6 Common Perceptions of Christians by Dan Kimball

Today's non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like—and why you should be listening to these emerging voices.

Every now and then, we experience an epiphany of some sort that drastically changes our life’s course. For me, it’s an extremely vivid memory of what happened when I took the time to step outside the busyness of ministry and listened to some college students from what was known to be one of the more anti-Christian campuses in California. It was these “pagan” students who gave me such incredible hope for the Church.
I was leading a young adults' ministry we had recently started at the church I was on staff with at the time, and occasionally during worship gatherings, we showed man-on-the-street video interviews to set up the sermon. For an upcoming message series on evangelism, we decided to go to this college campus to interview students and hear firsthand their thoughts about Christianity. We asked two questions: “What do you think of when you hear the name ‘Jesus’?” and “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘Christian’?”
When they answered the first question

Why We Need to Throw Out the Term "Good Christian" by Francis Chan

I think it's time we stop asking ourselves the question: "Am I a good Christian?" We live in a time when the term "Christian" has been so diluted that millions of immoral but nice people genuinely consider themselves "good Christians." We have reduced the idea of a good Christian to someone who believes in Jesus, loves his or her family, and attends church regularly. Others will label you a good Christian even though your life has no semblance to the way Christ spent His days on earth. Perhaps we should start asking the question: "Am I a good Christ?" In other words, do I look anything like Jesus? This question never even entered my mind until a friend of mine made a passing comment to me one day.

Dan is a long time friend of mine. In fact, he's the pastor who performed my wedding. He was talking to me about a pastor named Von. Von has been working with youth in the San Diego area for decades. Many of his students have gone on to become amazing missionaries and powerful servants of God. Dan described a trip to Tijuana, Mexico, with Pastor Von. (Von has been ministering to the poor in the dumps of Tijuana for years.) Dan didn't speak of the awful living conditions of those who made their homes amidst the rubbish. What impacted Dan the most was the relationship he saw between Von and the people of this community. He spoke of the compassion, sacrifice, and love that he witnessed in Von's words and actions as he held these malnourished and un-bathed children. Then he made the statement that sent me reeling:

"The day I spent with Von was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

Dan explained that the whole experience was so eerie because he kept thinking to himself: "If Jesus were still walking on Earth in the flesh, this is what it would feel like to walk alongside of Him!" After that discussion, I kept wondering if anyone had ever said that about me-"The day I spent with Francis was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus." The answer was an obvious "no." Would any honest person say that about you?

What bothered me was not that I hadn't "arrived," but that I wasn't even heading in the right direction. I hadn't made it my goal to resemble Christ. I wasn't striving to become the kind of person who could be mistaken for Jesus Christ. Isn't it ironic that a man can be known as a successful pastor, speaker, and CHRISTian even if his life doesn't resemble Christ's?

1 John 2:6 "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

When John made that statement, he wasn't speaking about how to be a church leader or even how to be a "good" Christian. He merely stated that anyone who calls himself Christian must live like Jesus did. So how did Jesus live? You could make a list of character traits to compare yourself to, but it would be far more beneficial to simply read through one of the Gospels. After you get a bird's-eye view of the life of Christ, do the same with your own. Are you comfortable with the similarities and differences?

It's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of "success" as American churchgoers define it. The thought of being well known and respected is alluring. There have been times when I've been caught up in the fun of popularity. I've even mistaken it for success. Biblically, however, success is when our lives parallel Christ's. Truth is there are many good Christs that you'll never read about in a magazine. They are walking as Jesus walked, but they are too focused and humble to pursue their own recognition.

May we make it our goal to someday have someone say of us: "The day/hour/15 minutes I spent with ______ was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

As Christians in America, we often complain about how antagonistic people are toward Christ. Personally, I'm not sure that Americans are really rejecting Christ. Maybe they just haven't seen Him.

Try to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself right now. Is the following true of you?

You passionately love Jesus, but you don't really want to be like Him. You admire His humility, but you don't want to be THAT humble. You think it's beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that's not exactly the direction your life is headed. You're thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you. You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on Earth, but you're going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.

