D-PLUM dot org

New Site...

2010-03-13T20:31:00.003-05:00

Hey, all...

Just an FYI... my new blog is located at http://www.dplum007.wordpress.com/. Come on over and follow me there! :)

The THREE SIGNS of a Miserable Job

2009-12-14T03:30:00.000-05:00

I love good books on leadership... especially practical leadership books. The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni was a really good practical leadership book... and it should be required reading for all members of any business. I think if both employers and employees take to heart the message of this book, we would have much better corporations, churches, schools... you name it.

First, Lencioni is an absolute master at writing parables based on the principles that he's aiming to put forth. People love stories, and if you can center what you're trying to teach around a story, you'll always have alot of ears.

Lencioni's story is about a man who's been very successful as CEO of a thriving company... he retires, relocates with his wife to a skiing town... but discovers there a small, local Italian restaurant that he feels is operating way below what it should. So, he challenges himself to step in and see if he can help turn things around. Whether he does or not, I'll let you find out for yourself... but his goal is to instill into the culture of this restaurant some things that has helped him in his business endeavors, wherever he's been. Brian (our CEO) believes that if you can eliminate 3 things within the culture of a organization, then business will boom:

1. ANONYMITY - no one wants to be anonymous at their place of employment. Brian argues, and tries to show within his companies, that the more employees are known at the job, the better employees they'll be. Conversely, if an employee constantly is coming to a place where he works for someone who doesn't know him (and doesn't act like he/she cares much for him), that employee won't put forth his best effort on a regular basis. Everyone longs to be known... even at work. An employer must initiate this, and get to know his employees: find out what matters to them and what they're passionate about, about their families, their schooling, etc. An employee will work his/her best when they know their employer cares for them beyond the job.

2. IRRELEVANCE - everyone longs for significance, even at their job. Employees need to know that what they do matters... and they need to know to whom it matters: their customers, fellow employees, managers, etc. And who's responsibility is it to see that this happens? This is their employer's responsibility. If, as an employer, I think my employees should be able to motivate themselves to produce great work, simply because I give them a paycheck... I am sadly mistaken. It is my responsibility to make sure that every employee understands his/her significance to the organization... no matter what their role.

3. IMMEASUREMENT - all employees need measurement for what they're doing... a way to know that what they are doing day in and day out is on track with what their manager's expectations are. What goals are set for them? What production standards are being held for them? Too many companies expect "continual volume", with no rhyme or reason for their employees... but when there is no clear means of assessing progress on a job, it only breeds frustration. Again... this is the employer's responsibility. A manager cannot leave it to his employees to figure out how to measure their progress. The measurement should be concrete, and it should be agreed upon. That way, everyone is on the same page... and there are no surprises if the goals are not attained: both manager and employee can figure out ways to get where they need to be.

Lencioni argues that the result of eliminating these three negative factors will lead to job fulfillment for the employee, as well as increased productivity, greater retention (of employees)/lower costs, and a sustainable cultural differentiation (creating a culture that is unique from your competitors).

Again, great book... a must-read for all employers and employees alike, no matter what the organization!

What's Been Up?

2009-12-07T09:55:00.002-05:00

Hey, all...

Been away for a bit, but hopefully back to stay this time. :) Sometimes when you're going through tough times, you just need some space. Not everybody understands that, but it is what it is. Now, with some pastors, very mature believers, and good friends around me, I'm ready to "venture back outside".

I've definitely learned alot over these last 6+ months. Here are some things I've come to understand in my (for lack of a better term) wilderness wanderings:

