Top 10 Lessons from 2011 - Part 3 (FINALLY!!)

Just about scuttled this blog, still getting interference from sun spots or something on the Interweb, so I'm hoping this is the start of regular posts again. In the meantime, finishing what I started here and here, the top 3 are:

3. People take themselves too seriously and God not seriously enough - It's a hazard of the job that when you stand up and talk about God in front of people, there will be people who will take offense at something (read: just about anything) you do, and occasionally fire a verbal assault cannon at you. As a recovering people pleaser, I'm better at absorbing and deflecting those missile missives and sifting them for actual constructive criticism that can help me grow. But this past year I've been reminded that some folks take themselves so seriously that no one and nothing will make them happy unless either they thought of it or had some part to play in approving of it ahead of time. My teaching style includes as much humor as I can fit into a message on the weekend. It's on purpose, it's intentional, and it's strategic, but it's also a reflection of my personality. I like to laugh, and I like to make other people laugh, but beyond that, humor helps to get the point across, even a difficult point, in an agreeable way. And especially to men, who are largely absent in churches in America. Men like to laugh, and they listen better when they laugh, so I like to make men laugh so they will listen. So when others decide my "comedy routine" is not serious enough for worship, I'm really okay with that, because everyone is entitled to their opinion. When they blast me for it, or demand I change who I am and what I do to please them, I giggle and remind myself that I don't have to please everyone. And especially not the cranky people. God likes laughter, and God likes it when people use their gifts to serve in His church, so I'm pretty sure what He thinks trumps what cranky people think.

2. NEVER. STOP. LEARNING. - No one knows it all, and the person who thinks they do is in for a rude awakening. I'm convinced that as fast as the world around us is changing (the Arab spring, the elections, the economic roller coaster, etc...), if you're not actively learning what you can about what impacts your world, you are being left behind at light speed. The church is no different, and as a pastor and leader, I need to be reading, listening and asking questions of leaders from all types of backgrounds and all kinds of points of view. Reading business and leadership books as well as church ministry books is huge for me. The privilege of sitting with some great leaders in a small group setting or going to a conference to hear big name preachers are both vital to gaining fresh perspective on what I do and what we as a church can accomplish for God's Kingdom. Having a personal coach and a group of leaders to learn with in community are also a major piece of gaining not only knowledge but WISDOM in my life. I'm smart enough by myself to know that I'm not smart enough by myself. As Rick Warren says, "All leaders are learners. If you stop learning, you stop leading." Truth!!

1. The more I am myself, the more effective I am for Jesus - One of the struggles in my life has been the idea that I need to be someone else, that just being me is not enough. As a kid, being me wasn't cool enough for the crowd. As a younger adult, being me wasn't hip enough for the hipsters. As a younger pastor, being myself wasn't quite good enough to please people in the congregation: why can't you be more like ____________? The pressure to be someone other than myself was often overwhelming for me. However, here in the role I have, in the ministry I am privileged to lead, I get the opportunity to be myself with very little pressure to be anyone else but me. And what I've found is both astonishing and obvious: the more I am who God made me to be, the more effective I am. When I try to be someone else, I am far less effective or impactful, but when I am who and what God made me to be, without reservation and without apology, I see the impact of what I do not just grow but multiply. I am the best me there ever will be, and I will be a lousy Billy Graham, or Bill Hybels, or Rick Warren, or... you get the point. The closer I come to being the Bill McCready that God imagined when He knit me together, the more joy, more peace, more energy, and more effectiveness flows in my life. For the record, I WANT THAT!!!

Okay, what did you learn last year?

Remembering 2010 - Part 2

I've been having this ongoing nostalgia for where I was this time last year, both physically and emotionally, and it got me thinking. For those who are newer to Roof Crashers, this time last year I was in the beginning stages of interviewing for the job of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church, and was wrestling with God about the call to leave a place I'd been for 14 years as Senior Pastor at FBC Pocatello. It's been a year of constant transition (we've had three home addresses, two moves, and bought one new couch), and like I said, it got me thinking.

Before you move, you should always decide on what goes with you and what you sell, give away, throw away or otherwise leave behind. We did that with furniture, mattresses, clothes, papers, etc... in each move this year. So I was thinking about what I would want to take with me and what I want to leave behind as we moved from 2010 into 2011. When I tweeted about it, I got some good responses. Here's what I've been thinking:

I want to leave behind 5 things:

• My insecurity as a leader - I'm here because I've been called by God, and affirmed by prayerful people. I have nothing to prove and no one to impress. Thanks, Larry Osborne, for that great quote and lesson!
• My fear of failure - I don't have to be right all the time, and I don't have to be perfect. I just need to try my best to hear from God and do what I hear Him say. Failure is a great teacher.
• My 'people pleaser mode' - Moving to a larger church has taught me quickly that there is no room for being a people pleaser. I thought I could please everyone in my life before, but couldn't, and it befuddled me to no end that I couldn't do it. Now, I know I can't do it, so I do my very best, trust God for the results, and leave the people pleasing in the past.
• My resume' - What got me here isn't what's going to get me there, so I need to put aside the 'gold stars' on my past resume' and focus on what I need to learn to move God's church ahead here and now.
• My fantasy job - There is no church with too much money and not enough problems. Bigger isn't better, it's just bigger. It's not worse, it's just bigger. A church is people, and people have both problems and potential. There are more opportunities for both, so don't waste time dreaming of somewhere else, make the Big Dream happen here.

