Life and Leadership in Los Angeles

2006-03-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Einstein.......

Check out this website where you can enter text and it will appear as if Albert Einstein wrote it on the chalk board. Have fun! www.hetemeel.com/einsteinform.php

2006-03-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

Mark 4:34........

I came across this verse again today and am convicted by it. It says, "He (Jesus) did not say anything to them without using a parable." The notes in my study Bible on this verse says, "Jesus used parables to illustrate truths, stimulate thinking, and awaken spiritual perception." Lecture preaching is not enough - even Jesus did not do this. If we are not using creative ways to communicate the most important truths in the world - then we are not making a strong enough connection with our listeners.

2006-03-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ethnic diversity.......

Yesterday as I was inviting the Iranian lady who cuts my hair to visit our church, I was reminded how much I love living in ethnic diversity. One of our core values as a church is that the ethnic make up of our congregation should reflect that of our community. It's really amazing that growing up in Springtown, Texas (99% white community) that God would speak into my life about being a missionary pastor. Now living in West Los Angeles, God's calling has actually come to pass. I live in one of the most ethnically diverse places on the planet and our church is doing a good job of being diverse. We currenty have 15 nationalities represented in our church and the number is growing. Our Japanese neighbors have yet to come but we will continue to find ways to reach out to them.

Revelation 7:9 reveals that one day around God's throne people will gather from every nation, tribe, people, and language. No matter where our churches are located we must have a heart for the nations that Christ died for.

2006-02-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

Youth Day.....

Yesterday was awesome. We focused both services on our youth ministry and let them run with things. The music, the drama, the videos, and the message all hit the mark. Our youth pastor Jay R talked about "impacting culture." My prayer as we started the day was, God help people to "get it." I saw an elderly woman signing up for the CD of the message. I think that may be a good sign. Last night I preached the concluding message to the "True Love Waits" series from Ecclesiates 3 - "There is a time...." We had around 20 teenagers come forward to make committments to remain sexually pure until marriage.

2006-02-24T22:22:00.000-08:00

The best people never sign up....

Today during our staff meeting we were watching a DVD of Bill Hybels from the C3 conference, and I was struck by something. Hybels said that "high performance" people have to be recruited, they don't just volunteer. He told the story of his Dad who attended church all of his life but never participated in the life and ministry of the church. His Dad was a successful business man, a world traveler, and a man of action. He had the potential to make a huge impact in a church with vision but he was never asked. Hybels said to recruit a person of this caliber, they would have to be asked by the senior pastor, and probably multiple times. They have so many people demanding their counsel, advice, participation, and finances that they usually don't just "sign up" for ministry. People are waiting to be asked to partcipate in a clear and compelling vision.

2006-02-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

I'm in.

Well, after six months of being an avid reader of blogs that deal with church leadership, I've decided to jump into the fray. I hope that as the lead pastor of a local church I can contribute to the ongoing conversation of what God is doing in the church today.

Post one.