I was shocked to discover that these snakes are common to the North Carolina region. So, it’s not uncommon to come across them every once in a while.

Just so you know, this post lovingly is dedicated to my snake fearing friend, Dr. Perkins.

Nothing’s free anymore? Well, here’s a extremely generous guy who decided to offer “free beats” to the entire city of New York. You know that this guy had to be completely exhausted at the end of this day of filming.

Anyway, enjoy!

I’ll admit, I’ve never surfed. But I do like the beach, so I guess I qualify to make the comparison.

Here’s what I’ve noticed: skilled surfers have developed the skill that enables them to surf longer and catch bigger waves than their novice counterpart. They have learned the art of identifying the big wave and catching it.  They don’t fight the small swells and don’t paddle feverishly when there is no wave. Instead, they wait patiently; conserving their energy for the epic whitecap.

That seems like a smart strategy to me, dude.

Traditionally, Sunday morning attendance becomes erratic at best each summer. It is the surfing equivalent of “mush.” We cannot create the waves, we simply ride them. God creates the waves.

When waves become tiny ripples, a pro-surfer knows to chill and wait.

This summer at Kinetic, we have chosen to follow that example and patiently wait for the heavy wave coming this fall. That’s why small groups have taken a break this summer. It’s why we have reduced Frontline Ministry to sodas and communion. It’s why student ministry is not meeting weekly. We are conserving our energy for the big wave.

The wave is coming and I want our leadership to be well rested so we can paddle hard this fall.

Take a second and watch this video and think about what it would take to produce it.

If you think you have it figured out, then I have a project for you.

Just let me know. I might pay well.

I wonder if your curiosity forced you to their website. Did it?

I love the post-it art genre and would like to give it a shot one day. Maybe  that’s why this video intrigued me.

Anyway, when I first saw this video, I thought somebody must have done some serious After Effects work then pawned it off as a stop-animation piece. But after watching the “making of” follow-up video, I realized that this was the real deal. It looks like somebody might have a little too much time on their hands.

Here’s the “making of” video that legitimizes the entire deal…impressive!

*  *  *  *  *

Sometimes I struggle with being a mom. I have had to give up so much to take care of these four little children. I gave up my career as a teacher and coach. I gave up control of my body when I got pregnant…again and again and again. Most days I give up eating a peaceful meal at any of the three meal times. I have given up sleep, food (it gets nibbled right off my plate), money, peace of mind, time to myself, the hopes of ever having an hour to blow dry and straighten my hair without bloodshed, and the list goes on and on. Sometimes I feel like I have given up my very life for these kids! My whole entire life! Who I am, what I want, what I will be, all for these little ones growing in my home.

You know, believe it or not, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love giving these things up for them (most of the time). Actually, in giving all these things up for my family, I have found my truest self. There will be other jobs in the future, but the most important one, the one that created my defining moment of self, was motherhood. My highest calling in life is to be a godly wife and mother who will raise up godly men and women for this next generation. This is my one job that I know is of an eternal nature. My sole prayer, above all others, is that my kids will love the Lord, their God, with all their heart, soul and strength. Nothing else really matters if they can do that. Nothing I have given up even comes close.

Sunday David started a new series called “Prodigal God.” His talk was about the parable of the prodigal son and what it meant exactly to have been the father of that son. I have heard that story many times growing up, but I never fully realized that when the son asked for his inheritance, the father gave him his “life.” It is interesting that Jesus used that word. In light of scripture it fits perfectly, but because my translation did not translate the word “life,” I never got the full understanding of what the father gave. That father gave up his land, his livelihood, his reputation, his future, his honor, his LIFE, to allow his son to exercise his freewill. I imagine the father did it willingly.

I am so grateful God does the same thing for us. He gives us his LIFE: His only begotten son, so that we might have eternal life through Christ (John 3:16). He allows us to choose, to have freewill, with the hopes that we too will realize we have it far better with Him, than anywhere we can go on our own. Thank you Lord, for giving your Life, your Son, for us!

