Two ways: SIMPLIFY and CLARIFY!

Recently, I accompanied Shauntai (my wife) to the grocery store and was quickly overwhelmed with how many brands and types of toothpaste there were.  In the typical Target store, you confront rows of over sixty options, including pastes with whitener, tartar control, breath-freshening, baking powder, tube and pump, in over a dozen different brands (what ever happened to just plain ole Crest) .

Let’s be honest: We all FEEL overwhelmed. Our DVD players have more functions that we can learn.  When something goes wrong, few of us know what to do.

Additionally, we ARE overwhelmed. Everyone you deal with is overwhelmed.  Whatever you want to communicate to them, you must learn to do it simply and clearly.

The first rule in communication is:
Communicate so that you cannot be misunderstood.

Clarity inspires trust. We worry about the opposite: we fear that people we do not understand may be concealing something.  We suspect the confusion might be a smoke screen, intended to keep us from the truth.

Clarity inspires faith. We assume, as jurors assume when they hear expert witnesses, that a person who communicates clearly understands her subject.  I remember reading somewhere where a leading jury conslulting firm discovered that people regard “clarity” as the signal trait of a true expert!

Here’s The Point:
Make yourself clearer, and people will think you’re an expert.

What tips do you have to share that’ll help others to simplify and clarify their message/product/service?

Why:  The point here is to test your ability to communicate complex ideas in simple language.

In my opinion, the problem with preaching is that most preachers try to be deep instead of being effective.  I know many preachers who are thrilled to spend precious time explaining the syntax and morphology of a word while people are one decision away from moral, financial, relational, & marital ruin.

Additionally, I’ve attended many preaching conferences that’ll declare you’re a heretic if you don’t preach expositionally (and buy their software & books).  Too many preachers are so caught up in trying to impress other preachers or their seminary professors.

PREACHERS: Every single person who sits politely and listens to you on Sunday is one decision away from ruin.  Many are considering options with consequences that will follow them the remainder of their lives.  There they sit.  Waiting.  Hoping.  Doubting.  Anticipating.  What are you going to do?  What are you going to say?  This is the world we have been called to address.

So, what can you do?

WRITE MESSAGES FOR REAL PEOPLE!

Answer the “so why does this matter question” Connect with real life and transform, not just inform.  If it doesn’t help them get through Monday, why preach it?

Let this be the year we decide to direct *SOME* of our messages towards people’s needs. What are they?  I’m glad you asked!

-purpose
-finances
-love
-relationship
-sex/purity
-fear
-friendships
-marriages
-kids
-wounds and shame
-addiction
-failure
-conflict
-loneliness
-approval
-belief/apologetics/doubts
-hope
-stress

This is the world we have been called to address.  These are the issues we have been called to confront.  There is too much at stake and the great news is the pages of Scripture are filled with principles, narratives, and truth that address each of those needs.  The question you must answer: To what extreme are you willing to go to create a delivery system that will connect with the heart of your audience?

Andy Stanley asks:

Are you willing to abandon a style, an approach, a system that was designed in another era for a culture that no longer exists?  Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone in order to step into the lives God has placed in your care?  Will you consider letting go of your alliterations (The Call…The Crisis…The Conclusion) and acrostics and three-point outlines and talk to people in terms they understand.  Will you, as Andy Stanley suggests, communicate for life change?

Here’s me explaining my message to an eight-year-old:

We all make choices & they make life either good or bad.  The choices you make today & tomorrow will make life fun or bad.  One day you will have to explain to your children why you made that choice – choose wisely!  “Now go and play your X-Box 360 kid!“

Multitasking is the ability of a person to perform more than one task at the same time.  When you’re going back and forth between complicated projects, it is impossible to focus properly on each one.  “Researches call this task switching, an action, that, itself, requires time and energy.  Depending on how many tasks you’re juggling, you could be losing 20 to 40 percent of your time, because you have to reengage your focus and thoughts.” (“Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching,” Joshua S. Rubinstein, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Atlantic City, NJ; Journal of Experimental Psychology – Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 27, No. 4).

