I've got to be honest. I'm feeling nervous about our new series that starts on Sunday. Sex is such a sensitive subject. So many people carry hurt and shame and guilt over stuff they've done or had done to them. I so much want to communicate both grace and truth (that's what Jesus did... just read John 1:14).

Don't get me wrong. I'm really excited about the series. It's a subject that the church needs to discuss, but it's a subject that needs to be discussed in the right way. I want to be a voice of hope. I want Hub City to be a community where people can be real and accepted and find healing, grace and forgiveness. I sure would appreciate your prayers.

Beginning this Sunday

Thoughts on yesterday

Yesterday was a really cool day for Hub City. We had one of our largest crowds ever. We had a bunch of new folks. We had a new couple in my Hub Group (which was fantastic... and Allen did a phenom job telling the story). It was fun having a full drum set (Jacob was rockin'). I got to play the wii with my boys. It was a good day, but at the same time, I left our gathering yesterday with a bit of an unsettled feeling.

I hate it when I get that "feeling" that something's not right, but I don't know what it is and I can't figure out what it is... you know what I'm talking about? Well, I took Henry for a walk yesterday afternoon and it hit me. It's nothing big, but I think it'll be pretty profound for our Gatherings. What I'm I talking about? I can't tell you, but this Sunday we'll test it out. Let me know if you notice a difference.

I've got to say. I really love being a part of Hub City. I love out team. I love my Hub group. I love what God's doing in people's lives. I love making disciples who make disciples. I love helping people hear from God and do what he says. I love creating a church that 20 and 30 somethings want to be a part of.

Bummer

The story didn't air last night. Sorry to those who stayed up to watch for nada. I must have been too much of a dork to put on air. Maybe they'll air it at a later date.

Prayer

I would appreciate your prayers. I'm about to be interviewed by Fox Carolina about our Sex Ed series. I'm a tad bit nervous. You can watch tonight @ 10 to see how foolish I sound/look.

Something to ponder

When was the last time God spoke to you about what He wanted to do and you were scared to death by it's magnitude? - Henry Blackaby

Together

I'm almost finished reading this book. It's possibly one of the best leadership books I've read. I will definitely reread it.

I came across this quote the other day that I've been meaning to pass along. On page 114 Nancy quotes someone who says, "We all know that we are better people when we get around each other."

Wow.

That's profound.

Think about who you hang out with. Are you better people when you get around each other? Think about who you work with. Are you better people when you get around each other? Think about the people who are a part of your church. Are you better people when you're around each other?

That's how it should be. That's the kind of work environment I want to be a part of. That's the kind of Hub Group I want to be a part of. That's the kind of church I want to be a part of.

Why?

I should have posted this yesterday, but why do we totally freak out when there's a dusting of snow on the ground? Why were schools cancelled all day yesterday? Why are the kids going to have to make up the day when it wasn't their fault that school was cancelled (and it wasn't the weather's fault either)?

It's like somebody sprinkled baby powder in my yard and so they cancelled school. I just don't understand. If you can tell me why I'd really appreciate it. :)

FYI: My boys had a fun day off of school and enjoyed playing in the dust.

Lovin' it

I really love this series we've been doing on Sunday mornings called TXT. The point behind the series is pretty simple: I want people to read their Bibles. I have been completely blown away with people's response. It quite possibly could be the most response I've every gotten from a series. KEEP READING!!!

I know it sounds simple, but I think that reading the Bible is one of the most important disciplines a disciple of Jesus can do. Going hand-in-hand, however, is doing what it says. Which leads me to a verse I read this AM out of Joshua 22:5. The Eastern Tribes had just finished their tour of duty helping clear the land west of the Jordan for their fellow Israelites and were now permitted to go back home. Before they left Joshua gave them this instruction: Be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.

What if that verse characterized our lives? What if, when people talked about us, they said things that were in that verse? What if we could be known as people who love the Lord our God, who walk in His ways, who obey his commands, who hold firmly to Him, and who serve Him with all our hearts and all our souls?

