Tonight at 7 PM the Hub City Church family is starting our first ever 24 hours of fasting and prayer. As we enter what promises to be the most significant ministry season in our short history, we don’t want to take the first step without declaring our full and complete dependence upon Jesus and His power. (Thanks to my friend Jay Hardwick for the inspiration behind this guide.)

As we prepare to fast and pray, I want to share some tips and ideas with you so that you are well-equipped for the fast.

1. Remember why we are fasting. 2 Chronicles 7:14 sums it up well:

…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We are fasting and praying as a means of humbling ourselves before the Lord, asking God to forgive us of our sin, and asking for Him to move in power in our church, in our friends’ lives, and in our city.

2. Determine how you will fast. The point of fasting is not just to refrain from eating. The point is to take the energy and longing we would normally have for these physical needs and direct them fully to the Lord.

You may decide to skip a meal or refrain from all foods tomorrow. If you have not fasted before, I would suggest skipping one meal completely and eating lightly for the others. Drink water and juices and avoid caffeine, especially if you will fast from all food tomorrow.

I would also suggest refraining completely from or severely limiting your engagement in television, social media, the internet, etc. as forms of leisure, entertainment, or time fillers. Again, the point is to hunger for God, His Word, and His presence.

Go ahead and plan when your times of prayer and Bible reading will take place. Be sure to dedicate plenty of time to seeking God’s face throughout the day.

For Bible reading, I would suggest reading some in Psalms, the Gospels, Acts, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

3. Prepare yourself spiritually. Spend considerable time at the front end of your fast confessing and repenting of sin. Confess your sins of commission and omission to the Lord and receive His grace that covers over those sins. If needed, make restitution or seek forgiveness from a person you may have sinned against. Confessing sin to the Lord is part of humbling yourself and must be done if we are going to truly seek God’s face.

4. Pray boldly and expectantly. Pray bold prayers throughout the day. We pray bold prayers based on the sovereignty of God, the victory of Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the gospel.

Pray for the people who are close to you, but far from God. Pray for the people you are inviting to Hub City Church. Pray for the Life's a Journey campaign. Pray for God’s favor. Pray for God to move in power in our city. Pray for other churches. Pray for your personal and family needs. Pray for salvations, baptisms, and spiritual growth at Hub City Church.

Do not pray as if you are praying to a weak and distant being who is incapable of acting. Pray knowing that you are presenting your requests to the one true God, the God “who is able to do abundantly more than all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20-21).”

5. Respond obediently. Throughout the day as you pray and read God’s Word, He may prompt you to make a bold move of obedience. Do not resist or ignore His call! Obey and obey quickly. Remember, praying bold prayers will almost always lead to God calling us to make bold moves.

6. Expect spiritual warfare. Obviously, the enemy is mobilizing his forces to their work of bringing about distraction, doubt, fear, and apathy in our lives tomorrow. Satan does not want our church to fast and pray because he knows that God moves in power when His people fast and pray! Expect his attacks and fight them on your knees.

When you feel the most weak, the most vulnerable, the most frustrated, the most distracted, stop what you are doing to pray and read the scriptures. Do not fight the enemy in your strength, but in the power of God.

I am eager to see how God will move in our lives in the weeks ahead. Take this seriously, humble yourself before the Lord, confess your sin, seek His face, and call on His power.

Prayer Guide, Day 7

ENORMOUS GLORY TO GOD

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11 (NIV)

"There is no power like that of prevailing prayer. It turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings life. It brings God." Samuel Chadwick

God, who fills the Heaven and earth with his glory, we pray …

• That our Celebration event will be an incredibly joyful time of testimonies of what you have done in our lives, groups, and marriages during the campaign.
• For our Campaign Directors and teams to accomplish everything through your power and strength in order that your glory would be magnified.
• That each person who is touched by your grace during the campaign would remember to give you the praise and glory for what you have done.
• That the purposeful lives we are going to live will shine bright like the noonday sun in your honor.
• That when asked for the reason for our changed lives, we will point others to you!

