America: A city on a hill?

As the cofounder and president of a global family of churches and campus ministries, I try to avoid commenting on local or national events. That is the role of local church pastors and regional team leaders. However, the violent and tragic events that transpired in the United States Capitol on January 6th have shaken not only Americans but people around the world, and I would like to offer a global, theological, and missional perspective to leaders who are trying to make sense of what happened two days ago.

Pro-Life & Pro-Refugee

As most of you know, last week was President Trump’s first week in office as President of the United States. Some people praised Trump’s flurry of activity as he signed numerous executive orders, setting into motion many of his major campaign promises. Others criticized (and even demonized) the new president as he began do to many of the things they feared he would do.

My emotions were mixed on Trump’s first week.

Aim at the Right Things

C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth ‘thrown in’: aim at Earth and you will get neither.” Similar juxtapositions have been said about desiring the gifts over the Giver, or redemption over the Redeemer. What you aim for affects what you value, what you measure, the methods you use, and what you emphasize.

Vision From God and Finishing Well

Paul 

His vision helped him overcome his past. He was responsible for people’s deaths and persecution. (Phil. 3) It freed him from guilt and shame. He pressed into the vision the Lord gave him. You can’t change your past, but you can pursue your vision. Principle: keep your eyes on the vision.

“You can’t change your past, but you can pursue your vision.”

10 Steps for going from a "movement to a monument."

1. From Biblical Priorities to Non-Biblical Priorities: Valuing methods and traditions sacred as scripture

2. From Leadership to Management: The people expect to be managed and those that led now simply manage the people they have.

3. From Volunteers to Employees: Increased staff creates pressure to maintain levels of income

"Z" thinking and saturation church planting

If Christian leaders were to ask themselves the question, "What is the ultimate end toward which God is working in history?" or "What does God want for the people in the place where I serve Him?"… how would it affect the way they minister there? The answers to these questions should describe the vision and define the tasks of their ministries.

Casting a compelling vision

In Acts 1:1-8, we find Jesus’ disciples thinking in terms of what is best for their country; they totally misunderstand the nature of the Kingdom of God and what Jesus is about to do through them to advance His kingdom. They asked Jesus, “When will you restore the kingdom to Israel”? They are in a defensive mindset, thinking about how to protect Israel from Roman rule. Jesus wanted them to be in a offensive mindset, not to fight political battles but to battle for the broken hearted and bring the good news to the poor. To stir their hearts with faith and inspire them for with a bigger dream for their lives, Jesus paints a compelling vision of the future. The vision Jesus casts to them is an obedience based vision – what God will do if they as men and women obey Him.

The true fruit of an apple is ...

What’s the true fruit of an apple? Another apple . . . an apple tree?
No, the true fruit of an apple is an apple orchard!

This simple picture shows the potential God has placed in one single apple: it can bear fruit that continues to multiply itself until an entire apple orchard is thriving where in the beginning one single apple fell into the ground.

If this is true in the physical world, then how much more potential has God placed in His children and in His church! The challenge for us is to release that potential so we can multiply ourselves and become that thriving orchard.