Quote from Sunday

So Chris made this quote on Sunday that was quite convicting.

“We are more in love with the idea of being missional, than in love with the God of the mission”. 

Umm…ouch. 

Oh, I get it…

So, a couple of weeks ago my good friend, Doc, came over to help me facelift my front yard with some plants and flowers. Doc is in the landscaping business, so I pretty much stepped back and observed. The yard looks fantastic. So, this is how a conversation went this afternoon concerning my yard.

Me: Hey Doc, so I have a question.

Doc: Shoot.

Me: One of my daylilies snapped in the middle of the stem.

Doc: That stinks.

Me: Yeah. So I just stuck it back in the soil. Will that work?

Doc: Umm, nope (what he really wanted to say was “Is this a real question”?)

Me: Oh, ok. Also, these daylilies are in full bloom during the day, but every night they are closed up. Are they ok?

Doc: Jeff, they are called Daylilies. 

Me: Oh, I get it.

Anyone else had any good brain-dead moments?

Blessed

Been thinking of just how privileged of a place that God has placed me. Off the charts family. Tremendous friends. A church that I care for deeply. And many others blessings. Last weekend Doc Wible came over on a Saturday morning and helped (and by helped, I mean he did most the work) plant some flowers and plants in my front yard. Then he played a little soccer with my little Paige. Sunday, my wife used her gift of singing with the worship team…and it was incredible. Then we had our first Deacon meeting, and again…awesome. Spent Tuesday night eating at Wahoo’s, then got some cup cakes at Hey Cupcake - with the Marlows and Ashdowns. Wednesday we went to Kiddy Acres (small amusement park with for the kiddos). Thursday we had COM Group. Friday we had the Schillers and Jana Cofield (along with their kiddos) to the house for tacos. Saturday, the family went to our neighbor’s birthday party (he’s 2) and then the three of us Mangum’s went to Junior’s Ice House for some AMAZING burgers, then hit Kawaii for sno-cones. Sunday we partied at Vista on Sunday morning, had a cookout with Wades, Marlows, Ashdowns, Casey Creamer, and Nate Pina after our Vista Gathering. Then, went to see Brian Regan and laughed a ridiculous amount (I almost puked from laughing). 

So, alot of stuff…and so blessed. God is keeping me in a place of remembering just how good I got it. Thank you God. 

 

Great Post on Leadership

Click Here. Thx GS

We have to do something…

Not sure exactly what it is, but in the course of the last year God has expanded my heart for the world. I grew up in the safe and secure environments of a Christian sub-culture that chose to watch what was pleasant and turn away when something uncomfortable was near. These are natural responses. But then you start to see that what’s happening in a large portion of the world is un-natural. Vista went to southern Africa last summer, and stories of pain, suffering, and windows of redemption stories were communicated. Vista is going back this Summer. Going to Cairo exposed us to a unique kind of suffering. The kind where it’s so overwhelming and large, one kind of wonders “how in the world is God going to restore this”? Though we know He is making all things new. Social Justice is starting to explode (a relative term) in the hearts and minds of young(er) Christ followers, as well as seasoned veterans of the evangelical world. There are businesses, corporations, entertainment/entertainers, and leaders who are starting to say…”We have to do something…”. A quick glance at the horror going on in our current humanity does something in our soul. It purges all of our safe and quite lame excuses - for not being involved - out of us, much like puking. But a good puking at that. I have started reading Mike Foster’s blog (which is fantastic…and so is his book by the way) and came across this video. I don’t even have a place in my mind to put what I watched. It’s like God reminding me that “things are not right, and I did not intend for you to have to understand this kind of brokenness”. Watch this, and you’ll see what I mean. 

So, I don’t know your comfort levels. Your history. Your present. Your dreams. Or your retirement plans. But I’m convinced of this for you and me. Life must be spent on the gospel story of seeing these things redeemed. I, we, cannot observe anymore. We cannot. Just can’t. Not an option anymore…as if it was to begin with. It’s time to act. Not sure what that means for you. Might look small, might look grand and overwhelming. But, if it’s on your heart…it must be acted upon. Yes, we must pray. But no longer do we pray so that the conviction of something unsettling goes away over time. Now, we pray for how God would mobilize us…our churches…our families…our friends…our communities. 

For my friends…

So, most of you know that I’m a fan of the smell of coffee…but not the taste. Wish it were different, but it’s not. But, for the rest of you…here’s something cool.

Easter Sunday Recap

Wow, what a day. Our Easter Gathering was fantastic. Really sensed the Spirit of God this morning. JCB rocked! The lyrics and melodies of their songs are really, really, really good. Great set list and all the songs led into each other. So, so good. The message was a blast to teach. I mean really…who doesn’t like teaching about the Resurrection? We have a great group of men and women who make things roll each Sunday. They do such a good job. We had a packed crowd and we have had tremendous response from the service via email all day today. God is up to something and I am so humbled to get to be a part of it. Onward we go!

P.S. Chris and I had a BLAST in Cairo. So much, so intense. I’ll begin blogging on it at some point.

Off to Egypt

Chris and I are sitting in JFK Airport in New York. It’s amazing the many nationalities that are represented in a hub of international travel. Really humbling to think about how many types of people God has made. We are going to board our flight (11 hours) to Cairo shortly. Pray for us as we head out. Pray for health. My entire family has battled the flu for the past two weeks. Pray for our families as their husbands and daddies are in the other part of the world for God’s glory. Pray that God give us rich experiences that fuels a passion for His name.Will blog soon! 

Mad FOR Them

Church planting, ministry, the mission of Jesus…it’s hard stuff. There are tons of reasons why. There’s the financial stress (both personally and for your church), it’s physically grueling, and full of spiritual battles that we, by and large, don’t even recognize going on around us. For me, the biggest weight is emotional. And I don’t mean the emotional weight preparing for sermons, or meetings, etc. Those carry their own weight. I mean, the deep desire in you that longs for the lives of others.

Paul makes this rich statement in 2 Corinthians 11. It’s at the tail end of his testimony of suffering and hardship. After he talks about the beatings, the near drownings, the betrayals, he caps everything off with his most intense pressure.

2 Cor. 11:28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Man, that is so rich.

Here’s the deal.

If you don’t want to have your life wrecked for other people’s lives, don’t plant a church.
If you don’t want to wrestle in the middle of the night because some just don’t seem to get it, don’t plant a church.
If you don’t want to walk with a holy discontent for those who don’t even have a holy discontent for their own lives, please do not plant a church.

Leading people is an invitation to struggle on behalf of people. While it’s easier to just get mad at people for not “seeing the Light”, it’s the heart of Jesus to get mad for them. This doesn’t mean we walk around and mope, and complain, and become easily irritated, but it does mean we will have unsettled feelings in our soul for others. This is the heart of intercession. It’s also a reminder to us that the Scriptures promise that “if we lift up Jesus, He will draw all men to Himself.” Not us…Him. So we struggle in the tension of hurting with and for those we lead. And we let Jesus reveal Himself.

There is great hope in that.

Bears win!

My Baylor Bears pulled out a doozy tonight.  Michael Beasley from K-State is a freakshow…simply amazing! That gives them 3 wins over ranked opponents. They just need two more wins to hit the magic 20 win season and they will be a lock for the tournament. If they win out (that means beat A&M again, sorry Kayla), they’ll finish 3rd or at least 4th in Big 12…yowzers!

In other news, I’m still healing up from bronchitis and ready to speak in the morning. SO, SO, SO excited about this topic that the Chase the Lion series has us in. Makes teaching simply an overflow of what God is teaching me already!