And 5 things I want to take with me into 2011:

• A hunger to know God more - I am more aware of my need for God than ever before, and I want to know and hear and obey more and more the God who holds all things in His hands, who pours out Grace and Mercy from His heart to mine.
• A closer bond with my family - this move has opened up more avenues for the four of us to connect, grow closer and listen to each other. I never want to lose that.
• A deeper respect for the past - both mine and that of LifePoint Church. I see over and over again the amazing work that God did through Dr. John Jackson, his wife Pam and the founding families here at (CVC) LifePoint. This is a hard, hard area to do ministry, but God used them all to break through, and now, ministries across the valley are more effective, while this particular church continues to thrive and lead. This year has also taught me that God has been preparing me for this time, this calling, this place. All the difficult ministry of my past nearly 20 years as a pastor have been preparing and building me to face the challenges of "such a time as this." So humbling to follow a great leader, and to know that God has been preparing me to do just that.
• A deeper appreciation for my friends - the move has helped me to reconnect with some friends, deepen bonds with others, make new friends, and see the value in friendship in a fresh way. Nothing like starting over to show you that you never really start over when you have real friends in your life.
• Special memories - the last weekend in Pocatello, the send off party for the ages, the gift of a beautiful nativity set from my FBC staff, the drive to Minden, the first weekend at LifePoint Church (thanks again to Curt Harlow!!), the first staff meeting, the Easter blackout, the first Tahoe Baptism, the help of the church family to move (again), the amazing Christmas season... just a sampling of what I don't ever want to forget about 2010.

What are you taking/leaving from 2010?

Remembering 2010 - Part 1

I can recall a few years in my life where I was so happy to see the end come that the New Year's Party was a celebration of survival, with a huge does of, "Thank You God for bringing an end to this, let's get on with what's next!!"

1989 - While happy I graduated from college, my world was crushed by a broken engagement. I was happy to see the new decade begin.

1993 - One year married, being asked to leave a ministry job where I was successful because of church politics, homeless on our first anniversary, three different churches on my resume' in six months, and a move to Riverside, CA. Couldn't wait to be done with that year.

2000 - Started the year with struggles at church and at home, Beth with a difficult prengancy (that produced a beautiful baby girl!), and ended with shingles and massive stress. Partied like it was 1999 (yep, Prince reference...)!

2004 - Went from needing hernia surgery in January to needing chemotherapy and radiation in February to needing IV antibiotics for menengitis in May, and finally getting the hernia surgery in October. Words fail to describe how much I wanted that year over.

But as I write this, I don't think 2010 qualifies for this list. There were hard things for sure, like candidating at a new church, leaving the people I loved for 14 years in Pocatello, seeing the pain that has ensued since I left there, leading my family to start a new life in a new place, selling our house in a crappy market, then trying to buy one is a different kind of crappy market, adjusting to a new job, dealing with layoffs and credit union policies - to be sure, the transitions of my life this year have been many, varied, at times difficult, and full of surprises.

But in reality, there were just as many good times: finding out that God still had a plan for my life, and seeing it unfold each day, knowing I am right where He wants me, receiving the loving send off from friends and church family that we will never forget, knowing that our time in Pocatello was not wasted but very effective, being received with love by a great church family here, seeing the grace of God grow in my kids, watching my wife blossom in this new environment, seeing my own gifts of leadership and teaching affirmed and blessed as leaders around me grow and prosper, making new friends and having new adventures, and growing as much as I've ever grown in my life. All of that more than balances the scales.

No, 2010 is not a year I want to run from. It is going to be one that I will cherish, hard parts included. God is good, the rest is details. I'm going to celebrate the close of this year with some looks back over the next week, then lay into the year to come. Feel free to comment...

Giving Myself a Gift This Christmas

I figured out what I need for Christmas. I'm not sure what I want (I want a lot of things, but they are just that... wants. And not many are going to fit in the budget, but that's a post for a different day), but I know what I need.

I need permission.

I have some feelings. I'm a guy, so I have a harder time verbalizing them or even recognizing them, but I recognize the symptoms of having them. I'm feeling those symptoms today, so I know that there are some feelings rattling around in my life.

So I was talking to a friend today, and they said that I needed to give myself permission to feel those feelings. It was the most simple thought, but it was huge for me, an epiphany, "like lightning hit my brain!"

I am going to give myself permission this Christmas to feel my feelings. I'm going to be okay with having them, with acknowledging them, and with dealing with them. Period. It will be the best present I can give myself this year. Permission to feel? GRANTED! I can feel what it is like to be in a new place for Christmas, what it feels like to miss my friends, what it feels like to want to be with my family and know that I can't. I can feel anticipation for Christmas and the little nervousness of wanting to do well my first time at LifePoint Church on Christmas Eve. I can feel the awkwardness of new friendships and the distance of old ones. I give myself permission.

I was reminded that emotions and feelings are all over the Bible, even among leaders of God's people. So I'm in good company. Moses, David, Jeremiah, even Jesus had feelings. Mary was scared, so the angel said, "Don't be afraid." Peter got mad, Paul got frustrated, and on down the list. We all have feelings.

