Three Stooges, but an actual menace- full of destruction, deceit, and death.

Fools can be recognized by the following characteristics:

Unruly- quick-tempered (12:16; 29:11), careless and swift speech (10:8,10,14; 12:23; 15:2; 18:2,7; 19:1), unrighteous (10:23; 14:9; 27:22); contentious (9:13; 18:6; 30:21-22; 29:9)
Unreliable- not trustworthy, not faithful or a person of their word (26:6-10), a liar (10:18; 14:8); lazy (1:32)
Unteachable- unwilling to listen to counsel or learn from others or even his own mistakes (1:7,22,29-32; 9:7-8; 14:6; 15:12; 17:10, 16; 24:7; 26:11); proud (21:24)

We are called to apply wisdom. Wisdom is ONLY found in the Fear of the LORD. To Fear God is to hate what is evil, love what is good, and to stand in reverent awe of God and His law.

Wisdom in SKILLFUL LIVING and the only way to AVOID playing the FOOL.

A Pastors' Cage Fight

2012-01-27T15:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the The Elephant Room, a live simulcast event pitting nationally prominent Christian leaders to debate topics with each other. It was open to questions via Twitter, and allowed 2 pastors to debate an issue, but each topic was then opened for input from the others in attendance.

While I thought last year's Elephant Room was more challenging, heated, and interactive, this one certainly left me with me take-aways. I posted several direct quotes via Twitter and Facebook.

Learn more about the speakers and topics here: James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Crawford Loritts, Jack Graham, TD Jakes, Steven Furtick, Wayne Cordeiro.

Topics/ Issues: Diversity, Denominations, Differences (in major theology), Depression (un-health of pastors and how to avoid burnout), Distinctives (essentials of the Gospel).

Significantly, at least at the event, TD Jakes came out and addressed his position, with great humility and willingness, on his theology of the Godhead. What was discussed was a deep theological distinction regarding modalism or Sabellianism. (For more info on Sabellianism, visit Justin Holcomb's Know Your Heretics series at The Resurgence.) and Trinitarianism. Honestly, while I study and know my theology, I was not familiar with TD Jakes position on these issues, so I wasn't prepared for this discussion and was even surprised by it.

I enjoyed the grace and truth with which topics were handled and debated. In fact, I wish there had been more heat, debate, and direct candor on differences (or that they had brought in speakers who didn't agree so much). The elephant did not seem very big in the Elephant Room. In fact, here's a pic of the actual elephant in the room at our event. See, not very big!

If you would like to read well-written live-blogged version of the event, check it out at Trevin Wax's blog.

I may post some of my personal thoughts and notes from the event next week, if there is enough interest. Let me know!

Why join a LIFE GROUP?

2012-01-19T16:08:00.002-05:00

Join us Sunday, January 22 as we kick of Open House Week for Life Groups!

On Sunday, browse through the lobby and visit each Life Group’s table to sample some of their homemade goodies and meet a few members of their group. During the Open House Week (February 12-20), make it a point to visit one or two groups that interest you. Each group will be having an “Open House,” so it will be easy to stop in, check things out, and feel right at home. No pressure to commit or sign-up- just have fun and make new friends!
Check out the list for the Winter 2012 Life Groups, and we hope to see you this week!

But WHY should you check out and JOIN a life group? Let me say, come out Sunday and you'll find out WHY? It's what I'm preaching about too. But let me add a few thoughts.

We were created for and NEED community. God uniquely created us (in His image) to need and want to belong and be part of community. That's why we feel disconnected and messed up if we are not in connection with people and building meaningful friendships.

Sundays Life Gatherings aren't for COMMUNITY. We gather on Sundays to worship and grow. That's why it's essential to get plugged into a group during the week. Sundays are designed to gather as many believers together to worship and gather as many unbelievers together to introduce them to the GOSPEL.
We need to BELONG and to be KNOWN and that CANNOT happen on Sundays. When you come out on Sundays to our gatherings, we know you feel a little lost in the crowds, and it's HARD to meet people and make friends. Truth is, even if Lifehouse were only 40 people, you wouldn't know everyone. It's just that you would at least see someone you do know. Plus, no matter where a person attends, Sundays really aren't meant for community. So, we need to belong and the best way to belong is to get connected to a life group.
Life groups are a "FAMILY of FRIENDS!"Joining a life group of 6-25 people allows you to meet and get to know other Jesus-followers. In groups, you'll build authentic community and meaningful friendships, and you'll know that you belong. We want to be a family, well... a church should be a family of friends!
Life groups help you GROW! The best place to develop in your personal, spiritual journey is in a group with other believers. They can pray with you, and you for them. Together you can study the Bible, encourage each other, and ask questions. Once of the key goals of a life groups is DISCIPLESHIP (or becoming more life Christ!)
Life groups are easy an easy place to invite friends. Who's intimidated to go over someone's house? How DOESN'T like to be invited to someone's house? It's easy to invite friends who don't know Jesus over to another friends house to meet people like them and to talk about God. Another key goal of life groups is to invite un-churched friends.

