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LRC Email – The Side of Caution

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Here’s my email to Leadership Reno County alums for 12/16/13:

Are you paralyzed to error on the side of caution?  I know I am.  As we’ve rounded out this year thinking about the “gap” that exists between where we believe things need to be and what our realities are, one thing we don’t like to admit is how much we are driven by the path of least resistance, erring on the side of caution or never ever upsetting the apple cart.  The only problem with being paralyzed by this way of thinking is that it rubs against a core leadership principle: leadership is risky. 
On this day many years ago, our country’s founders decided to engage in an act of leadership and rebel against King George by dumping some tea in the harbor (the Boston Tea Party).  Undoubtedly, they were driven to do something out of norm.  We love stories like this.  We don’t typically celebrate the acts of leadership that never had any risk to them.  Now, I am saying that engaging in acts of leadership can be risky and not necessarily encouraging you to be reckless.  The risk for many of us is simply doing things a little differently than we typically have done them in the past or like we typically do them.  By experimenting in this small way, I believe we can make progress in the gap.
So, as this year moves toward an end, what acts of leadership—even daring, risky acts of leadership—do you need to engage in?  What kind of progress might you make in the “gap” if you did things just a tad differently?  That’s what “leadership is risky” is all about. 

With you in this risky adventure…

Weekend Recap – It’s Time

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My 12/15/13AM sermon, In the Fullness of Time, from Galatians 4:4-5 is now online.  We had a great morning singing songs of our Savior’s coming to save, Children serving the congregation by presenting the Song of the Stars musical and lots of energy.  My sermon got at how God sent His Son to redeem and adopt sinful humanity.  I hope it served everyone well.

Hope you had a great Sunday, too.

Review of Disney’s Frozen

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Here’s the trailer:

I got to watch this movie over Thanksgiving break as Meg and I took our nieces and nephew to the theater with our oldest 2 to watch it.  We were pleasantly surprised with the quality, story and overall positive message this movie propelled.  Here are three things:

1) The movie “felt” like other Disney classics.  I, for one, grew up singing Lion King, Little Mermaid and Aladdin songs.  This movie delivered that classic Disney feel with soaring melodies, fun songs and memorable characters.  I even purchased the soundtrack and enjoy remembering the movie’s highlights.

2) The movie helps us get past bitterness.  Ok, a little deeper thought, but by and large people can tend to not open up about problems they face.  Unfortunately, this can be seen in church culture especially at times.  One subtle message brought home powerfully was the danger holding all of this in and how it wrecks you.  The Bible speaks of bitterness as a damaging root.  The bitter root of the older sister helps drive the plot of this movie and drives the plot of much of what we read on Facebook or other places where we tend to hold our problems in.  Don’t be given to such things, but be open and move ahead in progress.

3) Finally, and most encouraging is the clear Gospel message.  Trevin Wax quoted Gene Fant’s piece and I could agree more.  He writes: “The film’s world had been plunged into the deepest darkness of winter, families were torn apart, evil was sneering and shameless, everything was falling apart and when the young woman dies, it looks like all is lost. Then something amazing happens: We realize that her death was the antidote for all that was wrong. She returns to life. And spring returns. And relationships are healed. And evil is exposed and brought to justice. And joy returns. In our theater, the audience erupted into cheers. I was dumbfounded by the movie’s final twenty or so minutes. It was an astoundingly clear parable of the Christian Gospel…”

So, take in this tremendous film. Enjoy it. But be mindful of how it points to something greater: the true and better sacrifice of God’s Son so that people can relate rightly to God the Father.

Music Review – Folk Angel’s All the Earth Rejoice

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Been listening A LOT to Folk Angel’s All The Earth Rejoice.  If you don’t know Folk Angel, according to their website, they “write and rearrange traditional Christmas songs, and through that creative process, retell the Gospel story that illuminates all things.”  I have most all of their projects, but this most recent one has been getting a lot of play, mainly because I enjoy the stylistic diversity.  There are traditional songs redone in fun ways, new songs that help us glorify Christ and songs that I anticipate using in the local church.  My favorite track features Isaac Wimberley and is entitled He Knows.

I can’t say enough to recommend this to you.  But, don’t just take my word for it…go over to the All The Earth Rejoice page and sample each of the songs.  And, then, give them support by purchasing it for your holiday worship and enjoyment.