* SIN STINKS! Yezzir! No question... you play with the bull; you get the horn. Sin has consequences... even forgiven sin.
* PEOPLE CAN BE NOSEY! Now, I'm not talking about friends or those who are really concerned... I'm talking about the people who never called, never checked up on me or my family, never supported our ministry, etc... but now, they want to be "involved" and they "care enough to call." No, they just want information to gossip. :)
* MOSAIC CHURCH IS A PLACE OF GRACE! For this, I'm grateful. The place where I poured my heart into for over 2 years really got it. I've received nothing but grace from the members, even though I'm no longer there. I love you guys with all my heart.
* The Church has no clue of how to handle fallen pastors. Of course, this is generally speaking. I'm sure there are some places out there (I know of a few only) that do a relatively good job with this, but most places suck at it... I'm just being honest. Everyone is so quick to throw stones and castigate the fallen... no matter how much they say they "love" you, if you don't respond their way, they're gonna get you. Period. Well, the truth is, they want to "get" you period. That's what they're after.
* I'm thankful for some godly, wise pastors in my life. Regarless of the "stone throwers", there have been a handful of men who have been walking with me throughout the duration of this situation, and even a while before. Please understand: you cannot give everyone an access pass to walk with you... no matter what their role in your life was before. Here are a few of the criteria I use to tell people "no thanks": 1) if they feel they have a sense of entitlement, and will "force themselves" upon me... NOPE! 2) If judgment is on their lips at all... NOPE! (understand that there is a difference between "challenging" and "being judgmental") 3) If you haven't been clearly in my corner... NOPE! See, when you've fallen and need restoration, it will ONLY come from those who have always had your back! If you have to clear away stuff to uncover people's motives... if it's not crystal clear that they're for you... they're not for you. Period.
* When you fall, some who are your friends won't stay friends. This has probably been the most hurtful for me, because people stop being your friend and often don't even know what happened... they only go by what they've heard. But the truth is, even sin has a context and a story. True friends never turn their back... and even if they think they have grounds to do so, they shouldn't without understanding what happened. Having said that, I also know there are some who simply don't know what to say... so they simply say nothing. I don't understand that, honestly... but I hold no grudges, either way. The amazing thing is that God brings new people into your life during dark times who might've never been there before... and now they are there for the duration. Sweet! :)
* My heart belongs to Jesus. I don't know why, but alot of people think that because you've fallen, you've also turned your back on God. :) That's crazy! Though some, I'm sure, do... I have not. I still love Him with all my heart, and am seeking to obey Him fully. That doesn't mean I have everything figured out, nor are all the puzzle pieces in place (are they ever?), but I'm facing Him - He's in control... not me... not you... not anybody, but Him.
* Life happens! This is the biggest lesson I've learned! As a pastor, it's easy to give people their "biblical medicine" and expect perfect endings. And when those endings don't come, we tell people they need more medicine. The truth is, life happens: people mess up, they blow it... and things get messy. However, there simply is no manual (and, NO, God never intended even the Bible for this purpose) to turn to a particular page that lays out in black and white for each and every situation. Our quest for everything to be cut and dry, black and white, is killing folk! People lash out in anger... children go wayward... marriages blow up and sometimes end... because we're in a sin-ridden world! People need to be LOVED in the midst of their pain... not made to feel like they're 2nd-class believers because they mess up. That's not excusing the sin... that's being there for them in the midst of it. Call sin by what it is... but then help people out of it.
* People are hurting. I know this now more than ever. I'm one of "them" now... a "church skeptic", wondering if church leaders have answers for those of us in pain. When I think of some of the messages I preached, I feel sick to my stomach. I thought I had "answers", but was only stirring up more questions... and leaving the main one usually unanswered: "What do I do with my pain???" I have experienced this now first-hand...
* I may be somewhat of a skeptic now, but I still believe in Christ's Church! Though I haven't been handled (by some) graciously, I still believe that the Church through Jesus Christ... when it's at it's best... is the hope of the world! It can still be the best place on earth to meet the true and living God... but it starts with people: loving them, accepting them, dealing with them patiently in the midst of their pain... and helping them through it.

Well, that was a start... I'll write more later this week, and bring you guys up to speed with where I am these days. Much love...

D PLUM

PHILIPPIANS... EVERYDAY!!

2009-08-11T00:15:00.000-05:00

Okay... So, today I posted a "tweet" (from Twitter, for those who still don't get it, lol) asking folk to join me in reading Philippians everyday for the rest of this month. I did anticipate a big response... and I'm excited to see people from Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, the Eastern Shore of MD, (of course), Virginia, and the DC area (of course) all getting pumped up to faithfully read God's Word! I believe - in some not too small way - all of our worlds will be rocked. You watch and see. ;-)

So, why Philippians... and why now? Well (for those who haven't followed my blog), I've been going through a "personal wilderness" of sorts... and have really been down in the dumps for much of the last few months. But I just finally said to myself, "Self (for real, that's what I said!), this is crazy. Just because you're going through doesn't mean that God is through with you... GET UP, and face God!" Well, I'm from Takoma Park and I don't know all there is to know... but I do know that you can't face Him without getting in His Word. So, I decided to do just that... but not just do it - but JUMP INTO it! Then I thought, "Hey, maybe others would like to journey with me on this!" So, I put it out there on Twitter & Facebook... and, wouldn't you know it, people began to respond... BIG time!

