Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 01:05 PM in Depression, Honor + Integrity, Leadership | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 01:04 PM in Depression | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 01:03 PM in God | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
The Feeding of the 5,000 was almost certainly an insurrection attempt.
1. Jesus & the disciples go to the desolate side of the Sea of Galilee before Passover Week, a known MUSTER POINT FOR REBELLION PLANNING outside Rome's gaze.
2. The crowd saw the "signs" he was doing with the sick, making him the LIKELY MESSIAH to overthrow non-Jewish rule & set up the Throne of David.
So thinking there is a rebellion afoot, men come from everywhere to join. Josephus indicates these musterings happened yearly.
3. The texts only count the MEN IN ATTENDANCE. If you are going to insurrect, only the total number of men would matter.
There were more men, by far, in the area during Passover than any other time of year.
Passover week was always, "Now or Never!"
4. When they sit, Mark and Luke tell us that they sat in groups of 50s and 100s.
i.e,, military-type ranks and formations.
They were there for a purpose, and it wasn't a lecture and a meal.
5. Why so many leftovers? Sometimes you have to make a choice of what you are going to carry away from your run-in with Jesus:
It's always Forks over Knives.
You can't carry both. Jesus gives them weapons of meal rather than mass destruction.
Think I'm crazy?
This is how John ends the story:
"...When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself." — JOHN 6:15
They didn't want leftovers, they wanted Barabbas.
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 07:21 PM in God | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
‘Wisdom comes to the heart that is hungry for God.’ (A.W. Tozer)
Whenever I feel discouraged and want to quit something, I remember the words of my then 3-year-old after she puked carrots all over the living room floor: “I’m gonna need more carrots.”
///
‘As a leader, you will have to make decisions that those whom you lead and even spectators won’t understand for years.’
(Dr. Eric Mason)
Leaders are targets for the Enemy. If you’re leading out front, then of course you’re going to be on the receiving end of fiery darts. Expect it.
Misunderstandings and miscommunications will happen.
You cannot control other people’s perceptions. You can only control your own actions and reactions.
Be careful with what you hear about someone. You might be hearing it from the problem.
As soon as we step into condemnation instead of conversation, we can no longer see that person clearly.
/ / /
‘A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends.’ (Proverbs 16:28)
People don’t own you when they hurt you. They own you when your entire life is defined by that hurt.
If you’ve been burned, heal. If someone has an issue with you and they’re telling everyone except you, they don’t have a real issue with you. They just enjoy the attention they get from talking about you.
/ / /
‘Love God and He will enable you to love others even when they disappoint you.’ (Francine Rivers)
The only way to handle ‘prodigals’ is to let them go, give them to God, and pray for their return with tears. And when you see them on the horizon with their head hung low, wrap your arms around them and welcome them home.
We are all rough drafts of the person we are becoming.
Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a chance to build something better this time!
Sure, the winds feel strong and your team is small.
Stand firm.
If you set your anchor, you won’t drift.
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 06:04 PM in Church Start-Up, Depression, Leadership | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 05:59 PM in God | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
We Are Better Together
Church mergers have become one of the most effective strategies for struggling churches to thrive again, for growing churches to amplify their reach, and for church facilities to be better utilized to advance the Gospel in a region.
What is a Church Merger?
When two or more churches become one through the combining, integrating, and unifying of people, structures, systems, and resources in order to better reach their community with the message of Jesus.
Three Types of Church Mergers
Rebirth
Typically when a struggling church gets a second life by being restarted under a stronger, vibrant, usually larger church.
Adoption
This occurs when a stable or stuck church is integrated under the leadership of a stronger, vibrant, usually larger church.
Marriage
Typically when two growing churches realign with each other under a unified vision and new leadership configuration.
Questions to Consider
Could we accomplish more together than we could separately? Would we find more ministry synergy, created by the two churches joining with common vision and purpose?
2. Would my congregation benefit from this merger? Would my individual congregation be better, healthier or stronger by joining with this church?
3. Would our community be better served by us working together? By joining forces, can we make a bigger impact in our surrounding community?
4. Could the Kingdom of God be further extended by us joining together? Would uniting help us make more and better disciples of Jesus?
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 05:52 PM in Life Church | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
The heart behind leadership is serving others. It’s never about the title, it’s about the towel:
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life a ransom for many.”(Jesus in Mark 10:45)
For what it’s worth, here are 3 steps I’ve discovered toward becoming a better servant-leader.
Believe the best about others, rather than assuming the worst. When in doubt, lead with the most generous explanation for someone’s behavior.
“Love never stops believing the best about others.” (1 Corinthians 13:7, TPT)
Everyone you meet in life has expertise. Some of the best mentors and friends are known as much by the quality of their questions as the answers they give. Don’t be interesting, be interested.
“Do you not understand these things?” (Jesus in John 3:10)
Push others into the spotlight. Ask how you can serve others, rather than seeking to be served.
