Why I Love My Life Group

Let me tell you about my life group. All ages from twenties to fifties. All walks of life from babies to teenagers and from blue collars to white collars. None better than the other. Simply doing life together as fellow friends of God.

Here's what we're up too...

Friday night we're hanging out. Games and homemade pizzas. Mmm.

Sunday morning we're serving together. The smiling faces for all who come through the doors of Harvest Chapel.

Monday night we're digging into Scripture. Applying love and tackling life.

Let's not forget the constants. Friends to count on. Laughter. Minds to pull from. Really really good food. Shoulders to lean on.

So...why do I love my life group? Seems like a silly question after noting the above. Doesn't it? Which only begs the real question. Why struggle and stumble alone? Get plugged in. Do life together. Build support walls.

When the time comes...you'll be glad you did as we're designed to be actively engaged within community. And...we all know life happens and the time always comes sooner or later. Until next time. Jed.

Where Are The Leaders

I love a good game of ping pong. Unfortunately, I suck and usually lose. That's right...I lack mad ping pong skills. But, I love a good game of ping pong nonetheless. I trust you do as well.

Now...imagine the ball hitting the net and bouncing away and off. Away and off into some corner or crevice. Some corner or crevice which simply seems impossible. Oh boy! But...away and off it goes with you chasing behind. Crawling around like a fool with your friends laughing and mocking. We've all been there. Right?

We pursue. We pursue despite this laughing and mocking. A relentless pursuit. Why? Well...without this ball the game is useless. Without this ball the game is over.

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Ever sit and wonder. Wonder where are the leaders. The shepherds. After all, people sit and listen week in and week out to sermon after sermon. Sit and listen to small group after small group. Shouldn't they simply emerge? Kind of appear as a basic byproduct?

However, we often forgo the one in pursuit of the many. Creating many sheep without reproducing any shepherds.

Don't get me wrong. Sheep rock! But, sheep without shepherds quickly fall pray to roaring lions.

The remedy? Some good old fashioned one on one mentoring.

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Back to ping pong. Pursue the ball and what do you get? Bumped heads, bruised egos, and brushed cobwebs. Still, we pursue the ball. The one. And...we pursue with intention. See the similarities?

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Back to reproducing shepherds. You guessed it. More bumped heads, bruised egos, and brushed cobwebs. But, forget the game. The stakes are greater and higher. You see, without these shepherds, ministry is useless. Without these shepherds, ministry is over.

So, here's the summary...

- Pursue the one for the sake of the many. The shepherd for the sheep. The leader.
- Pursue the one through one on one mentoring. Who are you mentoring? Better yer, who's mentoring you?
- Ignore the bumps, bruises, and brushes. They come with the territory.
- Be intentional or it's useless and over.

Reminds me of a quote from my previous post. We impress people from afar, but impact them from up close. Dave Gibbons. Until next time. Jed.

The Magic Of Love

The top three ways, ten best practices, or five golden rules. These numbers and titles generate traffic to blogs everywhere. They're catchy and generally easy to absorb and implement. But, how many top three, ten best, or five golden exist? All together...the three quickly become the three hundred. Kind of hard to absorb and implement the three hundred. Isn't it?

But, we continually cloud the clear and create the complex. Let's face it...we all want to know these numbers and titles. After all, aren't we steps from the peak? Getting ready to ride the wave of glory and success?

A fellow once had similar thoughts. He decided to vocalize these thoughts and ask the Master. What is the most important principle? Forget the top three, ten best, or five golden. Give me the one! The answer? Love God and love people. Huh? Seems too simple.

However, let's set aside the numbers and titles for just a moment. Not to sound like a love song...but, a little love may generate the traffic we're truly seeking. What about your husband, kid, neighbor, or wife? What would happen with love as your guide and partner? There's no need to answer this question. You already know the answer!

From my good friend, Wes Bell, love is spelled SHOW and TIME. Good advice and good truth for us all. Until next time. Jed.

Dirty Laundry

A church and a pub just a few blocks apart. How do these worlds interact and intersect? Better yet...do these or should these worlds interact and intersect?

