RESOLUTION-FREE LIVING. A call to being RELENTLESS in 2012

At the end of each year, we go through a New Year’s ritual. We evaluate the previous year, and set resolutions to change our habits and lifestyles.

Resolutions start with good intentions:
We set goals.  We make commitments.
We tell our friends. We start…

Then, as quickly as the new year begins, our resolve wanes. Busyness kicks in and old habits find new life.

What was once comfortable becomes comfortable again.

And what happens to our resolutions? We want and even intend to do what we couldn’t do in the past. Yet, new resolutions require new disciplines. We get tired. We experience setbacks, delays, and unanticipated obstacles.

We get busy. Daily life distracts us. Deadlines and demands zap our energy and quiet our enthusiasm.

Therefore, I’m calling for no more resolutions. 2012 will be RESOLUTION-FREE.

Let’s NOT make any more commitments with good intentions but no execution.

Let’s NOT recycle the same guilt, failures, and regrets into yet another year of broken promises, disappointments, and inadequacies.

At Lifehouse, our goal is to provide resources that will empower you to live RELENTLESSLY for God. We want to assist you in developing a vibrant relationship with Jesus by establishing a daily prayer time and reading through the Bible. We want to challenge you to give your talents, time, and treasures to the Cause of Christ, and to join this authentic community of Jesus followers called the Church.

What do you need in order to be RELENTLESS in 2012?

Join us THIS Sunday for a powerful call to a radical commitment to live relentlessly in 2012.

What do you want to be different about your life this time next year?


Are you willing to commit? Will you give God your all this year? 

Top Lessons from 2011- Be Faithful in Little

My next several posts will be lessons I learned or re-learned (the hard way) in 2011. All of them were learned through experience not books or in theory. Hopefully, I can save you the pain of learning them through difficult, so learn from my brokenness.

BE FAITHFUL IN LITTLE BEFORE BEING ENTRUSTED WITH MUCH

I started out 2011, leading Lifehouse with a vision to plant one new church this Fall and start 2 multi-sites, one on Saturday evening and the other as a 2nd campus on Sunday mornings. To be frank, I even shared with our team and thought privately that it was very ambitious and seemed impossible. I suggested that it's not really how churches function, even a thriving, healthy church like Lifehouse.

Then, I figured, "our vision for the Church should be overwhelming and seem impossible."

We planted Lifehouse- Hedgesville and it publicly launched in Sept. 2011! We're very excited about what God has done and is doing through Pastor JD and LHC-H.

BUT the lesson: we didn't start 2 multi-sites in 2011. We are still working on getting a multi-site service up and going and have it in the works for 2012. We very much plan on making this happen with God's help. However, we did learn a hard lesson: Be Faithful in Little BEFORE being entrusted with much!

God entrusts us with little so we can prove faithful and fruitful. Once, we've learned the necessary skills, lived the experiences, and developed the character needed to thrive in much, God will entrusts us with MORE. Then, MUCH!

We had not proven that we could launch ONE multi-site or plant ONE new church! So, it was not only ambitious to plan to launch 3 in one year, it was unrealistic. Not because God is unable, but because Kingdom- wisdom requires us to learn, be faithful in little THEN be entrusted with more.

We are planning on launching a multi-site this year. We hope to learn all the necessary lessons and gain all the necessary experience so that we can launch another.

What lessons do you need to learn in your area of "little" so that God can entrust you with "more"?


How can you prepare yourself rigorously for the dreams God has put in your heart?

Enjoy the journey

As Americans, as leaders- we're results-oriented. I'm guilty. Too often, I allow my emotions, attitude, and happiness to rise and fall based on the results that I get or see. I want instant results in church, in other people's lives, in ministry, in preaching, and even in myself.

But that's not how we were designed nor how ministry life works. I (and we) need to learn to enjoy the journey. It's not about arriving but embracing each moment. Wise elders have spoken these words into many parents, and Laura and I have taken it to heart,

"Don't wish away the moments when you're kids are young, even if it's difficult and you're tired."

"Don't complain about the fingerprints on the windows- someday they won't be there and you'll wish they were."

Similar sentiments can be share about ministry:

Enjoy the journey- the hardships, the difficulties, the moments without. They make us appreciate the moments of victory and laughter and enjoyment.

Enjoy the climb up, the view is more satisfying and meaningful if it costs you.

In pastoring and serving people:

Enjoy conversations, love people, embrace moments of prayer and meaningful leadership development. Don't wait for them to arrive at a destination, it's about the journey.

Don't live to arrive at a desired destination, trust me there are no summits.

