VT Tragedy

As we watched the events of this week unfold, we're devastated and shocked. There are no light hearted words or quick prayers that can take the pain and agony away from the hearts of the family members of those individuals that were murdered. The loss of life is the most heart wrenching thing that can happen to anyone. Our human nature wants swift justice. We think that if we can pass the blame to someone, it will ease our pain. release our dam of agony and allow closure to come.

This situation is different, the gunman, after mercilessly murdering over 30 people turned the gun on himself. The guilty party, is no longer alive. So we hunt someone else to blame. Someone that we can bring the hammer down on to release our own hurt and pain. We have an innate desire to make things right.

The school and its security force not locking down the facility is obviously a dellima. We ask ourselves, 'how many lives might have been saved if the school had been in lock down.' We'll never know. We can't go back. As painful as it is, we can't turn back time, we can only alter the future, and impact the present. A witch hunt is not what our country truly needs at this point. Don't get me wrong, if things adminstrativly and logistically were done incorrectly or poorly, then yes, that needs to be corrected, and must be corrected to keep other students and people alive and safe. However, a witch hunt is never healthy.

A hunt for 'evil' parties only takes the focus off of the pain that is alive and breeding in our own hearts. Then, once the party is found and executed, it is over. The situation is over and has been dispelled. Our country safe once again. But that never truly heals the pain that still is eating away at hundreds of families. That doesn't explain the big questions like, "Why would God allow this?" or "Why did I allow my child to go to that school?" or "Why can't I stop crying?" The questions go on and on. The emptiness is a bottomless pit that seems to swallow ever since or hint of joy.

No, executing a guilty party doesn't really help. It's necessary many times, but it doesn't really help. God is our help and our rescue. he is the one that carries us and nurtures us. He is not the one that caused it to happen, but weeps with us for the tragedy that has been committed. He is not the one to cast stones at but the one to be embraced and held on to in times like these. He is the one that we truly draw our strength from to get up every morning and face the next day of life.

So what's the best thing we can do for the situation? Pray. Pray for the families. Pray for the community. Pray for the emotional healing of the other students that were not murdered but are scared and wounded. Pray that God brings justice where justice needs to be brought, and healing where healing is needed. Feel free to click the comment button and add your own prayer to mine, and let's pray for hurting people that we cannot touch with our hands, but we can hold in our prayers.

Heavenly Father we turn to you once again in our time of need. In our time of pain. Father we sense and feel the pain or our neighbors. Their loss in immeasurable, and their pain is deep. God we ask right now that you touch them in a deep way. Lord reach deep into their harts and lay your scared hands on their scarred hearts and bring healing. We know the memories of their children will always be a permanent fixture in their lives, but Lord we ask that the glorious memories surface and wash away the gory painful details of this week. Let redemption come to their lives. keep them in your hands and send peace to their homes. You told us that we could have peace that passes all understanding, so Lord we ask that you grant peace these precious families, and to this strong town as a whole. Bless them Lord and we lay our trust in you. Amen.