We look forward to seeing YOU get plugged into a life group.

12 Lessons in Church Planting (from ChurchPlanters.com) 2 of 2

2012-01-18T15:57:00.002-05:00

More on Lessons from Lovejoy and ChurchPlanters.com. For the first 6 lessons, see yesterday's post.
________________________

12 Lessons Learned in 12 years (Part 2 of 2) by Shawn Lovejoy

7. Change the way people think about church

In the first year of our church, we made a decision: In everything we do, we’re going to seek to change the way people think about church. This is so much bigger than the type of music we do, or our dress, even though they are parts of the equation! It affects everything we do. Examples? Folks don’t have to be “Christians” to go on a mission trip. They might become one by going! They don’t have to be a “Christian” to volunteer at our church, much less, be a member! Our small groups are always not only open to new people, but are going after people who don’t go to church and inviting them to be a part of their group! Every group is responsible to “get off the couch” and serve and care missionally for people groups in our community. Just small simple example of how we’re changing the way people think about church both inside and outside our church in our community.

8. Go after unchurched people

We’re not worried about swapping sheep or reaching professional Christians. If they want to join our mission to reach the lost, great. If not, great. We are here to help as many people as possible find a relationship with God through Jesus. That’s our laser beam focus. Take us or leave us! We’re here to reach people who don’t like Jesus or Christians.

9. Be careful what you ask for

Did you know unchurched people don’t walk in and start tithing? And it probably won’t be a three-month process, either; probably more like three years! Unchurched people smoke and curse in the parking lot, and maybe even in the sound booth! All of these things really happen in our church. Being a hospital for sinners is messy!

10. The right team in the right seats makes all the difference

We’ve always had a great Ministry Team at our church. I am thankful for every one of them, however, the right team members with the right gifts and skills, in the right seats, in the right seasons of the church, allows a church to continue to breath and grow and reach people for Jesus Christ. The wrong team members on the wrong seats for too long will put a lid on the church’s effectiveness.

11. I must measure success God’s Way

Success is being who God called me to be and being obedient to what God has called me to do. I am so tempted to measure success by this week’s attendance. However, I’m never as good as people think I am when we’re exploding numerically; and I’m not as bad as I think I am when we’re not. My role is to be obedient to the call and stay sane, centered, and happily married in the process. That is success!

12. God is faithful.

God never gives up: on me; or on my ministry! He hasn’t given up on you, either! Don’t give up on yourself. We only fail when we give up. God never gives up. He is faithful!

12 Lessons in Church Planting (from ChurchPlanters.com)

2012-01-17T16:42:00.002-05:00

I feel love and joy in recommending 12 Lessons Learned in 12 years (Part 1 of 2) by Shawn Lovejoy from ChurchPlanters.com.

Twelve years ago, we launched weekly worship services at Mountain Lake Church. Wow. What a ride! God has used me despite my stupidity; and I have learned so much along the way. Here’s the first part of my top twelve lessons I’ve learned in the last twelve years.

1. Having a vision is easy. Sticking to the vision takes extraordinary discipline and effort.

Every pastor and church has a vision. Every one of them I’ve ever seen is Biblical. However, even most church planters get sidetracked form their vision within the first few years. We have stuck to our guns. We’ve been “mean about the vision.” It’s made all of the difference!

2. Conviction and Courage are more important than strategy.

My passion and sense of conviction, along with the courage to stay the course are more important than any brilliant strategy I could come up with that no one has ever done before.