Do you need permission to feel this Christmas? It's okay, give yourself the gift of feeling your feelings. Then, each time you do, say a prayer and ask God to show you if there is bitterness, or fear, or unforgiveness or something else under those feelings that needs to be rooted out and dealt with. Because the greatest gift you could give yourself is the freedom that comes from allowing God's help into your life to deal with difficult emotions, feelings and situations.

This Christmas, enjoy the gift of feeling. Feel all of it: the wonder, the love, the grace, the amazement of the gift of Jesus Christ. Feel it all. Take it all in, and give great thanks to the giver of all good gifts.

Out Of Context

After a week of stay-cation (and a great celebration of Thanksgiving, coming from my heart full of gratitude for ALL God has done in my life), I got to go to another church last weekend. Pastor Roy Conover was teaching at LifePoint Church, I was on vacation, so I went down the road to another church in the valley to see what was going on there. Saw some cool stuff, heard a message on praising and giving thanks to God, and went home encouraged. God is doing good work in churches in the Carson Valley.

Now, as I write this, I'm in a hotel room in Minneapolis, MN, waiting to meet with Pastor Leith Anderson of Wooddale Church. I'm here with some other leaders from Growing Healthy Churches, a network of folks committed to seeing the message of Jesus spread across our region, our nation and our world. There were seven of us at dinner tonight from very different churches in very different situations and cultures, including one from Napa, CA, and one from Charlotte, NC.

What I love about these types of experiences is how great it is to get out of my own context and see what God is up to in other places. I learn boatloads from pastors in different places, doing different types and styles of ministry. I learn from seeing the place where it happens and, whenever I can, experiencing worship with a church family that is not mine, just to see how they bring their worship to God. Those kinds of "out of context" experiences teach me lots of lessons: I get to see what is going right in other churches, and what answers other wise folks have gotten to the questions of how to love like Jesus in their community. I also get a fresh perspective on my own church family, what we're doing really right and what needs work. If I never go anywhere or experience another church doing the ministry God gave them to do, then I miss out on all that God can teach me in another context.

So if you're out of town on a weekend, let me encourage you to stop in an experience another church family. When we at LifePoint Church do our Thank You Weekend on December 25 and 26, take advantage of that Sunday to go explore what other churches are doing. Don't miss the chance to learn something new, or get a fresh perspective on what God is doing back home in your church. It won't matter if the experience is great or awful, exciting or boring; in the experience, God will have an opportunity to show you something. Take Him up on the offer!

I'll tell you what I learned from this trip later this week. (yep, I'm getting back in the blog habit...)

Has It REALLY Been Six Months?

I was asked by the Accountability Team here at LifePoint Church to give a six month overview of our ministry at our last meeting this past Saturday. In all the preparation for it, I rushed past the most important part: I've been on the job here for SIX MONTHS!! In one of those "time/space continuum" issues, it feels both longer and shorter than that for me.

It feels a lot longer than six months because I've really come to love this church, the people here, the staff and the leaders. I am drawn more and more to the calling God has placed in my life to be here and lead this church family, and I keep finding new reasons to know in my heart I'm supposed to be here. The hard things as well as the good things connect me to this place, these people and this ministry. I want more than anything to see this church succeed, to prosper in God's plan, and to make Jesus famous in the Carson Valley.

It feels a lot shorter than six months because I still feel like we just landed. I still miss my friends in Idaho, I still feel like there is so much to see and do in this area, and I still feel like I'm learning at a ridiculous pace just to keep even. I constantly need to ask for a history lesson when ideas, suggestions, or issues come up, so that I don't pass over too quickly what I might need to know to make a good decision even better.

I know I'm not alone in this odd, long-and-short-time conundrum. I'm sure that for some, it feels like I've been here forever, and for others, like I just got here yesterday. I think God must laugh at us humans trying to wrap our minds around time and our perception of it. It must be a much better vantage point to be outside of time, look in, see the beginning and the end simultaneously, and know how it all plays out before it starts. I'm glad to know that God knows all, sees all, and is still willing to walk through the middle with us.

In the middle with you,

Bill

A Powerful, Peaceful Thought

I am always looking for people who are doing better and smarter work than me so I can learn from them. I listen so I can maybe shave a few extra steps off my journey where possible, and overall grow as a person, leader and pastor. I know that if I am limited to using only my own ideas, not only am I in trouble, but so is my church.

So when I got the opportunity to visit with a prominent pastor (name withheld by request), I took it. A small number of other pastors got to hang with him for a day, pick his brain, watch his process, and basically soak in whatever wisdom, leadership and spiritual growth we could carry away. I learned a great deal in that day, and I'm already putting some of it into practice in my life and in my leadership, but one nugget for sure is worth sharing.

He said that one of the thoughts that he holds onto every day is this: "I have nothing to prove and no one to impress."

Seriously, read that again.

This is an impressive guy. He's got an impressive church. He's doing impressive ministry on a national stage, and making a HUGE difference in his community. But his ministry has been built on this idea. He's made choices to not grow his church as fast as it possibly could grow, in favor of sustainability, sanity and health for him and his staff, volunteers and the rest.