Color Conundrum

A few weeks ago a man asked if he could attend SouthPoint, the church I’m the pastor of. He didn’t ask me, he asked one of our members. He asked if it would be a place where he would be allowed to attend and worship. Now that might not seem the least bit odd to you, but it made me mad. It angered me on many levels.
Why would you have to ask if you were allowed to go to church? We live in the United States, the greatest country on the globe. Freedom rings! Each man is free to live within his constitutional rights. Right? Go to whatever church he chooses. Shop at whatever store he so desires. What could possible make a grown man in the Untied States ask the ridiculous question, “Can I go to your church?”
Did I mention I’m white? Did I mention that the man in my story is black? On top of that He’s married to a woman who is not the same color. She’s white. Can you believe it? I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, ‘big deal. Racism is dead,’ but what resides deeper in your heart? For most people, on the surface, we tout ‘all men are created equal’, but under the thin veneer of humanity we find the residual affects of decades of mistrust, and fear that still lurk in the recesses of our hearts and souls.
This man and his wife visited a ‘white’ church (does that title make you cringe? It should). They were told after the service that there was another church in town where they would feel more comfortable because this church was not for them. They visited the other church. It was a ‘black’ church (does that title make you cringe? It should). After service they were told by one of the elders that this was not the right church for them, and perhaps they should try somewhere else.
The Apostle Paul, in Romans 10, tells us that race is no longer a dividing factor. In the Gospels Jesus modeled it. He preached to, and healed the Jews and the Samaritans. So call me crazy but if the Son of God does not divide based on color then why should we? We don’t struggle with race. That is, we don’t struggle with race until it comes to our house. Until we are confronted with it face to face. Many times, once we are confronted with it, we slip into our true default mode; racism. It doesn’t matter your color, racism is still a problem. Desoto County, for years has been bi-culture. Now with a greater influx of Latinos, are we going to draw more lines, or begin to wash away the partitions that have separated the great people of this area for centuries?
I’m hoping, praying, and believing that we will all take a cue from our master and savior and begin viewing the different cultures for their sameness instead of their differences. Realizing that no matter the hue of the epidermis, Desoto County is chocked full of incredibly gifted and talented people. The color of skin does not affect or have a weigh on the attitude of one’s heart.
I grew up in church singing a little kids song. The lyrics were: “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” As a child, I never realized how profoundly world changing those little words really were.
As we begin to address the issues in our own hearts, we will in turn make our county a brighter, happier place. A place that our children can call home with their heads held high. Where the color of ones skin becomes convoluted in light of their gifts, talents, and character. I know that’s what I want for my children, and I know that’s what you want for yours.

Really Good Email

Here's an email I got from one of our members at SouthPoint today. I asked if I could post it and she said, "sure". I thought you would like it.

Today I am going to give my neighbor a dollar. It is not much but it is a huge step for me. Somewhere between college and moving to Mississippi I lost myself. I allowed fears and anxiety to control my life. Then I saw a sign, a very beautiful sign that read "SouthPoint".
Through God and the people of this great church I began to rediscover who I am in Christ and all the fears that plagued me are going away. So today I am going to give my neighbor (an actual real live person that I have to talk to) a dollar. We are having a neighborhood yard sale and the dollar is my contribution to the newspaper advertisement, and participating in the yard sale is my way of helping my neighborhood, and changing the lives of people is SouthPoint's contribution to this community.

Thank You,
Shauntele (Vina)

Easter Fun!

What an incredible day Easter was! It was incredible to see so many people flowing into our theatre.....It was neat to see people looking for a seat.......yea I like it! The whole day was full of energy, from the foyer (nice display of Peeps), the kids rooms (it was for sure party time), to the experience of #9. We even got to hear a blue grass song. Come on, how often, does that happen? It was awesome! The whole day was full of life!

One gentelmen, as he was leaving, said, "I feel so much better now than when I came, thank you for this!" Yea baby! We do life. We try not to suck it out of you. Another family came from Arkansas and said they loved it so much that they are willing to make the drive every week, and they would see us next week! Yea! Then there was the man who came that was 100% unchurched. Totally. For real. No I'm not kidding. After church he was so moved and touched he had to spend some time with one of our team members to bring it all in to focus.

By the way, if you were unaware, let me fill you in, GOD ROCKS! Church is fun, and I love it. Thank you to the volunteer team that made it all possible. Imagine, you set up tables, toys, and sound, and you get the soul saving jewel in your crown. It's not always easy work, but remember, we are storing up treasures in heaven. That is not an ancient concept, it is a Biblical Principle. Keep investing......it works.

Easter - Coming Soon To a Theatre Near you

Easter is the big show. The main event! Now some churches do huge spectacular plays or cantatas, and that is great. At SouthPoint we are doing a mammoth play. We will have live camels, donkeys and monkeys. Angels will fly in on Hollywood style rigging and a six foot tall bunny will deliver the easter message....wait.....I'm not sure that the Malco will allow us to have live donkeys, or monkeys. Okay, I guess we'll just stick to that same old life altering message that has impacted generations of people. Altered our world, and has outlasted Hitler, Musalini, and Stalin.
Every Sunday is a big event. It's one hour to change peoples lives. To introduce them to the creator of their very lives. To somehow, in our limited humanity, connect flesh to the supernatural. To connect this dichotomy in an eternal union that will change the very shape of our community. Wow! Now that's a tall order. Yet that is exactly what we do every Sunday. This Sunday is no exception. We are gonna have a rock'n time.

So shove a hundred Peeps in your mouth. Get a great sugar buzz, and then bring your peeps to SouthPoint this Sunday!