I’ve discovered both life and ministry require a certain amount of juggling.  Few days play out in an orderly, linear sequence.  Speaking on the phone to a member, client, or colleague while you’re reading a report or typing an e-mail might not cost you that much.  But, doing so while you’re preparing a report or message might.  At the very least, it will slow you down and result in sub par work.  To increase your focus and performance when concentration is critical, cut down on multitasking.

A few suggestions:

1. Turn off your e-mail alarm (who needs to be alerted to spam or useless facebook updates).  Check it regularly when it’s convenient for you – not when it interrupts you.
2. Block out time for projects that require intense focus such as sermon preparation, budget forecasting, vision/planning, writing, drafting a presentation, or conducting analysis.
3. Forward your calls to voice mail and close your door if necessary.  Let people know that you’re working on a project.  If you don’t have a door, put up a sign.
4. When possible, schedule important phone conversations when you know you’ll have no distractions.
5. Never work on something else while you’re on the phone.  The person on the other end knows when you’re writing an email while you talk, and it’s probably irritating him or her.

Organize your work so that you can do ONE THING at a time and do it well.  The payoff will be substantial!

The Bible is filled with examples of an intimate God keenly interested in connecting with ordinary people.   He promises to be with us.  He says He will personally guide us.  Yet somehow, intimacy with God eludes us.   I believe my new series Can You See Him struck a nerve with God’s people.   This series shows how you can enjoy a vibrant, moment-by-moment relationship with your heavenly Father.  Not some abstract theological concept, but an intimate connection with a personal God.

Sunday’s message, Seeing is Believing (Acts 9:1-17) traced the Apostle Paul’s conversion experience.   Paul was hell-bent on destroying Christians and Christianity.   While on the Road to Damascus, he sees a light brighter than the sun and ultimately looses his sight for three days (Acts 9:1-4).  When Jesus asks: “Why are you persecuting me?” Saul responds by asking, “Who are you, Lord?” For me it’s comforting to know, regardless of where you are in life:

GOD ALWAYS INITIATES SALVATION!

Here’s a popular saying: “If you take one step towards God, He’ll take two steps towards you.”   NOPE, that’s not in the Scriptures.   Truth is, we’re utterly lost (Romans 3:23; 5:8) and God sends The Spirit to “quicken” or awake us to SEE we’re lost and in need of a savior.  I’m glad God chose to initiate Paul’s salvation and ours.   Remember, no one would ever expect Paul to become a Christian and his conversion experience shows why it’s important to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).

Thirsty for more…tune it tomorrow for Part 2…

As the two disciples traveled to Jerusalem, Christ came along side them and began walking and talking to them (Luke 24:13-35).  In fact, He was close, but they couldn’t see Him.  Additionally, He was there before they even realized they needed Him!  The two travelers were sad because their Messiah was crucified and what they had hoped for (a reigning king to overthrow Rome) didn’t happen as they wished.  The same could be said about us.  We live our lives framed by the reality of five words: “I had hope…but instead.”

1. “I had hoped I’d be married; but instead I’m still single.”
2. “I had hoped for a job after college; but instead there aren’t many viable options.”
3. “I had hoped we’d live together in retirement; but instead he became terminally ill.”

Although it’s comforting to know that God is with us before we need Him.  It’s equally comforting to know when He reveals Himself to us it’s not to inform, but to CONFIRM.  Jesus confirmed He was the resurrected Messiah when He sat at the table and broke the bread (Luke 9:13-17; 22:17-19; 24:28-31a).  The two disciples may not have recognized Jesus’ face, but, they recognized his actions!  How were they able to see?

INTIMACY

Intimacy with God allows you to notice the details – the small things others often miss.  As Jesus opend the Scriptures to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.  Becasue they could see they know themselves that Jesus was alive!

CAN YOU SEE HIM?

I invite you to join our congregation in studying this passage together.  The following questions were taken from Sunday’s outline and I invite you to “dig deeper” with us.  Please feel free to post your thoughts, comments, or questions and we learn together in community.

1. Sometimes it is easier to see God’s work as you reflect back over your life. Encourage others with an example of how you can see God at work through a challenge from the past.
2. The two men’s eyes were opened to see Jesus in their midst. Describe a time that you’ve had a spiritual awakening. How did God give you “eyes to see” something you missed before.
3. You (or someone you know) may be in the middle of a painful season where it is more difficult to see God at work. Take time to pray for each other and ask God to give you eyes to see His hand in your lives.

