It's the Christmas season and everyone around me is caught in the hustle and bustle! Shopping, baking, cleaning, traveling, decorating, parties, go, go, go, buy, buy, buy, do, do, do...the list goes on and on. So the Holidays are exciting and fun and fast-paced!

If you're like me, many of those things bring you great joy. But sometimes, I feel like the Holiday season swings me around by the tail..."gotta be here, gotta hurry, running behind, Oops-I forgot____". So the Holidays are also about difficult relatives demanding more of us than we can give, crowded stores and spending more than we want or should...so it's often about being frazzled and frustrated or even torn.

Through all of it, I manage to center myself (eventually) on the meaning of Christmas. I remember that Jesus was born on a cold night, so that He could grow up, show us how to live and love, and then die an excruciating death, after being mocked and scorned- all so our sins could be forgiven...all because without HIM we all fall short of being "good enough". And I am thankful. And grateful. And humbled. And broken. And, oh so unworthy. And I promise to try to do better at living a life that was worth the death He died. And again, I fall short.

If you are a Christian, just take a minute and thank Him again for all he's done for you.

(I'll wait.)

Ahhh, that's nice. Isn't it?

But that's not ALL that being a Christian is about.

Jesus commands us to GO and MAKE DISCIPLES. Not just sit around on our ever-widening bottoms, in our feel-good churches, like pew potatoes who punch their Sunday, Christmas, and Easter time cards, singing "Deck the Halls" and delighting in how great we have it and what good people we are.

We're SPOILED!

Somehow, we've gotten the idea that "Thy Kingdom Come" is "My Kingdom Come" and that life on Earth is all about getting everything just like we like it...a better car, nicer house, bigger boat, name-brand purses, dinners out (my BIG downfall), and surrounding ourselves with all of our favorite Christian friends (another biggie for me)...but there is MORE! There's more to life than working longer hours to build more and buy more, building a big 401K, buying a boat, and then dying! There's more to life than struggling and striving.

I don't have it all figured out yet, but here's what I DO know:

Our hearts need to break for those who do not know Jesus. Think back to a few minutes ago...what would you do without Him? Where would you be? What would happen if you had to create ALL of your own blessings? What would you be if He didn't save you from yourself?

There are people all over the Ohio Valley who are trying their darnedest to make it through life without Jesus. They've either never heard about Jesus in a way that touches them right where they are OR they've been turned-down or turned-off by some stupid stunt pulled by a well-meaning Christian. And they are suffering.

Read that again. And again. Keep reading it until it doesn't make you angry, or defensive, or righteous and proud. Read THAT until it breaks you.

Think about your co-workers, your relatives, the weird kid with all the piercings who works at the gas station, your nephew, your uncle, your boss, your sister-in-law. What about them? Are they trying to get through life WITHOUT Jesus and without a Community of Faith that LOVES them? Do they understand how much Jesus loves them JUST THE WAY THEY ARE? If not, does it break your heart? It breaks mine.

That's why I'm doing ALL I CAN this year to support Revolution Church by giving, praying, and serving and you should too!

Revolution Church is being intentionally built so that people who don't "do" church will give God and Jesus and church a chance! Revolution accepts ALL people, especially those that have been condemned, mistreated, judged and marginalized by society as a whole. The Christian community over the years has excelled at some areas, but we at Revolution believe there is still room for improvement on what we believe can be a transformational movement between God and the people He is pursuing.

Let's MAKE A DIFFERENCE for Jesus in the Ohio Valley!

If you are a Christian, you need to do 3 things. (Not ONE of the THREE. ALL THREE!)

1. Give generously to REVOLUTION. Reaching the Ohio Valley for Jesus won't happen on pennies and chump change. Budget information has been finalized and will be posted on our site soon. If you want to know more, contact us and we will help you understand where the money goes. Here's a few tidbits:

• At this stage, there are NO salaries or paid positions at REVOLUTION. All staff are REVOLUTION volunteers and support their families through employment elsewhere. There are no definitive plans to pay staff at this time, but we reserve the right to hire as needed.
  
