2 are better then 7

My family and I were in Indiana for Christmas. We came home yesterday after hanging out in Cincy for the day. We were in a mall and there were 5 adults and 4 children. (Mom, Dad, Sis, Wife, Me, children). I have a three year old that likes to wander. There wasn't a designated person to watch him but everyone had one eye on him. Needless to say he managed to sneak away while we were sipping some starbucks. Not far - he was behind us on a horsey ride about 8 feet. Although he was on the other side so adrenaline kicked in for a split second before I saw his beady little eyes peering behind the ride that was in need of another quarter. I've never considered a leash until then. His mother then decided to watch him like a hawk with his sticky little hand glued to hers under much protest.

I went to bed last night thinking about that and how that applies to bringing someone up in the faith. I am a firm believer in personal discipleship and have witnessed so many new believers fall through the cracks of a church because 8 people had one eye on them but no one had two. I have heard it said that "Everyone's job is no one's job".

"Skate! Gate! Foot!"

Tonight Claire (my little girl) was doing some homework. The task seemed like a fun one. She was to identify one of three items in a group that did not rhyme. When she discovered one she would let out a cry of victory and recite the three items. This was not just a fun game to her. It was a celebration of discovery. The one she yelled the loudest was "Skate! Gate!! Foot!!!"

About the same time I was reading a book at the same table and made a discovery of my own. I am reading a book by Ed Stetzer called Planting Missional Churches. He quotes a book called The Shaping of things to Come. He explains that our Christology (our understanding of Jesus) shapes our Missiology (our understanding of the Mission of Jesus) and creates our Ecclesiology (the way we function as a church).

Too often we put the cart before the horse when it comes to doing the work of the ministry. The form and function of the church must never come before the person of Jesus. We must start with understanding, loving, and serving Jesus before we try to do church. It will remain a partial picture of the real thing and not a completed version of the Body of Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today I was surrounded by family and friends for Thanksgiving at my Mom and Dad's house in Indiana. I am very fortunate to have them. We played Scene it (that movie game) and I talked a lot of trash before the game but I spoke too soon. I found out that I don't know movies like I thought I did. Needless to say my sister and I lost miserably but I will play again... and will probably suck just as bad the next time I play. I am thankful for my wife. She is the coolest person I know and I am glad we have each other. Love you babe - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

T.O. as a Spiritual Leader??

When you see the letters T.O. you might be thinking of Turn Over, or Tasty Omelet, or the first two letters in your favorite breakfast food... yes TOast, but most everyone knows T.O. who plays for the Dallas Cowboys. He is a hot tempered, charismatic, loose cannon of a football player but is also a serious play maker. T.O. or Terrell Owens used to play for the Philadelphia Eagles lost his cool too many times for Donovan McNabb to keep throwing him the ball. Last year he starting playing with the Cowboys and has since found his groove with QB Tony Romo. Romo and Owens connect so well T.O. has been known to run another route than what Romo called for. T.O. just knows that they will connect for the majority of the time because they play so well together and have a chemistry together that every coach would love to see in their players.

I thought this was interesting on Sunday when I heard this because of the translation it makes into church world. There are those that you lead, disciple, serve, or take part in helping develop and need you to know them so well that you might be able to step outside of the normal route in order to make a better play in terms of their development.

There is a book I am excited to read by Dennis McCallum from Xenos Christian Fellowship called 'Organic Disciple-Making'. I heard him speak about it at a conference I went to this summer. McCallum advocates an organic approach to discipleship that involves a unique method towards an individual spiritual development. He likens it to building a fire. He said that he's been camping with enough city boys to know that not all men know how to build a good fire.
He speaks of the tinder as a initial concern for a nonbeliever and the light to your presentation to that person about their need for repentance. The logs put on after the fire is lit represent your prayers over that person you are teaching. It is common and God ordained that we agonize over these people in prayer asking that God give us clear marching orders as to know when to throw on the next log to keep the fire going.

It is tempting at times as disciplers to want to throw accelerant on the fire if it isn't growing like it should. This seems to be a quick fix but you get what you pay for in the long run by using this approach. It is better to watch the fire and if it is growing all by itself at a normal rate than that person will respond positively to the next level but we have to be patient with those that aren't as fast at comprehending biblical truth. This requires much prayer and leaning on the Spirit of God to show us what is the best approach for these kinds of situations.

I believe that most people don't train others in the faith or share their faith at all for that matter because paying close attention to someone's development takes time but it is well worth it to see a new believer serving, loving, and living like Jesus because that is what God wants rather than what the person who is teaching them wants.

There might be an approach or program that your church favors in order to grow people but we must know that as much as people are unique so must the method be that is used to grow them.

Talking Heads

Some of us know the Talking Heads as a band in the 80's if you're old enough to remember but anyone in ministry for too long knows a 'talking head'. These are they that can talk shop about the latest trends in church world with some level of passion and urgency but surprisingly enough sit behind a desk in a church office in a leather chair sipping on a cup of joe when suddenly they realize that they actually haven't engaged in conversation with someone outside of the church in over a year... or two but who's counting.

I was talking with a co-worker today about this and felt that the only influence on the mission field that most people have consists of about 12 people on mySpace - give or take. I went to a conference in October called Catalyst. Craig Groschell of Life Church in Oklahoma said something that I will never forget. He said "God, forgive us when we become full time pastor's and part time followers of Jesus."

My pastor woke up to this in his backyard this morning... I really don't have much else to say. We were going to try to set it on it's feet because of the rigor mortis but we figured that was just a little too redneck. It had eight points and when he came home at lunch to drag it away someone had come into his yard and sawed off the antlers.

Redwing

There is new band I am lisening to called Hem. They have a song called Redwing and I really feel the words.

"We are standing on the rooftops
We are circling like sparrows
We are tiny, we are trembling,
Scared of everything
But the heart is still a red wing"

The basic idea of all of us wanting so badly to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
I love the line that says we circle like sparrows. It took a few times to listen and sink in that sparrows don't circle like predatory birds. We're all tiny, trembling, and scared of everything and that's perfectly ok because our hearts are still redwings.