How to Give at Christmas

For most of us, Christmas means time with family, good food, crazy light decorations and opening presents. Let's be honest: The majority of Americans love to unwrap gifts on Christmas morning. But what would your holiday season be like if you didn't focus so much on the gifts you get, and instead focused on the gifts you give?

Recently, I found this article by Dave Ramsey (author of Financial Peace), challenging all of us to give like no one else. So what does that mean? It means you need to get out of your comfort zone, think outside the box, and find ways to bless others. Whether you give some money to help a needy family with bills or give your time and energy to a shut-in, there are plenty of ways you can give like no else this Christmas.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1.Buy several winter jackets at a discount retail store and deliver them to the homeless in your community.

2.Pay the power bill for a family who is struggling financially.

3.Purchase a restaurant gift card for a young couple who are new parents, and offer to babysit their kiddo for free.

4.When checking out at the grocery store, hand the cashier some cash and tell her you want to pay for a needy family's groceries.

5.Take a single mom on a Christmas shopping spree for her kids.

6.Clean the home of a shut-in and cook for them. Stay and chat with them over dinner.

7.Bless your pastor with a Christmas card or gift.

8.Call your church and ask them if they know a family in need of gifts this year. Then, purchase a gift for each family member and drop it off at their doorstep on Christmas Eve.

9.Shovel snow, rake leaves, or pick weeds for an elderly couple in or near your neighborhood.

10.Next time you fill up your gas tank, give the clerk $50 and tell him you want to pay for someone else's gas bill.

There are all kinds of ways that you can give like no one else this Christmas, so get busy! Hopefully, this list helped you brainstorm a few ideas of your own!

Never Give Up

I was reading tonight and came across the story of Admiral James Stockdale, the highest-ranking US officer taken prisoner in Vietnam. During 8 years as a hostage, he was tortured regularly, and had no reason to think he would ever be released or see his family again. Yet despite his horrific circumstances, Stockdale became a beacon of hope for other prisoners in the camp. He developed secret methods of communication to fight effects of isolation, and taught other prisoners how to create coping mechanisms to deal with the enemy's torture tactics. In short, he kept faith alive in a situation where most people would have long since let it die.

According to Stockdale, what separates people is not the presence or absence of difficulty, but how they deal with the inevitable difficulties of life. His own life experience confirms the powerful belief that one can actually come back from difficulties STRONGER, not weaker.

The Stockdale Paradox states that "in every circumstance, you must retain faith that you will prevail in the end regardless of the difficulties and, at the same time, confront the most brutal facts of your current reality...whatever they might be."

Leave Your Mark

Over the past 4 weeks, I have been sharing a series of messages entitled, "Leave Your Mark." The main text for the series is Esther 3:14 -- "Who knows but that you have come to a royal position FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?" Simply put, this is our time. This is our destiny. We have been called by God to shine like stars in the universe (Phil. 2:15).

Of course, this series has also been part of our first-ever capital fund-raising campaign. So, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has stepped out in faith to support the vision of The Bridge Church. However large or small your financial gift, thank you for leaving your mark on this generation.

Now, I encourage you to give as much as you can, as fast as you can! Let's watch and be amazed as God performs miracle after miracle in the lives of our church family. As we take that "next step," He will always make a way where there seems to be no way. Thanks for going on the journey with Michele and me. We love you all!

Shift Your Focus

About a month ago, I attended District Council -- an annual meeting of Assemblies of God pastors in North Texas. The focus this year was on church planting. More specifically, on CHURCHES PLANTING CHURCHES. The guest speaker shared 3 paradigm shifts that we must have, if we are going to effectively build God's Kingdom in our city. Hope you are challenged by them, as much as I was.

Here they are:

1. We need to shift the focus from OUR problems to GOD'S problems.

2. We need a shift from SCARCITYto ABUNDANCE.

3. We need to shift our focus from building a MONUMENT to building a MOVEMENT.

Each of them has challenged me in a personal way, as well as sharpened my focus as pastor of The Bridge. I pray that God will help me to be a DOER of the Word, not just a HEARER only... Is this your prayer, as well?

More Than Words

Shared a message this morning by this same title -- and it is really sticking with me today. (Funny for a preacher to be impacted AFTER his own sermon, huh?) I just can't stop thinking about God's strategy for reconciling mankind: He didn't TELL us about His love, He SHOWED us! Talk is cheap. Even God knows that...

So think about it: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen the glory of the Father." (John 1:14) God sent Jesus to reveal His glory. Now, Jesus sends US to reveal His glory, through our lives. But we have to do more than TALK -- we need ACTION...the kind of action that reveals God's glory!