Every summit just reveals the next. So, if you're living to reach a point in life or ministry, and don't enjoy the journey, you'll waste precious moments and loose valuable memories.

God has given you TODAY. Embrace it. Enjoy the journey- the views, every person, each challenge, every obstacle, valley, and mountaintop.

What do we do in this turbulent economy?

I got the privilege to attend a breakfast presentation this morning with Steve Forbes and Northwestern Mutual CEO John Schlifske in DC. What amazed me was that much of their thoughts/ teachings was how much of it was biblical wisdom that it regularly offered in sermons weekly (or at least should be). Love it when truth is shared that reaffirms our faith. Truth is truth regardless of where it's applied or what industry embraces it. It works every time. Read for yourself.

These are notes adapted from the forum discussion by these financial wizards (and I've adapted some of them into biblical, spiritual, church-oriented principles):

3 steps to financial strength:
1. Financial plan- like a game plan- each person needs both an offensive & defensive plan,
2. Financial advisor- like a coach, we need someone to help guide and implement that plan,
3. Save more. Consume less, save more. Basically, the borrowed the Lifehouse-ism of "live on less to give more" (or in this case, retire with more).

• When investing, emotions are our enemy. They do immense harm causing people to buy high, sell low. -Forbes.
• Be patient when investing. Compound interest is a true miracle -Einstien.
• If it feels good, don't. If feels bad, probably right. This one surprised me. Sounds like the counter-cultural, counter-intuitive teachings of Jesus and the way of the cross.
• 3x harder to preserve wealth than to build it. Why? Once we have, we spend/ waste. We adjust our lifestyle to abundance, rather than maintaining our values and purpose for wealth.

Top Focus for Investing:

• Keep long-term perspective rather than looking for quick fix solutions. 'When do you plan to use your investment?' If you have time, then don't panic, don't jump early. When people panic, they do stupid things when market fluctuates and make bad decisions that are personally destructive. Same could be said spiritually.
• Life expectancy continues to increase, so plan further ahead. Make sure your making preparations for deep into retirement. Plan to live a long time. (On spiritual note- are we planning past retirement to eternity? How far ahead are you planning?)
• Greatest risk is to under-estimated expenses in retirement, esp. health care costs. So, plan for higher expenses in retirement. (Spiritually, greatest risk is not to be prepared for eternity and underestimate the reality of hell/ eternity. It cost Christ more than you can imagine.)
• Most critical tool in current business climate- cash flow. Businesses need working capital. Don't waste cash in moment, but plan 5 yrs down the road.
• Can eat well or sleep well, but not both. (Spiritually, whatever you sow, you'll reap. If living for self, reap destruction)
• Stay focused on core competencies rather than areas where you can't add value. Clear on mission & purpose both in non-profit & business. (I think they borrowed this concept from Blanchard's Leading at Higher Levels and Warren's Purpose Driven Life).

How do we balance risk & investment? (allow me to insert the word faith for risk, just for the sake of spiritual application)

• Recognize key areas of risk- disability & out-living your income. Faith areas- possibilities that we can predict and eternity.
• First, focus on risk management, then think about wealth accumulation. Take care of "risk" areas first, then start to build wealth. (Faith trumps this lifetime. Have we made proper preparations for eternity or are we just re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic).
• Quickly adapt to change and new factors in market. The speed of adaptability determines longterm health of business.
• Accept changes- plan for them, then take risk step of investing. (Do we appropriately expect challenges and hardship, then allow our faith to full us through? Are we willing to take bold steps of faith in the midst of difficult circumstances, even when the odds are against us?)
• Gold, like oil, won't stay up forever- only 5% of portfolio. (Nothing lasts, even gold will eventually be destroyed)
• Like at-bat in baseball, take risk on 3-0 count, since you'll get another chance if you miss NOT on 0-2 count when you'll strike out.

What's holding economy back? (this one's for church leaders. Application- think "what's holding back the church from fulfilling her mission?)

• Policy- gov't runs $. Like running the engine of a car, if it lacks gas, goes empty but too much gas, flooded. Fed putting in too much 'gas' by printing $, which slows down recovery and drives up prices, (What codified policies are holding back the Church from impacting our communities? What "old", not necessarily biblical, methods are flooding the church with the wrong busyness and distracting her from her mission?)
• For economy to truly stabilize, the dollar must be relinked to gold, which has intrinsic value. (Where does the church derive value? Faith in Jesus, truly living the absolute truth of the Bible)
• Tax reform- congress must simply the tax code. Most significant documents in world are brief, unlike the 9.5 million word tax code. (Keep our faith in Jesus simple and practical)
• Need positive reform of health care by cutting out the middle man 3rd-party system to allow free trade between customer & medical providers. Give patients back control of their health care.
• US in painful pause but not decline,
• Revenue base (taxes of 2.2 trillion) devoured by entitlements (about 2.3 trillion) plus all the rest of government spending (another 1 trillion).