So, here's what we're doing: we're reading through the ENTIRE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS every day... there are only 4 chaps, so don't complain... it should take you all of 15-20 mins to do. Keep a little notepad of what God is saying to you... then, on FRIDAYS, post ONE SIMPLE THOUGHT that the Spirit has used to impact your life that week. Put it in your status, and let folk comment to death on it. Invite others to do the same, and then go comment on their pages. If you blog, post a short devotional or something (send me your blog address and I'll get it out there, too!). The point is for the Word to become a contagion in our lives, as we get others interested in reading - and living out - God's Word.

Hey, look... I'm pretty much still in my wilderness, but I'm not letting that stop me. I've been going through... but I'LL BE COMING OUT. And when I do... my guns will be blazing, and my heart will be strong.

I'M READY FOR GOD TO ROCK MY WORLD! WHAT ABOUT YOU??? ;-)

The Ugly Truth

2009-08-10T00:30:00.001-05:00

"Ugh..."

That's really all I can say.

Have you ever been forced to look at yourself? I mean, your real self... not the self that you project to others at the job, or at church, or at school. I mean the self that those CLOSEST to you see on a regular... as well as the self that NO ONE sees... except you.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FORCED TO LOOK AT YOURSELF?

I have. And what I've seen is not pretty. I just recently saw the movie The Ugly Truth, with Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy, 27 Dresses) and Gerard Butler (300, P.S. I Love You)... a movie that depicts (very badly, I must say) the ugly truth about men and women and romance (read that, lust). The main thrust of the movie is that we must face the ugly truth about what the opposite sex is really looking for.

In the same way, we must face the ugly truth about who we really are... deep down inside. And believe me... to face it, is NOT pretty. I am coming face to face with the fact that I am prideful, I am selfish, I am lustful, I am angry, I am moody... I am a lot of things that I've pointed my finger at others about. In short, I... AM... SINFUL!

There it is... I've said it! The "S" word! We don't like to say we're sinful... we just "have issues." Yeah, we do have issues... and at the top of the issue list is that WE'RE SINFUL!! I hate the fact that I'm such a sinner... because I'm so daggoned good at it!! I don't wanna be, but it seems I was born an expert at this thing...

But you know what? Having seen the real me... and having recognized me for who and what I am... I feel a little better. No, I don't like what I see... but I feel better, because acknowledging there's something wrong is half the battle. There is a REASON why the Bible says that the "heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick" (Jer. 17:9); there is a REASON why the apostle Paul said that "nothing good dwells in" us (Rom. 7:18). Because the UGLY TRUTH is that we're sinful, we need Jesus to save us, and we need Him to live His life through us... because we simply cannot do it on our own. I can't. You can't. And that's the UGLY TRUTH.

But that's not a totally bad thing...

... knowing the UGLY TRUTH is half the battle.

BOOK REVIEW: Dying Declaration

2009-07-27T01:15:00.000-05:00

Okay... so, this is my first real post in quite awhile, and I'm constantly thinking about direction. I figured, rather than force this blog in a particular direction... with a particular theme... I'd just let it take it's own shape after awhile.

Well, I thought that it'd be good to just get back into the flow of things by writing about something I am always doing... which is reading. Some of you who've been faithful have read many of my book reviews, and have commented rather encouragingly, so we'll stay in this vein for a bit. I'll review all kinds of stuff: fiction (which I absolutely love), practical living stuff (which I absolutely NEED), theology, apologetics, current issues... anything I'm reading, I'll write about.

So, hear we go... first off, I just finished reading Dying Declaration by Randy Singer. Let me tell you... this is a first-rate fiction!! Singer wears a "trinity" hat of Pastor, Author, and Lawyer... and his writing is top-notch stuff. Declaration is about a very "religious" couple whose youngest son has become gravely ill. Yet they hold off taking him in for medical help, because they are praying "in faith" that God will heal their little boy. At the last minute, they finally take him in but the boy dies... and the couple is charged with negligent homicide. The story has several twists and turns, and - for a 400+ page book - pretty much will keep your interest throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Declaration... so much so, that I decided to pick up another Singer book (review coming soon).

One of the things that immediately grabbed me about the book is that the principal character is an African-American lawyer. No, this isn't a race thing! But, being black, it can be rather disheartening to read Christian fiction books, and NEVER come across a minority character who plays a prominent role in the book. Now, although Singer can get just a tad stereotypical, with some of the urban slang, he nonetheless (in my opinion) does a good job of "representin'". ;-)

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a huge Ted Dekker fan... but I would have to put Singer right alongside of Dek! TOTALLY DIFFERENT style of writing (more Clancy/Grisham-ish), but he takes no backseat to any of our top-flight Christian fiction writers.