• 10% of all money we take in goes back into the community through our Community Outreach Partners. Your contribution will help support organizations who already work hard to make life better for Ohio Valley residents who are less fortunate.
• You can't "outgive" God. He'll continue to bless you through your generosity and others will be blessed as well. His blessings are recession-proof!
  
• You can visit our website to donate through PayPal or send a check to REVOLUTION Church, P.O. Box 644, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. If you'd rather get together in person, we can do that. Just email me at jessica@ohiovalleyrevolution.com or call me at 740-695-4684.
  

2. Pray generously for REVOLUTION. Revolution is a huge movement of God. People's lives WILL be changed! The people of the Ohio Valley will experience honor and love in the name of Jesus like never before! That will surely be met with resistance. Pray for our protection and that doors will be opened to us throughout the Valley so that ALL people will be reached!

3. Serve generously at REVOLUTION. It's time to get involved! The team that will bring REVOLUTION to life is being formed now. Our first preview service is just 14 short weeks away. You can make a difference! All it takes is a willingness to be a small part of the bigger plan. You can help REVOLUTION by holding a door open for a First-Time Guest or helping on the parking team or setting up chairs, all so that others can hear about the redeeming love of Jesus.

You may be completely content in your church. We love that. If that's you, consider becoming a "Church Plant Missionary" and partnering with us for a few hours a week for Launch Team meetings and Monthly Preview Services until August of 2010. You can still attend your home church. Then help us launch regular weekly services in September through the Winter of 2010. When you return to your home church, know that YOU have made a difference in helping reach out to the Ohio Valley.

If you are feeling that God may be calling you to something different than your current church, that may be Revolution! Or maybe you don't currently have a home church. We'd love to talk with you about exploring the possibilities! You can learn more about us at www.OhioValleyRevolution.com Then drop me an email at jessica@ohiovalleyrevolution.com and we'll get together.

Let's partner together and DO THIS THING! Merry Christmas!! And have a HAPPY and EXCITING NEW YEAR!!!

I'm so excited! The REVOLUTION team has committed to an exciting and fast-paced journey through the New Testament...all in 30 days...and we'd like YOU to JOIN US!

On January 9th, we will start the new year off right, as we begin to prioritize the Word of God in our lives in a new way! (The word "prioritize" comes from the word "prior", which means that it's something that COMES BEFORE everything else in your life.)

The journey will last for 5 weeks and there are 2 grace days each week, in case you need to rest or catch up! There are no meetings or get-togethers that you must attend to participate. Just partner with us to read along at whatever time or place is convenient for you.

Visit our website for more information. A Reading Plan and Study Guide will be posted there soon!

Let's take this journey together! I'm looking forward to being NewThru30!

Hey All! Sorry for the delay in posting, but do not worry-things have not stopped rolling behind-the-scenes of Revolution Church!

I'll cut right to the chase, because I know you want to know...

Here's the timeline for the roll out of Revolution:

• The Directionary Leadership Team will continue to meet throughout the holidays and beyond, working on the "big picture" of Revolution.


• We have had several one-on-one conversations with people who want to know more and get involved. These convos will no-doubt continue, as we regularly run into people who are looking for a different kind of church.


• In addition, we will soon be holding Public Informational Meetings for those who want to know more.


• In January, Launch Team meetings will begin. (The Launch Team is made up of those who are committed to Revolution through the launch of regular weekly services.) This is the entry point for those who will make Revolution come to life. We will spend time together, study together, learn together, and we will begin to develop and train the teams that will need to be in place in order for Revolution to launch preview services in March.


• Monthly Preview/Practice Services will begin in March and will continue for 6 months. During this time, teams will continue to develop and grow and more people will be added to the Launch Team. The teams will drill down in their areas of focus and hone their skills in preparation for launch.


• In September, Revolution will launch regular weekly public services!

How's THAT for exciting? Here's a little more to "REV" you up...

