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CUBS WIN!

I haven't talked much about my Cubbies because they have enough hexes and jinxes to worry about without me adding to it.

But now, we can say with full authority...CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!  Holy Cow, the Cubs have won the 2007 NL Central Division Championship!  We hear ya, Harry!

Looks like the Cubbies will open the postseason in Arizona.  I'm ready to stop saying "haven't been to the World Series since 1945...haven't won one since 1908...if Steve Bartman wouldn't have...."

Soriano! Zambrano! Lee! Lilly! Ramirez! Piniella!  LET'S GO CUBS!

Friday Five

1. The sign in front of our house officially says "Sale Pending" now. PRAY that in a couple of weeks, it says "SOLD." Big moving day on October 6. We're not trying to move everything, but as much as we can on a UHaul and in a couple of vehicles. We don't close on our house in Greenville until October 25, but we can move into our house in Columbia beginning next Saturday. We'll probably make a trip or two after Saturday. If you're in Greenville or Columbia and want to help on the 6th, we could use your muscles and we'll take care of you, fo sho!

2. Really challenged by Mark's example of parenting. What a cool idea and I especially love his heart and vision behind it.

3. So encouraged by what God is doing at Catalyst right now. If you don't read Casey or Jake's blog, you should as they are telling the story of what God is doing. Had coffee with Jake this morning and we're having dinner with the Ross' tonight. I miss those guys, the staff team, and all those rowdy CCers! Baptisms, a ton of college students, more people getting into groups, people who used to be far from God now actively investing in their friends who are far from God...it's all happening at Catalyst!

4. Big game for the Gamecocks tomorrow. At the beginning of the season, we all thought this was a sure win. Then Miss. State went off and won three in a row including a big W at Auburn. Now, they roll into town 3-1 and with some confidence. I'm thinking we'll start slow, but put them away in the second half. 34-14 sounds about right.

5. The Annual Leadership Pilgrimage to Atlanta (a.k.a. Catalyst Conference) is next week. Stoked about the speaker lineup and the opportunity to attend the church planters lab with Stetzer, Ferguson, and others. If you'll be in the ATL for Catalyst drop me a line and let's hook up! Scott Hodge and I are working on a potential blogger gathering...will let you know if something pans out.

Going All the Way

The more I listen to Craig Groeschel's podcasts and read his blog, the more I like him. He has a humble, unassuming nature that comes through in every sermon and ever post. And, everybody I know who has met him says he is exactly the same in person.

It's no wonder then that God is using Craig to really speak into my life. And, that's why I am big time excited about his upcoming book, Going All the Way. His first two books, Chazown and Confessions of a Pastor, read like a conversation and were packed with fresh insight. I imagine his new book on marriage will be more of the same...and that's a good thing.

Going All the Way is all about the tools needed to have a marriage that goes the distance. Through stories, humor, and honesty, Craig shares what he has learned and what God says about having a marriage that doesn't just survive, but thrives. And if there is anyone more qualified than Craig to write this book, I don't know who it is. All he's done is launch and lead one of the fastest growing and most innovative churches in the world while making his marriage the priority of his life .

Whether you're single and hope to be married, happily married, or not so happily married, mark October 2 on your calendar and make sure you get Going All the Way. Your spouse, future or present, will thank you!

Godin and Paul on Preaching

Seth Godin's take on preaching (at least my take away):

Perhaps you should consider sitting down.

When you are asked to give a short talk at the big company gathering, or contribute a few minutes in a large group discussion, and you're ready to stand up and have all eyes on you, sometimes, perhaps, it makes sense to sit down instead.

If you're a bit nervous and you've written everything out and your main goal is to say nothing controversial, nothing memorable, nothing that might get you in trouble... well, why say it?

Paul said it this way:

God didn't send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn't send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words.

The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written,

"I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots."

The City I Love

As Lara Beth and I were in the very beginning stages of this transition, I had a conversation with a friend that included a line that literally changed the course of my life. I had no idea where it would take us, but I knew it was significant the second he said it.

My friend was on his way back from vacation with his family. My family was on the road to visit a city where we thought God may call us to plant a church. We'd been playing phone tag and finally caught each other. I asked, "How was your vacation?" He said, "It was great, but I can't wait to get back to the city I love."