Dying Declaration... get it, enjoy it, and post your thoughts! ;-)

Just Wanna Say...

2009-07-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

... that I'm doing okay. ;-) Thanks to all who've been in touch, sent messages, posted on my Facebook wall... your encouragement means alot.

I'm moving forward... not even thinking about ministry right now. I took a 10-day sabbatical and headed South... spent some time in Hotlanta, as well as in Alabama with my buddy The Movie Pastor.

[SIDEBAR: if you live anywhere near Decatur, AL, you MUST ATTEND a Crosspoint service where he pastors... that church ROCKS, baby!!]

Now, I'm just trying to face forward, and trust God for next steps. He knew I'd be here, so it seems best to let Him direct the way. ;-)

Much love to my peeps... I'll send advance notice when I'm about to begin blogging again!

Holla!

Stay Tuned...

2009-06-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

Hey, folks...

I know I haven't blogged in awhile... and, even when I have, lately it's been sporadic at best. But I'm coming back... sooner than later! Mega transitions, shifts in focus (for the good), and some much needed time off has kept me away... but I look forward to returning. ;-)

Keep D-Plum in your prayers... God is good. :)

DP

Show and Tell Commitment

2009-05-21T00:20:00.007-05:00

I don't know about you, but sometimes I'm not a very trusting person. It really takes alot for me to trust... because I've been let down by so many people over my lifetime. And trust, once broken, is not an easy thing to re-establish.

In human relationships, in order to trust a person's commitment to us, we really need more than their word that they "will be there" for us, especially if the history between us just isn't that extensive. Or, I can promise you something, but unless you see some hope of commitment, you'll always be a little skeptical. Words simply aren't enough...

During my early years of elementary school, we used to have a time called "Show & Tell", where you were allowed to bring in a toy or gift or something, and talk about it: when did you get it? Who bought it? Where is it from? Why is it special? Now, if you didn't have your toy with you on your day to share, then you lost your share time... because it's ONE thing to talk about your toy... quite another thing for your fellow classmates to be able to SEE IT. Because when I see what it is you're describing, I can put 2 + 2 together; I have more than just an idea of what you're talking about; what you say and what I see go hand in hand.

Sometimes we think it's enough to just say how we feel in our commitments to one another; showing it is irrelevant. But what is true of toys is true of people: I KNOW what you mean, by adding together what you say and what I see. If the two are incongruent, then ambiguity is the result... I don't really know that you mean what you say.

Not even God "says" without "showing"... He puts the two together, you know. The Bible says, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for our sins..." (Rom. 5:8). Real commitment has proof... because words sometimes just aren't enough. And that's not all... Jesus died for us, so that we can have eternal life. He gave us His word that we can live forever... and then He rose from the dead!! Jesus' resurrection showed that we can take Him at His word!

Show and tell commitment... words sometimes just aren't enough.

Sunday Nite Speak!

2009-05-03T22:15:00.003-05:00

* Good nite tonight... Steve Layne did an awesome job! Hit the nail on the head, he did... the guy's a phenomenal preacher! Great way to celebrate TWO YEARS OF MINISTRY: Steve spoke from Joshua 1... BACK TO THE FUTURE - looking back on the blessings of God, but moving forward to what He has in store for us! Look back, but don't stay behind!

* Thought the worship was good... man, I am DRAINED, though! FOUR MONTHS of double duty has really taken it's toll. Pastor D is depleted... for real. I'll be taking it relatively easy over the next few weeks, though. Guest speakers coming in... hopefully, guest musicians, too! Great to know there are guys connected to me who love this ministry and want to help out!

* My friend Shawn McBride was in the house tonighte... what an encourager! He's a BIG PROPONENT of churches loving hard on their pastor (and no... I didn't tell him to say ANY OF THAT, lol!) So, he came up and gave a few words and a "brief" challenge to the church... good stuf, Pastor Shawn! And Mosaic... you guys STEPPED UP WELL!!! Good gracious modacious! Thank you SO MUCH for being so generous! What Shawn said was true... Pastors are human, too, and need to sometimes see/hear/feel love from their people. You showed that today... thank you.