Prayer Guide, Day 6

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV)

"Like art, like music, like so many other disciplines, prayer can only be appreciated when you actually spend time in it. Spending time with the Master will elevate your thinking. The more you pray, the more will be revealed. You will understand. You will smile and nod your head as you identify with others who fight long battles and find great joy on their knees." Joni Eareckson Tada

God, our everywhere-present, all-powerful, and infinitely wise King, we pray …

• That your guidance in this spiritual growth campaign will deepen our church's faith and prayer life.
• That each participant in the campaign would have a renewed desire to pursue spiritual habits in his or her life.
• That each person in our church will be challenged to grow spiritually and experience your plan for living a transformed life.
• That all participants will reflect on your purposes for their lives and act on what the Holy Spirit has revealed to them.
• That all participants would grow in their love for you - with all their heart, soul, and mind.
• That the congregational reading of The Purpose Driven Life will be a grace-filled turning point for the maturity of our members.
• That all participants would surrender fully to doing their part to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment in their generation.

Prayer Guide, Day 5

OUTPOURING OF GOD'S PROVISIONS

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'" Mark 10:27 (NIV)

"The work of praying is prerequisite to all other work in the kingdom of God. By prayer we couple the powers of heaven to our helplessness, the powers which can capture strongholds and make the impossible possible." O. Hallesby

God, our Abba, Father, unsearchable, eternal, and mighty Lord, we pray …

• That you will provide the needed volunteers to make each campaign event successful.
• That you will provide our church with all the resources needed to facilitate this campaign.
• That you will provide unity among leaders of ministries in our church, as many adjust their schedules to accommodate the campaign.
• For each person involved in the leadership and details of the campaign, that they will learn to rely on your sufficiency and strength.
• That our prayers will touch the fuse of your power, and we will see spectacular things happen during and after the campaign.

Prayer Guide, Day 4

PROTECTION

"And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 (NIV)

"Tomorrow I plan to work, work from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." Martin Luther

God, our refuge and our shield, we pray …

• For divine protection against spiritual warfare for our church leaders and all members of our church family during the Life’s a journey campaign.
• For physical protection and good health for all leaders and participants.
• For protection against distractions, worries, problems, and concerns - to enable everyone involved to focus completely on what you have for them during the campaign.
• For your protection against discouragement for all pastors and leaders, as seemingly impossible tasks and schedules mount prior to and during the campaign.
• For the mental, physical, and spiritual protection of our pastor and his family.
• For the strength to face trials and tribulations that may arise at this time, remembering that God can use problems to deepen our trust in him.

How close to the fire can I get without getting burnt?

This is a really good devotional reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Prayer Guide, Day 3

RESULTS

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. Philippians 1:9-10 (NIV)

The most holy practice, the nearest to daily life, and the most essential for the spiritual life, is the practice of the presence of God, that is to find joy in his divine company and to make it a habit of life, speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with him at all times, every moment, without rule or restriction, above all at times of temptation, distress, dryness, and revulsion, and even of faithlessness and sin. Brother Lawrence

God, the immortal, loving, and holy One, we pray …

• That the harvest will be plentiful - that those who are spiritually lost will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
• That your involvement in the Life’s a Journey campaign will inspire a stronger commitment by each person to move from a self-focused life to a God-focused life.
• For lasting, eternal fruit in transformed lives.
• That the Holy Spirit will confirm in each life that he is present and has the power to change lives.
• That a deeper desire to worship and magnify you will arise in our church and in the churches of our nation and around the world.
• That each person's life will be enriched through a new or renewed small group experience.
• That the Holy Spirit will encourage many to become committed to our church family and be baptized.
• That every person involved will be refreshed, renewed, and revitalized for the ministry to which you have called him or her.
• That our members will discover and use their spiritual gifts and abilities for your eternal purposes.

Prayer Guide, Day 2

UNDERSTANDING OF PURPOSES

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 6 (NIV)

"If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it, you have more business on hand than God ever intended you should have." D.L. Moody

God, who gives us meaning and purpose in our lives, we pray …

• That our praise and worship will rise as a sweet fragrance to you.
• For you to give insight to each person as to how he or she can help others progress in their faith and grow as a disciple.
• For the truth to be put into practice that "every ministry is important," whether visible or behind the scenes.
• That our church will be inspired to work diligently to reach out to our community with the Good News.
• That the members of our church would be committed to living out your purposes for their lives.