Lessons From Nacho

Recently a couple of my good friends John & Crystal borrowed my Nacho Libre' movie. Since I own it I guess you can tell that I really like it. I mean there are just some great one-liners that make me laugh.
We need to laugh more.
So they returned my movie with a bonus. They actually took time to write out a Top 10 list for Nacho Libre'. man I love these people. Here it goes:

10. Nacho is a "meaty" man.
9. Ramses has nothing on Apollo Creed. (this is a very true statement)
8. Corn-eating, chip-stealing, orphan hating, screams like a girl, scrawny guys make pretty good friends.
7. We are ALL scared of "stretchy pants."
6. Not for the lactose intolerant - too cheesy (Okay I liked it)
5. Refreshment ideas - toast & eagle egg juice. (mmmm. Yum!)
4. men's white boots go with anything.
3. We learned why we aren't Catholic and play with matches - candles are not our friends.
2. Bus ministry ideas for SouthPoint.
1. Is Vanilla Thunder really your wrestling name? (Actually it is.)

We live in the most beautiful county in the world! Okay, maybe that is a slight overstatement. But you have to admit, Desoto County is gorgeous! Trees in bloom, lovely sunshine, and refreshing rain. We have new people moving here daily to add to the glorious potpourri of culture that helps shape us into a gleaming example of the great American melting pot. Basically, I love this place. Can you tell?
So what could possibly make this chunk of American pie even more tasty? What could possibly add even more value to this great place we call home? We can find a great hint in an ancient document written by Matthew, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. In the 21st chapter we get a literary glimpse of Jesus’ grand entrance into Jerusalem. He rides into town on an unbroken donkey. The people cheer and shout and lay palm branches down on the ground to show honor to the person they hoped would be their new king. Jerusalem has never been the same.
Palm Sunday is one of those days that reminds us that when Jesus comes in, things change. Nothing is left the same. Tables of rebellion are overturned, improper ideologies are withered, and the destitute are given another shot. And it all starts with an unbroken colt.
Do you ever feel like an unbroken colt? So many times we are unbroken. Disruptive. Unruly. Yet, when we allow Christ to sit in the saddle of our soul, we can be transformed into a catalyst for change in our community. We can make Desoto County a better place merely by allowing Christ to use us to bring change.
Imagine going to work knowing that you were bringing in the very presence of Christ; that you were solely responsible for the spiritual climate of your office. I know it sounds crazy. I also know that you’re reading this thinking, “No way. Not me. I’m not good enough. I have too many things to get in order first.” I wonder if the donkey was perfect. I wonder if the donkey smelled fresh and clean, or if it had ticks and fleas. What makes it so great is that the donkey was just that - a donkey. Nothing glamorous - nothing perfect.
If you had it all together, you wouldn’t need a Savior in the saddle, now would you? The very fact that you don’t have it all together, yet you can still usher in spiritual change, merely gives God that much more praise. It gives our Creator that much more glory, and that makes our county that much more beautiful. We are normal people, allowing Jesus Christ to use us as vehicles for His presence.

Simply My Favorite

I do believe that this Sunday was one of my favorites. Not because of anybody or anything.....simply one of my favorites. For starters the band blew my mind. They absolutely knocked it outta the park! Kicking it off with the U2 song was just too cool. I was a bit late getting into the theatre due to that pastoral talk I do.....and as I was headed in three different people stopped me and said, "Did you know we are doing a U2 song?" I just kinda grinned and said, "yea." They responded with a, "That is so cool! I love this place!"

Ah yes it's the little things that make us love something isn't it? I loved that three people gave Jesus permission to invade their hearts Sunday. (For those of you who speak only Christianeeze, that would be called, saved).

There were a myriad of little things that just made it a great Sunday. But probably near teh top of the list is for sure that i had fun! I came home and thought to myself, "Wow. Today was just flat out fun!" Maybe it was because we talked about lust and I got to say the 'other' 4 letter word all day. It was fun. Of course with all this talk about fun, I am just reminded that church-God-Jesus-The Holy Spirit-community-salvation-life transformation-connecting with God; is suppose to be FUN!
One of our wonderful ladies that comes to SouthPoint told me that she invited her nephew to come last Sunday. He replied with a a resounding, "NO! I know that it will be lame. It will be too long. It will be boring, and I will hate it!" Our wonderful lady said, "Well, honey you don't know that. I think you'll like it." Her nephew said, "I know I'll hate it. In fact I'll bet you 20 bucks I'll hate it." Our lovely lady said, "Honey that's a sucker bet, but you're on."
After this week our SouthPoint Aunt is 20 bucks richer. :) Her nephew had no qualms about telling his aunt that it was the coolest thing ever and he couldn't wait to come back next week. Ah yes, our children's teams rule the world!