* Well, I will be taking a MUCH NEEDED blog break... I shall return soon in a week... or two. ;-)

2 Years

2009-05-01T09:26:00.003-05:00

Can't believe Mosaic DC has reached the 2-year mark... this has been an incredible journey. They say the first two years of a new church is the toughest... if you can make it through that time intact (key word), you will probably have set a good foundation for the next several years.

This Sunday, Pastor Steve Layne of New Life Fellowship will be our guest speaker... incredible communicator, and very passionate about the God he worships. Prepare for an exciting Word!!

To friends of all over: keep praying for Mosaic! 2 down... hopefully, many more to come!

I love all of you from my heart...

Pastor D

Sunday Nite Speak

2009-04-26T23:57:00.004-05:00

* Tonight was a good nite... a very apropo message on temptation. Very CONVICTING message (for me), and seemed to really touch several people.

* Why do so many of us take paths we KNOW are wrong... get to the destination we KNEW we'd get to... and WONDER HOW WE GOT THERE? But we should've seen it coming from a mile away!

* Proverbs 27:12 has totally rocked my world!!!

*One of the most important things to understand about temptation is that it's much more than what we just see in front of us!

* BIG UPS to Brian and Christina... two UMD students who've been coming regularly to Mosaic DC for the last month. Christina became a Christ-follower last year, and Brian just started following Jesus last month! They both were baptized this morning at Christina's home church in Belair, MD!! YAY, GOD!!! :-) Keep rockin' it guys... I'm proud of you!

* Speaking of BIG UPS: a MAJOR SHOUT-OUT to my man Darrius Heyward-Bey, wide receiver from UMD who got drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round (7TH PICK!!) of the NFL Draft! That's HUGE!! Proud of you, D!! Just remember us little people (especially Pastor D, lol!) :-D

* Got to see my good friend Savannah tonight... who bought out a friend she recently met while working out. Said she thought Mosaic would be a great fit for her... her friend seems to think so, too... Now, that is TOTALLY awesome when people who aren't even members or attenders of your church are pointing people to your church! YAY, GOD!!!!

* My Cowboys didn't make a huge splash in the draft, at least not in the first two rounds. But, holy moley!! They ended up with 12 picks, which is the MOST in the NFL since 1994, when the draft expanded to seven rounds. Dallas stockpiled on picks who could make an immediate impact on the special teams. Most fans aren't excited... but I think this was an excellent draft for them!!

* Okay... so next Sunday marks MOSAIC DC's 2-yr Anniversary!!!! YAY, GOD!!!!!! Wow... this time has gone by really fast! My good friend Professor/Pastor Steve Layne will be our guest preacher... I am SO LOOKING FORWARD to that!!!! We're not having a major celebration this year... but would love to see you if you're not doing anything at 5:30 this coming Sunday, May 3.

* OMG(osh), I will be 41 next week... I'm getting ancient!

Tuesday Thoughts...

2009-04-21T00:38:00.002-05:00

* I really love our gatherings at Mosaic DC... our people are cool, alot of Univ. of MD students... but also non-students, as well. I love how God is growing our community, bringing along people of different racial/ethnic/spiritual backgrounds than what we launched with (TOTALLY awesome)!

* Doing WAY too much these days... my own fault. Things will be changing soon, over the next couple of months... leaders are stepping up and stepping out... and that's a sweet thing.

* Giving a lot of thought to the WHO, WHEN, and WHERE for our next church plant... gonna be interesting to see what God has planned for us!

* I have a handful of REALLY STRATEGIC meetings this week, starting this morning... could use your prayers! ''* Loving this series on James! I can see why some guys like to teach VERSE BY VERSE through Bible books... you really want people to get every nook and cranny of that book! For us, though, there's SO MUCH we need to cover... verse by verse "exposition" (at least, through whole books) would keep us from getting to all that we need to. However, I do want to do more book studies... to date, this is the second one we've done (did Ruth last year). Any suggestions for our next one? :-)

* Wondering if the Cowboys have any "tricks" up their sleeve for this weekend's draft...

* Just got the DVD's from Fellowship's C3 Conference back in February... can't wait to see them!

* Just heard this guy on ESPN comparing Manny Ramirez to Ted Williams! As much as I like Manny... ummmm... NOT! :-)

* QUESTION (for individuals and churches): If you moved out of your neighborhood, 1) would you be missed? 2) What would you be remembered for?

God Our Provider

2009-04-15T00:21:00.004-05:00

My Pastor, Bernard Fuller (Sr. Pastor of New Song Bible Fellowship Church), always told me, "Where God guides, He also provides." That has been a mantra for me, my family, and my ministry for many years... and God has never proven us wrong.