In short: You think He's a great Savior, but not a great role model.

The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life. I pray for those who read this article- that we don't become cynical or negative toward the church. Instead, let's make a personal decision to stop talking so much and begin living like Jesus. Then we can say as the Apostle Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1) My guess is that you've never had someone say that to you, and you've never said it to anyone else. Why Not? 

ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO CHURCH LEADERS AND THE CATALYST AND FRANCIS CHAN. 

Francis Chan is an author and church leader, formerly the pastor of Cornerstorne Church in Simi Valley, California. Chan has authored two books, Crazy Love & Forgotten God. He is also the founder of Eternity Bible College and sits on the board of directors of Children's Hunger Fund and World Impact. Francis lives in California with his wife, Lisa, and their four children
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What makes a great leader by Charles Lee

Leadership is often defined as influence.

In my opinion, everyone possesses the ability to “influence” or lead others in the general sense of the word, but not everyone is a leader (i.e., someone who functions in a publicly recognized role of guiding or influencing others). I have worked with several people who influence the lives of many people but didn’t function well once given a key role of leadership in an organization and/or company.
The reality is that leadership in a formal sense requires a certain set of perspectives, values, and praxis that very few are able to carry out well. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some phenomenal leaders that are literally changing the landscape of our world. Here are a few insights I’ve picked up about what it takes to become a great leader:

• Pain Frames Purpose – Great leaders do not run away from pain, but rather, recognize that pain is what truly forms and informs their life purposes. It is not to say that they are sadistically seeking pain. Passion for one’s purpose is often fueled in part by one’s pain and suffering. Passion by definition is not only a reference to fervor but also the willingness to work with pain.
• Collaboration is Necessary for Creative Innovation – Leaders recognize that they cannot and will not do it alone. Every great endeavor needs a team or community to help it flourish. Great leaders move from simply wanting collaboration to needing it. In addition, they welcome voices from unrelated fields to spark creativity and refinement of purpose.
• Courage Guides Decisions – Great leaders are marked by their courage in decision making. They rarely lean towards the popular vote. Courage implies that there is often a deep presence of fear and obstacles. Courage is the ability to move forward in the presence of fear.
• Compassionate Justice Provides Perspective – No matter how tough a great leader may appear, deep inside they all care about the people they lead. Compassionate justice is a reference to a work that seeks to make things right with a posture of real care. Great leaders are leading because they feel they can change the environment or direction of something that could be better. People ultimately “follow” a leader because they sense that they have their best interest in mind, even if it means that they go against the grain.
• Focus of Implementation – Great leaders don’t just talk; they do. They realize the hard work is in the implementation of their vision and courage. They don’t make excuses nor choose to sit on their ideas. They simply move forward and figure things out along the way. Great leaders are focused on implementing better. They're not satisfied with a 30,000 feet view. They also want to see what’s right in front of them. The focus is not just greater vision but greater action.

Living life as a leader is a noble pursuit. It takes a special person to move beyond the romanticized benefits of its role.
Are you a leader? If so, our world needs you at your best!

ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO CHURCH LEADERS AND CHARLES LEE.

7 Things You Can't Expect as a Church Leader By Perry Noble

#1 – I cannot expect to win arguments with those who don’t want to settle the argument, they just want to fight for the sake of fighting.  (II Timothy 2:23)

#2 – I cannot expect people to read my mind.  (I Corinthians 14:8)

#3 – I cannot possibly expect to have a complete and detailed plan from God that tells me exactly what His plans are for the next 20 years.  (Psalm 119:105) – He doesn’t promise to let us see years in advance, but He does promise to show us our next step!