P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Prayer Guide

PREPARATION

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16 (NIV)

"Whenever God determines to do a great work, he first sets his people to pray."
C.H. Spurgeon

God, who enlightens our hearts and minds, we pray ...

• For the preparation of each person's heart and for what you desire to do in each life during the Life’s a Journey campaign.
• For the spiritual preparation of our pastors and leaders; for their times of prayer and solitude with you.
• That the quietness of each person before you would be the most important time of preparation for the campaign.
• That you will provide the energy, time, and endurance for all tasks to be done in preparation for the campaign.
• That the campaign work done in Jesus’ name will be a defining moment in the journey of our church.
• For a spiritual awakening in our church during and after the campaign.

Amazed

I just wanted to say that I am amazed at how Hub City Slickers signed up to pray for each other, the church, the community and the world.

It's an honor to be your pastor. I can't wait to see what God is going to do over the next couple of months in all of us.

What's a campaign?

I bet that the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word campaign is politics. And for most of you, that's not a positive thing.

Well, we're about to change that.

On September 19th, we're starting the Life's a Journey campaign at Hub City Church. It has nothing to do with politics. It has everything to do with God growing you spiritually and transforming Spartanburg and the world.

So, what is a campaign all about?

Well, it's a combination of things. Through a combination of Sunday worship services, individual devotional readings, Bible verse memorization, daily emails of encouragement, small group discussion and weekly commitments, we're going to create a context for God to grow you spiritually and use you to transform the world.

Life's a Journey is MORE than a sermon series. I can't emphasize that enough. That's only one part. This campaign is about developing new habits of time alone with God, prayer and scripture memory. It's about discovering the answer to life's greatest question: Why on earth am I here? It's about reaching out to our lost, unbelieving, and hurting friends with the hope that their life has purpose and meaning. The Sunday sermons are just the icing on the cake.

So here's what you need to do. First, you need to pray. There's a post coming later that talks about that. Second, you need to purchase The Purpose Driven Life. We have copies for $7. If that's too much then just pay what you can. You can pre-order this week. Third, you need to make the commitment to be not miss anything during the seven weeks of the campaign. And fourth, you need to invite people to come.

I believe that this campaign will be the most powerful and transformational thing we have ever done as a church. I have great expectations that God is going to show up and overwhelm us.

I can't wait to start this journey with you!

The opportunity of a lifetime

I want you to do something. It's the opportunity of a lifetime. I want to invite you to join with me on a prayer journey. I want to invite you to be a part of a prayer team for Hub City. Try it out for 2 months, now through the end of October. We're going to use the Life's a Journey Campaign as a guide for our prayers.

Beginning next week I'll be posting a prayer guide for you to use. If you're a part of Hub City you can pick up the guide on Sunday or email me and I'll send you an electronic copy.

But don't wait till then to start praying. Start today. Start now. Stop whatever you're doing and use the following as a guide.

As we look forward to the Life’s a Journey campaign, what are some of the "doors" in your life that need to be opened that you could pray for?

• The "door of time" opening in your schedule to participate more fully in the campaign.
• The "door of courage" opening for you to invite a family member, Christian friend, or non-Christian neighbor to a weekend service or to your small group.
• The "door of trust" opening for you to take a step of faith and host a group.
• The "door of your heart" opening for you to become passionate about prayer.
• The "door of humble servanthood" opening for you to be more available to God during this important time
• Other?

In Colossians 4:5, Paul admonishes us to "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." The word opportunity that Paul uses at the end of that verse comes to us from the word cairos. The Greeks used cairos to describe a decisive moment, a crisis, or a crossroad. It's what we would call a defining moment. Is God wanting you to prepare, through prayer, for a defining moment in your life?

In addition, could it be that all around you, there are people who, for whatever reason, are now open to learning spiritual truths? The Life’s a Journey campaign could be a defining moment in their personal journey. As Paul encourages us, please make the most of this defining moment with them. Pray more than you ever have before. Be spiritually sensitive and ask God to open doors today.