It's about hearing from God and doing what He says.

Thoughts on the modern church

I read this on Mark Batterson's blog this AM. It's worth reading:

I think the modern church has fixated on sins of commission. Don't do this and don't do that and you're alright. But that's not alright. Why? Because goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. That is why we're more known for what we're against than what we're for. Christianity was never intended to be a noun. It was meant to be a verb. It is sins of omission, those things we could have, would have, or should have done for the cause of Christ, that grieve our Heavenly Father. We've got to quit playing defense and start playing offense. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and start loving our enemies. We need to quit pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Discipleship is so much more than the accumulation of rote knowledge. It's a sanctified imagination that dreams God-sized dreams. It is a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God. It's not enough to create our own sub-culture. We desperately need to raise up a generation that feels called to culture-shaping professions as God-ordained vocations. We cannot reduce the gospel to the forgiveness of sins. It's about glorifying God by maximizing our God-given potential and serving our God-ordained purpose. It can't just be about creeds. It's got to be about deeds. It can't just be about us. It's got to be about others. We need the courage to stand up for what's right in a culture where nothing is wrong. But we need to do it in a spirit of humility. We need the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. But we need to do it in a spirit of authenticity. And we need the courage to preach the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. But we need to do it in a spirit of grace.

The 5 Rules of Cuddling

I know you've been wondering, well, Matthew (my five year old) just filled me in on the five rules for cuddling.

1. The light's must be off.
2. You have to talk.
3. You can cuddle in a chair or bed.
4. There can be no collapsing (ie. it must be a safe environment.)
5. You have to be snugly and cuddly.

Just in case you're wondering... now you know. :)

So true

One of my fave bloggers is Ben Arment. What he wrote here is so true.

Liz and I have been in Spartanburg for three and a half years. I think that over that time we've been able to develop relationships and put down "roots" that are leading to what we're a part of now. Movies in the Park was (and is) about putting down roots. Friendships are about putting down roots. Roots are key.

It's funny. Malcom Gladwell's new book, Outliers, also shares how sociological factors are key to a persons' success.

The right perspective

Confession time: I get discouraged pretty easily. When things don't go how I think they should go, when expectations aren't met, when there's relational strife... I get discouraged.

Intellectually, I know that this kind of discouragement is stupid. As a Christian I know that my hope shouldn't be in expectations, but in Jesus. But at the same time, I still get discouraged.

But I've discovered something lately. With the right perspective, discouragement isn't able to gain a foothold in my life. When I look at the big picture I don't get discouraged. When I keep the long view in front of me instead of the short term view I don't get discouraged. When I see conflict as the natural part of life and relationships (that's actually healthy if handled the right way) then I don't get discouraged. It's all about having the right perspective... but it's much easier to write about than do.

"...They did not consult the Lord..."

I'm reading through the book of Joshua right now. I love the story that you find in Joshua. Over and over again you see where the people of Israel hear from God and then do what He says (our definition of a disciple). Well, there's this interesting story in Chapter 9 where this group of Gibeonites makes a peace treaty with Israel. The Gibeonites are scared to death. They have heard how Israel has wiped out anyone and everyone in the land, so they resort to deception in order to save themselves. Who can blame them. I'd do the same thing.

They're pretty shrewd folks these Gibeonites. In order to make it appear that they are from a "distant land" they put on ragged clothes and sandals, take dry and moldy bread, and come raising the white flag to the Israelites begging for a peace treaty. Verse 14 says, "So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord."

It makes sense what the Israelites did. They looked at the situation, they looked at the circumstances, they looked at the evidence, and they made a rational decision. All the evidence showed that the Gibeonites were who they said they were and so the Israelites made the logical decision.

The thing the Israelites forgot was that they were God's chosen people. They forgot to bring God in on the decision. "They did not consult the Lord." Ouch.