• A large portion of the Main Service Teaching Team is in place...excited about these developments!
• Conversations continue with musicians and bands...very EXCITING conversations...we hope to announce more about that soon!
• We have found an AMAZING building! There are some major details that aren't written in stone yet, but we're still excited. There is a chance that it may not work out, but we trust that God will find a better location for us if this one falls through.
• We have begun a major fundraising initiative, called $20-and-a-prayer. It's structured so that EVERYONE can get involved in working towards the vision God has for us in the Ohio Valley. Please support us with your $20 and your prayers!
• We continue to travel to NewPointe, NorthBridge, and Elevation. The time and wisdom that these church's staff have poured into us is immeasurable and life-changing! We are regularly blown away and oh, so grateful! Thank God for these churches and their generosity in sharing what they have learned along the way!
• Last, but not least, God is doing AMAZING things amongst our team, both individually and as a group. We are more united, more excited, more transformed, more stretched, more certain, more steady, more loved, more loving, more confident, more humbled, more chosen, and more in love with the Ohio Valley than ever before. And we're more broken for those who don't have a relationship with Jesus than ever before. Thank You, God, for allowing us to be a part of this. We are honored beyond belief!
  

"3 Reasons I Stay Stuck" by Steven Furtick:

Recently I completed a personal evaluation exercise in my journal. I wanted to uncover the 3 main factors that keep me from moving forward and embracing new paradigms in my life and leadership. In other words: why do I stay stuck?

From my journal to your computer screen, here’s my short list. Hope it helps tow your truck out of the mud.

1. Complacency Change is hard. Positive change is just as hard as negative change. Sometimes it’s easier to stay stuck than to move forward. Often it’s more comfortable to stick with something that’s tolerable and familiar than to embrace something that’s preferable and unknown.

2. Regret I really don’t know how to explain this, except to say that my regrets often overpower my ambitions, causing me to remain in a state of paralysis.

3. Distraction It’s hard to tell how many major adjustments I’ve avoided making because I was busy tending to insignificant side items. It’s tempting to divert attention from the big thing that God wants me to change by slam dunking something that ultimately doesn’t matter at all.

I don’t want to stay stuck. I don’t want the storyline of my faith to be eclipsed by a shift I was unwilling to make.

If you’re feeling stuck, as I so often do, here’s a prayer to pray…if you dare:

God, help me move forward at the speed of your direction and intention,no matter how painful the transition may be.

Great leadership requires great passion. Passionate leadership moves followers, deepens their convictions and gives them faith to believe despite overwhelming obstacles. People will admire a good leader but they will sacrfice for a passionate leader. Where do you get this type of passion? It comes from a deep burning belief that God has called you to make a difference.

After speaking difficult truth to the people of Israel, Jeremiah was arrested, beaten and told to be quiet. The next day when he was released, he looked at his captures, and said, “But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:9)

Passion is that God given burden that burns so deeply within me that it cannot be contained within me.

When you have God given passion it consumes your heart, mind and soul.

You can’t quiet the emotions God has placed in your heart
You can’t cease striving toward the vision God’s placed in your mind
You can’t stop praying for the burden God has placed in your soul.
What do you need to do today to recapture the passion in your leadership?

STOP TRYING TO BE FAIR! From Tony Morgan (emphasis added by me):

I had lunch with a few of my West Ridge teammates a couple of days ago in a no-name restaurant. It was quite the surreal experience. Everything about the restaurant screamed 1970s…including the waitresses. One of them reprimanded me for trying to pour tea for someone else. (I’ll never do that again.) Oddly enough, they were playing Madonna music over the sound system. Like I said, it was very surreal.

As we were walking out, we noticed this display of business cards:


There have to be over 50 business cards on that shelf. Everyone is vying for the attention of the restaurant patrons. You can buy a house, get your hair cut and catch a taxi among other things. I guess we could call Sheila’s Beauty Salon to see how effective this advertising is for her business. Looks like she got the prime real estate on the front row.