Life's a journey commercial

Upcoming Hub City stuff

I’ve got to say, I am more excited about being a part of Hub City Church than I have ever been. God is doing some incredible things in many of your lives. I think this is just the beginning. In light of that, I have a lot to tell you about.

An Opportunity: Charles Spurgeon once said, Whenever God determines to do a great work, he first sets his people to pray. I am convinced that God wants to do a great work in and through us. And in light of that I believe that he’s calling us to pray. There is an opportunity for you to be on the Hub City Prayer team. It’ll be a 2 month commitment. Bryan Scott and Josh Rogers are leading up this prayer team. We’re providing prayer guides so that you’ll know what to pray. All you need to do is sign up. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. It will change your life. It’s already changing mine. Email Bryan or Josh at lifesajourney2010@live.com.

Upcoming important dates and events:

September 5 and 12: Don’t waste your life. This series is the precursor to our Life’s a Journey Campaign.

September 13: Prayer service and kickoff for 24 hours of prayer and fasting.

• On Monday, September 13, we’ll have a Prayer Service from 7-8 to kick off a 24 hour period of prayer and fasting for the Life’s a Journey Campaign.
• The prayer service will be held at the offices of All Saints Church, 401 Kennedy St., Spartanburg.
• Sign up for a specific hour of focused prayer. You can sign up this Sunday for a time slot (we’ll provide a prayer guide to help direct/guide your praying).
• Fast and pray from 7 PM Monday, September 13 till 7 PM Tuesday, September 14.

September 19: Hub City Church turns 2!!!

• We’re kicking off the Life’s a Journey Campaign (Campaign: It’s more than a Sunday teaching series. It’ll include Sunday teaching, a daily reading from The Purpose Driven Life, memorizing a scripture a week, Hub Group discussion, and a daily email encouragement.)
• Birthday party and baptism at Twin Lakes Clubhouse after the Worship Gathering.
• Start reading The Purpose Driven Life (you can pick up your copy this Sunday for $7.)

Letting go

I read this on Mark Batterson's blog today. It's a quote from Gary Haugen, president of the International Justice Mission:

Gary said we all want adventure, faith, miracles, and a deep knowledge of Christ, but you can't have those things without letting go of safety, security, comfort, and control." You have to choose between safety and bravery. The bottom line is this: God's will in a fallen world is dangerous.

What on earth am I here for?

All of us are dying to know the answer to that question.

It would be tragic to get to the end of your life and find out you've missed out on why you're here.

Your life doesn't need to have that kind of a tragic end. You can discover the purpose of your life's journey.

That's why we're starting Life's a Journey on Sept. 19. Through the worship gathering, small group discussions and daily readings we're going to find out how to make our journey count.

You need to invite some people to be a part of this experience. Ask them to commit to seven weeks. They won't regret it. Neither will you.

How to forgive as the Lord forgave you

Yesterday at Hub City Church I challenged people to memorize Colossians 3:13. It says, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

I came across this from Ed Young and I thought it might help you put that verse into practice. It really answer the "how" question: How do I forgive as the Lord forgave me?

Number one, we need to consider the cross. I mean, as a believer, all I have to do, all you have to do, is consider the cross. Consider what Jesus Christ has done on the cross for us. Consider the preemptive forgiveness that he did before we even asked for it. And that should motivate us to do the work. All of us are sinners.

I’m a sinner. So are you. We’re in this together. That’s why [Hub City Church] is a place for those who don’t have it together yet. That’s why we say no perfect people allowed. That’s what we’re for. We’re a hospital for sinners. I’m a sinner. So are you. And the cross reminds of the price that was paid for our sins. So just consider the cross.

Here’s a second thing: Realize that resentment does not work. It will not get you where you want to go. You will not get back at the person. Think about this. The person who hurt you probably doesn’t even realize they’ve hurt you. And even if they know they’ve hurt you, they’re out having a good time and doing this or that while we are in the corner licking our wounds, while we’re saying to ourselves, “Oh, I can’t believe they hurt me. I’m just all leashed up to them.” Just release them. Forgive them. Say, “God, you take care of them. I can’t get them back, God. I know you’re going to take care of it; you’re a better judge than I am.” Just remember that resentment does not work.

