While I was in the woods

I took a few hours yesterday to get alone with God by hiking up in the Catoctin Mts (yes, home of Camp David). This is my unique and personal "sacred pathway", I get alone in nature to talk with God. The more demanding the season or stress in my life, the longer the hike.While I was out there, here were a couple of things I discovered:

• Not just about the summit, but the climb; not about arriving, but process of getting their. In other words, God isn't just concerned with our results or what we can do FOR Him, but how we do it and our heart during the process of doing it.
• Spend more time hiking (all day), then enjoying view (few brief moments). Therefore, enjoy the hike/ the process, and don't make it all about just arriving at the destination.
• Poison ivy makes trees look very alive (full of green), but it's really killing it. Similarly, cancer will make a body gain weight and size, but is really destroying it. In the same way, religious/ critical people may added size and attendance to a church, but in fact they are "cancerous" cells destroying the body.
• The climb is dirty, messy, sometimes grueling. If you have something to prove, you'll only climb if others are watching. If your only goal is to arrive at the summit, then you'll take shortcuts. If you have a wimpy attitude, or lack purpose, you're better off staying home.

What "sacred pathways" do you have to connect with God? What is God saying to you?

Strange things in my office

There are many strange things in my office. Some of you might be aware that we (Lifehouse East) "borrows" office space from Lifehouse- Bethel. We've moved our mobile office multiple times in various places throughout the building, but appreciate the space. Thanks much to Bethel.

So, you tell me which of these top 10 strange objects that are in "my" office belong to me and which belong to Bethel:

10. Triathlon bike, shoes, and helmet

9. Convoy of Hope biking jersey (ok, started off easy)

8. 23 copies of Robert's Rules of Order

7. A horrible rotten potato smell (please, it's NOT me!)

6. Nacho Libre costum (uh, no explanation needed, right?)

5. a portable, inflatable pool

4. 5 foot tall palm tree

3. WWJD eraser (for those very special moments while you're erasing and the opportunity to show others how Jesus would erase arises!)

2. 5 coffee mugs (4 still wrapped)

1. Satan's in the Toy Box book (ok, this one used to be in here before I moved in but I think the spirit of that book still resides among the rest of the books in the office)

For the person who get's all of them right, there is NO prize! Enjoy!

What Gear do leaders ride in: lessons from biking

As I rode up and down several hills yesterday, I wrestled through a few key thoughts on shifting or stay in gear as leaders. What gear do you ride in as a leader and why?

First, an explanation on bike gears, so that my leadership points have context:

• Front gears are called chainrings (mine has 2 with 53 and 39 teeth), and the rear are called the freewheel (mine has 10 ranging from 11-29 teeth).
• That means that on it's "highest" gear ration, for each pedal stroke, my bike will move 9.5 feet and at it's "lowest", my bike will move 34.3 feet. At 90-rpm rate, I would be riding on "highest" gear at 9.5 mph and at "lowest" geat at 35 mph. At 120-rpm those speeds jump to 12.5 and 44.5 mph respectively.
• Typically, a rider would put their bike in the highest gear going up steep mountains and in the "lowest" gear going down the mountain.

Now, what does that mean for leadership.

• First, if you keep the bike in the same gear, you'll fall over. One can't climb hills in the same gear as racing downhill, and expect to ride for long.
• If you want to look like you're riding really fast and spin a lot, you'll keep it in the highest gear, but also not get very far. However, you'll look like you're going really fast. If you just want to look like you're getting somewhere, pedal fast while in the easiest gear.
• Others want to show their great strength, so they ride in the hardest gear uphill, but their strength gives out and they, either give up, or fall over. Out of pride, you can keep stay in a harder gear going uphill, and then burn yourself and others out.
• Leadership doesn't require choosing one gear and riding for as long as possible, but constantly adjusting the gears based on the slope of the journey and your (or your team's) strength.
• You can shift to an higher gear to rest, ride easier, or get up an incline. Some shift to higher gears just so they can relax and take it easy (go slower, but work less). A leader needs to discern the right gear for maximum speed and efficiency. I don't want to ride easier, I want to ride at my maximum speed whether going up or down hill. That means I must shift up to go uphill, and shift down when going downhill.
• It's better to shift to an easier gear and pedal slower to rest while riding on flat straight-aways than downhill. Usual if there's a downhill, there's an uphill ahead, and you'll need the momentum/ speed to get up the next hill. So, keep pedaling. Plus, you're maximizing each pedal stroke- meaning you're going further for each stroke than if you were on a flat ride, so enjoy the momentum and go faster.

What lessons are you learning about leadership? Love to read your thoughts.

Reflections on biking and leadership this morning

My observations from this morning, so far:

• it was a fantastic and gorgeous starry morning (at 5am). I was star gazing while biking, probably not the safest thing to do, but it was fabulous. Enjoyed the bright moon, and amazing constellations.
• this morning was was happier to be biking than driving. Didn't feel like I was living on less to give more. Felt less like sacrifice and more like a privilege and blessing. Amazing how God turns our surrender into wonder.
• We have an incredible team of leaders at Lifehouse. So grateful that they are less concerned about position and titles, and more burdened with doing whatever it takes to advance God's Kingdom. Insecure leaders can't trust others and develop leaders, but our team is passionate about "giving away" ministry and developing the leadership potential in others and mining their destiny.

Thanks to all for both your support and for being such an amazing leadership team.

We're telling some "Dirty Little Secrets"

It's what the church doesn't want you to know! We're uncovering the secrets of religion.

Whether you've been in church your whole life, or only brushed up against it briefly, there are things about religion that you are uncomfortable with, secrets that you suspect but can’t prove.

So, can we just be honest about religion?

Jesus exposed what religious leaders were trying hard to keep secret.

This is series takes a deep look at Matthew 23 and how Jesus exposed the dirty little secrets of the religious leaders of his time. These secrets reveal religious traps that ensnare so many people today. Discover the principles Jesus taught by listening to our sermons here.

Never Forget

We must NEVER forget 9/11/2001. Great tragedy exposes the very best and worst of humanity, and reveals our utter depravity without God and our complete dependence on Him.

September 11th is a day to remember, honor, and celebrate- our freedom, the USA, those who willing gave and give their lives for our liberty and safety.

THANK YOU to our law enforcement officers, firefighters, and soldiers defending our freedom TODAY! We love you and are praying for you.

We will never forget the sacrifice of the brave men and women who died on 9/11. We will never forget that evil people murdered innocent civilians. We will never forget that freedom isn't free!

In the same manner that emotion stirs when we see the footage of 9/11 again, and feel the same quiet anger and pain that we did 8 years ago, our resolve must be renewed to care deeply for others and give our lives to a Cause greater than ourselves.

In Christ, our Cause is not of violence, but a revolution of love. We share a triumph of hope and compassion. The message of Jesus is salvation to ALL who will receive Him.

Never forget!

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.

Lessons from riding my bike today

Here's some lessons I'm learning about life and leadership will riding my bike:
-your average speed is never as fast as your fastest or as slow as your slowest mph. But the fast speed inspires and slow disciurages.
-slow down over bumps and around corners.
-pedal down hill because it'll make it easier getting uphill. Momentum is our friend, it's power sustains the rider.
-what we take for granted in a car, is a big deal on the bike, but the sights are more spectacular.

Have to keep writin.g these lessons so I can learn new ones.