Where's interest rate going?

• Inflation/ bonds won't explode,
• Biggest issue is employment,
• Greater risk in deflation now than inflation,
• 8% annual expectation for return on investments is hopeful not likely,

Leadership thoughts:

• In business and investing, keep focused on core purpose/ mission (yeah, that works well for the church too),
• Earning trust- great leaders don't leverage position but earn trust over time.
• Help people (those you serve and those you employee) see something bigger than themselves (find bigger purpose/ Cause- can't think of a Cause greater than eternity),
• Respond quickly to 'curveballs'- focus on changes, adapt fast,
• Focus on details to generate productivity or the details will devour it,
• Stick to Values: NorthWestern Mutual's: 1. Strength (provide a stable, strong investment environment for clients); 2. Pay dividends (add value to those you serve); 3. Do the right thing all the time (wow! any church/ Christian could take these values, which seem very biblical and apply them to their life).

Secret to growth:

• Don't rest on laurels from past or relax or try to preserve greatness, since there are others trying to catchup,
• Don't forget the "why" & where your going (keep your eye focused on the destination).

Hope you found this helpful from both a financial and personal/ spiritual/ leadership perspective.

Would love feedback and thoughts?

Weird Approach to Time Management

Repost from Lifechurch.tv blog SWERVE.

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A Weird Approach to Time Management Posted: 06 Apr 2011 03:48 AM PDT Over the next few days, I’d like to share some of my favorite parts from Weird: Because Normal Isn’t Working. In the book, Craig looks at what it means to be weird in five key areas: time, money, relationships, sex, and values. Today’s excerpt tackles time: We’re always rushed, always on the move, never having enough time. Almost everyone I know has little room for error in their schedule. Tragically, most people have little time for the things in life that they would say are the most important to them. When we overschedule ourselves in the belief that we can do everything, we stop being human and try to become godlike — not only impossible but also incredibly arrogant. Most of us are living at a pace that is not only unsustainable; it’s also unbiblical. Instead of our typical conclusion that we simply don’t have enough time, what if we embraced the truth — no matter how weird or counterintuitive it might seem? You have enough time to do everything God wants you to do.God has given you everything you need to accomplish all that he wants you to do, including enough time (see 2 Peter 1:3). We don’t need more time. We need to use the time we already have differently. You have time for what you choose to invest your time in. Every day most of us say, “I just don’t have time to work out . . . to read the Bible . . . to go to church this week . . . to meet for lunch . . . to add one more thing.” But the truth is, we find time for what’s important to us. If golf is really a priority to us, we find time to play golf. If going to dinner with our friends matters, we make it happen. If tanning, working out, or getting our hair cut is a priority, we seem to find time. Catch yourself the next time you’re about to say, “I don’t have time” for something. Tell yourself the truth: either it’s not a priority and you’re guarding your time for good reason, or you simply aren’t willing to choose to spend your time on it. I feel challenged! Where do I need to build time for God to do in and through what He desires? Tired of normal? Be WEIRD! Get it in print or download it from: Amazon

What's Keeping Us from Living Our Dreams

It's not intentions or dreams that matter. It's action or the lack there of.

What's keeping us from living our dreams is not ability, competence, resources, or the right connections. Initially, you might be tempted to disagree and disregard my post. BUT...

I've heard lots of people share big ideas, powerful dreams, and grandiose plans with me. All of which are entirely possible. However, while they're sharing, I'm tempted to ask, "are you really serious about living that out and seeing it through?" Sharing a dream is one thing. Having good intentions is encouraging. But neither actually make anything happen.

Want to know how dreams are lived, plans are laid, and ideas are fulfilled. Action! That's right! Execution. Implementation.

It's what you actually DO that determines whether you'll accomplish your dreams or not.

If you say one thing, but continue doing what you've done or never actually do anything to move toward that dream, guess what? You're not going to live those bold ambitions.

Andy Stanley teaches and explains it best in his podcast, The Principle of the Path (listen here or read his book here). It's the steps you take in a direction that lead to a destination NOT your intended destination. You can want and dream to arrive at a specific destination. BUT if you step in another direction, you will invariably arrive at the destination with which you've actually walked.