The third reason that we should be motivated to do this work is because all of us will need a giant monster infusion of forgiveness in the future. I know I’m going to sin in the future and so do you. Hopefully, I will not sin as much in the future as I have in the past, but I’m going to sin. I need forgiveness. I need grace. I need mercy. You do, too. And because of that, I should release you. I should forgive you. I should do the forgiveness work in my marriage, with parenting, in my [job], with friends. Whatever it may be, I’ve got to live a life of that.

Because the moment I live that kind of life, what’s gonna happen? I’ll discover that unleashing unforgiveness is unbelievable.

Communication

One of the people that Liz works with made this statement: Communication is a chronic problem in organizations.

That is so true. I know I need to improve my communication skills. That's where you come in. If you could give me one or two pieces of advice about how I can work on communication I would love to hear it. Thanks.

Catalyst East 2008: Jim Collins Interview

Listen for the profound statement that Jim (guy in the tie) says we each need to articulate. That's good. I'm going to use that.

What God's been saying to me lately

I asked myself a question the other day: What's God been speaking to me about lately? The answer I got was extremely clear and a bit upsetting to me.

Here's what God said: You are more concerned about making yourself look good than making Me look good. You're more concerned with your own reputation than Jesus' reputation. You're more interested in making your name known than I am at making Jesus' name known.

Ouch.

Here's the honest-to-God-truth. I don't want to be like that. I'm not intentionally stealing glory away from God. None of that stuff is the desire of my heart. I had no idea that I was stealing glory away from God.

I didn't know it was there, but God did. And I guess he decided that now was the time to make me aware of this dark side.

So, in light of what God's been saying to me I'm doing a couple of things. First, I'm reminding myself often that it's not about me. I'm saying that in my prayers. I'm intentionally bringing that thought to mind. Second, I'm asking you to pray for me. I want my life to be for God's glory, not Jonathan's glory. I want everything I do to point to, shine the light on and bring glory to Jesus, not Jonathan.

Now let me ask you: What's God been speaking to you about lately? Are you listening? What are you going to do about it?

Barriers to forgiveness

There are a lot of barriers that keep us from forgiving others. The following is a portion of a sermon from Ed Young where he talks about barriers to forgiveness. I just copied and pasted his sermon, so I want to make sure I give him credit (actually, a lot of what we're talking about in our series I learned from him). As you read ask yourself: What barriers are keeping me from forgiving those who have hurt me? Here are a few.

THE SELF-DECEPTION BARRIER

One is the self-deception barrier. We rationalize. We tell ourselves rational lies. We just say, “You know, what I did to that person is no big deal. Man, they totally overreacted. They’re an emotional basket case, anyway. It wasn’t that big of a deal. It was a long time ago.” Or we say, “What my mother did to me...? Yes, she was an alcoholic, but it didn’t really affect me, you know. I’ve just brushed that under the rug. I’ve swept it under the rug. It doesn’t affect me. Yeah, what that coach, what that teacher said to me during my childhood and stuff...? The stuff that happened doesn’t really affect me today. I mean, I’m telling you it doesn’t. Everything’s fine in my life. I’m fine.” Be very careful. That’s a barrier.

THE SELF-DEFENSE BARRIER

Another barrier is the self-defense barrier. And that’s the one that we love. That’s probably our favorite one. We say, “I’m going to get you back. You messed me around. You hurt me. I’m going to get you back.”

I lived like that, as I told you, for like 24 months. I thought, “I’m going to get this guy back. I’m going to make him pay. I’m going to show him. Revenge. I’m going to do it. I’m going to take care of it.”

Have you ever stopped to realize this? Forgiveness is a great act of faith, because what we’re doing when we say, “Debt canceled. I forgive you. I release you..” What we’re doing is we’re saying, “God, you are the ultimate judge. God, I give the situation to you. You are going to take care of this person better than I can. God, I trust you.”

That’s why Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Yeah, but they started it. It was their deal. I know that. But our calling is to release them. Debt canceled. God will take care of them.