I guess we can’t fault these businesses for taking advantage of some free advertising. And, honestly, I guess we can’t fault ministries in our churches for doing the same thing. At some point, though, someone in leadership probably needs to ask the question: what’s the priority message?

Here’s the reality though, it’s just easier to say “yes” to everyone. It’s easier to treat everyone the same. Only problem is that when you try to make everyone equal and attempt to treat everyone fairly, you end up with this cluttered display of business cards.
Regrettably, this crowded shelf of business cards is reminiscent of what I see in too many churches. In an attempt to be fair, churches are willing to be less effective. When we promote every ministry equally, nothing gets prioritized.
When every ministry is treated the same, it creates confusion for people trying to figure out their next step. When we give everyone the same platform, it’s difficult for any of the messages to be heard.

The only answer to this is for leaders to be unfair. You have to determine your priorities, and give those ministries the focus in your messaging. You have to be willing to say “no” to many requests for platform time and bulletin space and email blasts. You have to keep the important stuff important.

It’s one thing when you’re in a 70s restaurant in northern Georgia and someone is trying to get you to find a new beautician. It’s a completely different deal when you’re trying to help people take their next steps in their spiritual journey. If your objective is to help people become more like Jesus…
Stop trying to be fair.

GO TONY!!!!

Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child? Genesis 17:17

When God gives you a glimpse of what your true calling is, does it make you want to fall on your face and laugh, just as Abraham did? Does it seem ridiculous that God might choose little 'ol you to do something that might change the world? Once you pick yourself up from laughing, consider that He just might mean what He says! Live it up!

from The Daily Verse

We just booked our hotel rooms for next weekend's getaway to "Backstage-Elevation" in Charlotte, NC!

The itinerary looks like this: 6 REVOLUTION Church Launch Team members will speed down to Charlotte on Saturday, attend the brand new Elevation Church Matthews campus 6PM service. Then, Sunday morning at 5:30 AM, we'll join the Elevation crew for set-up at Providence High School, stay for the service, then speed back to Ohio. We'll only be gone for about 36 hours, but we expect to learn A LOT!

Why Charlotte? Because Elevation Church is one of the fastest-growing churches in America. At less than 4 years old, their church attendance is over 5000 people. Pastor Steven Furtick and his staff are wild and crazy, and will do anything (short of sin) to see that people far from God are filled with life in Christ. We love that about them! We've been to Elevation twice in the last 6 months, and we LIKE what we see!

Why does this matter? Because in order to reach people around here who don't do church, we have to do things that aren't currently being done in churches around here.

We love learning from the best! That's why we do road trips...so that people will be connected, empowered, and transformed thru Jesus.

Carlos Whitaker says: "I believe this video annihilates the idea that people want to show up to an event (church) and stand in rows and be sung and talked to. Safety is overrated. People want to be a part of something big."

We agree. Ohio Valley-GET READY FOR SOMETHING BIG!!

Hey All! Just dropping you a little note to let you know that although the blog has been quiet, things are DEFINITELY on the move in the REVOLUTION department! The Directionary Leadership Team has been hard at work on a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff that will make Revolution come to life!

• legally organized our movement by acquiring an EIN from the IRS. We are officially named “Revolution Church”
  
• opened a P.O. Box (P.O. Box 644, St. Clairsville, OH 43950)


• opened a "REVOLUTION Church" Bank Account and PayPal account and have began accepting tithes and offerings from our supporters (all contributions are tax-deductible)


• begun the process of filing our 501(c)3 (non-profit) paperwork, as well as Articles of Incorporation application


• purchased and started to build our webpage (http://www.ohiovalleyrevolution.com)/


• started a Facebook page (79 fans, as of today)


• issued our Belief and Values Statements (see website), Strategy, and Leadership Structure (complete with Financial Secretary & Treasurer)


• started a weekly Bible Study that is growing & fun


• been holding weekly organizational meeting with our leaders to update each other on progress and to plan our advances


• planned a launch date (monthly preview/practice services beginning in March or April, then weekly services begin next Fall)


• found an EXTREMELY viable and ideal location that will be perfect for reaching our target audience and fulfilling our mission and vision. (We are currently waiting for a decision to be made as to whether or not we will be able to meet in that location on Sunday mornings as well as what it will cost. PRAYING HARD ON THAT ONE!)