1. During our 8AM Worship Experience, we were blessed to have a long-time friend of my father & our church preach the Word.
2. Dr. W.H. Foster, Sr., preached with passion and power as he encourage our members to continue to build on the legacy and expand for the Glory of God.  He blessed us by singing “Father, I Stretch My Hand To Thee.”  And yes, he ripped it & shouted EVERYTHING in our church.  What a mighty man of God!
3. During our 10:30AM Worship Experience, personally, I thought the music was UNBELIEVABLE!!!  WOW!
4. The Praise & Worship period blended contemporary praise peppered with traditional hymns.  From the response of the audience, I knew we were in for another awe-inspiring worship experience.
5. I sensed many in our congregation were carrying heavy burdens and needed a breakthrough.  Therefore, I preached “A Second Wind” from Isaiah 40:29-31 and saw how the words bypassed their intellect and pierced the very core of their souls!
6. To catch a Second Wind is to have increased energy or strength after feeling tired or weak.
7. A Second wind is a phenomenon in distance running, such as marathons (as well as other sports), whereby an athlete who is too out of breath and tired to continue suddenly finds the strength to press on at top performance with less exertion.  I FEEL A SHOUT COMING ON!!!
8. The phenomenon has come to be used as a metaphor for continuing on with renewed energy past the point thought to be one’s prime, whether in other sports, careers, or life in general.

A Few in Need of a Second Wind:

WIDOWS
SINGLE PARENTS
THOSE FACING HEALTH CHALLENGES
THOSE FACING LAYOFFS/DOWNSIZED
COLLEGE GRADS FACING A DIFFICULT JOB MARKET

As we wait on the Lord, we’ll find more strength (2ND WIND) to REST (while God prepares us for our next assignment), REFLECT (look around and see God’s faithfulness), and WORSHIP (to make Him the center of our affection).   Worship ended with a POWERFUL altar call for those who were ready to give up.  God interceded and gave them a “SECOND WIND” to go on!  As I prayed & laid hands, I felt the power of God breaking yokes & strongholds and people walked away with renewed strength.

Mars Hill…I love you guys…I am so blessed to be here and serving as your pastor.  I am BLOWN away by all that God is doing…and I can’t wait to see what happens next around here.  Ephesians 3:20 is becoming more and more real to all of us…we serve an amazing God!

Next week I begin a new series
“Can You See Him”

Here’s An Overview:

Daily life usually sets us on a path that’s almost robotic and we forget to see God in all things – the good, the tragic, or even the mundane.  Think of your day today.  Did you see Him in your kids’ laughter, the homeless person on the corner, or even the papers you stapled?  He was there. Join me as we discover how to see God in everything.

Read more >> Options >>

Sunday services are over, but, my mind is STILL spinning…

1. I honestly feel that this weekends services were the most amazing services we’ve ever had since I became pastor in 1999.
2. Our total church attendance was over 2,500 for the first time in the history of our church!
3. I preached about God’s historical bailouts & (The Full Coverage Plan, The “I AM” Plan, The Provision Plan) & closed with The Greatest Bailout that ever happened – The Resurrection Plan!
4. Our NEW & IMPROVED Video Venue Service had over 220 for the first time today!  I want to thank all the ushers, greeters, deacons, ministers, and security who served in our Video Venue – YOU ARE SIMPLY THE BEST!
5. Our 100-voice choir was OFF THE CHAIN as they slammed Donald Lawrence’s “Matthew 28.”
6. Honestly, I believe Mars Hill has the best Worship & Fine Arts Ministry – PERIOD!  There are churches with larger ministries & celebrity musicians & personalities.  However, I’ll take our anointing over any celebrity!
7. Folks…what happened yesterday at our church IS NOT NORMAL…it wasn’t a “nice service”…it was a move of God!  I’ve honestly never been a part of something like what happened today…and it’s only the beginning.
8. Religion is all about what we do to get to God…Christianity is all about what God did to get to us!
9. THAT is one of the problems with church today…we’ve became “normal” when the call of Christ on our lives is to change the world-”normal” people can’t do that!
10. We will continue this series on Sunday…expecting/praying for God to do amazing things AGAIN!