THE SELF-IMAGE BARRIER

There’s another barrier—the self-image barrier. We say, “Hey, if you think I’m going to admit that I was wrong or I’m going to admit that they messed me around you’re wrong. I mean I’m up here and I’d have to lower myself. They might think less of me and they might think this or that about me.”

Hey, let me tell you something. We are at our strongest when we admit the obvious to God and to others. We are in a great position of strength and influence when we say, “Debt canceled. I forgive.”

THE SELF-PROTECTION BARRIER

There’s another barrier—the self-protection barrier. “I’m just going to protect myself,” you’re saying to yourself right now. And a lot of you are breaking out into a cold sweat just thinking about having to do the forgiveness work that needs to be done. You get nervous thinking about sitting across the table from someone who’s harmed you or maybe you’ve harmed them or sitting in someone’s family room and saying, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” Talking to a spouse or a child or anyone else just messes with your mind. Don’t let it be so.

The Real "F" Word

Yesterday we started a new series called The Real "F" Word. It's about forgiveness. You can listen to the sermon online here. But there's only so much I can say in a 25 minute sermon. So over the next few weeks I'll be adding some content here that might be helpful to you.

First and foremost, you need to dive back into the Bible. Let God speak to you through his word. Let him transform you through his word.

Yesterday we looked at Matthew 18:15-35. That's a great place for you to start. Meditate on the story that Jesus told.

I'll be posting some other info later on, but start with the Bible. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Let God set you free.

I want this for Christmas

Reproduce

Somebody asked me a great question today. Let me give you some background.

The mission of Hub City Church is to make disciples who make disciples. We call someone who makes disciples a parent because they are reproducing themselves.

So the question was: What am I supposed to reproduce?

Here's what I think. Tell me what you think.

You want to reproduce someone who hears from God and does what he says. Teach people to hear from God. Find out what God is saying to them. Then keep them accountable with being obedient.

Your boss needs you to...

I'm posting this as a reminder. I'm sure some of you need this info. I know I need to remember this. I got it from Tim Steven's blog today:

I don’t care if you work for a church, a business, or a factory. I guarantee you, your boss needs you to be… A Momentum-Increaser — don’t make your boss be the only one pulling up the attitude and bringing energy to the workplace. A Values-Champion — No one should live out the values of the organization more than you do. A Silo-Destroyer — sniff out and destroy the silos that exist in departments throughout the organization. Make sure everyone is more committed to the macro vision than their micro project. A Straight-Talker — don’t engage in triangle conversations or put-downs of your team or leaders. A Generous-Giver — okay, this one is specific to working at a church, but I would never work for a church where I didn’t believe in it enough to give as much as I possibly could. An Innovative-Thinker — be solution-oriented. Don’t just come to your boss with problems, but also solutions. Your attitude should be, “Economy tough? Less staff? Lower budget? No problem, we’ll figure out a way to get through this!” A Loyal-Friend — you don’t have to hang out together, but he needs to know you are “for” him. If put in a corner, your boss knows you would defend her. A Back-Protector — always believe the best. Always. An Integrity-Keeper — you are who you are when no one is looking. Your boss needs you to have great character. An Unbelievable-Spouse and Effective Parent — the strength of your leadership and effectiveness comes from your leadership at home. A Lifelong Learner — read books, study other best practices, learn, learn, learn–then come back and apply it to your organization. An Equipping-Leader…not a Satisfied-Doer — You should be building teams and reproducing teams. Take delight in the success of your team more than your own success! What else would you add to this list? Which one is most difficult for you?

Hump day challenge

What something that God’s been saying to you lately? This morning I felt a strong need to increase my intake of Scripture. I know you’ve heard me say this before, but the best habit you can develop is that of reading your Bible on a regular basis. How’s that going for you? How could you increase your intake of Scripture? What would you need to do to incorporate and/or increase this spiritual discipline in your life? Just a little challenge for this morning.

Thoughts from DC

My family just got back from a little trip to our nation's capital. I've got to say, I am super-impressed with Washington DC. It was a fun city to hang out in for a couple of days.

One of the big thoughts that kept running through my mind while walking around DC was the amount of power that exists in those few square miles. It's really unbelievable. Kind of makes you understand how politicians can get sucked into the system.