Let's travel back a few posts. Perhaps it's time for a reverse Jericho...with the church blowing their trumpets and allowing their walls to crumble. Sounds poetic. But, what does it mean? What does it mean for this church and this pub?

For some reason, these questions are craving my attention. Jumping up and down and waving their hands within my mind. So, I'm letting my walls crumble and venturing out into the world of what ifs...

- What if my church eliminated the word orphans throughout my county?
- What if my church opened a coffee house, counseling center, or laundry mat?
- What if my church provided attorneys or physicians to those without means?
- What if my church united with area churches on any of the above?

These what ifs engage the community and reach the lost. Take the simple laundry mat. The relationships and opportunities. The life change through simple soap and water. Potentially, bringing this church and this pub together.

Or...providing the attorney or physician to the struggling dad or mom. Helping preserve families and kids instead of despair and distraught through secondhand tales.

My church functioning and operating downtown next to the flower shop and insurance agent. Joining the Chamber of Commerce. Waving at the barber across the street. Loving every chime of the front door.

How much more does uniting with area churches impact and improve these what ifs?

So, what should my church be doing beyond their walls? These questions will likely jump and wave throughout my life. What I do know? Don't glance over. Rather buckle down. Break the rules. Stretch the thoughts. Who knows where God will lead! Until next time. Jed.

Eternal Or Tacky

What grabs attention? Perhaps something shocking? Do you slow to peek, peep, or peer at whatever debacle sits roadside...usually encompassing someone's misfortune. Yes, this misfortune is shocking at times. But, is shocking always better?

More than shocking...I love to preach engaging. Engaging grabs attention! An engaging conversation, culture, painting, people, picture, piece, etc. Engaging will accomplish just that. It engages people, which cracks the doors for true conversations...for soul conversations. These cracks are the significance of life. These cracks are what thrusts doors open for eternity. These cracks are an engaging concept.

To risk some silliness...this engaging concept is why Mickey Mouse poses within my watch. Sure, I love Disney. But, this watch is also a great conversation provoker and starter. Provoking and starting and hopefully leading to the significance of life...these cracks. Sounds silly, right? But, conversation tends to flow and grow quickly beyond a cartoon mouse. I recently applied this philosophy to my iPhone. A picture of my new case is below...my wife hates it. I tried to explain my engaging concept. But, we seem to lack a kindred spirit. Instead, she goes straight to...what was it again...oh ya, tacky. Your thoughts?

How Would You Respond

A battered and intoxicated man stumbling and wandering around your church’s parking lot. How would you respond? The classic duck and weave and through the front doors as if you hadn’t noticed. Or…perhaps with some good old fashioned compassion. Well…Pastor Tommy Jackson had the same question and decided to play the part. He stumbled and wandered while being disguised as battered and intoxicated. And he played the part well. Well enough that no one recongnized him. He even went as far as having the cops called in. How did his congregation respond? A local news cast has the footage. Check it out here and let me know your thoughts. A pretty wild idea. I like it. Until next time. Jed.

Jesus Between Our If Then

Do you remember the if followed by a then? But, as noted, Jesus must come between our if then. If Jesus, then…

Today, I seem to be nostalgic. You see…I’m on the move. Off to a new career. A career that has been rooted within my heart and soul for nearly a decade. A career where the past roads have paved the way. And who paved these past roads? God and God alone. Without doubt or question. Although I had doubts and questions more often than not. God still paved. God is and was faithful.

I look around and then turn inward. Who am I? A wretch. A sinner. Deserving unto death. But…don’t forget that Jesus falls between my if then. As the Psalmist notes, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” I know. Do you? Simply put…we’re blessed and loved. John 15:15 notes, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends.” Wow! Don’t you feel blessed and loved to be known as a friend of God!

Life will be life. Hurdles and trails will come. Doubts and questions will follow. But, God will still pave. God will still be faithful. Put your life and your trust in Him…into His hands…the author and perfecter of our faith.