Most importantly, we continue to meet new people who have "given up" on church. They long for a place like REVOLUTION. We continue to pray for those that don't yet know Jesus and that we can continue to meet people and build relationships with those who need to hear about Him most.

In the coming days, we will post some detailed information about our values and strategy for reaching unchurched people in Belmont County. Make sure to check back often!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT!

Evotional.com

Shared via AddThis

Hey there OVRevolutionaries! I received a "Sweet Tweet" today from Perry Noble. Here it is:

"Fear will cause us to sit around and make up scenarios that COULD happen.....Faith will cause us to fully engage in things that SHOULD happen!

We have to be making moves each and every day, that are taking us toward the vision that God has for us. Faithfully stepping our every footstep towards Jesus and sharing HIM with people. Our Faithful actions in building HIS church will multiply, grow and gel together, to become something more amazing than we could ever dream of, as long as, we keep our sites on only HIM!

Wanna be part of an Ohio Valley Revolution?

Well-many of you are talking about the Up-and-Coming REVOLUTION Church, so I thought I'd blog a little update for ya!

The Directionary Leaders are hard at work, behind-the-scenes, working through all of the sometimes exciting (sometimes monotonous) processes, forms, and systems that it will take to bring REVOLUTION to life! We are working on Discipleship Plans, New Believer processes, By-Laws, Articles of Incoporation, Mission statements, etc. We ARE making headway on those things and...

drum roll...

we have completed the required documents and we are now a "real" church!

We have a Federal ID number and a checking account. (What can I say-it sounds simple, but it's a BIG deal to us and a BIG deal to Belmont County!) All conributions are now tax-deductible. We will soon add "online giving" to our website for your convenience. Thanks in advance!

In other news:!--You can now follow us on Twitter @OVRevolution and FaceBook! Make sure you share the link with your friends!
--Our website information is being updated regularly! Check back often!
--We are currently funneling all people interested in Revolution through our Sunday night Bible study. PLEASE do not wait for Sunday services to express your interest. We need you now. When we launch our Sunday morning experiences, we plan on launching large (around 200 people) and we will NEVER get there, if everyone waits for a Sunday morning before they check us out.
--"CONTAGIOUS: A study of the Book of Acts" begins August 23rd. If you want to know more about REVOLUTION, we need you there! Contact me at jessica@OhioValleyRevolution.com for more info!

Exciting stuff is happening daily! Stay tuned!

by Shaun King of Courageous Church:


Yesterday I received emails from two total strangers about our church.
The first email was pretty harsh and proclaimed that I was “shortchanging the Gospel” by making church and Christianity “sound fun.” The author ended her email by stating, “I am obviously not your target audience.”
The second email was the polar opposite. Here’s an excerpt:
“I’ve been reading about your church. I am not really sure where my religious views fall, I really just mix a lot of ideas up, but I am not a Christian. I do however find your church to be an amazing example of what I feel church of any religion should be. You inspire me to give church another chance.”
Here’s the thing…the first email was a blistering critique from a seasoned, lifelong Christian. I could get bent out of shape by what she thought, but to her own admission, she is not who we are trying to reach.
The second email was from a person that is on the fence with God and the church and made a total heart connection with our style and strategies. This person epitomizes our target audience.
At the end of the day you have to know who you are and you aren’t. In some ways, I actually saw the critique of our church as a compliment because it confirmed that we are successfully projecting ourselves just the way we planned. When you know who you are(n’t) you can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’

Not that I thought you guys needed to hear about a couple of emails from Courageous Church, but I would like everyone to hear that this project (ultimately, Revolution Church) will eat, sleep and breathe this mentality. People of the Ohio Valley that are far from God, but yet know that there is more to life than what they are experiencing, will be of utmost importance to us! We are about people that do not know Jesus. Wanna be part of an Ohio Valley Revolution?

