Whose Plans?

Isaiah 30:1 has really been causing me to skirm and wrestle.  Here's the Message version:  "You make plans, but not Mine.  You make deals, but not in My Spirit."  That verse almost forces a "time out"!  I bet most of us have gotten mad at God when we made plans without Him, expected Him to bless our plans, and it didn't turn out like we planned!  This verse at least asks us to evaluate what we are doing and where we are heading. 

{In the "church" world, we go to a conference and come back convinced we've got to do what "they" are doing because God is blessing them ... and if we do what "they" are doing God will bless us too.  The reason God is blessing them is they probably got the "plan" or "deal" from God.} 

• When is the last time we checked with God about our plans?


• When is the last time we heard something new, something fresh, something convicting from God?


• When we make plans, how 'real' is God in the process?

As a young church planter, there are two extreme temptations when planting a church:  1) To start a church where everything is what you would want in a church (and the things you didn't like in your last church) or 2) To start a church that you think everyone in your target community would like.  I think in reality we have to ask God first and realize that the His answer will be somewhere between #1 & #2 ... because rarely will God ask you to do something that is inauthentic to who you are (#1) and because God is for redeeming a lost culture ... He'll also lead you to connect to the community where He is placing you (#2).

Weekly Rundown

• Thought we had a great kick-off to our COMMITTED series.  (Check out the cool graphic for the series at www.rockbridge.cc ). 


• It's been great to back in the normal routine this week after 2 weeks out-of-town.


• Calhoun's Inquirer's Lunch this week was great.  I co-led it with Carll and it was great to see so many people connecting.


• Our staff is really getting exposed to a lot of stuff right now through conferences, visits to other churches, CDs and books -- we must keep stretching ourselves to grow and learn!! (Being a church "nerd" I love it!)


• We have two new staff members arriving soon:
  
  
  
  • Brian Holt is coming in from Ohio to lead our technical/production ministry.  We are so excited about him getting here to lead all things audio, visual, & lighting as well as build ministry teams in those areas.
  
  
  • Carla Bray will be moving from Shaw Industries to serve as our Executive Assistant (mainly that means she is my assistant).
  
  
  • This coincides will an effort in our church to really work harder and smarter at connecting people into groups and serving as well as handling the pastoral care needs of our people.  Gail Waters will be transitioning to focus more exclusively in those areas in our Connections Department.
  
  
  
  


• How many departments do we have and how is our church structured?  (Good question!)
  
  
  
  • Worship/Arts Department: all things with music, worship services, bands, singers, technical areas, etc.
  
  
  • Multi-site: this is our outreach effort to reproduce additional Rock Bridge Campuses and/or plant new churches
  
  
  • Generational Ministry: basically birth through high school ministry
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Connections & Operations: focus on helping connect people into the life of the church through serving and small groups; includes Host Team and following up with the dozens of decisions, prayer requests, and first-time guests we handle each week.  This department also deals with finances, facilities, and other administrative areas of the church's operation.
  
  
  
  


• Progress on the Stage 123 Building is unbelievable!!  Can't wait to open that building up!!


• I'm heading down to Mountainlake Church (Cumming, GA) next week for lunch with Shawn Lovejoy.  I've always wanted to meet Shawn in person as he is someone I've looked to a lot (from a distance) for inspiration, ideas, and insights into ministry.


• Beth is out-of-town for a few days this week at a conference in Atlanta.  Whenever she is gone, I'm reminded of how boring I would be without her.  (Why does someone's absence make us appreciate their presence so much more?)


• Can't wait for Part 2 of COMMITTED ... we'll be talking about what men want :)

Timely Words

Last week at Staff Retreat Jason Wilson, the Executive Pastor of NewSpring Church spoke to our team.  His words and message were so timely and on the mark.  Here are the highlights ...

Based on 2 Timothy 1:7

1) God has given us a spirit of power--

• Easy to forget God's power


• There is power in submission
  
  
  
  • Change is okay: it happens and it has to happen for the church to grow
  
  
  • Don't be married to a title, office, or a position
  
  
  
  


• As a church staff, it is a privilege to be part of God's salvation process.
  
  
  
  • We get to help people see Jesus correctly
  
  
  
  


• Don't be afraid to try new things or even to fail ... not failing, not trying hard enough


• Don't be afraid to lead ... have power!
  
  
  
  • God's vision is not cloudy or unclear -- be clear!
  
  
  
  

 2)  Spirit of self-discipline:

• Be an example of a Christ-follower; model church membership to the congregation


• Is your heart connected to the vision?


• Must manage your schedule well
  
  
  
  • Nobody knows where you are spiritually but you -- take responsibility!
  
  
  • Neglect can set in
  
  
  
  


• Honor God with your body

3) Spirit of Love

• Your responsibility to love the church.


• Ministries must work together; vision of the church comes before vision for a ministry department


• The church cannot do everything
  
  
  
  • Put aside personal preferences
  
  
  • Do less for more impact
  
  
  • Organizations get more complex as they grow and with the passage of time; have to fight to stay focused on what matters
  
  
  
  


• Love your calling
  
  
  
  • Never say, "That's not my job."
  