Folk Angel is also on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram



LRC Email – Your Purpose in the Gap

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Here’s the email I wrote to Leadership Reno County alums today, 12/9/13: So it’s been a couple of weeks and I thought I’d check back in. First off, I might remind you that I’ve been writing about how there is a huge gap between our current reality and our expectations. Part of my contention was that bridging the gap between those challenges we face and where we’d like them to be takes us acting different. It requires us to engage in an act of leadership, which will help move people to difficult work. We talked a bit about authority and how anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere; it’s not just the most gifted people at the table that can bridge the gaps you see in your reality. We also mentioned how these acts of leadership start with you and engage others. Too often, we’re sitting waiting for someone else to act not realizing that we have the capability to engage. Today, I want us to think about the gap and how a clear purpose helps our way of behaving in the gap. You might recognize that sometimes the gap is a scary place. People of all different political stripes and spectrums think that engaging in the gap requires this or that. In other words, progress may look different to different people. Moving from our current reality to make things better needs a clear purpose. This way, the focus isn’t on the change but on the purpose. This is hard to do. We want to focus in our results and effects. But, if we spent more time thinking purposefully about our engagement, I believe we’d make more progress. So, today, take this idea out for a spin by clearly articulating why you do what you do. And why is that true? And why do you that? And why is that so important? Press those why questions and see if you get at a purpose that isn’t so disagreeable as much as something that must be pursued at all costs. Seeking to be purposeful with you….

Weekend Recap – It’s Christmastime…

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My 12/8/13 sermon, Christmas In Revelation, is now online.  In it, I try and unpack the meaning of Christmas in the book of Revelation, showing how the eternal GodMan took on flesh, brought salvation to all and is coming again.  We had a great morning looking at these things.

I mentioned Jared Wilson’s blogpost Don’t Let Christmas Distract You From Jesus, so go over there and read it…

And, I was encouraged by 2 ladies singing Born Is the King.  Here’s the track with lyrics:
 

Small Group Prep – Saving Grace

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Had some time this AM to think about our upcoming small group session which, for my group, will include looking at what has been called “the most important paragraph in the Bible”: Romans 3:21-26. 

With Advent on the mind, I read these words:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Also, encouraging, though, were the notes from the Gospel Transformation Bible: 

If previous verses might lead to despair, Paul now sets forth grounds for rejoicing. What Abraham set his hope on by faith, so that God granted him a righteous standing (Gen. 15:6), Jesus Christ has accomplished “for all who believe” the gospel promise as Abraham did (Rom. 3:22). Yes, the sinful human condition is universal and terminal (v. 23). But believers “are justified” by God’s “grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 24). The term “redemption” suggests a picture of slaves being purchased and freed. God sent his Son to be a “propitiation”: he satisfied the demands of God’s wrath by his death on the cross in the place of sinners. When he “passed over former sins” (v.25) prior to Jesus’ coming, God did not merely dismiss the charges against the guilty. Rather, God’s righteous demands were met in Jesus’ death. God proved to be “just” in not overlooking sin, and he also freely chose to act as “justifier” for “the one who has faith in Jesus” (v.26).
Our hearts are moved as we marvel at the wisdom of God in providing a righteous way of rescue for guilty sinners that does not in any way compromise his justice and holiness. We marvel, too, at God’s great love in sending his own Son to accomplish this salvation.

So, as we prep (at least my group prepares) for Sunday’s Small Group, let’s marvel at God sending His Son to accomplish these things for us.  Ask God for a heart that treasures and boasts in this one great focus.  

Weekend Recap – Come Lord Jesus

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My 12/1/13AM sermon, Come Lord Jesus, from Revelation 22:10-21 wrapped up our church’s formal verse by verse exposition of the book of Revelation.  It was a sweet providence that this final message fell on the first Sunday of Advent.  I hope this sermon was helpful for the people in engaging with the amazing reality of Christ’s return and living accordingly.

Lord’s Supper As Thanksgiving

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Our church took the Lord’s Supper together yesterday, 11/24/13.  Taking the Lord’s Supper always seemed like a meaningless add-on in worship to me growing up.  I knew it meant something serious spiritually speaking, but couldn’t make the connection to why that rhythm was needed and I feel I’m just getting to a point where I’m starting to understand it.

Having the Lord’s Supper during the week of Thanksgiving is terrific.  Some traditions call the Lord’s Supper or Communion the Eucharist, which means to give thanks.  This thought originated as Jesus took the bread and gave thanks, then broke it for the disciples.   When we come to the Lord’s Supper table together, we should come thankful for all that is ours in the Gospel.  Because Jesus gave His life and blood for me, I know forgiveness, grace, hope and am set apart to worship forever.

This week as you gather with your family to give thanks think of the work of Jesus Christ, sinless Godman, who came to earth to seek and save the lost.  He came for us and that is something for which we can be forever grateful.