daily walk Posts

Thoughts on Leaving…

01 Sep , 2010 8 Comments

I’ve recently made the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life.  Yesterday I was the Pastor of the FBC McKinney; today I officially begin my new role as Pastor of the Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.  Though God’s call on my life has come once again- with crystal clarity- it has been difficult nonetheless.  In fact, I’ve discovered that those things are almost always one and the same; following God is always costly.  Throughout the process I have turned to Jesus, venturing deeply into His character, His heart, and His desires.  I’ve hung out in places like Colossians 1 where Paul offers one of the most comprehensive revelations of Jesus Christ in all of Scripture. There, Paul speaks of the preeminence of Christ- the Supremacy of Christ in all things.  He summarizes his thoughts with, “Christ is all.” Colossians 3:11

Years ago I decided that Christ would be preeminent in my life but the reality of that commitment has played out in ways I would’ve never imagined.  Christ becomes preeminent in one’s life only after being confronted with a series of life’s hardest decisions.  I’ve been confronted with the same question(s) that Peter wrestled with on the shore of Galilee.  In John 21, Jesus is face to face with Peter for the first time since His resurrection.  He’s given up as a disciple.  He has denied his Master and now Jesus will show Him the depth of His forgiveness and the length of His restorative agenda for Peter.  Jesus asks,

“Do you love me more than these?” John 21:15

What are “these”?

  • More than these other disciples love Me?
  • More than you love these disciples?
  • More than you love these fish? (Some commentators offer a stronger argument for this option than you might imagine).

Do you love me? Here’s the weight of this question:

  • As I love you?
  • More than you love any other human relationship?
  • More than your own livelihood?
  • More than your own plans, hopes, and dreams?

As I’ve wrestled with this question as never before, I’ve asked (again), “How would I know?”  How would I really know if I love Jesus more than anything/anyone else in life?  In the end, the only way you would know is if God called you to give up your hopes, your dreams, your loves, – even your deepest and most meaningful relationships- in order to follow Him.  This, of course, aligns with Christ’s words in Matthew 10:37 (and elsewhere) when He says if we love our father or mother, son or daughter is not worthy to follow Him.  Did he really mean this?  He most certainly did.

How would you know?  Well, every now and then in life we have one of those defining moments when we are faced with a decision.  God comes to us and says, “Do you love me more than these? More than anything in your life?”  For me to leave the greatest church I’ve ever been a part of and dive into the great unknown of the future has been heart-breaking, hopeful, sad, exciting, and gut-wrenching.  I know that He has called me to go; so I must go.  It is true, “saying goodbye is such sweet sorrow”.  Some day I will stand before my Savior again, face to face (like Peter) and on that day I will be the one resurrected, following after my Savior.  When He asks, “Did you love me more than these?” I want to say, “Yes, you know I did.”

What about you? What is He asking you to release, to deny, to give up, in order to love Him comprehensively, with your whole life? Seek His face.  Let Him reveal what it is.  Then, do it.  Ultimate freedom in life comes when you realize that nothing is yours and all is His.  Freedom. Release.  Joy.  Christ is all.

A Vision of City Transformation

24 May , 2010 1 Comment

We’ve decided to “paint the town”.  At FBC McKinney we’re discovering much about how God moves to transform a city.  As God’s people we must first realize that His plan is for the whole Church to take the whole Gospel to the whole world.  We must start where we are.  Does a church exist unto itself?  An externally-focused church will bring it’s time, talents, and resources to the mission of God in the world.  A church that determines to impact it’s local community will ask a series of questions in order to the discover God’s specific mission for that unique body of believers.  How are we uniquely gifted?  What has God called us to do in our unique Jerusalem?  How should our specific resources (of people, talents, passions, experiences, etc.) be used by God in our community? How does Christ want to transform our culture through us?  How can the people of God join Him in the transformation of our city?