So, Kudos to the band - Kudos to the foyer team - Kudos to the kid's team. I really like SouthPoint......I think I'm gonna make it my home church.

Going It Alone?

Do you ever feel like you are trudging through this valley and you're trying to get to the end? Trying to climb higher, trying to make it work, and no matter how hard you try, you feel like you are all alone? You know what I mean. i mean you feel like God is a million miles away not doing a single thing to help you along. If we're honest.....really honest......I think we could all say that we have been there before.

I think those times are part of all of our growing processes. We walk....God watches.

At least we think he's just watching.

He's not.

He's working on our behalf.

I was reading the other day in Numbers , adn I came across the story of Balaam. Now the whole Balaam story is thrown right in the middle of the children of Israel's Exodus from Egypt and their 40 year march through the wilderness. They're marching and then we get this story of Balaam who gets hired to curse the children of Israel. Now I'll save you the time of the whole flannel graph story and just recommend that you go read it for yourself. But my point is that the whole time the children of Israel were marching through the wilderness, perhaps thinking God was no where around, He was actually just over the mountain protecting them from curses and attacks.

The children of Israel were clueless as to what was going on. They were just marching in their misery, but God was on task.

I wonder how many times we are marching through life struggling. Asking for God's help. Struggling day in and day out. Even getting mad at God for "doing nothing" on our behalf. Thinking we are all alone on this journey. Maybe even thinking or feeling that God has forgotten where you are.

The encouraging thing is to know that even though we sometimes feel alone in the valley, God is just over the rise fighting for us. Turning those curses of the enemy into blessings from the throne room. I don't know about you, but for me, it's awesome to be reminded that God is not just around, He's practically working and maneuvering things in life to make sure that I'm blessed. My job is to merely stay on course. Don't waver. Don't stray. Stay the course.

Are You Happy?

Are you happy? Think about it. Are you? Have you thought to yourself, “God wants me to be happy.” If so then you would be instinctively wrong. The Bible doesn’t talk about us being happy. It does talk about us being joyful, and that joy is what gives us strength, but not happy. Happiness is a fleeting moment in time where things seem to align for a nanosecond before everything hits the fan again. You know, that moment where your child finally obeys the first time you tell them, or your boss smiles at you instead of yells at you. Those feel good moments that we seem to live for, yet rarely achieve.

The funny thing about happiness is that it is so fleeting and yet we attempt to control the circumstances in our lives to make ourselves happy. By the very nature of trying to control the situation, we become less happy than we were before. Control is an ugly monster that when it is fully unleashed, it makes us miserable, and everyone around us wary of us! We can’t manipulate or manufacture happiness. It’s too fleeting; a wisp of smoke, an afternoon breeze, a scent of a rose. As Americans we have become inundated with the idea of goal setting and goal achieving. So much so that we have adopted it almost as a theology instead of a practical application of good work sense. Goal achievement will make you happy. But it is fleeting.

Control is a messed up thing, because we allow it to eat up our own lives, then we turn it on others. We want to begin controlling how their life should be. You see it all the time. You see someone else judging someone for the way they act or respond to a situation, when in all truth we are clueless about what they have gone through. A perfect example is the other day I was talking to my buddy, and he was telling me about John who was a mutual acquaintance of ours. My buddy was telling me about how John was doing all sorts of things that were inappropriate. He went on and on. I finally stopped my buddy and said, “Hey, do you realize that John has had five step dads? All of them abusive. Some verbal, some physical, some sexual? Do you know that John has walked an incredibly long road just to be standing? Do you realize that John doesn’t need someone telling him how to live, he needs someone to show him how to live.”