My favorite part of the trip, however, had little to do with landmarks and sight-seeing. By far, my favorite thing was eating. Man, did we ever have some incredible food: Thai, Greek, Ethiopian, and a hole-in-the-wall bagel shop which we frequented every morning for breakfast. So many restaurants, so little time.

I can't wait to go back again. If you haven't been, or haven't been in a while, you need to put a trip on your calendar. Almost everything you can visit is free. There's good public transportation. And there are lots of great places to eat.

The real "F" word

This Sunday is the last week of our God in the Top 40 series. Hip-hop is on the agenda.

But I'm super excited about our next series called: The real "F" word. It's on forgiveness. I think there is going to be some radical life change that happens. I can't wait.

Funny

In case you don't know, my fellow pastor and friend, the illustrious Frankie Creel is in Haiti on a mission trip this week. I'm so glad he got the opportunity to go. And he took Christian McDaniel with him. If you haven't been praying for them, you should. They need it in more ways than one. :)

Well, here's something funny. On his first night there he had older looking macaroni and cheese and one piece of lettuce for supper. I'm laughing hysterically. It's the mission trip diet. :) He's also sleeping on a bunk bed outside because it's too hot to sleep indoors.

See, you need to pray for them.

You should be a fan too

In case you didn't know, I love reading. I haven't always loved reading, but over the past five years I've become a pretty avid reader. I think it's because I like learning new things. But that's not the point of this post.

I'm a big fan of Donald Miller's books. I'm almost done with his book Father Fiction and all I can say is that I'm an even bigger fan now. You need to read this book. If you grew up in a divorced home or without a father then you REALLY need to read this book. If you're a single guy you need to read this book. If you're a dad you need to read this book.

In case you haven't figured it out, you need to read this book. If you did, you would be a fan too.

Encouraged

I must say that I've been so encouraged by Immersion over the past three weeks.

Immersion is basically a crash course in our discipleship process. I love teaching the process. It's one of my favorite things to do.

I am thankful for all who gave of their time to be a part. I'm blown away that God would give us a voice of influence to other churches. I'm amazed at how hungry everyone was to learn and grow. And I am a bit overwhelmed by how God used, and is using, the experience in people's lives.

It going to be fun watching how the information over the past three weeks transfers into action over the next few months as more and more people grow as disciples and in turn make disciples who will make disciples.

Be fully there

I thought this post was great. Maybe it'll remind me (and you) to think twice about when and where to use our phones. You can read it here.

Good marriage advice

I just read an article with some good advice for married couples. Check it out here.

Focus

Here's a conversation after Matthew's golf camp this week:

Me: Matthew, did you make any friends at golf camp today?

Matthew: Dad, I'm not there to make friends. I'm there to learn golf.

That's focus.

Relationships...

This Sunday we'll be talking about relationships. Specifically, we'll be looking at one small slice of relationships. It's going to be good.

But, as I was preparing I came across two great quotes on relationships that I want to share.

Relationships unlock certain parts fo who we are supposed to be. - Donald Miller

Relationships are the virus of influence. - Steve Saccone

A Must Read

All of us have a dark side. All of us have a part of our personality, that if left unchecked, can derail us from what God has for us. That's what this book is all about.

I love to read. I like a lot of books. But this book is quite possibly one of the most important books I've ever read. If you have any leadership responsibilities at all then you need to read this. If you're a parent, you need to read this.

Help Christian get to Haiti

Some of you know this already, but in two weeks Frankie and Christian are going on a mission trip to Haiti. They're going to be doing some construction work in the hurricane ravaged country.

They've had to raise all their funds to go. Here's the deal: Christian still needs to raise $208. And he needs it by tomorrow if at all possible. Let me know if you can help.

Maybe you could give $10. Maybe you could give $50. Maybe you to give the entire $208.

Thanks in advance for helping Christian get to Haiti.

Great article on faith

This article is worth your time. Read it and let me know your thoughts.

For my twitter friends

Moving from good to great

One of my favorite verses out of the book of Nehemiah is found in chapter 6, verse 3. Sanballat and his posse of bad guys are trying to set a trap for Nehemiah. They disguise their trap in terms of a peace treaty. But Nehemiah isn't fooled and sends them this response: I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.