When I took the role of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church 6 months ago, I realized that I could easily fall into the trap of pushing to 'earn' what I had been given me. Much like grace, sometimes we want to earn what God has freely given us by our own good works, even though the Bible teaches we cannot add anything to what Christ has done for us. As a pastor, it's easy to think to yourself, "I'm saved by grace, but I minister by works" as if God will not love me if I'm not killing myself, over-committing, and burning the candle at both end's and in the middle, too. There's always something to do, always someone to talk to, always one more box to check. But who am I trying to impress with my schedule? What am I trying to prove with my hectic, worried pace? Does it make me a better pastor? A better leader? A better Christ-follower? I don't think so.

Hearing this obviously successful leader admit that he's trying to continue to live by this axiom, and hearing how he succeeds at that most of the time, I was able to take a huge, deep breath of peace. I do not have to impress anyone, either. I don't have to earn what has been given to me. I didn't hear this as a call to be a slacker (Proverbs calls them "sluggards"). Certainly, I must do what I've been called to do, and do it to the best of my abilities. But no more than that. I have no one to impress (meaning if God is happy with me, who else matters?), and nothing to prove (I can't add to what God has done for me, so what else is there?)

I feel like I'm giving my best to God in this new adventure, and I feel like I'm honoring Him with my time. At the same time, I am feeling a peace with myself and my life that can only be explained as supernatural. God is giving me peace, because I'm able to say: I have nothing to prove, and no one to impress.

This thought has layered peace on my heart. I hope it does the same for you.

Back from the Beach - Part 1

Today is 'back-in-the-saddle' day. Vacation is over, and much work is left to be done. I came back to a church that has kept on moving forward while I was gone, and now I get to jump on and keep rolling! I am so excited about what's in front of us, and pretty clear that the next few months are going to set the tone for the next season of ministry here at LifePoint Church.

So as I look ahead to what God's bringing, I just have to share a few tidbits that God showed me on vacation. First one is this:

I've been trying to get Mac and Rachel to learn how to swim for a few years. We tried lessons a couple years ago, but it killed me how they were being taught, and WHAT they were being taught. In 30 minutes of lessons, they would each get about 5 minutes of individual work, then spend the rest of the time sitting on the edge not doing anything. I've tried to teach them, but that hasn't gone well, mostly because they were doing what they had been taught, which wasn't helping.

So we got to Maui and rented snorkel equipment. The kids were fired up! Then we went to this protected cove where the water was not more than about 4 feet deep ever, and the rock wall kept the surf from pounding too badly. The kids got in, got used to the fins, and then wanted to go all over the place. Rachel kept holding my hand, but pulling me all over the cove, wanting to see whatever was under the water.

Later, after they got good at this, we went to a place near a wildlife reserve to snorkel. The reserve meant no fishing, so there were literally thousands of fish in the water. All colors, sizes, shapes. There, in 20 feet of water, goes Rachel. The girl who couldn't swim three strokes without stopping (the part of her lessons I couldn't seem to break her from) is now swimming all over this inlet, diving down under the water, clearing her snorkel, and having the time of her life. The last day, she even found a wolf eel and showed it to me. So much growth in two weeks!!

It just reminded me once again of how we need to bring up Christians behind us, whether it's discipleship or training in ministry. We need to give them the right equipment, then take them places where it's not too deep so they can get the confidence they need, but then take them where it's deeper, scarier, and more beautiful so they can enjoy all that God has for them. I've been telling the staff that 2 Timothy 2:2 is how we need to do business: "And the things you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." We need to pass on what we know so that others get the full effect and see the beauty of what God has created them to experience. Rachel will never forget her snorkel experience, her wolf eel, and her new found swimming ability. And I will never forget the joy of seeing her enjoy herself in this new and amazing way, playing with the fish.

More later. Aloha!

Keeping Your Balance, Part 2

If you've ever tried to balance a spoon on your nose, or balance a glass on your forehead, you know that it takes a little bit of time, some patience, and very...smooth...small...slow...moves.

There is a life balance that needs the same combo of smooth/small/slow moves. I wrote last time about the balance that isn't really healthy or possible in life, but the kind of balance I'm talking about today is the balance of how you let yourself feel when people give you unsolicited advice and criticism/praise.

Full disclosure: I have a deep people pleasing flaw in my personality. I want people to like me, to like what I do or say, especially when I'm using my gifts to serve. I know I represent the church and even God in the eyes of people, and how well I do that for them often is a matter of personal preference. Their opinion of how I do what I do is colored by a million different issues, from past pastors in their lives to how they view authority in general, and everything in between. So when someone comes to give me their opinion of what they see me do, I have to strike a balance between listening and absorbing. Here's what I mean:

A few weeks ago, after the 9 am service, a man came, introduced himself and asked this question: "So, is the goofiness going to stop anytime soon?" If you know me at all, you know the answer is no. He proceeded to critique my preaching style, my humor, my choice of illustrations, and basically concluded that the whole message was a waste of time to anyone over 20. I thanked him for stopping by and let him know there are other great churches in the valley he should check out.

In the past, that comment would have crashed me for a week, but God has been teaching me balance. So I shook it off and went ahead and did the same message in the 10:45 service. After that service, another man came and told me it was the best message he'd heard me do. He was totally taken by it, and was effusive in his praise.