I hate to burst the bubble. But, we’re ordinary. Me and you. However, place Jesus between our if then and we remain ordinary with an extraordinary God in tow…as our friend. How cool is that! Until next time. Jed.

That Mystery Key

Sitting in my driveway…my friend managed to lock himself within his trunk. Keys within his pocket and no other way in or out. Don’t ask. Stupid high school stuff. In the end, his sister came to the rescue. A spare was left behind…just in case history repeated itself. Fortunately, it was never needed.

Just yesterday I went though our keys. Keys for anything and everything. Cars, churches, clubs, halls, homes, and offices. Kind of a mess. I still ended up with a pile of mystery keys. Holding on as if someday I’ll remember. Ya right.

Keys gain access…even through the hardest and toughest of doors. A simple twist and there you go. Boldly walking across the threshold.

People so often lug and tug the baggage and luggage of life. Searching and seeking for the mystery key. The key that will open, unlock, and free. Perhaps a counselor or doctor. Perhaps our friend Google. That key is out there somewhere. But…these people still lug and tug. Lugging and tugging past you and your church. Looking up and neglecting or even scoffing. At least never thinking. The church? Do they make keys?

Not the church…but, Jesus Christ who is embodied and represented through the church. Through us. We have that key. That mystery key. Do your relatives know? How about your colleagues or friends? Better yet…how about you?

People lugging and tugging past you and your church. Please stop, pause, and consider. But how? Relationships! After all…we were once lugging and tugging. But, we’re free (John 8:32). Not perfect or even all together. Simply freed and united through the blood of Jesus Christ. Related with the beliefs, experiences, and thoughts of fellow brothers and sisters.

Relationships. Or should I say…transparent relationships will get those luggers and tuggers to stop, pause, and consider. And when they do…we'll be there with the Key! Opening, unlocking, and freeing. Boldly walking across the threshold. Until next time. Jed.

Church Marketing Sucks...Huh

Yesterday…I looked down and noticed a goof. My socks! I was wearing one gray and one tan. Oh well…who hasn’t been there? That moment. Keeping one eye open and wondering what to do next. Is anyone looking? Did anyone see?

How about your church? Do visitors feel out of place…as if wearing different socks? Or, is the opposite true? Let’s resurrect the same guy from an earlier post. Same jeans. Same shirt. We should give this guy a name. After all…he may want to make a future appearance within this blog. I like Abe.

Abe is curious. His friend has talked of Jesus. But, who is this Jesus and why should Abe care? Figuring he has nothing to lose…he walks through the doors of your church (if only it were that easy). Now what?

We so often get immersed in church culture that we seldom slow down. Slow down and think about people such as Abe. Sure…it’s easy for you and me. Through the door. Shake a few hands. Laugh a few laughs. Take our token seat. Rattle through the service. Sip some coffee. Talk the lingo. And…off to Sunday School we go for a repeat of the above. No doubts, fears, or worries. What about Abe? He is unsure about the shakes, laughs, takes, rattles, sips, and talks. Is anyone looking? Did anyone see?

My dad walked into the emergency room about a decade ago. Throwing his wallet at the desk…he announced he was having a heart attack. The response was impressive! My dad survived this heart attack due to this response and the hand of God. He didn’t have to ponder or wonder. He was welcomed. The shakes, laughs, takes, rattles, sips, and talks were not a big deal. Our church should mimic this emergency room. Welcoming those with heart conditions…washing away doubts, fears, or worries.

Take a hard look at your church. What will Abe see? Will he be welcomed? Will he know what to do or where to go? Will he ponder or wonder? Worse yet…will he sit in our token seat (just kidding)? Don’t ignore these questions. Take action! Implement change where needed. Nothing to change? If so…please let me know and I’ll pray for your ego. :)

Dan Kimball recently posted about this topic. Click here for this post. Also, I stumbled upon a blog named Church Marketing Sucks. An interesting name. And…there’s some interesting reads within this blog. Take a look here. Until next time. Jed.

Invite Your Friend To Church

More thoughts to follow...but, let's start with the lighter side