God is calling us to bring the Gospel into every domain of culture (education, government, recreation, media, public safety, medical, business, etc…). Recently I challenged our people to determine their primary mission field.  It is there that God is calling them to live out the “Jesus life”.  We placed four different canvases and paint around our campus, each representing different domains of culture (wherever we may find ourselves primarily).  Each person was given a brush and encouraged to paint his/her name on the canvas as a commitment to “paint the town” with God’s love.  In so doing we’ve decided to paint the kingdom- a better story for our city.  The canvases together form a giant display of our mission: Christ and His love shining brightly through each of us in our specific areas of passion and influence. We’ve learned that God has blessed us to be a blessing to others.  We desire to love God so passionately others that are blessed and to love others so passionately that God is blessed. We’re learning that when we decide to show up (incarnationally- “in the flesh”) and simply serve others, Jesus shows up.  They see Him in us.  We have experienced, what we believe, are transferable principles as we have impacted the domain of education in our city.  Through 3e McKinney we have adopted the Title 1 schools in McKinney.  We have hundreds of our people investing in others at Finch Elementary School where we have simply shown up to serve them.  We know that God loves every child (and family represented) at Finch, so we do too.  As a result we are partnering with God in what He’s already doing there.  It has been amazing.  Now we’re asking some bigger questions: How does God want us to show up and bless other people in every domain of our culture?  THAT’S how Christ transforms a city (a state, a nation, a world)- through His people who simply decide to show up and serve.  Join us in the transformation of our world by serving someone- intentionally in the name of Jesus- today.

“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

Christ Transforming Culture

16 Apr , 2010 No Comments

Call me crazy but I am certain that when Christ was dying on the cross He was not thinking, “Now my followers will be able to go to church on Sundays until I return.”  I believe His vision was one of a people radically transformed by His love and, in response to His love, loving others in the same way He did.  I say this because this is exactly what He taught.

The Church Jesus envisioned was one transforming every aspect of culture, one person at a time.  By “the Church” I mean His people (not a building or even a gathering) but His followers scattered across every aspect of culture.  Christ alone will transform our culture and He will do it through His followers.  How does this happen?

When we speak of culture we are talking about multiple domains among a people.  In America it might be shown like this graphic on the left (there are clearly other ways to break down the different domains but these are the main divisions).  Often we think that the Church (or even our faith) is one domain among many and if we could just get people IN church we will impact our culture for Christ.  Increasingly, however, people are not going to church and therefore many conclude that our impact in culture is waning.  However, when we explore the early Church we see that “success” was never measured by how many were “coming to church”.  Their measure of “success” was simply dying to self, living for Jesus, and loving Him so passionately others were blessed.  I believe that God is bringing about an awakening among His people and I see a reformation of global proportions taking place.  This reformation is not about something “new” but about something very old.  It is a rediscovery of the Church, not simply gathered, but scattered.  Gathering is critical to the life and health of Christ’s followers but it is the church scattered that transforms a culture.

A better depiction of the Church is one scattered across the many domains of culture.  As Christ’s followers recognize themselves as a sent people, sharing His love with others (by serving and sharing the Gospel), we will see the culture revolutionized by His love.  When a culture is transformed it means that people across every domain are encountering Christ and His bigger Story.  His bigger Story (the Gospel) is bringing restoration and redemption to all people and to every aspect of culture.  Business people realize that they are being called into God’s bigger and better Story- blessing others through ethical business, providing income for families to have what they need, and offering necessary goods and services.  They’re actually partnering with God and His greater kingdom agenda in Christ.  Parents realize that their role is to raise children to love God so passionately that others are blessed.  Politicians and government workers rise up to serve their God-given role to protect, bring justice, and bless the people by serving them.  Educators join the great calling to teach and train up children as global citizens and servants of God.  Those in media and entertainment seek to recapture the arts to the glory of God, expressing truth and beauty in all that they do. This is the church scattered.  And like all previous reformations this one will come from the bottom up as God’s people decide to trust Him enough to live out the words of Jesus:

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28

What’s Your Story?

06 Mar , 2010 No Comments

My Story- the Grace of Jesus Christ

My story is the story of God’s transforming grace that has changed my life.  I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and was going to church nine months before I was born.  My mom and dad are committed followers of Christ.  So I learned about Jesus from a very early age and when I was 9 years old I wanted to make a decision to trust Christ with my eternity.  Looking back, I didn’t know much but I knew He had died on the cross for my sin and that in Him I would find forgiveness and not have to pay the price for my sin before a holy God.  I sat in my grandfather’s house, with my dad, as they explained that God loves me and that Jesus had come to die on the cross so that I might have a relationship with Him.  I could live with Him, now and throughout eternity.  And so, with child-like faith, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sin and I told Him I wanted Him to be the Leader of my life.  I know that it was then that the trajectory of my life was forever changed.