So which of those two guys should I focus on? Neither. The best story of the day was the woman who came up with tears in her eyes and told me that her family had just started coming to church. They had very little spiritual background, but the message had taught her how to take some important steps in the right direction. God was changing her life, and I got to be a small part of that.

So the balance between sweet praise and angry criticism is to stand on the work that God is doing in me, and in other people. The balance point is Jesus. Where is He at work in what you're doing? If there is fruit, then there will be both criticism and praise. Don't let either one knock you off the firm foundation of Christ at work in you.

One Foot In Front Of The Other

Sometimes making progress looks like a freight train: all kinds of noise and momentum, steam and smoke and nothing can stop it.

Sometimes making progress looks like a traffic jam: stop and go, with frustration and hopefully music playing, but not getting there quite as fast as you had planned.

Sometimes making progress looks like putting one foot in front of the other. It's just taking the next step, and then the next one, and then... pretty soon there are a few steps run together and you are further than you thought.

Right now, I feel like I'm in that season, one step at a time. The great things that God is doing in our church are real, they are obvious and they are resounding with life change. Two more people this past weekend accepted Christ in the ESL class we do on Saturdays. Ten kids made a profession of faith at our kid's camp last week. The Chiapas Mexico mission team is getting their final funding together to be able to go and bless a growing network of churches down there. I'm hearing reports of lives and marriages put back together in our Biblical counseling ministry. So much good is happening, I can't help but give praise to God each day.

This past weekend, we had a family discussion in worship concerning the church's financial situation. Tough stuff. I'm not going to lie, it's never easy to stand up and talk about those things. In church, money is one of the most, if not THE most sensitive topic to discuss. But during the weekend, many folks were bold enough to take steps of faith toward what God wants to do here at LifePoint Church, and several were kind enough to encourage the other leaders and myself who had to deliver the news.

Sometimes progress is made $5 at a time. Sometimes progress is made $500 at a time. Sometimes it's made one step at a time. I'm glad that God doesn't run a stopwatch on our steps. He just celebrates each one that brings us closer to Him. May all of our steps move in His direction.

Please continue to pray for all those who are out of work and looking for jobs right now across the country and in our own valley. God has promised to provide, so let's ask Him to take care of His people this way.

Getting REALLY Real

I'm really supposed to be finishing my message for this weekend, but I had to stop and post this. This week was another amazing time of work, prayer and faith in God at LifePoint Church. As we continue to transition (it's a longer process than you might think or that I might want), it still goes well, but there were some moments of real awe and wonder.

We had our all staff monthly meeting, and sharing some expectations I have of the staff and they can have of me led to some amazing discussions and a few tears. God has put together a great staff here, and it is my privilege to lead them toward the Big Dream God has for us together. The conversation there opened up many positive, constructive and creative discussions during the week.

There was a lunch meeting with our Global Missions Director, John Cressaty, and Pastor Craig Fuller from LifePoint Incline Village that really had me thinking about the importance of all we do in the life of our church. There are about 150 children sponsored by families in the two LifePoint churches, and the report from these guys who had just been there a couple weeks ago was amazing. The lives of these kids have been radically changed by the generosity of the folks in Carson Valley and Incline Village. What hit me as I drove away from the meeting was the truth that no other mission organization was able to work with the church and school we are partnered with over there, so without us, literally a whole community would be in danger. The discussion we were having over lunch was about literal life and death issues. It was sobering, making me wonder what silly, foolish things could we let get in the way of important, life changing, life and death work for God's kingdom if we weren't careful. Like I said, sobering.

And the rest of the week has been meetings and preparation for our Accountability Team meeting and making sure we're heading in the right direction as a church. These are good times to be sure, since most of what we get to talk about is good stuff. We keep praying (and you can join us in this prayer) for wisdom and clarity as to the future and some of the big ticket items we have facing us, like building repairs, building the next much needed building, and the site improvement plan. Lots of stuff to think, pray and plan about.

And in the midst of it, my son turned 14, and the kids entered their last week of school for the year. Exciting times, interesting times, and the constant reminder that time is moving ahead, whether we want it to or not. Mac likes to remind me that he's going to be driving in a couple years, which I feel will go by like a couple weeks. Things are really real in my life right now, big things, and important things, but even the small things are good things. They are all very real to me right now.

THRIVE - Wrapping Up

Final Post on THRIVE 2010 -

What I will remember from this amazing time at Bayside Church:

• Hearing Ray Johnston take one of my favorite passages (Acts 2:42ff) and using it to show the "Good Deeds produce Good Will which opens the door for Good News" in one passage. I'd never seen it like that, and I've been hearing that 'new proverb' for a few years now.
• Hearing John Maxwell say that the price you pay for the dream will be greater and sooner than you think. But passion is still a big part of seeing a dream come true. His words are more true in me today.
• The Luxury Box Upgrade. I won't lie, it was cool to be that close, get the extra snacks, and chill in the front row. Plus I got like a ton of free pastorcrack - books and Lincoln Brewster CD's. All that for bringing a group of people!
• The breakout with Tony Morgan. I've been a fan of his for a few years, so to meet him, shake his hand and hear his wisdom on focus and clarity in our message and ministry was cool. BONUS: having one of my staffers there to hear the same stuff and confirm how badly we need to get after the principles Tony shared. Glad Tamy was there!
• Lunch with the LifePoint Crew on Friday. We pulled everyone together, bought them lunch, and I got to share some pre-vision and a flavor of what I believe God is calling us to take on in the next chapter of LifePoint. It was a great time, with great energy and some great people!
• So proud of Pastor Roy Conover for leading a breakout on his biblical counselling material. It's the best I've ever seen, and he got rave reviews for his presentation. Pray for him to get it put into book form sometime soon!! (no pressure, Roy...)
• Dinner with the E-Team. What a great group of people I am privileged to work with here! No business, no agenda, just laughter, sharing hearts, and sharing P.F. Chang's.
• Meeting Margaret Feinberg and her husband Leif. What neat people. Sometimes the 'platform folk' don't live up to the hype in real life. She's the real deal, and he's a funny dude. Hoping we get to cross paths again sometime soon.
• Getting to hear from a number of great leaders, but seemingly all pointed at the same word we've been hearing in the Carson Valley - get out of the building and into the community, bring Jesus to people, and let God lead people toward their next steps in their faith journey.

Honestly, I can't wait until next year. I hope that there are more surprises, more breakouts, more learning and more growing, and that we can bring more Lifers to the event.

Pastors, if you can at all make it, and if you can at all bring some people from your church, you need to make plans to be there next year. Luis Palau, Margaret Feinberg, and a cast of thousands. Don't miss it.

THRIVE - Day Two

At the risk of being too honest, here's the day in light of expectations blown:

• I expected to get a lot out of the preaching breakout this morning. Mission accomplished. Ray Johnston nailed it, totally encouraging, totally strategic, and yet, in case anyone was not clear on the subject, totally biblical. Yes, you can (and should) be all three.
• I expected (not proud of this, actually) to not get a lot out of Margaret Feinberg's talk. She started in talking about all the agricultural research she had done, and I was reminded how fast I wanted off the farm when I was growing up. I was a city kid raised on the farm, no doubt. But when she got rolling, so did my tears. I'm man enough to say that, and this: she ruined me. I was totally dashed against the rocks and heard clearly from God. I will buy her book, and if I see her, apologize in person for my low expectations.
• I expected to meet Tony Morgan. Mission accomplished. He's a cool dude, very humble and super smart. I got to talk to him a bit, and he's just a great leader and communicator. He took some time to sign a book for one of my staff. Just cool, plus great info on leadership and strategic thinking. Take away - simple and clear need to be values. Always.
• I expected the talk by John Ortberg to be great. Mission WAY accomplished. I'm again in awe of how God keeps talking to us about how He's not going to be put in a box, no matter how hard we try, and spiritual formation is no different. God has a plan, trust the plan, and "burn grace like a 747 burns jet fuel." Love that.
• I expected to laugh at the comics during the late session. My. Sides. Hurt. Great stuff from Bob and Bob.
• I didn't expect to cry in front of the team from LifePoint at lunch today. But God is making it so clear what He wants to do, and I'm just in awe of His amazing plan as it unfolds. So much of what we're looking at is being echoed so loudly in everything we hear while we're here. Can't wait to see what happens next.

I know there's more to come, but this has been great. Great connections with the Lifers that are here, meeting lots of new folks from Bayside and other churches, and just enjoying the experience.

More tomorrow.

First THRIVE - Day 1

I'm whipped, so I'm going to bed, but I've got to share this much about my first day at my first Thrive conference.

• Musical Worship - Off. The. Chain. The Katinas, Lincoln Brewster, what a huge amount of talent pointed toward Heaven and turned loose. It was great stuff, from great guys with great hearts. Beth went to Lincoln Brewster's breakout session, and says he's got a great heart, and true priorities about family and ministry. Plus he played a Journey song, so he's that much more coolest. "When the lights... go down... in the city..."
• Teaching - Ray Johnston, Miles McPhereson, and top it off with John Maxwell tonight, that's a powerhouse line up, and I'm totally jacked about what they were saying. Biggest take away: God is telling us we need to jump up and get into the community to share Jesus with people in a real way. Earning the right to share the love of Jesus. Great stuff, and right in line with what we've been hearing at LifePoint.
• Breakout session - Heard a guy named David Chow, former pastor, now a coach and a great dude who did a great job talking on the subject of Strengths Based Leadership. Leading people with your strengths, and bringing out the strengths in others. Sounds like the job description of every pastor in America. Sure is mine.

Gotta sleep, but can't wait to see what God says tomorrow.

I Need A Do-Over

Ever have one of those moments you wish you could get back? If you read my last post, I said I was worried about going all 'fan-boy' on John Maxwell, a hero of mine and the speaker at this dinner I was invited to before the Thrive Conference. So now, hours after the event, I can share the news:

• Good News - I didn't fan-boy on him. I was cool, calm and collected. I did notice that he's amazing at working the room, totally saw him connecting before he communicated (yes, I'm buying his new book!), and when he did speak, he was powerful, poignant, pertinent and whatever p-word means "he encouraged the daylights out of me!!" It was great to be there, to see him do his thing, to hear him pump up a room full of leaders, and leave us all wanting more.
• Bad News - I believe I now understand the phrase "Epic Fail" in a personal way. Let me explain:

My friend John Jackson is one of the key leaders of this event, and he had saved me a seat with him at one of the front tables. I walked over, and there were indeed three seats saved. I assumed (rightly) that one was for me, one for John Jackson, but I wasn't sure who the other one was for. So after introductions, they dismissed us to go through the line and get food. I did, and soon I'm eating with the other three guys at the table. John J. was still talking, so I was still sitting next to two empty but saved seats.