Ever since that time, I’ve sorta followed that church and his blog.

Yesterday, my heart sunk when I read his most recent post about his infidelity. I don’t even know Gary, but this event has really saddened and scared me. It’s in these moments that I become keenly aware of Satan’s agenda to kill and destroy. We are all vulnerable. (and the moment we think we are not is the moment we are in the most danger)

Just to be clear, I’m not having an affair and I love my wife and family.

We just need the reminder of 1 Peter 5: 8 - Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Please pray for Gary, his family and Revolution Church.

Please pray for God to protect the leaders of Kinetic from Satan’s agenda. Pray that God would keep our church holy.

Anyway, it wasn’t until today that I actually had the opportunity to see the themeslide for our current series.

Last week, we designed the announcement card to look like a ginormous luggage tag. Daniel emailed a copy of the file to Lori Jackson, who printed the luggage tag and shot it with her Nikon D300. One word: amazing!

Kuddos to Lori for creating such a beautiful work of art. You really are a great photographer!

This series is going to be great!

I have a love-hate relationship with those darn cards. I love the discounts, but hate the bulkiness. I refuse to carry them.

This morning I had Diet Coke with my good friend, Paul Baston, who told me about a brand new iPhone app that eliminates that problem. The App is called CardStar and right now it’s being offered for FREE, but will be $.99 soon.

All you have to do is download the Application to your iPhone and enter in the serial number for each discount card that you have. Then, when your ready to buy your discount milk at Harris Teeter, (Ha, Ha, Ha!) all you have to do is open up CardStar and your keychain rewards card will appear right at your finger tips. Brilliant!

Thanks for the App recommendation, Paul.  I love it.    

Actually, leaving is natural. And sometimes it’s even necessary.

When it comes to exit doors, however, the real question for the church leader is distinguishing between times to let go from times to lean in.

Below are six exit doors that you can find in the church. My goal is to create a profile for people who use these exit doors.  (there may be more, but I only came up with six)

EXIT DOOR #1 – MOVING & PLANTED
Sometimes people leave the church because of simple geography. Geography challenges community. When God decides to plant a member in another town, we get it. It’s like God’s way of scattering seed around the world.  Moving & Planted is a natural way of sending faithful members to do the work of ministry elsewhere.

When people leave because they are Moving & Planted the church should celebrate.

EXIT DOOR #2 – ABSENT & WANDERING
Let’s be honest. Sometimes people simply wander away from God. Maybe they’re wrestling with God (which is healthy) or running from God (which is not). Call me crazy, but if someone is having issues with Jesus they’ll probably reject His bride as well.

I see this all the time. When an unmarried christian begins dating “somebody special,” somehow God takes a back seat to weekend getaways in Charleston. When the Saturday night party scene has more appeal then a Sunday morning service, people exit.

Anytime people exit because they are Absent & Wandering it becomes the church’s job to reach out by simply being present and available (without smothering or becoming psycho).  Remember, the hounds of heaven will continue to pursue their soul long after they have left.

Don’t be surprised if the Absent & Wandering person exits loudly, by accusing the church with cliche phrases like “not being deep enough” or not “challenging me spiritually.” Don’t take those comments personally. Nobody wants to be the blame of their own spiritual demise. It’s much easier to blame the church, and they will.

EXIT DOOR #3 – PISSED & OUTTA HERE (with two birds flying)
This is the exit door that will drive every church leader to his knees and add gray hairs to his head.

Here’s what happens: life seemed to be going great, until somebody gets really ticked, really loud and super aggressive. It almost begins to feel like a movie scene where a gun waving psycho locks hostages in a bank. Lives are a stake. And we immediately get afraid of the potential for spiritual destruction in our church. Suddenly we become the cool-headed hostage negotiator trying to just keep everybody safe.

Here’s a rule of thumb: the way you leave a church is the way you’ll enter the next one. Our job as a church leader is NOT simply damage control (though I’ll admit it is a huge concern).  Our job is to help the Pissed & Outta Here person go to the next church without a lot of baggage.