So, you want to live your dream? Do something. Write out all the action steps it will take over the next 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Then, discover and decided on one action step that you can take immediately to begin living out that dream.

Read a book. Start writing a book. Take a college course. Start down-sizing. Start giving more. Run ONE mile. Throw out the cigarettes or soda or chips. Make the phone call. Send in the application. Make the appointment.

Lesson #10 from 2010

It's not the BIG plans but the LITTLE steps that matter.

Here are a few sub principles that undergird this one:

• under promise, over deliver. And when we can't deliver on the promises or expectations we've given, we must come to you and tell you honestly, and explain why.
• set realistic deadlines, eventually they arrive.

There are lots of big dreams and bold ambitions buried among the tombs of cemeteries. Why? There is a great divide between dreaming and doing the necessary action steps everyday to arrive at that dream.

Big dreams and bold initiatives feel illusive and unrealistic. And they are, especially if they're God-size and God-led. Those kind of Kingdom- dreams should scare us and leave us feeling like we will fail if God doesn't intervene. But should we sit around and wait for God to accomplish His dream in our life? NO!

How are we responsible to live out the BIG dreams of God in our life?

1. Pray and listen to God to receive God-sized dreams that will accomplish His purposes for our life, and advance His Kingdom rather than our agenda.
2. Develop clear strategy to accomplish this dream, set objectives and timelines,
3. Develop measurable, realistic, actionable small steps that daily move you in the direction of fulfilling the strategy of the dream. Attach reasonable timelines AND deadlines to these action steps.
4. JUST DO IT! Every day we must do the hard work of acting out our dreams by taking action and laboring. 
5. Prayerful seek out the resources (people, finances, etc) needed to accomplish the objectives of the dream.
6. Share and give away every small "win" or victory along the way. Give God ALL the glory! No matter how hard we've worked to fulfill the dream, God gives the increase and produces the results through us.
7. Adjust the strategy and action steps as needed but NEVER loose sight of the BIG dream. When you fail, don't give it, it was just a good lesson in achieving the ultimate dream.

Dreams are lived in the little, daily steps. We only make it to the mountaintop if we're willing to pay the price in preparation, pain, hiking, and enduring.

As a reference, read Collin's, Good to Great, chapter on the Flywheel Principle or a brief overview here.

Every little step leads in a direction.

Are you taking small steps toward God's purposes and plans for your life? Or are you stepping one direction but dreaming in another? 

Living and leading on principle- part 1

People want to copy or replicate what works, whether in business, ministry, marriage, parenting, or any other life- pursuit. That's why their are how-to books that top the best-seller lists week after week. We all want the techniques and methods on how to get rich, parent an all-star, or lead a community-impacting church.

But does replication and duplication really work? Can I copy your methods and reasonably expect to get the same results?

The answer is emphatically NO! Now, don't panic, it's not that you should throw away every book, stop reading this blog, and ignore every teacher. It's just that we can't COPY or duplicate a method and expect the same results as our method trend-setter.

Most books and methodologies get established, because someone experimented, diligently worked, prayed, re-tried, failed, cried, fasted, struggled THEN experience, over time, what we call "success". Then, they write a book , teach a class or seminar EXPLAINING the techniques that took them a lifetime of process and brokenness to uncover and live.

It's NOT the techniques that produce the results we all desire, it's the process of living by God-ordained principles.

DON'T look for the techniques or methods to effectiveness. That will only lead you to unhealthy comparisons and frustration.

DO study the principles that underlined another person's effectiveness, and follow their example. Jesus lived a principled life and taught us His WAY! He did not offer us a bunch of methods. When we lived on principle, methods will come and go, but we will live solid on TRUTH!

Tri-ing to Feed the Hungry

Join me in trying to feed the hungry!

For the month of September, I've given up my car and am jogging and biking everywhere I go that I'd normally drive.

My reason: living on less to give more. I'm donating my car expense for this month to Hagerstown Convoy of Hope, and it will go to help feed those in need through Convoy.

I'm also getting in shape for a triathlon, thuse tri-ing to feed the hungry.

The main point is to live on less for myself to give more to others, and inspire everyone I can to do the same. Many feel like they can't give because they "don't have enough". But we all have so much and live with such abundance, especially in contrast to the deepest poverty in nations where people don't have clean drinking water or any food to eat.

We can make a difference by giving more and living on less.

Want to know how you can help?