  
  • People are our job.
  
  
  • Ask yourself, "What did I accomplish for Jesus today with the "spirit" He has given me?"
  
  
  
  


• Have each other's backs ... be loyal to each other.
  
  
  
  • Don't let doubt fester
  
  
  • If you are in the presence of criticism or gossip or negative talk about the church or another staff member and you do nothing, then you are a product of dissension.
  
  
  • Keep short accounts.
  
  
  • The staff's job is to love their pastor (then why did they put me into a wall at Andretti racing??) :)
  
  
  
  

New Series: COMMITTED

Next Sunday we are starting a new series that will be a "first" for us.  The series is called COMMITTED and it is all about relationships: marriage (main topic); dating, divorce, men/women issues, and of course the "s"-word (secondary topics).  I am believing God for BIG things this series because I TOTALLY believe the timing of it is a God-thing.

We originally had this series planned for the Fall, but about 6 weeks ago I began sensing God draw me away from what was planned (now slated for late Fall so stay tuned) and lead me here.  I've heard of so many marriages that are going through tough times right now and I believe the church needs to put this teaching out there for people. 
Here's a couple of things I'd like to ask ya'll to do:

1. PRAY LIKE CRAZY! Pray for couples to come to church together; for God to speak, to strengthen, and to restore marriages!  God is for marriage and for families.  We can't let Satan win on this issue.  We have the power of God's truth available to us.


2. INVITE LIKE CRAZY! We all know people struggling with their marriage, with the pain of divorce, with the temptations of being single, or with the opposite sex in general. This is the perfect series to get them to church!


3. EXPECT GOD-SIZED THINGS!    God can do amazing things ... no marriage and no relationship is beyond His rescue or restoration.  Every marriage can be improved.  Believe God that this series could turn marriages around, strengthen the family for generations to come, and see God move in a mighty way!

We're Back!

We're back from staff retreat and it was great!!  We had tons of fun and some great sessions together.  Here's a few highlights:

• Jason Wilson, the Executive Pastor at NewSpring Church, came down and gave a GREAT TALK to our staff and being a great staff.  It was a VERY timely talk for our team.


• We had an awesome time of worship and prayer as we committed ourselves to being a staff that continually knocks on the right door.  (see this passage)


• We went to Andretti Racing ... one of our staff members took absolutely FOREVER to complete a lap.   It was hilarious.  My back is all out of whack because someone put me into the wall :) 
  
  
  
  • By the way, Carll Converse, our Calhoun Campus Pastor was the fastest driver; following by Jeremy Owens and my wife!!
  
  
  
  


• We set a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) that I'll talk about more later.


• I think at the end of the day we're more unified, more committed, and more ready to fulfill the vision God has given this church!

Being on Church Staff

Our church staff is heading out-of-town this week for our annual staff retreat.  This is a combination of work and reward.  We've got some work to do but we also want to have fun, increase our teamwork, and reward our staff for the great work they do.  I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what it means to serve on a church staff.

Spiritual Warfare:  All of us face spiritual warfare but I think it is more recognizable and acute when working in God's Bride.  The Church has always been a target of Satan's since Jesus said the gates of hell could not overpower the Church that was on His mission.

Hospital for Sinners:  Everyday staff members witness first hand what most people either see from a distance or only a few times in their lifetime.  From the pain of death to the bondage of addicition to the brokeness of divorce ... a staff member sees it all and often times must help bear those burdens.

Pressure & Expectations:  Every week there is pressure from parents, attenders, outsiders, etc.  Almost every week someone takes something I say totally out of context and uses it to attack me or our church.  If you work with people's children, sometimes the expectations from parents literally cannot be met.  As a staff member, you have to learn that God is your audience, His Bible is your guide, and His Spirit is your conscience.

First Glimpse of Victory:  Like the women who discovered the empty tomb, a staff member is privileged to sometimes be the first to see new life born in hearts -- this is AWESOME!!!

The Church is NOT perfect.  I love the church and believe in it as much today as ever; however, the church is for imperfect people like me and thus it has its share of problems.  A staff member sees the inner workings of the watch and it is not always pretty ... but the purpose of the Church makes it worth it ...

It's worth it!!  God does not call everyone to work on vocational for a church, but for those of us who have that calling, it is so worth it.  For two reasons: 1) God is worth it.  His love, grace, and mission are amazing!!  -2)  God's people are incredible!  The people of God at RBCC are absolutely incredible.  One of my favorite times with our staff is hearing them talk about YOU, the people of RBCC. 

If you can this week, take a minute to pray for our staff.  Ask God to fill them with His wisdom and power and thank God for them!!

Great Week

This past week I was in Dallas, TX for a Leadership Network event called Next Generation Leadership Community. It was one of the best things I have attended as a pastor.  The people in that room were amazing and I learned so much.  The 3 mentor pastors really spoke into my heart for 2 days and I am pumped that I get to do this 3 more times in the next year!!