Just wanted to say that God is so wonderfully faithful!

We discussed some "areas of uncertainty" the other night (not "obstacles", since He's bigger than anything we call an "obstacle"). And by yesterday, the paths were made straight and the answers weren't just clear, but they were really, really good solutions!

And I love it that our team was thrilled, but not surprised! After all, we operate out of the certainty that this is God's vision for a church, not ours.

Glory to God- It's an honor to do Your work!

FOOLS FOR CHRIST by Mark Batterson:

PERFECT!

It seems like the people that God uses the most are the people who are willing to climb trees like Zaccheus or get out of boats in the middle of the lake like Peter or follow stars like the Wise Men or chase lions like Benaiah! Translation: they are willing to look foolish.

I Corinthians 1:27 reveals God’s modus operandi: God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.

Nothing has changed. God still uses fools.

Faith is the willingness to look foolish. And the reason some of us have never experienced a miracle is because we're not willing to look foolish. If you aren't willing to look foolish God can't use you. Why? Because God uses the foolish things. So let me say it like it is: if you aren't willing to look foolish you're foolish.

Don’t tell me Noah didn’t feel a little foolish building an ark when rain wasn’t in the forecast for another 120 years! Don’t tell me David didn’t feel a little foolish going to war with a slingshot. Don’t tell me Benaiah didn’t feel a little foolish chasing the king of the beasts. Don’t tell me the Wise Men didn’t feel a little foolish when Jewish border agents asked them the reason for their visit. Don’t tell me a professional fisherman named Peter didn’t feel a little foolish stepping out of the boat in the middle of the lake. And don’t tell me Jesus didn’t feel a little foolish hanging half-naked on the cross in front of him family and friends.

But faith is the willingness to look foolish. And the results speak for themselves. Noah was saved from the flood. David defeated Goliath. Benaiah killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. The Wise Men found the Messiah. Peter walked on water. And Jesus was raised from the dead.

So I was doing dishes today, listening to the new Elevation Worship CD (which is wonderful), and thinking about some conversations that I'd had recently.

That's when it hit me.

It really, really hit me.

"We're starting a church with no money, no pastor, no denomination, and no building."

In the Ohio Valley.

No wonder some people look at us like we're crazy! What are we thinking???

And then it hit me. "We ARE crazy! We're really, really crazy!"

Crazy about the fact that there are people in the Ohio Valley who have yet to find a church where they fit.
Crazy about the fact that there are people going through life, just doing the best they can, trying to be a good person, all in their own effort, without the hope or help of Jesus.
Crazy about the fact that too many people are ok with God, but have lost faith in the church.
Crazy about the fact that a church that does things that have never been done before has a wonderful opportunity to reach people that it has never reached before.
Crazy about the fact that it doesn't have to be this way!
Crazy enough to care enough to want to make a difference!

We ARE crazy! And I love it!

We are doing something SO CRAZY that if God doesn't bless it, it will be impossible!

We're making it all about Him, and we're trusting that He will provide what we need to make it happen for Him and His glory.

And we'll do whatever it takes to see that happen.

From PerryNoble:

#1 - Am I loving “social networking” more than Jesus?
#2 - Am I loving my particular brand of theology more than Jesus?
#3 - Am I loving my particular worship style more than Jesus?
#4 - Am I loving my platform more than Jesus?
#5 - Am I loving attention more than Jesus?
#6 - Am I loving facilities more than Jesus?
#7 - Am I loving opportunities more than Jesus?
#8 - Am I loving ritual more than Jesus?
#9 - Am I loving success more than Jesus?
#10 - Am I loving the ministry more than Jesus?
Basically…am I loving ANYONE or ANYTHING more than Jesus!

Jesus has got to be the at the center of all we are trying to accomplish! Whether it is a life-changing revolutionary church, or the relationships in our life-at home or work. What areas of our life do we need to re-adjust to put Him first?