Our jobs as followers of Christ are not to tell other people how to live. Or to control what they do, but have a relationship with them. Love them, and show them how to live. I know it’s not the easiest way. It’s much easier to stay on our high horses and bark orders than it is to climb down and get dirty. I guess that’s why Jesus spent very little time in the temple and all of his time with the people. Showing not just telling.

Get Outta the Box- Strecth Your Oikos

My wife and I use to live in a fifteen foot by thirty-foot house with our two year old in the Rain Forest in Honduras. To say it was cramped quarters would be the understatement of the century! The three of us in that tiny space was bad enough, but having to share it with the cockroaches, lizards, and other various rodents, was a bit much. The good thing about it though was that it forced us outside. Even though the temperatures in the summer reached well over a hundred degrees, we daily ventured out to work and play. I mean after all, who wants to stay in a sweatbox with lizards?

Every morning it was great to step outside and just stretch. It was an exhilarating experience to go from the confined space of that tiny house, to an open, panoramic landscape that seemed to stretch out into eternity. It was unfathomable.

To truly experience life; to genuinely live life to the fullest, we have to get out of our tiny mindsets and stretch ourselves. Reading a book helps, but engaging in a new situation or social sect is priceless. Isn’t it interesting that that is exactly what made the Gospel message spread? You can read in Acts. All the Christians were hanging out in Jerusalem. God had to allow persecution to come their way so they would scatter across the country and into other lands. That very persecution was the driving force behind the message of Christ reaching far away places so quickly. They just needed to get out of their boxes, and stretch their oikos.

Oikos is an Ancient Greek term, for family or sphere of influence. Those people that we feel so close to and comfortable with. We all have relationships that fit us like an old recliner. They’re awesome. We jones for them while we are at work, and we think about them when we’re separated. And that’s awesome. However, we’re not really stretching our arms. We’re not stepping out into the heat of the sun and encountering new people and situations. If we really desire to live an adventurous life, then eventually you have to disengage yourself from the familiar recliner and actually entertain the thought of sitting down in a different type of chair. No I don’t mean you have to leave those that you are the closest to, or the most comfortable with. However, I am saying that there comes a time when we need to spread our love and gifts with others besides just those that already know us.

When was the last time you shared the love of Christ with someone at the grocery store? How about pulling over to help a stranded person on the side of the road? When did you think to clothe a homeless person? Have you in the last week paid someone else’s debt? I know those all sound a bit far fetched, but really, isn’t that a valid part of this ‘following Christ’ walk? I think it’s time for everybody in Desoto County to take a hike! Or actually take a walk. Let’s get out of our comfort zones and walk through our communities. Stretching our arms in the wide open spaces and begin expanding our oikos. Who knows, we might just make this a better place to live.

A Rebel With a Cause

I'm in Florida for a think tank/planning meeting with a couple of organizations. I just sat and listened to a man who was in Northern Iraq with 17 other people. They were there as missionaries to share the Gospel message with the people there. They were all arrested. Fifteen of them were hung. Three released. This man was not just sharing a story with us. he was sharing a passion to reach the lost with a deep conviction and passion that I cannot even begin to explain. I listened, and realized that I only thought I was a Christ adventurer. This man not only takes his faith to the limit, he is changing lives every second of his existence.

I'm challenged.

Staying On Track

Isn't it awesome to know that God really is beside us? So many times we forget that simple but profound truth. We get so wrapped up in the issues of life: money, work, kids, money. (Yes I know I said money twice). All of these issues seem to not just be in our face, but right up in our grill. So close, that we forget to see the good things. It's like we can't see around the mortgage payment to see the blessing of having a home. So, we become so focused on making that mortgage payment that we become disgruntled at the idea of paying it so we can enjoy our home. Crazy huh?

Money is just one example, there are several, but I won't bore you with a generic list. Instead I want to remind you of what Paul the author of First Corinthians said. He wrote, "God Himself is right along side to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that." Yea baby! It is incredibly invigorating to know that God knows all of my junk, all of my problems, all of my anger, all of my, sins, all of my lying and cheating....and yet still He never gives up on me! He keeps me on track.