One area I am working on in my leadership growth is trying to be around other pastors ... kind of an "iron sharpens iron" thing.  But the neat thing is it is not all about pastoring and leadership ... it is about personal health, your walk with God, and being a "whole" person.  Awesome stuff!!

We've got Staff Retreat this week and I'm PUMPED to hang out with our team.  We'll work, pray, AND have some fun!

Overdue Tribute

Last week I watched Wrestlemania to see my favorite wrestler of all-time "entertain" (I know it's fake!) in his final match.  After 35 years the "Nature Boy" has retired.

My older brother, Marc, and I grew up loving and watching wrestling on TBS.  We had our own matches (for some reason he always won).  On Christmas Day in 1988 we even went to the Omni in Atlanta to see Ric ... I touched his robe (rumored to be worth $10k ... maybe he'll donate it to our Next Step campaign now that he is retired)!!

• Ric was world champion 16 times.


• Ric's signature move was the "figure four leg lock".  Someone put this move on me before the state track meet my senior year.  Our relay team lost -- maybe it's not all fake :)


• Ric was in a plane crash in the early 1970s.


• Wooooooooooo!!


• My wife met Ric this year in BWI Airport ... she asked him if he was a Christian ... he said "yes."  :)

Weekly Rundown

Great week this week!!  Here's the rundown:

• We opened a 2nd worship venue today at our Dalton Campus.  I would have loved it to have been half full today ... instead we had to bring out EXTRA chairs!! And the Wink was full as well.  2 Kings 4 applies.


• Calhoun Campus had a great crowd for Spring Break weekend!  We've added lots of new people since the Egg Drop and Easter!!


• I'm headed to Dallas, TX this week for a roundtable of pastors.  I'm pumped about this opportunity to meet some new people and be "coached" by some veteran pastors.


• Sermon on Hell today ... tough topic.


• Sometimes I cannot understand churched Christians who are "new" to RBCC ... they think we'll change our church just for them!!


• We've interviewed several candidates (all of whom are great) for our Technical/Production Director position ... hope to make a decision soon.  I can't believe we've gone this long without someone in this position!


• Our annual staff retreat is in a week! Can't wait to get away with a team for some fun and lots of work and prayer.  Jason Wilson, Executive Pastor at NewSpring is going to come speak to our team during one session which will be awesome!


• Lots of rain this week ... means lake levels are rising ... good for skiing!!


• I think my office is getting moved again (happens every time I go out of town).


• They framed walls and the stage in Stage 123 this past week.  Poured concrete in the cafe and restroom areas.  It is looking great over there!


• Kicked off the big Oasis Youth event tonight.  Oasis is a community-wide event planned by local youth ministers that we host.  Great crowd and band.  Speaker tonight was the UGA Chaplain ... :)


• Tonight before I go to bed I must simple thank and praise God.  This week God answered so many prayers and moved in so many visible ways ... I was overwhelmed this afternoon when I heard stories and reports from what happened in NW Georgia today.  God is so faithful and so great!!

Esther

Just finished reading through the book of Esther ... WOW! That story would make a FANTASTIC movie.

Here are some of my personal takeaways:

• God's plan cannot be thwarted by anything (including evil) and yet God's people must support God's plan. {Esther 4:12-14}


• There will come a time when our faith will require courage that can only come from God. {Esther 4:15-16}


• God's timing is SO perfect (I am so impatient with this!) ... when it is God's time, am I ready to go?


• God uses His people, even when they are surrounded by difficult, and in the case of Haman, evil people.


• Esther submitted to the authorities (even pagan ones) placed over her.  Submission positions us for God to use us (see Romans 13:1-6).
  
  
  
  • Side note:  sometimes I hear people get real concerned about what will happen if "so-and-so" becomes President.  If God can use King Xerxes, I'm sure He can also use whoever becomes our President.  God is sovereign ("large & in charge"), and His hands are not tied by the governments of man.  And yes, we still need to vote :)
  
  
  
  


• Esther is very sensitive to the culture she is in.  She never compromises her convictions.  She speaks and lives out those convictions in the context of her culture.  (Great application for churches). {Esther 5:1-8}


• Esther met her "defining moment" with prayer & fasting.  God responded with favor and blessing.  Once again, I cannot explain it (not sure I want to be able to either) ... but pray activates the hand of God. {Esther 4:16-17}


• We need to celebrate God's wins in our lives.  The Jewish people instituted an entire holiday to celebrate and remember God's protection during the time of Esther.  {Esther 9:18-23}  I'm not sure we do this enough ... think about how much we celebrate victories in this world: parades, trophies, awards, recognition dinners, ceremonies, diplomas, etc. ... are there spiritual equivalents to rejoice in God's victories?

My prayer from Esther:

God,  You have placed us here for "such a time as this".  May we meet this moment with the same faith, courage, and wisdom as Esther and Mordecai, and may we rejoice in the victories You alone can bring.