The original Mud Run

I had a blast on Saturday running the Mud Run. I have to say, I have run a lot of races, but this was by far the craziest. With all the rain, it truly lived up to it's name. My boots felt like they weighed 10lbs each. The obstacles were awesome and it was great to share the experience with my amazing wife who finished 5th in the ladies competitive division and some good friends. I was fortunate enough to take home the overall title. Check it out at http://www.theoriginalmudrun.com/results and join us next year.

Mud run

This Saturday, my Keri and I and a group of C3'ers are running the "Original Mud Run." It is a 6.2 mile race with 30 bootcamp/mud type obstacles. You have to wear combat boots and cargo pants. It should be a lot of fun. I always love a good challenge and this may be the closest I'll ever get to being on my favorite show, "WipeOut!"

leadership is simple

Reading the book "Exponential." Dave Ferguson says, "Leadership is as easy as listening to God." Wow. Why do we make it so hard? Am I listening for God in every situation? How much easier would my life be if I were?

Building the team

Yesterday, we had an amazing couple come in for the final interview for our children's director position. With 3 services, they got to see and experience every aspect of our kids rooms and main service. Time will tell how this all plays out. We are just praying for God's Will in this process.

soil and seed

Soil will only produce whatever is planted in it. Much like a persons heart, it can only grow what is planted in it. We are the one's who determine what gets planted in our hearts. Whatever is planted, will soon bring forth fruit. What is planted in your heart?

Truth does not change

Truth does not change with time. Truth does not change because of how we feel. Truth is not changed by circumstances. If it is truth, in a world that is is easily swayed and moved, truth remains the same. Jesus said, He was the Way, the TRUTH and the Life. If my life is built upon the truth of Jesus Christ, He is the solid Rock which is my foundation. There may have times where I have been shaken upon the Rock...but the Rock has NEVER shaken under me!

coach

Yesterday and today, Gary and I are spending the whole day at a Pastor's Coaching training. The material has been incredible. Now, the key is to apply this information. I have found that the faster that I apply new information, the more likely I am to have it become a part of who I am.

rights

The deeper I go in my walk with Jesus, the more rights that I give up. My life is becoming less about me serving my selfish desires and more about serving God and others. This can be tough when as a believer I have "the right" to do something that is not contrary to Scripture, but will abstain from something because it may offend another person. When I realize that personally as a maturing believer that my "freedom" in Christ can still be "sin," if I selfishly do something and knowingly offend a weaker person. My freedom in Jesus has not been given to me in order to serve myself, but rather to serve others. (Galatians 5:13) Just as Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, so I must strive to do the same. (Matt 20:26-28)

effort and blessing

God asks for our effort and we need His blessing. It still both baffles me and humbles me that God chooses to use us as His instruments to reach the world. He uses our efforts which without Him would fall miserably short. This is why we can't live without His blessing. His strength is what turns our natural efforts into the supernatural which He works through. We humbly give our effort and God graciously gives us His blessing.

multiply everything

"Multiply Everything," is to become a core value of everything that we do as a church. Can you imagine if every disciple of Jesus, every leader, Pastor and church were to multiply themselves? The world would be changed by the power of Jesus Christ. This week I am meeting with some potential pastors within C3. They have a call of God on their lives and we are going to do our best to develop that and then in the future launch them into ministry. I am praying that we can multiply the Kingdom of God through investing in leaders who will turn around and do the same with others. My heart is to see C3 become a grandparent very soon. In other words we plant a church that plants a church.

quote

James Allen said, "You will be as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration." As I look to apply this to my life, it causes me to ask myself some tough questions:
- Do I have any area's that control me? In other words, is there something I can't go a week without?
- Is there an area of my life, that I wouldn't want the whole world to see?
- Do I have some kind of problem going on in my head, whether negative thought, insecurities or wrong motives?
- Is there a dominant aspiration in my heart and is it God honoring?

blindspots

We have all heard of the blind spot while driving. You go to change a lane and fail to see a car in that small area missed by your mirrors. Hopefully, you just get their horn and not their bumper. The same is true in life, we all have blind spots. For us spiritually, we are deceived from seeing the truth because we are blinded by our own selfish desires. Have you ever wondered what blind spots that you personally have? It is easy to pick out others blind spots, but very hard to identify our own. Even when others may reveal our own blind spots to us, they are still hard see. Today, I'm asking God to reveal to me my blind spots.

spiritual - human

Many times we are wrestling with spiritual problems with a human shell.
Much of the problems of the world are really spiritual problems coming through mankind. There is no doubt a spiritual battle going on for God's most prized possessions...people. Most can't see the battle because of being spiritually blinded by the enemy of our souls. What spiritual battle is going on in you or around you?

simple is reproducible

I've really been thinking and praying about multiplying the Kingdom of God through church plants. I believe the key is simplicity. We make it too hard. I believe that if someone has the Call of God on their life, they really don't need anything else to plant a church. Anything that man can give them is secondary to what God has Called them to do. My heart is to create a track that helps resource future ministers with any wisdom and resources that we have gleaned through our experience. The key is going to be to keep it simple and easily reproducible.
I look at the disciples in Acts discussing what rules they should place on the new Gentile converts. They decided that if they are saved by "Faith" then they should not make it hard for people to come to Christ with a lot of rules. Through this simplicity, The Movement began!

quit running

No...I have not quit running! Although, I have met many people who continue to run instead of staying and working through the hard times of growth that God wants to bring. It's a truth in life, we get stronger through resistance. It's true for our muscles and also our spiritual life. Too many people though, run when times get tough. Instead of dealing with offense, pain, conflict or hard questions, they will run to another church, or town to start over. The problem is, they have never dealt with their real issues and continue to add to the pain and hurt. Their issues are then buried again until something happens to tear open the wound, in which case they will run again. It's time we all quit running and deal with our pain, hurt and flaws.

your agenda

Who sets your agenda?
Have you ever really thought about this? Who is the one who tells you how to spend your time? Are you spending your life in the area of your greatest gifts? Are you making the world a better place by your efforts and what you are giving back? Perhaps we need to take a look at who we are and where we can make a difference. Then, set our agenda in order to make the greatest difference with our life. What is your agenda..and who sets it?