#4 – I cannot expect to be a follower of Jesus and keep everyone around me happy at the same time.  (Proverbs 29:25)

#5 – I cannot expect to stay the same and see progress.  (Isaiah 43:18-19)

#6 – I cannot expect to please God without taking steps of faith. (Hebrews 11:6)

#7 – I cannot expect to hear God’s voice if I am always running at an unsustainable pace!  (Psalm 46:10)

ALL  COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO PERRY NOBLE AND CHURCH LEADERS.COM

Perry Noble is the founding and senior pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, Greenville and Florence, South Carolina. At just nine years old, the church averages over 10,000 people during weekend services and is launching another campus in Columbia, South Carolina. Perry is convicted about speaking the truth as plainly as possible. A prolific blogger, he’s also the author of Blueprints: How to Build Godly Relationships.More from Perry Noble or visit Perry at www.perrynoble.com

10 Church Leadership "Everydays" and "Foundationals"

Have the church leadership thrown away their manners, their beliefs and their standard?
If you feel me speaking to you, I may very well be!
1. You don't order people to do work or serve somewhere. You don't own your congregation and do not have the right to make them do something. So telling them things like, "you better do this" or "you have to do this" or "you will be doing this"is not an option for you. The power of suggestion and asking is in play. If they have made a commitment you roster them and get confirmation.
So don't forget the P's and Q's that your parents taught you!
2. You don't tell the team that these are the rules now and not remember to apply them when someone else comes into the picture or someone fights or forgets it. Stand by the decision you make and the vision you have and get the church to understand why it is important to do certain things, and how to do them.
3. You can't "expect" your team to be inspired by themselves. You need to inspire them. Encourage them. Bless them. Thank them. Tell all of them how their contribution and effort play an integral part of church growth.
4. Don't make decisions for them. Your church is filled with people not robots, people with feelings, time schedules, likes and dislikes. I highly doubt anyone wants you to tell them how and when to live their lives. Again, suggestion is key.
5. Don't take advantage of those that are more shy or on the quiet side when it comes to speaking their mind. Be a leader who gives them an opportunity to speak up, make their own mind about something and gives them the time to make that decision.  Don't be a PUSHOVER. A leader who will encourage the person to be honest with their feelings, belief systems and brings up leaders even if they seem to be the quiet type.
Your passion for God must not make people want to run away from you but rather see it as a desirable quality. 
6. Stop being a gossiper. I find it insulting that I have to say and see this but it stands true to some that come to you and tell you something wrong or bad about another person. Then go to the other person and say something about you to them. Stop being a back stabber. Let your words be few when it comes to this. Be wise and please do not think that people have not noticed when you are doing it.
As a leader you must know that you are being watched and people will take you for your word(s).
7. Stop being jealous and stop enabling the competition spirit . Stop wanting to be someone else. Just because I can sing doesn't mean I can be or make me want to be Darlene Zschech. I rather be me and allow God to work through me. So stop being jealous and stop trying to "out do" someone who is at your same level of serving at church. Whether it is between worship leaders, preachers or pastors. Be yourself and make yourself available to God so He can do amazing things through you.
8. As leaders we all have a platform whether it is huge or small. When you are serving make sure you are not doing it with a mirror in front of you. This life of servanthood isn't for yourself. It isn't for you to feel good, to check whether you sound and look perfect and better than another. It is so that the church can get closer to God, find themselves in Him and allow Him to work on their hearts so they can grow and become who God has called them to be. So when you are up there it is SO NOT ABOUT YOU.
Work for God, not for yourself. I have seen my share of people fall off their high horses when they don't get this very foundational rule.
9. Evaluating a leader's performance and telling him/her how they are doing is not criticizing them or telling them that they are not valuable but that they have potential and you want to see that growth in them.
When the pastor I was interning with, gave me a very genuine, honest evaluation and said I had to do better, if I grumbled and mumbled under my breath, I would not have been able to learn from him and grow as a leader myself. It is a day I will always remember as someone took the time to care enough to tell me. So be an adult when dealing with each other. Stop hiding from your responsibility to improve and grow your leaders and stop being a baby when you have to hear it and deal with it.
Be an adult, submit, learn and see God manifest in more amazing ways than you can imagine.
10. Preparation, learning and rehearsing are keys to anything we want or need to do. Whether it is an event, church service, prayer meeting, worship, leadership, preaching, don't think it as not important cause it will affect not only you but your team and your church eventually.
Don't be selfish and not care. Make sacrifices so that what you put out on your platform is only your best. After all, everything you do, you do for God, right? Be ready to put in the effort and stop making excuses of being busy. If at work you have to prepare, if at home you have to prepare, if at every relationship you have to work, then it is very obvious that when you are doing things for church you have to prepare.
So even if God changes you agenda by surprise you are prepared for Him to do that as well.