3. No plan’s perfect; so work our Plan!

Our ministry plan is not perfect. However, we’ve worked the plan every year the last twelve years and every year we’ve gotten better at what God has called us to do. We don’t have “vision flavor of the month” or “small group method of the year.” We’ve worked our plan. We’ve been consistent in our ministry approach. It’s made all the difference.

4. People come. People Go. Go with the Go-ers.

Don’t focus who’s leaving; focus on who stays. The ones that stay will see the mission through and experience the fruit of mission accomplished! When one leaves, God will bring five to replace them…if we stay focused!

5. God does things the way He wants.

It has almost NEVER happened exactly the way we drew it up. However, that’s the precise thing that has kept us dependent on Him! Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Prophetic verse in my life these last twelve years! So many times, what I deemed as a failure was God’s sharpening and sovereignty at work in my life and church!

6. In God’s Story, ordinary matters.

God loves to use ordinary people. I am one. The very reasons or excuses I might use to disqualify myself from being used greatly by Him make me the perfect candidate for extraordinary ministry! What are your excuses as to why God can’t use you? Those are the very reasons God wants to use you; because you’ll know it’s not about you!

In 2005, we launched Churchplanters.com to “give pastors permission”. Join us this year at #Velocity12 on Feb 27-28. Once again, we’ll give each other permission to be what God has called us to be and do what God has called us to do! Register NOW!

Thoughts (that apply TODAY) by MLK Jr

2012-01-16T16:24:00.002-05:00

I've tweeted several of Martin Luther King Jr (in honor of our national holiday TODAY) quotes, but here are a few of his best speeches and sermons. You can research and read more here.

His most famous and quoted speech, "I have a Dream" from August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. (read here) or watch here.

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free... In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check... It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note... America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy... The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

...we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

...With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

...And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

An imaginary letter from the Apostle Paul, that he wrote for a message in 1956. This imaginary letter MLK Jr wrote on behalf of Paul seems very appropriate today in 2012!

"For many years I have longed to be able to come to see you. I have heard so much of you and of what you are doing. I have heard of the fascinating and astounding advances that you have made in the scientific realm. I have heard of your dashing subways and flashing airplanes. Through your scientific genius you have been able to dwarf distance and place time in chains. You have been able to carve highways through the stratosphere. So in your world you have made it possible to eat breakfast in New York City and dinner in Paris, France. I have also heard of your skyscraping buildings with their prodigious towers steeping heavenward. I have heard of your great medical advances, which have resulted in the curing of many dread plagues and diseases, and thereby prolonged your lives and made for greater security and physical well-being. All of that is marvelous. You can do so many things in your day that I could not do in the Greco-Roman world of my day. In your age you can travel distances in one day that took me three months to travel. That is wonderful. You have made tremendous strides in the area of scientific and technological development.

"But America, as I look at you from afar, I wonder whether your moral and spiritual progress has been commensurate with your scientific progress. It seems to me that your moral progress lags behind your scientific progress. Your poet Thoreau used to talk about "improved means to an unimproved end." How often this is true. You have allowed the material means by which you live to outdistance the spiritual ends for which you live. You have allowed your mentality to outrun your morality. You have allowed your civilization to outdistance your culture. Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make of it a brotherhood. So America, I would urge you to keep your moral advances abreast with your scientific advances.

"I am impelled to write you concerning the responsibilities laid upon you to live as Christians in the midst of an unChristian world. That is what I had to do. That is what every Christian has to do. But I understand that there are many Christians in America who give their ultimate allegiance to man-made systems and customs. They are afraid to be different. Their great concern is to be accepted socially. They live by some such principle as this: "everybody is doing it, so it must be alright." For so many of you Morality is merely group consensus. In your modern sociological lingo, the mores are accepted as the right ways. You have unconsciously come to believe that right is discovered by taking a sort of Gallup poll of the majority opinion. How many are giving their ultimate allegiance to this way.

"But American Christians, I must say to you as I said to the Roman Christians years ago, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Or, as I said to the Phillipian Christians, "Ye are a colony of heaven." This means that although you live in the colony of time, your ultimate allegiance is to the empire of eternity. You have a dual citizenry. You live both in time and eternity; both in heaven and earth. Therefore, your ultimate allegiance is not to the government, not to the state, not to nation, not to any man-made institution. The Christian owes his ultimate allegiance to God, and if any earthly institution conflicts with God's will it is your Christian duty to take a stand against it. You must never allow the transitory evanescent demands of man-made institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God."