That sets the bar pretty high, for me. Is my life GLORIOUS? (no laughing please, this is a serious question!) Here's the kicker: I'm a preacher, so that means I "talk" for a living...but now I'm realizing that it takes "more than words" to reach this generation. What a bummer -- now I have to get my hands dirty...

What does God have in mind for us?

Great quote from Henry Blackaby's book, "What The Spirit is Saying To The Churches"...

"God is at work around us, and to accomplish this work He personally communicates His will to His people, inviting each church to join in his activity in specific ways. It is not for us to dream our own dreams of what we want to do for God. This is never the pattern of Scriptures. God already knows what He is purposing to do through those He calls to Himself. And He's waiting for us to adjust our lives to His purposes so He can work powerfully through us to redeem our lost world."

and here's the kicker...

"When we hear His call and respond appropriately, there will be NO LIMIT to what God can and will do through His people."

This morning, I spent some time dreaming again about the future of The Bridge, but more than ever before, I want to pursue God's dreams--not my own. Ever stop to wonder what He has in mind for us?

More Blackaby...

"If Jesus provides the model for spiritual leadership, then the key is not for leaders to develop visions and to set the direction for their organizations. The key is to obey and to preserve everything the Father reveals to them of his will. Ultimately, the Father is the leader. God has the vision of what He wants to do. God does not ask leaders to dream big dreams for him or to solve problems that confront them. He asks leaders to walk with him so intimately that, when he reveals what is on his agenda, they will immediately adjust their lives to his will and the results will bring glory to God."

Criticism

I love this quote by Henry Blackaby, in his book Spiritual Leadership:

"Criticism has its most devastating effect upon the immature and the unsure."

How true this is! At times, I've been guilty of the IMMATURE part, without a doubt. When I carry my feelings on my shoulder, it's easy for one challenging word from a friend to offend me, wound me, or knock me off course. That happens all too often when I am not actively growing in my relationship with Christ. I get it.

But the second one hits even closer to home: UNSURE. To the leader who is prone to be a people-pleaser, criticism can be devastating (as Blackaby says). You want so badly for people to follow you, respect you, love you, come to your church, read your book, and so on... So, as long as that stuff matters to you, you're at the mercy of the feedback. If they're happy, you're happy. You need the praise to affirm yourself. You long for the compliments, for without them, you are left with a bunch of "what ifs"...

What if they leave?
What if they stop giving?
What if they don't believe in me anymore?
What if our relationship changes because of this conflict?
What if I'm wrong about this decision, after all?
What if I'm about to blow it?
What if our church collapses?
...Ceases to exist?
...Falls off the face of the earth?!?

But the real question should always be, "What did God say to me?" If I know that, I can lead well. And if I don't know what He's saying, I better find out! Whatever it takes. And until then, whatever the crowd says is meaningless--good or bad. Praise or criticism.

Maybe Solomon said it best, "Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you."(Proverbs 9:8)

See What's Not There

When I read about Abraham, I am always taken back by his OBEDIENCE. Throughout his life, the faith-tests were dramatic, and he passed them with flying colors:

(ch.12) "Leave and go to a land I will show you"
(ch.21) The birth of Isaac, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90
(ch.22) The sacrifice of Isaac, the son of promise

He met every challenge, it seems, with simple yet strong faith:

"Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised." (Romans 4:20-21)

In the same passage (v.17), "...the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."

So I ask myself, Do I see the same "obey-first-and-ask-questions-later" kind of faith in my own life? All too often, the answer is no. But the Bible unwaveringly says that obedience is better than sacrifice. So, Lord, help me to trust in you more, "being fully persuaded that You have the power to do what you've promised!"

...and to remember, that YOU see what's NOT there...and say that it IS!

Dig New Wells

Sometimes my spiritual life loses its sizzle. It goes flat. Becomes predictable. Routine. It dries up, like a well that's empty. Remember the story in Genesis 26, where Isaac re-dug the wells of his father Abraham (the ones that had been stopped up by the Philistines), and then went on to dig new wells? A few observations come to mind...

1. Abraham's wells were clogged because of an enemy attack. Often the Bible uses water to symbolize the presence of the Spirit of God. So, by putting dirt in the wells, the enemy tries to cut off, or dry up the flow of God's Spirit in our lives. What can we do? Start cleaning out our hearts, and prepare to re-dig those wells!

2. If we want God to expand our territory, or enlarge our effectiveness, we need to search for NEW places to dig wells. Where is God leading you? What people or community might he want you to reach into?

3. The hard work of digging wells turns to CELEBRATION when the water springs up! (Gen. 26:32 -- "We have found water!!!")