James, a disciple of Jesus, wrote “faith without deeds is useless” (James 2:20). He explains that people brag about their faith, but if that faith does not lead them to action, it is worthless. Many pastors and theologians try to claim that there is disagreement between James and the Apostle Paul, claiming that Paul says that salvation is by faith alone and that James teaches that a person needs to have works to be saved. Actually, Paul and James teach the exact same thing. Paul writes

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Both men teach clearly that salvation is through faith, but that faith naturally leads to obeying God and producing good works.

The importance of this is illustrated by the story of the Israelites refusing to go and take the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14). Moses sent 12 spies into the land to see what it was like. All of the spies said the land was great, but ten of them said that they could not take it. They refused to believe God. Joshua and Caleb admitted that the other nations were strong, but they believed that God would give them the victory. The whole nation of Israel chose to agree with the ten spies, choosing not to go into the Promised Land. Their lack of faith in God caused them to choose not to go into the Land. If they had believed, then that belief would have led them to take action and that would have taken over the Promised Land. Even if they did not believe that they were strong enough, they could have trusted God and gone up to take the Land even if they were wetting their pants all the way.

The point of the story is this:
You can say that you believe God all you want, but if it does not move you to action, it means nothing.

This is a little blurb from a Shane Duffey tweet. I loved it!

“Jesus leadership example = saw a great need which produced a broken heart which ignited passion which worked itself out through sacrifice.” Shane Duffey

Wanna be part of an Ohio Valley Revolution?

From BeyondRelevance.com:

Here's a truism: people that have had a life-changing experience with God want others to find God in a life-changing way.

This is surely true. It is also true that most people that sat in church pews last year never invited one single person to their church. So what is the disconnection?

I think one of the biggest disconnects we have in the church is that, as leaders, we often forget what it was like to go to church for the very first time. The intimidation factor for a lone visitor in a new church is simply huge. But it is nowhere close to the stress and vulnerability that is put on a churchgoer who invites a visitor. All inviters put their reputations on the line every time they invite someone to church. You can rest assured that your church members will not invite someone if they do not expect a positive outcome. And most of the time, that's why one church isn't growing and the church around the corner is. It has led us to say that "People are not ashamed of Christ, they are ashamed of their church." Ouch!

I asked a young friend how he was enjoying his church; he admitted that he loved it but was bothered by the fact that the church wasn't growing. I asked him why it wasn't growing; he acted bewildered and said, "I have no idea."

"Yes, you do," I challenged him. "You know why it's not growing."

After a silence, I asked, "When was the last time you invited someone?"

"Well, it's been a long time," he said ashamedly."Why don't you invite people?"

He shuffled his feet and said, "I don't know."

"Yes, you do," I said. "The reason you don't invite people is the same reason why your church is not growing."

I could tell that bells went off on the inside. He responded, "Yeah, I know why." He had known it all along. He just had never connected the dots between the challenges of inviting people and overall church growth.

It might be simple. A congregant might be embarrassed about the church decorations, the woman who shouts from the back of the church, the inexplicably deep or dry sermons or the pastor telling jokes about his wife. The harder it is to invite people, the more challenging church growth is.

You see, I knew my friend loved God and wanted others to experience Christ's love.

Unfortunately, most people are not intimidated about being Christians; they are intimidated about inviting people to their church.

The simple truth is that if an invitation is hard to make, for whatever reason, fewer people will be invited. The battle for growth is first fought in the hearts of churchgoers who want to better the lives of those around them. This is actually the desire of the vast majority of churchgoers.

I cannot say this emphatically enough-all true Christians want other people to become Christians. It is planted in them when Christ is planted in them. This means if your church has to beg, push, cajole, offer incentives, or even just remind people to invite others, it is a telltale sign that, for whatever reason, they do not believe the ministry that takes place will make a successful connection with the people they would invite.

This is where the rubber hits the road. Is your church connecting with your community? The main link is through your congregation, and if they think you're not connecting, you won't.
It is no wonder Paul challenged us in advance to "become as one to win one." The ability to relate to our communities and church growth go hand in hand. When a ministry can successfully relate to the people in its congregation in a way that reassures them that their guests will be connected with, the churchgoers will be willing to invite others because they know it will relate to those they invite.