12 years ago, my family and I relocated to Atlanta, GA where I took a position at a Bible College... as well as being a full-time student there so I could finish my degree. The first 18 months were rough, to say the least... promises had been broken, and we were trying to make do on $500 a month ($350 was our car note... $150 was car insurance... you do the math). CRAZY!!!! But God was ALWAYS faithful!! Through speaking engagements, music engagements, and gifts from friends, we were able to make it until God brought in steadier income for us. We learned to trust Him... and stay up under the adversity until He moved. Hard lessons were learned... but they were also GOOD lessons, because they taught us more about Him.

Recently, the church that sponsored Mosaic's startup suffered a church split. We hadn't come out of that church, but they believed in the vision God gave us and were more than willing to partner with us. But not only would the split cause the church problems, it was going to take a toll on us... they were covering roughly 25% of our salary! But there was no worry, no anxiety, no discouragement on our part... because where God guides, He also provides... He'd done it before, He'd do it again! So, after praying, we sent out support letters to a handful of churches and just a couple of individuals... all whom had already been praying for us and encouraging us along this journey. And the response has been awesome! In just a little over 2 weeks, we've received commitments to almost cover that shortage... with more commitments to come! YAY, GOD!!!

Praise God, who ALWAYS shows Himself strong on behalf of those who trust Him (2 Chron. 16:9)... WHERE GOD GUIDES, HE ALSO PROVIDES!!

Sunday Nite Speak!

2009-04-12T12:29:00.000-05:00

* Awesome Easter gathering tonight! A different spin on Easter, I think... :-)
* We started our Journey Thru James series tonight, with the first message from chapter 1, verses 2-4... how God grows us through adversity. We can expect "dark days" as part of this fallen world... but we're to have the right perspective in the midst of the difficulty, understand the purpose of the difficulty(endurance/spiritual toughness), and hold onto the promise that going through difficulty brings (maturity).
* Also, the promise is solidified for us because of Jesus' resurrection! He endured the darkest night ever, and came through victorious... and our hope is that we will overcome, as well! The resurrection gives us hope that what we see is not all there is... a day is coming when we will be totally and forever transformed, and free from adversity!
* We had a couple this evening who were guests... and they both had the same first name and last name! That was pretty neat! (I told them I wouldn't post their names... but just think: what if you met a couple, and the wife said, "Hello... I'm Gail! And this is my husband, Gail!" I'm tellin you, that is so cool!!)
* My oldest son heard me preach tonight for the first time in a long time... and it was even longer since he heard me lead worship. He ran up to me after the gathering, and said, "Dad! You were awesome tonight!!" Yeah... I think I'll keep him. :-) Now, I'm blushing and turning purple...
* Okay... totally wasted tonight... will have to post somemore a little later!

Journey Through James!

2009-04-10T01:27:00.003-05:00

Can't wait til Sunday... we begin our Journey Through James message series, ON EASTER SUNDAY! "What," you may ask, "does James have to do with the Resurrection?"

You'll have to come out and see. ;-)

But I'm looking forward to it... I love teaching through books of the Bible; and James gives us quite the portrait of what real Christianity looks like: how to deal with temptation, how to handle our tongues, having real faith, not showing favoritism, prayer that moves God, humility... an array of issues that need to be addressed in our lives!

So, hopefully you'll make it out... this Sunday. Eat with your fam... and then bring them to Mosaic's gathering... let's hang out and hear what Jesus has to say to us through his brother, James! ;-)

Speaking at Campus Crusade-UMD tonight!

2009-04-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Looking forward to being with my CRU peeps tonight for their large group gathering! They've been going through the Sermon On the Mount, so I'll be closing that out for them.

I absolutely LOVE impacting the lives of college students! There's nothing like seeing the lightbulb come on, and watching them develop into mature Christ-followers. I was 21 and a student at UMD when I became serious about following Jesus. I fellow student challenged me about the way I was living, and I was so impressed with his life that I began spending more and more time with him... and the next semester found myself enrolled in Bible college!

Students are "ripe" because their entire lives are ahead of them... they want to be inspired to live great lives, dream great dreams, and give themselves to something that's BIGGER THAN THEM... what better venture to point them to than the Kingdom of God???

Do I Trust you??

2009-04-08T01:00:00.003-05:00

"Why does everything have to go !through him?"