AND…to My Mars Hill Family…a personal note…

Reality is this…satan got his butt kicked this weekend!  Hell is going to be less crowded!  People crossed over from death to life.  The way a community is changed is by the church preaching AND living the Gospel…and I believe we are going to continue to see Jesus do the unexplainable and undeniable…and we, His church, will continue to become unstoppable!

He’s alive-we win…now all we need to do is continually run up the score!!!

I LOVE you guys…I LOVE our church…I LOVE serving here…there is NOTHING ELSE on the planet I would rather do!  I’m bought in!!!

I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Free-wheeling capitalism has always been the heart of the US Economy but the recent $700 billion bailout, a level of government intervention not seen since the Great Depression, is hardly unprecedented.  Historically, the Federal Government has not only taken stakes in banks, steel mills, and coal mines but have even seized control of everything from railways to savings and loans.  Unfortunately, when it comes to you and I, we would be hard pressed to make their list.  Consequently, If you STILL believe the government will bail you out – think again!

As Believers, we’ve already received our bailout!

So what does the bailout mean for me?  The word power occurs 57 times in the New Testament.  It is a word used to describe the most powerful bailout that ever happened, an event that separated A.D. from B.C.  That event was the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Consequently, that resurrection power is available to change your life! So, please join us this Easter at the Mars Hill Baptist Church and experience a heartfelt worship experience coupled with a timely Word from God.  Additionally, we will unveil our “new & improved” video venue which is additional worship experience using video technology to reproduce our live worship experience.

Easter Weekend Schedule

Good Friday

Friday, April 10, 2009
12 Noon & 6:30PM

Easter

Sunday, April 12, 2009
8:00 AM & 10:30 AM (Live)
8:00 AM & 10:30 AM (Video Venue)

Henry Mitchell, former professor of theology at Rochester Divinity School said, “The central figure in the Black church is the Black preacher.  He has no exact counterpart in the white church, and to attempt to see the White preacher on the same plane is to risk confusion, for the Black preacher includes a dimension peculiar to the Black experience.”  In the Black church the Black preacher has perpetually served as a father figure to Black people, seeing to their welfare in all spheres of life whether they were social, political, economic, or the traditionally recognized spiritual aspects of life.

Growing up as a preacher’s kid, I saw in operation the validity of these statements.  The Black preacher commanded the respect and obedience of his congregation.  He was the most powerful man in our community & even today the Black preacher retains most of that prominence.  Many Black Christians look to their pastors as an authority figure who should have a lot of biblical knowledge and wisdom.  They are viewed as being above and a little distant from ordinary lay people.

Question:

What makes the black preacher unique?

As the Black church’s historical origin stemmed from its African heritage, the counterpart of the Black preacher can be found in African traditional religion.  The African priest brought with him into slavery an oral tradition through which he preserved the history and culture of the tribe.  Through his expertise in storytelling, he became a link for his fellow slaves between the past and the present and between the spiritual and the mundane.  In his role as priest on the plantation, he comforted, encouaged, and helped the slave community relate to God.

However, in White Christian environments, their ministers seem to be viewed on an equal basis with lay people.  Some white congregations show their acceptance of and respect for their ministers by being either buddy-buddy or on familiar terms with them.  In many Black Christian environments, keeping the distance or addressing them with formal terms such as Reverend, Bishop, Brother or Sister shows the respect.

Ok, I know the gloves are about to come off regarding this post!

What Would YOU Like To Hear Taught Next Year?

Each
year in November our team breaks away for our annual teaching calendar
planning retreat where we lay out a general idea of where we sense God
wants to take us over this next year in terms of teaching and subject
matter. 

This week, we will be spending the next several hours focused on praying, planning, and brainstorming.  So please pray for us!

But here's my BIG question for all of you….

What topics/subjects would YOU like to hear teaching on? 

I'd
love to hear your ideas!  So leave a comment!  Maybe your feedback will
spark a great idea for Mars Hill or even others over this next year!