I love that sentence. That sentence is so powerful, on so many levels, but one reason I love it is because I believe that that one sentence holds the key to us moving from good to great.

I think what separates good from great is the ability to say that sentence over and over again. Most of us have a problem distinguishing the good things in our life from the great things. And because our lives are filled with so many good things, the great things get pushed aside. The key is the ability to say no to the good so that you can say yes to the great.

I'm doing a great work and I cannot come down.

That's worth memorizing. It's worth saying.

A Prayer Challenge

I've felt a burden lately that we need to pray more. I don't know if it's coming from the inadequacy I feel or from the feeling that we're right on the threshold of something overwhelming... probably both.

So here are some things that you can use to guide your prayers for Hub City Church and for Spartanburg. This list isn't exhaustive by any means, but maybe you can use it to get you started.

For Spartanburg:

• Pray for lost people to surrender their lives to Jesus.
• Pray for God to pour out his Spirit in an unmistakable way in our community, all for His glory.
• Pray for churches to work together as one.
• Pray for hunger and homelessness to be eradicated, and that the church would be the ones responsible for that task.
• Pray for God's Word to spread like wildfire so that every person in Spartanburg County can hear, understand and have a chance to respond to the Gospel.

For Hub City Church:

• Pray for God to grant us favor, that God will surround us with his favor as a shield.
• Pray for God to do something in us and through us that can only be described as a supernatural movement of God.
• Pray that we'll be one, that we will be unified.
• Pray that Hub City Church will make a tangible difference in our county and around the world.
• Pray that God will show us who to partner with to make a difference around the world.
• Pray for God's protection against distractions, discouragement and disunity.
• Pray that God will grow me into a leader who can lead a church that's twice our size.
• Pray that God will grow Hub City in numbers of disciples we're making.
• Pray for growth in the number of Hub Groups we're offering and the number of participants in those Hub Groups.
• Pray that we will hear God's voice and do what he says.
• Pray that we will be known by love, that we'll live by faith, that we'll be a voice of hope.

That's a good place to start. I'd love to know what you're praying for Spartanburg and Hub City Church. We could make a book of prayers as an offering to God.

Marketing without money

I read the following post from Tony Morgan. It got me thinking and I wanted to share it to get you thinking too. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

10 Ways to Improve Marketing without Spending Any Money

1. Improve guest services on Sunday mornings. Stress that Sunday mornings are a time for your hospitality team to be focused on visitors. The number one reason people will come back to your church is if they find the church to be friendly.
2. Follow through with your promises. If someone volunteers to take a next step in a group, serving or an event, make sure the process is in place to follow up in a timely and personal fashion.
3. Make it easy for people ask questions. Create a one-stop location, physical or online, where visitors can receive more information about your church.
4. Create ministry environments that compel people to invite their friends.Excellent preaching and worship music is not enough. Every environment in the church needs to create an opportunity for life change. When that happens, you won’t be able to stop folks from inviting their friends.
5. Embrace social media. Facebook, Twitter and blogs are an easy way to engage people in conversation and develop relationships. As relationships are developed, you’ll earn the credibility to encourage people to take next steps.
6. Be different. Begin an unexpected series, have a unique worship experience or do something (good) that gets people talking.
7. Make your church an active part of the community. Open your campus to the community, but also get engaged outside the walls of the church where you can directly impact people’s lives.
8. Eliminate the noise. Prioritize what needs to be communicated. Eliminate competing messages. Stop the spam. The fewer the messages we deliver, the more likely the important messages will be heard.
9. Encourage word-of-mouth marketing. The number one reason people will show up to your church for the very first time is because someone invites them. If you have stopped growing, your very first question should be this: Why have people stopped inviting their friends and what would have to happen for that to change?
10. Lead by example. Although leading a church can become all-encompassing, find a way to cultivate personal relationships with nonbelievers. I know of a student who refused to walk through the doors of the church until her youth pastor, who got to know her at an outreach event, wrote her a two-line note thanking her for being a part of the youth group.

Have you used any of these strategies? What was the outcome? And do you have any other free marketing ideas that you’d like to share?