So when John Maxwell walked over to the table and looked at the empty seat... it happened so fast... I couldn't believe it was over before I could take it back... I'm such a rule follower... GGGHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

John Maxwell asked if he could sit at the table with us, and I said, "I'm sorry, but John Jackson was saving those seats, and I don't know who they are for, Mr. Maxwell."

Like I said. Epic Fail.

He was gracious and kind, walked to another table and proceeded to enrich the lives of everyone there while I sat and drank my iced tea and wallowed in my epic fail-ness. John Jackson came over and sat down, and yes, he had wanted to save that seat for someone else, but that person never sat down, and he would have been okay... I'm going to stop there.

So, like I said. I didn't fan-boy. Nope. Not me. I obeyed social etiquette to a fault. A huge, epic fail of a fault.

Sigh...

The talks were great, I got a lot out of them, then went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. More on THRIVE tomorrow.

Something A Little Dangerous...

Tomorrow I'm going to do something a little...dangerous. I'm going to break one of the unwritten rules of life: Never Meet Your Heroes In Real Life.

The idea goes like this: when you have a hero, someone you look up to and admire from a distance, they most likely cannot live up to your idea of them in real life. So don't meet them, because they will let you down. Have you ever heard something like that?

In my life, I've had a couple opportunities to meet people I've admired. I have met Rick Warren a couple times, even got his autograph. I teared up a little when I told him thanks for all the help he's given me in ministry. I met Dan Southerland a couple times, once at a conference where I got to have lunch with him, and we talked a lot. I mean a lot. He talks almost as much as me. Almost.

I got to wave at Bill Hybels once. In a parking lot. Not the same. But he did wave back.

So Wednesday, I get to go to a dinner at Bayside Church in Sacramento. At the dinner will be my friend and the founding pastor of LifePoint Church, John Jackson. Also there will be the Senior Pastor of Bayside, Ray Johnston. I'm excited to be with those guys and experience their Thrive Conference, but I'm not nervous about them. It's the other guy.

John Maxwell is a leadership guru, author, speaker, force-of-nature, and he's going to be at dinner tomorrow. I'm a big fan. Big fan. Some of his books are some of the most important things I've ever read (non-Bible division). I've heard him on CD, I've read his blog, I've read a bunch of his books, and his latest is on my 'must have' list. And I get to have dinner with him.

Is he Jesus? No. Does it make me a better person because I'm having dinner with him? NO. Does it make me special, a better leader or taller to be in the same room as him? Sadly, no. But learning and gleaning from a great leader of leaders can't hurt me. I'm hoping I get some gems of wisdom to take home with me, but I'm just hoping that I can keep my expectations in check. He's a man. A man of God, a leader, a teacher, a great example of maximizing the gifts God gives a person, but a man nonetheless. I hope I can learn from him and not over expect of him. That would make for a great evening.

And I hope I don't do a full on 'fan-boy' on him. Pray for me. :)

Learning The Rhythm

My friends have asked how my 'first' weekend at LifePoint went. I thought it went great, and I've got a lot to learn. It wasn't my first time preaching, and it wasn't my first weekend as pastor here, but it was my first time preaching as pastor here, and it was great. I was glad to get off on the right foot, and extra glad for all the folks who were praying so hard for God to show up, because He did. I can't wait for this weekend and to keep rolling on what it means to Follow Jesus. I've heard some great stories already about folks taking seriously the call to Live Like Jesus and serve the way He served. That gets me fired up!!

Now a quick confession: There's a sense of rhythm that happens to almost anything, and especially when you do something regularly, like say a pastor preaching a message each week. I have a great feel for Sunday mornings with two services, because I've done that for a long time, but the Saturday night thing baffled me. When do I start getting ready? When do I get my 'game face' on? What should I eat? Should I eat? I had no idea about any of that stuff.

Pastors and other leaders: when you're doing something that's new, like adding a new service, or starting a new schedule, do yourself a favor and learn from my mistake: ask someone who's done it what the important issues are to consider before you jump into it. When I led a church to go from one service to two, I asked folks about the difference it makes having two services, and I got great advice (number 1 thing: don't skip breakfast!), but I forgot to ask about what to think about on Saturday nights.

Asking for advice is good. The Bible is clear: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Prov. 15:22 (NIV) How did I blow that one? Not every counselor is right, but if you don't ask any, you miss the chance to get the help that God's offering you.

So pray for me (some more...) that I keep asking God to show me who to listen to, and then that I hear from God through the advice of wise counsel. And that I figure out Saturday this week. :)

Joy and Tears, Sadness and Laughter

The whirlwind of winding up here at FBC is continuing, and there have been many lunches, dinners, meetings, appointments and conversations, with more left to come. I have been asked great questions about how I'm feeling, what's the new church going to be like, how are the kids doing with the move, etc... I answer as honestly as I can, and it's been good to talk about it with folks I love and who love me and wants what God wants for me.