Side Note:****
This post was formerly known as "Things Church Leaders Need to Get Straight", but some guys felt it was too harsh and some felt that it should not have been said this way, but here's the thing I had to hear it, see it, experience it and live under it. And I know that a lot of people feel this way, it is our responsibility to bring change where it is needed so our church can be healthy and strong and the people that come there will feel at home, safe as they should always feel than feeling attacked. So I hope that all that read this will see my heart behind wanting the best for everyone and bringing to light the things that matter. Much love to all! 

When the crowd drives you up the wall- Challenge or Opportunity Part 5

Recently a friend of mine showed me this video that she was going to show in the class she was teaching. I think it will help to watch this so I can get to what i am trying to say.



Sometimes when they tell you to venture out to see something new, it may just be the thing you are looking for, craving for or something that you turn out to like or love.
While this stands, a lot of the times there will be a crowd and you often find this with close or large families or people that are nosy in general and haven't accomplished much themselves. They find it approved or very necessary to tell you something about you that is very wrong in their perspective or that whatever you are doing is not going to work, that they have lived longer and know better than us.
I want to encourage you to not worry about those people. They have worthless countless words that have no value if you don't allow it. I know for me I am doing something that is very different, out of the box and there is no position title to it. As an Indian girl born in Dubai, I am pretty much asked to live the life that any Indian girl would be asked to live. Even as a youngee (youngster) I knew I was searching and looking for something different, wanting to live differently and achieve something that was out of the ordinary. I am still on a path of achieving something that has not been thought of before on my side of the world.
So when the crowd tries to drive you up the wall, stand for what you believe in. Let people's comment and opinions be only that and nothing more. The voices will dim down and you will get to where your heart has longed to get.
At the same time, you achieving anything cannot be about taking revenge or showing those that have hurt you or those that not supported you in your decisions that you got there. According to Philip Baker's book, "Decisions of Daring Acheivers", a research shows that ten percent will disagree with you on any decision you make.
What you heart is burning to do and achieve, do it because that is the call on your life and that God has helped you get there. All the negative people and the obstacles along the way helped you stand even more for what you believe in, than get agitated and get lost in translation.
In your present situation, if there is a crowd driving you up the wall with every small decision that you make, remember to make them stepping stones to your step forward, allow them to say their words, consider what you think you need to consider and let the rest go and walk on with confidence and joy in your heart.
Last thing I want to say, be ready to do the work. Otherwise, its a dream unachievable!

When the crowd drives you up the wall, whatcha gonna do?

PS. try some hot Kool aid! :P

When your ground is no more... Challenge or Opportunity? Part 4

"Your house is up for sale!" said the email. I read through the email again, as though in shock. My eyes now scrutinizing every word written, as though they were charging at me with a sword. It didn't occur to me till ten minutes later that, that message was for me. But the words didn't pierce me. They just floated around in the air till they were no more. They hoped to make me feel homeless again. They hoped to place another burden on me. They hoped to poke me till it hurt me in my core. 
And those words had once captured me. But this time... 
Even before the problem was presented to me, the solution was given to me. 
When the ground you stand upon and live upon is going to be no more, what are you going to do? How are you going to react? What are your next moves? 
I will always believe in being pro-active then lazily sitting in the room that will soon not be yours anymore. 
Your eyes twitch in tension, your toes started dancing unrhythmical. You look up from the computer, keenly and desperately trying to find a solution. Other than that your face remains calm, your body still and your heart finds focus. 
And then He said, "When your ground is no more, when your security in this world is no more, when your success isn't found here, your testimony stands completely heavenly, full of grace, full of love. When your ground is no more, you stand". 
If Jesus makes something beautiful from nothing and was able to make us from sand... when my ground is no more, His presence is my home. 
Yes, they say you can't live on love alone. It is true, but with His love came wisdom and strength to move forward till you reach your true destination.
Fear is not your companion. Worry is not your blanket. Tears are not your portion. 
When you believe you have better, bigger things waiting to be discovered... you know that Jesus is your prize. His word is your food. His victory is your portion.
When your ground is no more... when you have lost your ground more than once... you know that you will gain back what is yours! 
My house situation is my opportunity to show off the true foundation I stand on. The faith that pushes me forward and the Love that stands beside me in everything. That is a true and beautiful opportunity!