Sometimes when we have embarked on a 'spiritual adventure,' we forget that adventures are often full of perils. Things that are temporarily dangerous or disheartening. Right now you might be like the majority of the population and be concerned about certain areas of your life, but remember, it's an adventure. If there were no hardships, if there were no hurdles, if there were no difficult things to overcome, then you wouldn't have anything to tell your grandchildren. Life would be boring, and mediocre at best. Adventure, albeit not always easy, does indeed make life fun in the long run. That is, if we remember that God is beside us, and we will not fail. It's reassuring to know that the creator of the universe is actually beside me making sure that I stay on track. That I will indeed, not just make my mortgage payment, but that I will enjoy an adventurous life.

Now you can be hard nose if you want and say, "God is more interested in me toeing the line than He is in me enjoying life!" Well yea, we need to work on being obedient, but if you look in the Bible you realize that God knew well in advance that we were going to mess up. That's why there is grace. He knew we couldn't toe the line or cut the mustard (pick your colloquialism), that's why He is merciful. God is so interested in us enjoying life that he did everything for us so that we could. We just need to accept the sacrificial gift of Christ and step into the adventurous blessed life. It's not always easy, it's not always joyful, but it is always an adventure.

More Peeps!

Ain't God grand?! This Sunday was our second newcomers and we had 65 people show up! holy cow how cool! I love it when our volunteer base grows! It's wonderful to see God blessing SouthPoint! If you'd like to see pics of our fun at McAllister's, click on the pic banner to the right and check em' out.

New Wine Skins?

In one of Jesus’ many arguments with the Pharisees, Jesus throws out this kinda strange remark about not putting new wine in old wine skins, or not sewing a new patch on an old garment. When you look at the context of the passage you think, “Wow, Jesus was like schitzo! That makes no sense.” But then you [I] realize that he makes perfectly good sense. He has argued with the Pharisees so many times that he is slightly exasperated. It’s like he says, “Ya know these guys are never gonna get it. They are too stuck in their old mindsets.” They [Pharisees] wanted the Messiah. They wanted new fangled things. New spiritual insights, but they wanted them to fit into their mental and theological boxes.

Don’t you find it interesting that we read the passage in Isaiah where God said, “I’m doing a new thing….” And we jump on the soap box and talk about embracing the freshness of the Good News, and all the new things that God is doing……..as long as it fits into our current structure of beliefs. Don’t believe me? Really? Think about it…….Go on, think for just a second. How often do you purposefully hang out with and spend time with people of other belief structures than you? I’m not talking Muslim and Buddhists. Let’s start with easy ones……..If you’re Baptist, how often do you purposefully hang out with Methodists? If you’re Pentecostal how often do you hang out with Catholics?

Let me shock you a bit…….If all we ever do is hang out with people of our own makeup [spiritual belief structures] then how do we grow? How do we learn? How do we become bigger, better, and stronger? Of course if you go into all of these relationships in order to force change in their thinking then you will never learn anything, nor grow. But when we go into it not to change the other, but to actually engage in a meaningful dialogue then two things happen: We become more aware of what we believe, and our spiritual ‘tank’ is enlarged through compassion and understanding for the other.

Let’s be honest, as long as you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then we should be able to call each other brother. That’s easy to say, hard to walk out. In Proverbs we are told that iron sharpens iron. Last time I checked that is not a feel good situation. But if I want to sharpen my leadership skills, if I want to grow, if I want to be able to receive the new things of God then it might just get uncomfortable for me. I might have to endure some things that are just not easy. I think it’s time for “mature” Christians to grow up and enlarge their borders. Allow themselves to be sharpened and challenged. Be around others that are…….well……..different. Who knows, we might just learn something. Our boxes of theological oddities might begin to dissolve. We might just be able to receive some new wine, in some new wine skins.

Ministry Musings

Our first Newcomers was a huge success! We had just shy of 100 people show up at McAllister's. Wow! I was yelling over everybody and I'm not sure if the people in the back heard a word I said, but it was a phenomenal turn out, and time together. It was so nice to actually get to talk to people and say more than, :"Welcome to SouthPoint."

The team has been working their fingers to the bone and the results have shown. [no I was not planning o that rhyming.] Some of our team members have still not even been in the main service once. They have sacrificially given and given. They have worked to make it a memorable experience for others. AND it's working! We have had just under 30 people get saved since we've started. Now is that crazy cool or what? I saw the above picture on Flickr and it arrested my attention. The fact that I didn't take the picture amazed me. Also that i didn't even know the picture was being taken, and I'm not in the picture. No I'm not some ego-maniac, I'm merely saying that it is so awesome that all this stuff goes on without a hitch b/c we have the greatest team in the world. Trailers get unloaded, people get saved, lives are transformed, a community is given hope, and God gets the credit! YEA GOD!