Two ways: help Convoy of Hope by sponsoring me per mile and donating the proceeds through the website. I've already riden over 175miles, and expect to do about 450-500 total. You can also donate directly to Hagerstown Convoy of Hope or Convoy of Hope International by going to their websites. This is an international relief organization that brings aid and Hope to those desperately in need.

Join Lifehouse in "Getting Dirty" by serving those around you. If you live within driving range of Hagerstown, you're invited to come serve at our outreach event on September 26th. For more info, go to the website.

Lifehouse MOMENTUM- part 3

How can YOU partner with us?

Our goal is to quickly turn around this facility so that when the Grand Opening date arrives,  both Leitersburg Cinema, LLC and Lifehouse Church East will generate excitement and positive feedback from the community.  Since the Grand Opening date is only months away, we must quickly raise the resources to begin renovations immediately.

What's exciting is that we'll see immediate impact on the investment we are making in God's Kingdom.

This is your opportunity to join us in partnering both in prayer and giving. You may also consider volunteering time to work on a crew to help renovate.  

If you are interested, please consider maing 18-MONTH Pledge by emailing us at info@lifehousechurcheast.org or turning a pledge card on Sunday June 7th or by mail.

We are asking that you would consider making an initial sacrificial offering on Sunday, June 7th, and then give a monthly pledge over the next 18-months. Also, we strongly encourage you to pass this email, letter, or blog post along, to those you believe will be willing to partner with Lifehouse in this bold adventure.

Our hope is that Exodus 36 will come alive at Lifehouse as you and our church family join in what God is doing:

“…the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”  Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”

We covet your earnest prayers and generous giving. I can assure you that we will keep our focus on sharing and showing Jesus’ love to our community, and this building will be a tool to advance the Cause of Christ.

We are grateful for your financial support of Lifehouse and are encouraged by your confidence in our ministry. May God bless you abundantly!

Fired up!

P.S. For more information about the renovation project or your 18-Month Pledge, please call our church office at 301-824-4656.

Seeds

There are seed moments in God's design. These are moments when God plants a dream, idea, prayer, passion, and/ or destiny. Initially, it feels vague, impossible, and "pie-in-the-sky", and often we have to just trust God and keep praying. 

Through obedience and faithfulness, God will cause the seed to germenate into a growing plant that eventually breaks the surface of the earth. And as the young plant grows and develops, it becomes a strong and mature plant that produces much fruit.

God's desire for our lives is that we would THRIVE! Read John 15:8.

Watch the seed moment for Lifehouse Church east revealed. This is an amazing story of God's faithfulness to bring the seed to fruit-bearing tree through our faithfulness and obedience. Thank God for the giants of our faith who have prayed our dreams into existence.

What seeds are in you that God desires to grow to fruitfulness? Are you being obedient and faithful?

I know what I want to be when I grow up!

Just saw this awesome video of what I want to be when I grow up. I should probably get some training first, and start with some preliminary test runs. Definitely think this should be part of our next family vacation as well! I think Laura would love it too.

Dare to Fail

When I was (attempting) training for the Baltimore marathon back in late summer, I wasn't feeling very confident about the prospects of running 26.2 miles. And a very supportive (albeit, slacker) friend ask me, "why don't you just wait until next year? you're not ready yet, and besides, why bother doing a marathon?"

My response is more telling then just training for a marathon. I said something like,

"I like setting goals and aiming for something that I'm relatively sure they I can't accomplish at this moment, and don't feel confident that I'll ever accomplish." And I asked in return,

"Wouldn't you rather try and fail than never try at all? See, I want to do things that press the limits of what I'm capable of doing or have faith to believe in. I'd rather aim high and fall short, run and not finish than never run at all."

DARE TO FAIL.

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? Do it anyway, what's the worst that can happen? Be realistic, but dare to fail when you set goals.

What spiritual goals, giving goals, ministry goals are you setting? If they are truly faith-filled goals, they must seem impossible unless God intervenes.

Only dream and aim for goals that you're guaranteed will fail without God showing up. Then, you know you're living by faith, and relying on God. If it's humanly possible, we don't need God. Do everything humanly possible, then leave the impossibilities up to God.

This time every year, when I'm writing our church budget, I wrestle with this tension. What's prudent and what's faith? When I look back at the year's budget, I think, where was my faith? I only projected 25% or 33% growth. Only to be blown away with 40-50% growth. Then, I look ahead to the next year and think, "No way, I can't project 40% growth, better go with a more conservative 20% growth. That actually seems possible." See what I mean?

Set goals that you could actually fail in? Trust me, the sting of failure is overwhelmed by the exhilaration of triumph, faith, and daring great exploits for God.