"I know this area of ministry better than he does "

Before I began pastoring, I had an issue with pastors who wanted to "control everything." Now that I'm a pastor, I think I understand why pastors get such a dogged reputation.

First, let me say... some pastors really are control freaks, and they need to grow up! BUT... sometimes what appears to be a control issue is not - it's a trust issue. Okay, all together... "Hmmmmmm." Yup, a TRUST issue. And rightfully so! Just because you're leading in that ministry doesn't mean you get to do whatever it is you want to, simply because you're the leader. No, you have to prove yourself first. "What do I have to prove?" Well, for starters, are you loyal to the ministry, as well as the Lead Pastor? Before a pastor gives you "free reign", he's gonna want to know that you have the best interest at heart for the ministry. This is huge (and necessary), because some people will bet the farm, because they know the consequences of losing it won't fall on their head. They don't own the ministry... therefore, they have nothing at all to lose!

Also, do you do whatever is necessary to secure a win for the team? In other words, if you're haphazard in the little details and follow-thru, there's NO WAY the pastor will trust you "go for it" without wanting to see the "final draft before gameday!" But when it's clear that you have the ministry's best interest at heart, you work hard at helping the church fulfill it's vision/mission, and you can be counted on to be faithful... you're an incredible asset to the team, because the pastor can rest, knowing you have "your stuff" taken care of!

Tuesday Thoughts...

2009-04-07T05:05:00.000-05:00

* Went out with Keda Sunday after our Gathering, and had a fund-raising trip today to the Eastern Shore (Maryland)... so, I'm just getting a chance to blog about the weekend!
* The Praise & Prayer Gathering was off the chain Sunday nite! We definitely went a little long, but it was evident that God "was in the place!"
* Had a full band Sunday... great to have people you can count on!

* Worship set:

- Your Grace is Enough
- O Praise Him
- Everlasting God
- From the Inside Out
- Friend of God
- Saving Grace

* We opened up the "altar" for people to come and pray during the song From the Inside Out... something we normally don't do... but it was powerful!! It was a time of confession and repentance, intercession, supplication... just a time of pouring out our hearts to God. We definitely need to have corporate prayer times included more often in our gatherings!
* We incorporated more musicians Sunday nite...Brandy, Megan, and Claudia, you guys were tremendous!
* Kudos to our band: Jose (the BEAST on drums), Daniel (Mr. Keys), Robert (The Fiddler under our roof), Brandy/Megan (WOMEN bassists... yeah, baby!!)... and Jason (GuitarMan). You guys blended really well... THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!!! ;-)
* Can't thank Rick Elder enough for filling in for me Sunday... I gave him only 20 minutes, and then made him rush! :) But he did a good job, and Mosaic will look forward to him speaking again! Thanks, buddy!
* More new faces in the crowd... YAY, GOD!! It's always great to see new attenders bringing their friends!
* Pray for decent weather to be able to do some breakfast bar outreaches this week!

Taking a Break...

2009-04-02T00:46:00.000-05:00

Looking forward to taking a "preaching break" this coming Sunday. We're having a Praise & Prayer worship gathering, and Rick Elder - a friend of mine and fellow minister to the college students at UMD - will be bringing a short message. Rick is a graduate of Washington Bible College and Capital Bible Seminary, and is making an impact on the campus through his prayer ministry. He current prays daily for over 700 student athletes, and holds Bible studies for them as well. He's a frequent attender of our worship gatherings at Mosaic DC, and we're looking forward to hearing God speak through him!

I'll still be leading the worship, so I'm actually getting 1/2 a break! :)

Perry on Piper

2009-04-01T01:50:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers... on how he feels about one of the greatest authors and theologians of today.

Perry vs. Piper...

Steel-cage match of the century!!!! Click HERE to see!

p.s. Aw, don't lose your toupee or wig; it's not what you think... ;-)

Created for Connection

2009-03-31T01:36:00.004-05:00

I'm reading slowly... very slowly... through Erwin McManus' Soul Cravings again. He's such a profound writer... he says things we already know to be true, and in amazingly simple... yet profound... ways.

I love this quote from the book:

"Why is it so hard to move from 'me' to 'us'? In our guts we know we're not supposed to live simply for ourselves... Our need for relationship comes from the core of our being. It would be the greatest of tragedies to sacrifice others in the effort to find ourselves. Our souls crave to belong. The experience of love, though it emanates from God, is not limited to him.

We are created for each other."

Sunday Nite Speak!