I got asked if I was excited to go to LifePoint, and I gave an odd answer (even for me...). I said, I haven't had the chance to be excited yet. I've been so full of bittersweet feelings over leaving that I haven't had the opportunity to get excited about what God has next.

Yes, I know that God is calling me and my family to go, and yes, all the reasons why are still good reasons. I will become very excited to be there the closer we get, and I don't want anyone misreading what I'm saying. I am looking forward to what I've been called to do, and I want to get there and get started.

But I feel like God has given me a gift right now, and the gift is to be able to block out any excitement for going to LifePoint in order to finish being here in Pocatello. The joy I feel in talking to so many folks about what God has done over these last 14 years is mixed with tears of sadness over what I will miss when I go. And in my sadness over leaving, I have had deep moments of humor and laughter over the adventures we have had here. Every emotion is mixed with one or two more.

I love what God is doing in my life, and I love what God has been doing in my life. In saying "yes" to LifePoint, I don't believe I'm saying "no" to FBC Pocatello, it's just that I'm needing to follow God's guidance in my life, and leave an opening for the right person to come here and lift this church to a new level.

All that mixes up in a fizzy, bubbling, cacophony of feelings and emotions. Sometimes I laugh when I'm crying, and sometimes I cry when I'm laughing. Sometimes I feel deep joy and satisfaction while still feeling aches and sadness. But in all of it, God's hand continues to be clear, and the good news is that He's still in control, even when my emotions are all over the map.

Thanks to all who continue to pray for us and this transition. Please don't stop, and please for give me if you think my emotional state isn't where you might think it should be. It's hard for me to figure out how I'm supposed to feel.

One Lesson From New Orleans

It's been a long week, and my emotions and thoughts have been all over the map and back. This is my first attempt to communicate them outside of my head, so bear with me.

I'm so grateful that when we asked for feedback from our Community Groups about the financial situation and the announcement about staffing cut backs that so many of the groups took the time and made the effort to share their thoughts and feelings. We have received a tremendous amount of feedback, and for all of you who shared, I want to say, "thank you!" As difficult as it was to read some of it, it had to have been difficult to share, so again, thank you very much for making the effort. I believe God is going to use this to benefit all of us.

One of the whispers I heard from God while in New Orleans last week seems to relate to what we've been experiencing here in our FBC family. When I started in on the project to clean up and prepare the fireplace mantle, someone walking by stopped and said, "Remember, you need to go with the grain of the wood." At first, I was startled by that, since there were so many layers of paint on the mantle one could hardly tell that it was even made of wood, much less see or think about the grain of the wood. However, there was much truth in what they said. Getting the cracked, mildew stained paint off was not the only thing that needed to happen to restore the mantle to it's former beauty. We could take off the paint, but if we tore up the wood underneath, we'd ruin the whole project.

As we slathered paint stripper compound on, then worked to pull off the paint layer by layer, I kept hearing that whisper in my head: "Work with the grain." After several hours, I began to realize that it wasn't just my new friend's good advice about the project, it was God's good advice about our church family. There is a grain in the wood of our church, and while it's not always visible, tangible or directly noticeable, nevertheless it is there. And no matter what the hoped for outcome of the work, when we go against the grain, we risk damaging the wood.

Despite my best intentions and my best efforts, I believe I have led in some areas that have gone against the grain of the wood here at FBC. For that I must apologize. There will need to be some repair work done in relationships, and there will need to be some more apologies given, but I want you all to know that I'm sorry for any damage I've caused, and I'm working on how we repair it. Your feedback, whether it was meant to blister or to bless, has been very helpful. Together, I believe we can continue to build what God wants built here in the Portneuf Valley.

See you on Sunday!

Seasons Rolling Along

The weather has certainly made a statement the last few days, and the calendar at my house is saying the same thing: the seasons are changing. Mac has his last regular season football game this Saturday (still in it for the playoffs, GO LIONS!!), and I just signed Rachel up for basketball that starts in a week or two. I'm looking in my closet for sweaters, and the kids were both telling me that they need new snow boots. There is change in the air.

The season of focusing on prayer in the life of our FBC family has begun. Paul Austin did a great job of leading off our 40 Days Of Prayer campaign with his message on Sunday, and the Kick Off event will be Wednesday night at 7 in the Worship Center. I am looking forward to this campaign for lots of reasons, but mostly, because I have felt God calling us to reach to the next level as a church, and no matter what that looks like in the ministry we do, it will be dependent on God moving, and God moves when His people pray. So the logical place to start is prayer.

I will put this out for you to prayerfully test - God wants to do more than we can imagine, He loves us and the people of our valley more than we can imagine, and He wants to work in and through us more than we can imagine, so one place where we need to see God begin to shape the future in us is in our imagination. What do you imagine God doing in your life in the next 6 months? What do you imagine Him doing in your Community Group during that time? Between now and Easter, what do you imagine God doing in our church family? In the Portneuf Valley?

As we start into the 40 Days Of Prayer, I'm asking you to pray for God to expand your imagination and mine. If God can help us to imagine a better future for ourselves, our church and our community, then He can begin to work in and through us to make that future into our present. Pray for big imaginations, big dreams, big and powerful hope to take over and lead us to where a big God wants to take us. Pray big prayers, and lets see what a Big God can do.

See you Wednesday night!!