The smallest person in the room- Challenge or Opportunity? Part 3

Picked out the hottest dress in your closest? Or got a new hairdo? Lost 2 kilos and feel like a million bucks? Next thing you know, both doors to the room fling open, there's smoke machines on either sides... and you catwalk down that little alley strip, hoping everyone is turning towards you and staring in awe and amazement? Picturing it yet? Good.
All right now imagine all three situations, but there are no smoke machines this time, you fling the door open yourself, you catwalk down that alley strip and your foot trips over the other... this time everyone is staring but it's not in awe... that, with a little less exaggeration would be me! I may even laugh a little loud at something that isn't funny so that people think that I am having fun or have potential to be a cool person in their mind. If you are honest enough, you would admit to being silly like this, sometimes. Okay, well maybe its just me!
You see in both situations people have already stereotyped you and put in a box. But more than them, you, have stereotyped yourself and put yourself in a box and are desperately trying to get out of it. Or maybe you love being there just a tad too much!
Here's a reality check, most of us place ourselves in the wrong box. 
For me, my mental, very untrue, stereotype is that I am the smallest person in the room. In the past, this has been my biggest challenge ever. I would be part of a conversation and not say a word. I would be part of a brain storming meeting and never contribute any of my ideas, cause I am, well, the smallest person at the meeting!
I know that a lot of my past experiences, cruel comments and even my culture and upbringing took a part of me grading myself this way. 
 I even made some logical explanations to my actions. I was in fact the youngest person in this room. I maybe the least educated, the least experienced, I have been broken too many times to find any self-confidence somewhere in there, no one really took me under their wing and taught me or helped me to cross sides. It seems so, that these were all but mere excuses not to break out of my shell. I am shy, I am timid, I am insecure, I am not that kind of a leader, blah blah blah! 
But I imagined, dreamed, procrastinated and hoped the opposite all the time! 
You may have heard the saying fake it, till you make it! 
You don't feel like a leader? You don't know if you can finish what has been given to you? You don't think you have anything to contribute that is worthy of mentioning or being heard? 
Well fake it till it all makes sense!
Heck, put on those pair of boots till your shoulders are straight and your head is held high! Research, prepare, rehearse till it makes sense in your head before you present it at a meeting! 
You may fall a few times but trust me, have a go again and again! Don't give up! 
I also realized that God created something strong out of my weakness. 
It caused me to be a really good listener. To catch someone's vision or dream and present it well. To slowly praying in public, and commenting when i was sure of something, even blogging and tagging people so they can read this!
If you feel like you are the smallest person in the room, you are there because you can and need to conquer it. By conquer, I don't mean pick up a sword, the war is on! I mean, take a step back, read yourself. Find the negatives and positives and start working on them.
There are three things I have found key to conquering this:
First of all, Humility! God has had to do some major cleaning up to be able to make space for this department. And let Him!
Next, Discipline! Create some routines in your time frame that will help shape what you are hoping to change about yourself.
And finally, Perseverance... Our generation is probably one of the most laziest group of people I have ever met. Including myself! We quit when we are a step away from reaching our goal. Even if you fall down, fail, don't impress your boss, persevere to making your challenge, your opportunity to building and creating something new, fresh and anointed!


Here's a final tip: Don't let anyone steal your joy when you do get there! 
You are the smallest person in the room, where are your pendulum controls taking you?

A Sweet Spirit-Challenge or Opportunity?