My friend is a pastor. God called him to the city where he pastors a little over two years ago to plant a church that is literally shaking the entire city. His church is doing what it is doing because God birthed a love for the city in this pastor's heart.

As soon as we got off the phone, I told Lara Beth what he said. I knew that we would know which city God had called us to by how much love we had for it. Church or no church. Success or failure. Good and bad. We had to love the city where God had called us, not just the idea of a big, cool church.

Never in a million years would I have guessed that God would call us to Columbia, yet it makes so much sense. And, in the short time that we have been in this transition, God has birthed a fast growing love for this city in our hearts.

There are plenty of reasons to not love Columbia. It's hot...VERY hot. It's diverse - over 50% of the population in Northeast Columbia is not white (I love it!). It's got some issues - some have reported that Northeast Columbia has the fastest growing gang population in the country; 70% unchurched; racism, the confederate flag, Southern traditions...all things we will battle to advance the gospel in Columbia.

But it starts with love. God loves Columbia, SC. He loves the people here. And He desperately wants them to connect with Him and live out the mission he has for them.

And I can say with all integrity...He's given this pastor an unquenchable love for this city. Last night, as I was leaving the event where I preached, someone asked, "where are you going now?" To which, I replied, "Going back to the city I love."

Thank you, Jesus for calling us to this city that you love and putting your love in our hearts. May that love translate into a powerful movement that you use to reach thousands in this city that need you. May this love drive us to our knees in brokenness over gangs, hate, arrogance, and selfishness. Use this love to call us to action. To say, with you, "not in my city." Jesus, change this city for your glory. Amen.

Idols: More

A week delayed...continuing the series on Idols - people/things that take the place of glory in my life.

I'll admit it - I'm a sucker for newer, faster, shinier, trendier.

If a new version of something I have comes out, I want it. If clothing styles change, I want a whole new wardrobe. If furniture styles change, I want all new furniture. If someone else has a gadget that is cool and helps them, I want it.

I am a sucker for more.

What's funny is when I try to rationalize my desire for more with seemingly unselfish reasons - we need new furniture so our family has good furniture, I need a new car so we save gas money and have more safety, that iPhone will help me be more productive (it really might :-))...

At the end of the day, the challenge is being content. My wife is so good at being content. She is totally comfortable in her own skin, in our house, on our couch, in her car, wearing whatever she is wearing...she sets an example for me.

By watching her, I've learned the secret to being content and beating the idol of More:

I am content when I am thankful.

When I always want more, not only am I not content, I am not thankful. And when I am not thankful, I am prone to greed, arrogance, excess, doubt...the list goes on. I cannot imagine how this attitude breaks the heart of God. He gives so much, yet so often all I want is more.

What are you most thankful for today? I'll go first - I am thankful for Lara Beth...for her unbroken faithfulness to me and what God has called us to do together and for her example of being content.

Good News...Bad News...Best News

Good news...we have a contract on our house in Greenville!  Maybe now our multi-city family can all be in one city, in one house, at the same time!  Thanks for all the prayer and encouragement.  We're excited to fully transition to Columbia to begin building momentum for a new church!

Bad news...negotiations and traveling have taken much of my writing time this week, so another slow blogging week.  Hopefully, I can catch up tonight.

Best news...I got to see LB and the girls yesterday for the first time since last Monday and got to take Molly to preschool today.  Man, I love being a husband and dad...especially when we're all together!

Idols: Significance

I have a fear of insignificance. Have had it for as long as I can remember.

In high school, it was about popularity. I wanted to be "in" with the "in" crowd even though that was an ever-moving, ever-elusive target. But, I did what was necessary in order to hit it because that was my drive.

Now, it's a little more refined, but can feel like an elusive target. I want my life to make a difference. I don't want to be a flash in the pan, here today/gone tomorrow, low influence/low impact husband, dad, pastor, Christ-follower. This drive turns into a fear when I feel like my influence/impact is slipping. Just like in high school when the popularity meter started to fall, when I feel like my significance meter starts to fall, I'm prone to make stupid, short-sighted decisions and worry about senseless things.