By analyzing the temptations and challenges associated with inviting people to church, we found the following to be true. If a churchgoer can answer these questions positively, then inviting friends and family will not only be easy, it will become a lifestyle. The church will explode with growth! As a side note, my guess is that none of these topics would ever show up on a visitor survey. They require us to look closely in the mirror, as even our closest allies would have a hard time advising us of some of these issues.

• Will my friend feel welcomed? Principle: Hospitality-The atmosphere, nomenclature, and style of service should be inviting and not intimidating to the unchurched.
• Will my friend fit in? Principle: Comfort and Compatibility-Like it or not, invitations and visitor comfort decrease when social or cultural gaps exist.
• Can I feel confident that I know how the service will turn out? Principle: Consistency-People need to know what to expect, because they will invite accordingly.
• Will my friend get something out of it? Principle: Relevance-The message should be relevant and powerful for people at all spiritual levels.
• Will my friend understand it? Principle: Understanding-Jesus taught through practical illustrations. The songs and message should be understandable for people at all spiritual levels.
• Will anything that could seem strange to the unchurched be explained through Scripture? Principle: Sensitivity-Scriptural actions should be carried out with clarity and considerate explanation.

Having said all this, I am convinced of one thing. If members walk out of your service saying, "I wish my unchurched friend had been here," they will start to think about inviting their friend. If a member walks out of your service three weeks in a row and says every time, "I wish my unchurched friend would have heard that," nothing will stop that member from dragging that friend through your doors. The challenging thing is that often, when members walk out of churches, the only thing they can say is, "I wish my other church friends would have heard that." It's time to evaluate. Are we creating an atmosphere that fosters growth or are we just ministering unto ourselves?

From Steven Furtick:

Psalm 121:4 Indeed, he who watches over Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep.

For all of you who have trouble relaxing, and often find yourself tossing and turning at night trying to figure out the solution to every possible dilemma, here’s a holiday suggestion for you:
Since God never slumbers or sleeps, you might as well get some rest.

I don’t know what’s got you worked up today, but God is on the clock, He’s on the throne, and He’s got you covered.

In our last post, I promised a glimpse into the wonderful world of THR3E (a one-day event that was hosted by the amazing volunteers and staff of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC.)

Here's a little glimpse of what Pastor Steven Furtick shared (along with some random commentary by yours truly):

CULTURE & VISION:
Pastor Furtick and his team encompass their vision in 3 simple words: audacity, honor, and generosity. And, believe me, they delivered it on the day we were there!

AUDACITY-the relative insanity to start something from nothing. Now there's a definition that completely describes the Revolution Project...it's taking the hopes & dreams for a radically new & different kind of church and combining it with the willingness to be called into action, and intensely focusing on what lies ahead, and how to get from here to there.

We must DREAM BIG for the Glory of God, as we would never want to insult Him with our puny requests.

The size of this project requires audacious visionaries that speak vision when it can't be seen & stand in faith until it becomes a reality.

We must dream so big that it is IMPOSSIBLE to accomplish it without God. If we can do it ourselves, it's too small. We need to look back on this experience and say, "We really can't explain why we've experienced all of this, other than to say that God was in the middle of it!"

What makes us unique makes us powerful.

Audacity is a culture, NOT a set of actions.

God doesn't intend us to mimic someone else's miracle, but He does call us to imitate their faith, and THAT'S why we spend time with others who are successful.

HONOR-to give value

God will honor those who are honorable.

Respect must be earned. Honor is given freely by honorable people.

We need to recover the lost art of honor.

MATTHEW 13:53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.55 “Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?56 Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

You can only receive someone to the level you perceive them. It's not about a title, it's about a mindset. Sometimes you are not able to accomplish all God has asked of you, because of your audience's perception of who you are...know when you have reached your maximum level of influence.


That's it for today. I'll post some more THR3E tidbits soon!