A few days ago, I was taking the bus to the mall. If you have been in Sydney, you would know what I meant by getting to the bus stop 30 minutes before its scheduled time and sit there praying it show up!
Anyhow, I was in a normal mood... no dramas! Just chilled, relaxing (PRAYING FOR MY BUS) and listening to some music.
As I sat there, a car came and stopped close to the stop. At first, I thought the lady in the car was lost since she was calling someone and looking at a book. And then, she switched her indicators on and decided to settle. She did her make up and kept fixing her hair in the mirror. I then determined that there was something wrong with her car. All right then, she is waiting for NRMA (roadside assistance) to show. But 45 minutes later, there were some angry drivers on the road, honking and rolling their windows down, screaming and swearing. She seemed a little freaked out and not so happy.
All that time (while still praying for my late bus to show), I was thinking I should go ask her if she needs a proper parking spot, she was seconds from churches'. But I was thinking about how she would react to my action.
 I don't know... anyway I told God this... "if my bus doesn't come in the next two minutes I will walk up to her." My bus showed up in that two minutes which i was happy about and also a little confused about whether I should I have walked up to her anyway!
 But as I stood up and waved at my bus... she thought I was waving at her, so smiled and gave me an asian head bow. We smiled eye to eye till I got on the bus.
But I didn't walk up to her? Offer her help? Should I still feel confused?
You see sometimes people don't need help. They have help on the way. They just need some assurance that the whole world won't try to take them out while they waited on help.
I wonder how many times, we plug our earphones into our ears, trying to cut off the noise of the world, on our way somewhere, but in fact all the world wanted was some assurance of our acceptance, our kindness, our gentleness, our sweet spirit to help them go on or move forward.
I wonder if I had created an opportunity to show Jesus to that lady. I don't know, maybe I have sown a seed! Either way, she found what is best about Jesus, His Kindness.
As winter dawn on us, and we wear a million pairs of socks to keep us warm, lets remember to keep our spirits sweet as well.
In a time when people are tired, losing focus, wandering in desperation and feeling low; a sweet spirit can make a world's difference.
Like any other thing, having a sweet spirit is a journey and involves two repetitive attributes.

The first one is like your pizza base. With no base, there is no pizza. Alright?
- Going back to the presence  of God! When I first started spending time with God, I usually came out really worked up and vulnerable cause He was working with me, in me, creating within me newness. Overtime, you will see that you come out feeling the healing, joy overflowing and confidence taking its stance. When you get there, you will see the sweet spirit of Jesus in you, wanting to pump someone's day or speak love and joy over them.
The next thing, is the actual stuff that goes on the pizza base like the tomatoes, cheese, chicken or even for you BBQ meat lovers... this will make it a full, well done, yummy (even gourmet) pizza.
- Letting Go!
On this journey, you will come across mean or rude or unhappy people in general. Most of the time, their comments can leave you feeling a little down. This can come in any shape or form because the devil knows how to push your buttons and trust me on this journey, he will be waiting to do so.
Here's my advice: Don't hold those comments, remarks, experiences close, rather let them go, release them and release yourself. There's nothing more freeing in not holding what you need not hold onto!

Try this. Go on a journey of entering His presence all the time and letting go whenever and wherever needed!
Over time, you will see yourself become kind to the meanest person in the room! I think that is a pretty cool picture!

So, where are your pendulum controls taking you?