2009-03-29T21:10:00.005-05:00

* Great night tonight at the Gathering!
* Saw a bunch of new faces in the crowd... YAY, God!
* We had a "miniband" tonight: guitar, bass, drums, vocals... but we rocked it (or so I was told)! God is amazing!! Robert, Jose, and Brandy... you guys KICKED it tonight! I appreciate so much working with you... you make my job alot easier (prob'ly b/c I make yours so much harder, lol)! Love you guys...

* Worship Set:
- Here is Our King (Crowder)
- Run (Hillsong)
- Everything Glorious (Crowder)
- Enough (Tomlin)
- Amazed (Brewster)

* Hey, this coming Sunday... tell all your friends... we're having a special praise, prayer & celebration service. There wll be MUSIC... we will WORSHIP... we will PRAY... we have hear what God is doing in the lives of others... and we will CELEBRATE! We have a GREAT KING who is worthy of our praise and adoration... and we're gonna do that like we've lost our minds! :-)
* If that last entry "scared" some of you... don't be alarmed, but answer this question: why is it that we can get loud and crazy at a sporting event, but we SIT QUIETLY on Jesus? I don't know, I'm just wondering!! ;-)
* Well, EXTREME is now over... finished the series tonight, with Extreme Satisfaction... from John 7:37-39. AWESOME TIME!!
* Even when we allow our souls to become dry and parched, the Fountain of Living Water makes Himself available to us... without price... and we can drink to the FULL!! That's just too freakin' awesome for words...
* Breakfast bar metro outreach... people are getting excited about it... got another email from someone wanting to get involved! YAAY, GOD!
* Almost teared up when Dennis Rodman got the axe on Celebrity Apprentice... Christ came to redeem men and women like Dennis, and the Church should be passionate about reaching them! The question is, "Are we??"

Strong Leaders Multiply!

2009-03-27T02:15:00.007-05:00

I love leadership. Everything about it... the influence, the responsibility, the pressure, the leverage, the drawbacks... you name it, I love it. Not all of it is pretty, mind you... and it's not always fun... but I love it just the same. And one of the things I love the most is seeing leaders multiply themselves: taking the initiative and the time to invest in budding and growing leaders... imparting and infusing them with their own DNA, and watching them grow and develop into reproducing leaders themselves. This isn't easy, and it takes alot of time. But one of the things I've become more and more convinced of is that strong leaders multiply themselves... over and over... and over again.

Strong leaders go beyond influence: they're not just influencers... they're multipliers! They don't just look for opportunities to teach... they want to train. They're not satisfied with just being promoted... they long to position themselves in others' lives, so as to help them develop, and then deploy them into service.

Strong leaders multiply themselves.

This is never the exception to the rule... it IS the rule! I'm committed to developing a staff at Mosaic DC of proven multipliers... no matter WHAT a person's influence may seem to be, if they're not reproducing themselves and multiplying Kingdom growth their ability to lead at a high level will never reach maximum level...

... because strong leaders multiply themselves.

And because they love multiplication so much... because of their heart's desire to see mega Kingdom growth... they not only influence, but they INVITE! They recognize that, even if they aren't positioned to invest in all the people around them, they can at least invite them to the party... and maybe other Kingdom-builders will have opportunities to invest in those persons where they couldn't!

Strong leaders multiply themselves... and they create opportunities for Kingdom growth.

This is what strong leaders do. No exceptions.

Be Kind!

2009-03-25T03:46:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, I challenged our people to be intentional and creative in finding someone to show a random act of God's kindness to. "What's God's kindness," you ask?" Well, that's the kindness that attaches itself to a person for no good reason... it's unconditional, undeserving, and the person is totally unable to pay back what is given.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to give a stranger a ride (not saying I recommend you doing the same)... and, at first, I really didn't want to do it. I was sorta in a rush... places to go, things to do, you know the deal... but I said, "Aw, what the heck! Besides, I'm supposed to be trying to be nice!" (Unfortunately, I didn't have a smile on my face).

Well, Phillip (the dude's name) began to tell me his story... how he'd lost his apartment, job, and car recently, and is just trying to find a job to keep his head above water. He told me about how he'd gotten away from the Lord... not fully trusting Him, especially in the present during this huge crunch. Then, in the 5 minutes that he rode with me, he listened as I shared Scripture (and some food) with him and just tried to minister to him in the power of the Spirit. Phillip went away SUPER EXCITED, with some food in his stomach, and some information about some church in College Park that he's interested in checking out!

Okay... I know someone out there has a "Kindness Story" to share... come on wit it! ;-)