“For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.” (Jesus in Luke 19:10, MSG)
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 05:44 PM in Church Start-Up, Leadership | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
One of the smartest things you can do in leadership is to find people, heroes, and role models that are ahead of where you want to be and emulate them. But as we take notes on who we are or who we want to be, we must do the same with who we’re not.
It is often so easy to get caught up in things like positions, titles, etc. Leadership is not about us and it never will be.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side - the “big time” is where you’re at. The biggest platform I get the honor to step onto is ZOE’s.
WE ARE leaders that have a pure, humble, and simple devotion to Jesus.
Leaders are people-obsessed. A leader's words about others reveals whether or not they are about people or about themselves.
Everyone’s favorite topic to talk about is themselves. People could go on and on about their life and what they are going through. However, a leader can’t lead others if they only talk about themselves.
WE ARE leaders who ask questions about others, want to learn about people, and want to hear about how they’re doing.
A minimum effort will always produce medium results.
I’m not saying you can’t work smart. I love things like Postmates that make my life easier. I have nothing against convenience; there is no sense in making things harder than they need to be.
WE ARE leaders who do everything for Jesus and give our best.
My dad used to always say, “Everybody is laughing at you - join them.”
I take my calling from God seriously. I take the church seriously. I take my family seriously. But I also live within the tension of seriousness and fun. I take things seriously in an appropriate measure and live with levity and joy.
WE ARE living with an appropriate measure of taking our call seriously while not taking ourselves too seriously.
We all have people who inspire us. We all have people we want to be like. But we’re working to be OURSELVES.
Don’t be a copy! Be the contrast. Be you!
WE ARE secure and confident in who we are!
In the church, you don’t need to try to be discovered. So many times we see people trying so hard to make a name for themselves and get the attention of others. This isn’t what leadership is about!
Narcissistic leaders drain the value out of an organization because they make everything about them and their agenda and not about the team and the organization.
WE ARE only concerned with building His kingdom!
Not getting back to people (something as simple as not replying to a text) could open up a wound of abandonment. We don’t always know people’s situations. Not replying to a text may cut deeper than we think.
If you’re bad at getting back to people, you create a narrative of mistrust about you.
If you have offended someone by not replying, don’t make excuses. It’s important to just simply just apologize.
WE ARE good at getting back to people.
There’s a difference between encouraging people towards something and the act of manipulation: motive.
We ought to always be checking our motives and intentions - are we encouraging people towards reaching their full potential or to do something that we want them to do?
WE ARE leaders that have pure hearts and have people’s best interests in mind!
We value people, we don’t use them.
We have to be careful. We can often use people to accomplish a vision or goal and not care about them in the process. Sometimes we can completely neglect to lead them, build them up, invest in them, etc.
WE ARE leaders that add value to people, we don’t use them!
The classic saying goes: “What you are willing to tolerate, you are willing to live with.” We have to be careful and diligent as to what we are okay to live with.
We need to have a desire to grow. We want accountability. These types of measures are how we have a strong life and strong leadership.
WE ARE striving to live a healthy life.
Monday, October 21, 2024 at 05:41 PM in Honor + Integrity, Leadership | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
It’s hard to be meek when factions rise up within a church. We get wrapped up in factions.
FACTIONS - When there is a pile-up of disgruntled people who build up a case that becomes a driving fantasy. Driven by the “What If?”
Factions live their lives on something that has not happened. It takes great skill to deal with factions, this is why we have Therapists! Sometimes we can’t get resolution, just accept it.
Give up the right to be treated right.
Anger is secondary to a Hurt. Body is so hyped that it FEELS helpless, resentment, fear and anxiety. This is Paranoia.
When there is trauma, the body becomes hypersensitive – Your body wants OUT of this! You move from prudence to paranoia.
People will try to FOG you: Fear, Obligation, and Guilt. You can’t drive forward when your windshield is fogged up! If I can get you to feel one of these three feelings, I can control and manipulate you.
Ex: Small children and parents
Students and substitute teachers
Elderly parents and adult children
Politicians and the public
To avoid being manipulated, practice DeFogging – Clarity is kindness. “Now it’s clear. Now I’m free.”
Clarity assigns responsibility so you can forgive.
If you can’t forgive, you’re stuck.
The goal is clarity – Learn to accept real expectations. Live with it. Sometimes you get validation, sometimes not.
Every feeling has a THOUGHT attached to it: “My right to be treated right is violated.”
This leads to Hostility and Harshness - the Law of the Jungle.
MEEKNESS is the opposite of Harshness.
Gentle and kind is not natural. But it allows God’s supernatural work into your soul.
Philippians 2
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Jesus became MEEK rather than HOSTILE.
You have to give up your right to be treated right.
Rights are things you can’t control because you can’t control the other person.
REPLACE your right to be treated right with God’s Promises!
This leads to God’s power in your life – resurrection of good things out of factions.
Don’t fight for your natural rights and watch God bless through His supernatural economy.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 07:39 PM in Church Start-Up, Leadership | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
Subscribe to Jon's Blog