Challenge or Opportunity? Part 1

A lot of us get frustrated at life sometimes... alright a lot of the time! Its like being on a pendulum at the fair that moves so fast, back and forth! We feel like throwing up, we want to quit, run away, leave, abandon, even give up our life cause of the craziness of it all. We feel weak, tired, unmotivated and can't seem to find the purpose of this life of earth. You might even ask, "what good could I possibly bring to this crapy, filthy dump where everyone betrays and hurts each other?" I would not be surprised if you did, cause I asked that question myself a few times.
It was in the darkest and loneliest of my seasons when I asked that question. When I would look myself in the mirror and hate what i saw. When my favorite food or drink or movie or music or place couldn't satisfy me. They were all bland, plain and tasteless to the core.
What on the face of this planet could help me? Revive me? Put a smile on my face and some peace in my heart, so I could get a few hours of restful sleep?
I tried everything in my boundaries and a few beyond them to try and find something.
It came to this one answer every time as I read between the lines of my actions and behavior.  To be loved!
All of the crisis in the world, all the misfortune, all the disaster, all the pain and hurt, they would all diminish, even if slowly,when you are loved. That is a big fat FACT!
So did that mean I had to love myself ? Yes and no!
I mean, trust me I tried with all my heart to see myself differently when I looked in the mirror. I praised myself when I succeeded in something. I told myself I could do it. I can finish this assignment or feel happy when I wanted to. And you can!
But there is one key ingredient. One incalculable, immeasurable, irreplaceable, incomparable, unparalleled, priceless ingredient!
Jesus. His love.
Some of you may go, yeah well I know Jesus, or yes I am saved but whatever or I tried him before and nothing happened.
You can't try Jesus one day and be done with. You have to go on a journey with him.
If you go on a diet, you can't exercise or have diet pills for one day or a week, you have to go on a journey of a new lifestyle of eating and exercising.
I have never heard of one true and honest person who has gone on a journey with Jesus and not felt better or made a 360 change about everything in his or her life.
When a challenge or circumstance is in your way and you've tried everything in "your" rule book and it's going nowhere; give Jesus a chance. Go on a journey with him. If you are on one, but feel like giving up, let me just encourage you don't give up. Finish what you started!

In the beginning of this post I spoke about a pendulum. At the fair, the controls of the pendulum are in the hands of another man. But in life you have authority and power over your pendulum, no doubt everyone has a pendulum in their lives. Question is, what would you do with the controls?

Heart for the House

"The Love of God cannot be measured but can be demonstrated" - Biju Thampy (Founder of Vision Rescue), Hillsong Offering Testimony.
This is such an awesome thought and completely true statement!
We were in a class with Aran Puddle (a staff and worship pastor at Hillsong). He was saying how we are only capable of describing God metaphorically. When we say something like "let your glory be revealed like the light of the sun"it is a metaphor. We as humans have only human terms or metaphorical words that can describe God. I thought about this one congregational song we sing here at church and the line goes like this, "And His glory appears like the light from the sun".  I then had a conversation in my head. "If God created light and everything in this world then how can "His glory" be like the light from the sun... that makes no sense. That almost sounds like we are degrading God or undermining who He truly is. But then I understood what Aran Puddle was talking about. It is not wrong theology or a lack of creativity and truth in the songwriting. It is because we are only capable of metaphorically giving a small glimpse about His majesty and about His awesome, gorgeous, pure and beautiful character.
I think that is pretty cool that we at least have those metaphors and those words to sing than being completely wordless when we come to worship. What do you think?
So instead of measuring how much love can be in this song or this church, lets start demonstrating, shall we?
Let's not be critics but admirers and supporters of what The Church is doing and is capable of doing in Him, through Him, for Him!
Along the same lines, we need to be a reflection of His love for and to His kids, His church, His love, His bride!
We as His kids can demonstrate what is in His heart for His people. We can show what it is like to live in His will. In His love. In His joy. In His peace.
We can be the stepping stone, the stretched out hand, the rope, the pillar that others can hold onto.
I am so impacted by what Biju Thampy is doing in India to help the kids of the streets of Mumbai. He explained how these kids dream to be able to live in the slums someday because they live on the streets. He said and I'm sort of paraphrasing "Lets not get these kids to the slums but get the slums out of them." Their dream and expectation is to get to the slums. Why not help, educate and release them to be bigger than they ever expected or imagined?
We have the chance to be a part of young people's dreams and projects like this and I believe in it completely and its potential.
The way to do it is to get connected to your local church and be a part of their dream and vision to impact and change the world! And if you feel like your church can do more, then become a part of their team and create ideas on how to get the resources and how to go about doing what is in His heart and your heart for those souls out there.
If you want to be a part of Biju Thampy's vision for kids of Mumbai you can go to Vision Rescue's official page.
Spread the word!