Don’t fool yourself. They are going to leave. But if the church has inadvertently angered or hurt someone then it is our obligation to do whatever we can to resolve the conflict by taking full responsibility for wrongs committed.

Check out 1 Peter 3:15-17

¹⁵But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ¹⁷It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

EXIT DOOR #4 – BLESSED & SENT
This exit door is the grand-slam of church work. It’s what we train for.

I want to be a part of a church who sends out worship leaders, pastors and missionaries to other regions of the country to impact the lives of people we will never meet. It is our church’s culture at every level. (when a small group apprentice leaves to start a new group; that’s sending)

Unfortunately, leavers sometimes want the church to misuse “sent” terminology by referring to them as “sent out” instead of “left.” It feels happier. Sometimes, even church splits misuse “sent” terminology as a cover-up for leadership dysfunction. That’s not right.

Here’s what it means to be “sent.”

1. Sending is always intentional. – You should never send out without first training up. To be sent, you must apprentice. Sending is strategic and planned. It is not a knee-jerk response to a bad situation.
2. Sending is always specific. – Because apprenticeship is a part of the sending process, the church should never “send out” without a specific vision for the calling. Sending implies mission.
3. Sending is always celebrated. – Every time we send out, we celebrate. In the book of Acts, every “send” included prayer, fasting and the laying on of hands. When an apprentice is sent, the church parties (and if we didn’t party, we didn’t send).

EXIT DOOR #5 – DISSENTING & DETACHED
Sometimes, leaving is the result of a disagreement about doctrine or leadership (not personal, just business). Your church will not be a perfect fit for every person. That’s fine.

Typically, Dissenting & Detached people are career Christians. They’ve done church all their lives and have strong opinions on how church should be done; and you’re not meeting their expectations. Often, they were unhappy with their last church, then came to yours. And now…surprise…they’re unhappy with your church.

If you have a Dissenting & Detached member, be careful. You could have the makings of a church split on your hands. Dissent is a cancer that will destroy your church if not handled quickly. The church’s best move is to encourage this member to talk to leadership about their concerns. If there is still no resolution, they should be lovingly encouraged to look for a new place that fits them better. Leaving, unfortunately, becomes the only win-win solution.

If you are the Dissenting & Detached member, you must work hard to leave well:

1. You must be able to say, “I have talked directly and pointedly with the church leadership and we disagree.”
2. You must leave quietly, so as not to hurt the body of Christ of which you were a part. Leaving loudly or without a direct and pointed conversation with leadership is NOT a God-honoring exit strategy. Take the high road and leave well.

EXIT DOOR #6 – RUNNING from GROWTH AND GONE
As far as I’m concerned, this is the most used exit door in the church.

If your church is working properly, your members are growing. Sometimes growth is hard. Sometimes it’s painful.

Unfortunately, the goal for most Americans is not growth, but comfort. And the moment that church becomes the least bit uncomfortable, people will begin looking for the nearest available exit.

Scripture is pretty clear that we grow faster in moments of discomfort. When God calls us to reconcile because relationships are strained people reject godliness, run from growth and exit the church. When God calls for us to re-engage in ministry again, people reject godliness, run from growth and exit the church. When God calls us to confront difficult people instead of ignoring them, people reject godliness, run from growth and exit the church.

I have seen more bickering women and more stubborn men leave the church because of their refusal to be godly and grow. What we really need is a few caring Christians to come along side to encourage growth and godliness in the lives of the Running & Gone.

When people leave because they are Running & Gone the church should pray, because you cannot force people to grow.

FINAL WORDS
Statistics tell us that within the first 5 years of a church plant’s existence, the plant will loose almost every person that helped her launch. For church planters, “leaving” (or as Jesus refers to it…”pruning”) becomes a natural part of growth, and a familiar scene on the landscape.

It hurts when people leave. We feel betrayed, frustrated and alone. It’s natural but seems so unfair.

Never forget that God is faithful. He is still at work building a community of people who love and surrender to Him. And He’s using your church to do it.