This is a pretty powerful verse to me because so many times we make decisions based on what we can see. We make decisions based on the evidence that's in front of us. But we fail to "consult the Lord." We're told to "walk by faith and not by sight," but too often we leave faith out of the equation altogether.

This does not mean that we're to be stupid or irrational with our decision making. It just means that there's a God factor that we not only need to consider, but that we need to know and follow. God sees things we can't see. He knows things we don't know.

So what's my point? Don't be someone who fails to "consult the Lord." Don't just live by what you can see. "...they did not consult the Lord...," May that not be said of us.

The New Van

Here it is. The new Everette van. My only concern is, does orange go with gold? Wanna know my favorite part? It's got an auxiliary plug where I can connect my iPod. Yippee!

If you see us driving around be sure to honk, but if you hit us I might have to get violent! :)

Thanks to everyone who prayed that God would provide. Now we just need to find a new location that's the right location for Hub City's gathering.

Excuses

I've been a little slow in the blogging world the past two weeks... but I have a good excuse. First, we've been looking for a new van. We had two that we really liked get sold out from under us. We're still looking. Second, I've be working hard to find a new Sunday AM meeting location for Hub City Church. We've got a number of possibilities, but nothing is for sure. Leaving the theater was not our first choice, but it's not financially responsible for us to stay there right now.

I'd love your prayers over each of these issues. We need a van. We need a new place to gather.

Commentary

Here's the link to the article/commentary that was in the Herald Journal today. There was a really cool color picture of me in the paper that didn't make it to the website... which is probably better for you. And yes, I did quote a country song. Just trying to connect with the culture.

Speaking of the New Years...

I had planned a series of posts that had to do with three New Year's resolutions that you and I need to make, but I can't post them right now. Why? Well, two weeks ago I was invited to be a regular contributor to the "commentary" section of the Herald-Journal's Faith section. I had to send in a sample for editor's approval. Well, the article was my resolution series and they decided to publish it. It'll be in the paper tomorrow (Saturday).

I'm blown away, honored, grateful, and excited about this opportunity. I'll post a link after it goes live online. The only downside is they have to put a mug-shot of my face next to the article. I think that could hurt their image.

The Big 4

Even if you've been in a whole lately, you know about the Big 3. They were the lucky recipients of my money. :) But enough about cars and bailouts. The new year is a great time to evaluate your life. As someone who's passionate about making disciples who make disciples, I thought I'd share four habits that are essential to a growing disciple. I call them The Big 4. They are things that we do as opposed to things that we know. So what are The Big 4? Here you go:

1. Spiritual Disciplines. These are things like Bible reading, prayer, solitude, and fasting (I know, that's a dirty word). In my opinion this is the most important of the Big 4. Spiritual disciplines are essential to being a growing disciple. We see Jesus going off by himself to pray. He takes a 40 day fast before he begins his ministry. We see that he knows the Bible backwards and forwards. This is so important to me that we're going to be spending the first four Sundays of 2009 talking about one specific Spiritual Discipline: Reading your Bible. How's your discipline?

2. Community. You cannot do the Christian life alone. It's impossible. You need a community. You need relationships. We see this modeled in the trinity. We see this modeled in how Jesus discipled the 12. Real discipleship requires real relationships. Who are you doing life with?

3. Service. Most pastors limit this service to positions that are inside the church. And while those are important I think that service is more of a way of life than something you check off each Sunday. It's giving your neighbor a ride, making a friend a meal, helping someone who's less fortunate, plus contributing to the mission of your local church. Jesus did say that he didn't come to be served by to serve. Where are you serving? Is service a way of life?

4. Worship. Worship is a lifestyle. It's arranging your entire life so that it makes God look good. At the same time, however, I think it's essential for disciples of Jesus to worship together on a regular basis. Do you gather for worship regularly?

There you have it: The Big 4. Each is essential to discipleship. But even though each is essential and you can't go without one of the four, I've put them in order of importance... from my perspective. So how are you doing with The Big 4? How about starting the year off with the commitment to develop habits that help you grow as a disciple of Jesus.