So now we step into our influential roles in the community. We're here, now what? Now we influence. We change the culture of our community, not by pointing out flaws......any moron can do that.....but by living Life. I mean living life in a Life-giving way. See it's like this, obedience to God is great, but for leaders that's not enough. Leaders need to obey, and influence others in a godly way. Leadership is not a plaque on the wall, or a name plate on your desk. Leadership is not a backstage pass, or company car. leadership is not the corner office, or even the infamous title that goes with it. Leadership is influence. Influencing others is what Jesus did. It's what Moses did. Wait let's do a random list of influencers: Abraham, Isaac, Jonah, Nahum, Nehemia, Rudolph Guiliani, Adoni Bezek, Saul, David, Solomon, Nathan, Deborah, Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Samson, Gideon, and the list goes on and on. All of the above are leaders. And all of the above are influencers.

So what now?
Influence.
It's not dragging people. It's not debating people.
Influence.
Just live the life of Christ. Share truth. Share love.
Influence.
Trust God. Trust the Holy Spirit that's in you.
Influence.

Desoto Appeal Article

A newspaper team came to service Sunday, and I woke up with my ugly face on the front page of the paper. Wow! Memphians must be scared today! :)

Check out the article here: http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local
/article/0,2845,MCA_25340_5345441,00.html

Bread, TP, and Jesus

What does sliced bread, toilet paper, and Christianity all have in common? At first glance you laugh, and then you’re slightly offended that those three things are even compared. We climb up on our high horse and say, “How dare you compare Christianity to toilet paper!” We go off on a tirade and tell everyone we know how horrible that comparison is. Of course if you do that, you would only be helping me make my point that much stronger.

Sliced bread, toilet paper, and Christianity are all practical things, things that are used on a regular bases. (I know Christianity is lived not used, so take a deep breath and follow my analogy for a moment.) We use items everyday and they become a natural part of our lives. Yet some how Christianity, Jesus Christ, is something so special we only experience it on Sunday morning. Like fine China, or mom’s good silver. Is that really how Jesus is supposed to be taken? Did he really do all that he did to only be experienced once a week, maybe twice? Last time I checked the bible it talked about Jesus being a life change not just an addition. We are not supposed to make the Christ and addendum in our lives, but an integral part of everything we live and do.

Living for Christ is truly a life change decision that not only changes our schedules on Sunday morning, but should inevitably impact every area of our existence.

The latest Article

Check out the link here for the latest article about SouthPoint that was in this Saturdays paper.

http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2007/01/29/news/news05.txt

Have You Thought About it?

Working with people is the most invigorating thing I have ever done. It is so cool to watch people step into different roles and stretch their abilities and talents to serve the Kingdom of God. It is truly one of the things in life that puts a smile on my face. Of course the counter to that is seeing people at the wall. That wall of, "If I go forward I will have to change. I will have to face difficult things, and I will have to change some of my thinking. Or, if I am not willing to change, then I must stay where I am: Socially, Emotionally, Economically, and Spiritually."

We are all given a choice. A choice to move on or stay the same. See I have this firm belief that leaders are not born, but are raised up. God makes leaders, it's just up to each individual to overcome certain "walls" in their lives and grow into that leadership role. Yes, for some it may be harder than for others, but never impossible. Each person is loaded with potential. Loaded with gifts, talents, and skills that God wants to use in the Kingdom of God, we just have to make the choice.

"That's Easy! Of course I wanna move forward and upward." Did I mention that to do that we many times have to let go of old mindsets? Let go of old thinking? The problem with old mindsets is that we don't realize that they are old mindsets, they're just our thoughts. That's why the bible says we need a vision. It says in Proverbs that without a vision the people perish. We have to get a vision for the things on the OTHERSIDE of the wall. It doesn't come by guessing, it comes by tapping into God and allowing him to open our minds and hearts enough to dream......Dream into a vision......Vision into a climbing expedition to get over that wall.

You can do it.
Lay down the extra heavy thoughts.
Open up your mind.
Get a dream.
Get a vision.
Let's climb.
I believe that God has some awesome things on the other side of the wall for all of us.