Throughout my teenage years I was in a great youth group and I got involved in Young Life and later Campus Crusade for Christ on the college campus.  I began to serve God through these ministries and through my many relationships.  My junior year of college I knew clearly that God was calling me into vocational ministry.  Following seminary, I was serving as a Youth Minister in Dallas when I had a “Grace Awakening” that was life-changing.  Though I was a committed follower of Christ and serving Him in a great ministry, I sensed my motivations were skewed.  You wouldn’t have known this outwardly, but inwardly I was driven by a need for approval, a kind of need to be needed.  Ministry provided me a way to help, encourage, and bless others.  In return I blessed by a sense of purpose because I was making a difference in the lives of others.  But I realized I was not serving to honor Christ alone, but because of what serving others could do for me as well.

Several things converged in my life at that time but perhaps the most significant was a new revelation from God’s Word, found in 1 Corinthians 5:21 that says, “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  I understood the first part of that verse but it was the second part that changed my life.  God was telling me that He had forgiven me fully, accepted me unconditionally, and loved me completely.  Through Christ’s death upon the cross, He had made me righteous (perfect) before Him.  I realized anew that my identity was found in Him alone- not in my performance or through the approval of others.  I was able to embrace His grace fully and from that day on I’ve determined to live in it.  This is why I can genuinely love others- even those who disagree with me or are unkind to me.  It’s really not my grace to give, but God’s grace.  I’ve since learned that when I serve Christ for any reason other than to make Him known, it becomes a form of idolatry- serving ministry (or others) instead of Him.  On our best days, ministry is simply an overflow of the one relationship to which He has called us.  The greatest joy of my life is telling others about this life-changing grace of Jesus and being there when the Light comes on.

For more stories or to post your own, go to: www.10000stories.org

The Triathlon of Manhood

01 Mar , 2010 1 Comment

I’ve learned many life lessons from triathlon and the many life parallels of being a man.  In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” His point here is not so much about competing against others as it is about the how you run this race of life.  He says race to win. The triathlon is an image or parable of a man’s life in many ways. It’s not enough to start the race, you must finish the race strong.  (In fact, they have a term for it when you “DNF”- did not finish- too many men DNF in life).  Many men start strong but very few finish well.  Along the way you’ll suffer many setbacks, you’ll want to give up, you’ll never win every race, you’ll suffer injury along the way.  You’ll need to train hard.  You’ll need to live a disciplined life, and you will definitely need some men to come along side you and train with you.  As individual of a sport it seems to be, you cannot do it alone.

But here’s the KEY learning: The idea behind “the triathlon of manhood” is this: We must focus on three disciplines in order to finish strong.  A man must do well in all three areas of his life in order to succeed as a man.

The Triathlon of Manhood

1. His spiritual life

2. His relational life

3. His vocational life

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthian 16:13-14 The NASB says it this way: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.  This passage has four imperative commands that tell us how to run and win this race.

Winning the Race

1.  Be on guard. Watch out! Be alert!  Many men are not aware of the schemes of the evil one.  You need know the Word of God, study it, and apply it!  Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  Listen: there are moral conditions for spiritual insight.  If you want an ever-expanding and clearer view of God, you must keep your heart pure.  Wake up! Do not give into sin.  .

2.  Stand firm in your faith. Hold tight to your convictions. Real men are unmoveable in their convictions.  Guard your heart, be alert regarding what goes in to your mind, what you see.

3.  Be the man. Be courageous.  The one defining mark of a real man is courage. Real men humbly listen to the audience of One.

4.  Don’t stop loving. Everything you do must be done in love.  We struggle in our culture to combine the rough, adventurous, masculine, barbarian spirit of men with a loving, kind, and tender heart (that’s a tough thing) but it is a potent combination in the hands of God.

The ultimate ironman: Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate man and He has finished the race for us.  He becomes, at the same time, our goal and the means (the power) to finish the race strong.  Men, commit to the triathlon of life and you will finish strong!