I know that significance has climbed back into the place of glory in my life when I start to pay more attention to how many people are reading my blog...when I scroll through my address book to see all the cool people I know...when I search my name on Technorati or Google just to see if anyone has said anything...when I pump myself up in a conversation rather than celebrating someone else's success...when I hear of an idea someone else had that worked in their context and I immediately think "I have to do that"...I could go on, but you get the idea.

God is teaching me that the path to significance is paved by me being who I am, at my best, under Christ. When I am comfortable in my own skin and with the gifts God has given me, when I use those gifts to the highest degree possible, and when I keep my heart and mind submitted to Jesus, HE will use me. The impact of my life will be far bigger than anything I could have manufactured on my own.

Significance is not so much earned as it is realized. God built significance in to who I am and who you are. You and I realize it when we are who we are, at our best, under Christ.

Place of Glory

Yesterday, I was able to sit under the teaching of one of my favorite pastors, Dr. Steve Corts. I worked for Steve at a previous church and now, I am helping him and his staff better structure themselves for growth at Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons, NC (just outside of Winston-Salem).

Steve talked about worship - that God has designed us for worship and that He desires our worship. Teaching from Romans 11:33-12:1, he said that God's design is that we dedicate ourselves to and sacrifice for whatever it is we put in the place of glory in our lives.

For instance...if I put Gamecock Football (#12 BABY...at LSU this week...yikes!) in the place of glory in my life, then I will show my dedication by wearing garnet and black, flying a car flag, talking junk to Clemson fans, etc. And, I will sacrifice the $45 and 5 hours or so of my time to go to games. Did I say "if"...I should have said "since." :-)

Whatever you put in the place of glory requires your dedication and sacrifice. And, we willingly give it because we choose what gets the place of glory in our lives. While we all follow God's design, we often miss out on His desire for our worship. And by missing His desire, we miss His peace and joy for life.

God really spoke to me yesterday. He's still speaking to me today. I simply asked myself, "Who/What occupies the place of glory in my life?" The "churchy" answer is, "Jesus," and as much as I wish it to be true, it might not be. The way to tell is by looking at what I dedicate myself to and sacrifice time, energy, and money to accomplish.

So, if you don't mind, I am going to share with you some of my idols - some of the things that so easily take the place of glory in my life. Maybe while I am sharing, you'll share some of yours and together, we can put those things where they need to be and fully give Jesus the place of glory in our lives.

Last week, blogging was slow. This week, it will be tense! Buckle up!

Friday Five

1.  Slow blogging week this week.

2.  I had the chance to speak for a 4 night youth event in Simpsonville (just outside of Greenville) and it was a blast!  Saw God do some cool things...several students were saved and many others took significant steps.  A friend of mine, Eric Summers, was the youth pastor who organized it.  Eric and I grew up together in North Myrtle Beach, SC until 5th grade when my family moved to Columbia.  We hadn't seen each other since until a few months ago when he left the banking world to become a youth pastor and our paths crossed.  Coolest part of the week...telling my story, which obviously includes the day I began a realtionship with Jesus, which was the same day Eric did.  First Baptist North Myrtle Beach didn't know what to do when we said we were ready to cross the line! :-)  Great memories...thanks for the opportunity this week, Eric!

3.  A couple of people who read my post on being alone didn't like the fact that I hate being alone.  Uhhh...remind me, but did God not say, "It is NOT GOOD for man to be alone."  He knows!  And, it was a little bit of tongue in cheek humor.  But, thanks for reading and thanks for emailing.

4.  Why does it take me 2 hours to spend a $50 gift card at Barnes & Noble?  I love that place...but I don't know why anybody buys books there.  Sit down in a chair and read them in the store...yes.  Buy them for $10 more than amazon.com...no.  Sometimes, I just go in and walk around.  Amazing how much knowledge, wisdom, life experience, success, failure, good drama, etc. sits on those shelves.

5.  Went to "my" Starbucks this week for the first time in about 3 or 4 weeks.  What a great feeling to walk in and have several of the baristas say my name, ask where I've been, etc.  I don't care who you are, it's good to go where people know your name and it feels good to be missed.  One of the baristas didn't see me...she heard my voice.  That's scary.  Felt good to be "home", but I only have one more trip left on a gift card I was given, so my return will be short!  BTW...new favorite drink = Cafe Americano.  LOVE it!