Ideas for digging new wells:

- Take a closer look at my personal prayer time (both quality and quantity)

- Find a "deeper" book to read, that will challenge me at the soul-level, not
just sharpen my skills as a leader (ie, C.S. Lewis over John Maxwell, or Watchman Nee over Rick Warren, Dietrich Bonhoeffer over Andy Stanley)

- Rediscover personal WORSHIP, not just the Sunday morning kind, by choosing a CD over talk radio while driving.

- Take a 3-day fast (not enough to kill me, but enough to get my attention!)

What new wells are you digging?

Marketing "Evangelists"

Had an interesting meeting with Paul Ebisch (of AG Credit Union) on Thursday. We spent about as much time discussing the mission of the Church, as we did "money talk" for our future building program. In addition to his banking experience, Paul runs a marketing firm...so he shared a lot of wisdom about attracting people to use/purchase yoru "product." (At BCC, Jesus is the product, right?)

It's a well-known fact that the best form of advertising is word-of-mouth. Every other marketing strategy pales in comparison. Satisfied customers are gold! What's fascinating is that the term "evangelist" is commonly used in marketing circles. It describes customers/clients who enthusiastically share their story.

* The businessman who gets "the regular" at Starbucks.
* The college student who buys Tom's Shoes.
* The dedicated grocery shopper who goes all-organic @ Whole Foods Marketplace
* The movie-goer who tells you about the latest "must-see"

These people are true EVANGELISTS. They are sharing their own GOOD NEWS...and we listen, don't we? Sometimes, we'll even try a new drink, eat at a new restaurant, or go to that movie -- just because they say so.

Kind of makes me wonder what I am truly an evangelist of...

Facts about our Community

Recently, I received demographic information about the community where our 73 acres are located, in Hutto. As most of you know, the land is located near the intersection of 130 Tollway and Gattis School Rd/C.R. 138. The actual address is 747 County Road 138, Hutto, TX 78634.

The following facts are reflective of a 10-mile radius from our property:

• Population: 277,214 people. This represents and increase of 190,987 (or 221%) since 1990. Wow!
• Projected growth between 2009 and 2014: increase by 23% (64,597 additional persons). During teh same time period, the US population is projected to grow by 4.9%.
• The racial/ethnic diversity in the area is considered extremely high.
• Major generational groups: Survivors (age 28 to 48) make up 36% of the population.
• Family structures: Can be described as somewhat traditional, due to the above average presence of married persons and two-parent families.
• Faith receptivity: is decribed as somewhat high when compared to national averages.

There is too much data to share in this posting, but I want to give you one last category. The question was, "Which household concerns are unusually high in this area?" The answer:

• Achieving a Fulfilling Marriage (30.7%)
• Developing Parenting Skills (20.1%)
• Finding a Good Church (18.4%)
• Time for Recreation/Leisure (29.2%)

Let's begin praying for God to show us how to address these needs, and share the love of Christ in a tangible way. In other words, what "BRIDGES" can we build to reach the people in our community?

Community Matters!

Challenging quote from The Connecting Church, by Randy Frazee:

Community matters. That's about like saying that oxygen matters. As our lungs need air, so our souls require what only community provides. We were designed by our Trinitarian God (who himself is a group of three persons in profound relationship with each other) to live in relationship. Without it, we die. It's that simple. Without community where we know, explore, discover, and touch one another, we experience isolation and despair that drive us in wrong directions, that corrupt our efforts to live meaningfully and love well.

The future of the church depends on whether it develops true community. We can get by for a while on size, skilled communication, and programs to meet every need, but unless we sense we blong to each other, with masks off, the vibrant church of today will become the powerless church of tomorrow. Stale, irrelevant, a place of pretense where sufferers suffer alone, where pressure generates conformity rather than the Spirit creating life -- that's where the church is headed unless it focuses on community.

What does "Community" mean?

The Bridge COMMUNITY Church.

OK, so we all know what a "church" is. And we've unpacked the concept of a "bridge" as a metaphor for the Gospel. So, let's take a closer look at what "community" means...

First, The Bridge Church is a community of faith. When it's working as it should, the Church is better than the tightest family, the closest friendship, the strongest partnership. Is it just having common values? Is it just enjoying fellowship together? Is it just uniting around a common goal? In some way, it's all of these...but more. The Church is not just a club, or social gathering-- it is a group of people who share a sense of LIFE PURPOSE, which inherently, cannot be accomplished alone.

In other words, we need each other (corporately) to accomplish what God intended for us to do (individually). As believers in Jesus Christ, MY life's purpose and YOUR life's purpose are the same: to share the message of the Gospel with as many as possible. So, since we share the same purpose, live in the same town, attend the same church...we ought to be working together to accomplish this God-given mandate.

But let's go one step further.

How can we "work together" if we aren't "living together?" (...and no, I'm not suggesting we all sell our homes and move to our 73 acres in Hutto...although, that might be really fun!) Acts 2:42-26 offers a vivid description of both the means and the end of biblical community:

The "MEANS" was pretty straightforward:

• They devoted themselves to apostles' teaching
• and fellowship
• and breaking of bread (this is both potluck dinners and Lord's Supper)
• and prayer
• many wonders and miracles were done
• they were together and have everything in common
• they had garage sales and gave the money to the poor
• they met in temple courts AND in homes

The "END" was also obvious: "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

This is COMMUNITY. A group that's living life together...so we can work together...to share the love of Jesus Christ in a tangible way with as many as possible.

So, here's the real question: What would that look like at The Bridge Church?

What's in a Name?

It's a simple name: "Bridge Community Church."

But when you think about each word individually, our name says a lot about who we are, and what God has called us to do.

Let's begin with the last word first: CHURCH. We are a church. That's a no brainer, right? Other descriptions might be: a church family, a local church body, a congregation, or a fellowship of believers. Whatever it's called, I think we all get the idea...

Next, the first word in our name: BRIDGE. Let's take a little time with this one. Perhaps you've seen an illustration of something like this: Imagine a great chasm (like the Grand Canyon) between Holy GOD and Fallen MAN. This great divide is caused by SIN, and the only thing that connects the two sides is the CROSS. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). In a sense, through the cross, Jesus “bridged the gap,” making a way for man to come to God, or be reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5).

Simply put, our church wants to "bridge the gap" between God and the world He loves, by sharing the love of Jesus Christ in a tangible way. We do this through servanthood, acts of kindness, compassion, outreach, etc.

Notice the urgency in this quote from The Church of Irrestible Influence, by Robert Lewis:

As the church engages in a third millennium, it looks across a terrifying, and ever-widening, chasm between itself and the world it is trying to reach. Six out of ten Americans believe the church is irrelevant. As it stares across that chasm, much of the church no longer believes it can influence the world. The question is simple: What impact is the church having on the community?

And another one:

Without its own bridges to the world, church life—in time—fades into isolation, self-congratulation, and finally, irrelevance.

Ouch! With God's help, we must guard our purpose with diligence. We cannot afford to turn inward, and neglect the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. We must "build a bridge" to a lost and hurting world, both around the world...and around the corner.

That brings us to the middle word in our name: COMMUNITY.

I'll discuss that more in the next blog posting...

EMPTY -- New Series in April

EMPTY: Living a Life of True Abundance

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)

This past Sunday was Easter. For those who may not know, Easter Sunday to a pastor is like Super Bowl Sunday to an NFL quarterback. (...not that I am the Peyton Manning of preachers or anything! I digress...) Simply put, this is the biggest day of the year for churches. Big attendance. Lots of new faces. Pastel-colored dresses. White shoes making their springtime debut. Pictures in bluebonnets after church. Lunch with Grandma. It's quite the celebration...

And along with the excitement comes the annual question of what to preach. The basics are obvious: the Messiah riding through Jerusalem on a donkey. The last supper. The betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane. The ridiculous trial. The mockery, beating, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. All hope is lost. End of story. Right?

(Insert Carman's 80's classic here, "It may seem like Friday night, but Sunday's on the way!")

So then what? On the morning of third day, some of Jesus' followers go to anoint his body with spices, but make an inbelievable discovery: his tomb is EMPTY! An angel is standing there, instead, and tells them that Jesus is risen. In amazement, they run to tell the others. Over the next 40 days, Jesus makes multiple appearances in both public and private settings. He talks with some. He eats with others. He even lets them touch his hands and side. He does all of this for one very specific purpose: to prove He was ALIVE!

So, back to the pastor's challenge. How do you tell this timeless story in a "fresh" way? How can you hope to "out-do" last year's Easter celebration? You may only get some of these listeners once a year, so you'd better make it a good one! Right? Wrong. This year, I just didn't want to "hype" the Resurrection.

Not because I don't think it's important. Quite the contrary. In fact, I am convinced that the Resurrection is the most significant event in human history. But I just wanted to keep it simple this year: Jesus' birth was unique. His life was extraordinary. His death was necessary. But it's his Resurrection that closed the deal. He is ALIVE! He is risen! His tomb is EMPTY!

And because of this truth, the enemy is defeated, my sin is forgiven, my hope is secure, and my life has meaning. I guess you could put it this way:

Because the tomb is EMPTY, my life is FULL. (John 10:10)

Thank you Jesus!