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The Upside-Down, Alternate Kingdom

From Tim Keller's masterpiece, The Reason For God:

"This pattern of the Cross means that the world's glorification of power, might, and status is exposed and defeated. On the Cross, Christ wins through losing, triumphs through defeat, achieves power through weakness and service, comes to wealth via giving all away. Jesus Christ turns the values of the world upside down...

This upside-down pattern so contradicts the thinking and practice of the world that it creates an 'alternate kingdom,' an alternate reality, a counterculture among those who have been transformed by it. In this peaceable kingdom there is a reversal of the values of the world with regard to power, recognition, status, and wealth. In this new counterculture, Christians look at money as something to give away. They look at power as something to use strictly for service. Racial class and superiority, accrual of money and power at the expense of others, yearning for popularity and recognition, these normal marks of human life, are the opposite of the midset of those who have understood and experienced the Cross. Christ creates a whole new life. Those who are shaped by the great reversal of the Cross no longer need self-justification through money, status, career, or pride of race or class. So the Cross creates a counterculture in which sex, money, and power cease to control us and are used in life-giving and community-building rather than destructive ways." (emphasis mine)

I think it's safe to admit that we have largely lost this ethos as the collective, universal community of Jesus-followers...at least we have in America.  The statistics prove it every year...there is virtually no difference between Christians and non-Christians in terms of behavior, values, and relationships.

Just after the Cross, you would have been an idiot to call yourself a follower of Jesus, yet retain the world's value systems and only wiggle your toe in the upside-down, alternate kingdom that Jesus founded.  You would have been an idiot because you would have been killed for something you only halfway believed in.

We are headed back to the culture the first disciples lived in after the Cross.  Christianity is no longer at the center of American culture.  And I'm not convinced that's a bad thing.

Yes, we should speak up for, defend, and fight for a Christian worldview.  But maybe before we defend it and argue for it, we should actually try living it. Christianity being shoved from the center of American culture just may be the jolt that we need to return to this upside-down, countercultural ethos that defined Jesus and His first followers.

What if we all lived on less so we could give more. What if we leveraged the power and influence we have for those who have none and never will have any.  What if we really embraced the Cross as all the justification we need...we are justified in and through Jesus and Him ALONE! No money, power, or sex can trump the justification of Jesus! What if we rested in that and then ordered our lives accordingly.

This is where I want to live...the upside-down, alternate kingdom of Jesus.  I'm begging God to continue to break me of pride, of my need for justification from other sources, and of my selfishness. At the same time, I am begging Him to give me a heart full of His love and grace shown toward me so that I can freely live it and give it to others.

Empowering Encouragers

Had breakfast this morning with a person whom I did not know three months ago, but now consider a close ally, mentor, and friend. And it's such a God thing that we connected when we connected.

This guy has learned and forgotten more than I ever will learn about leadership, starting something from scratch, fund-raising, success/failure, and following Jesus through it all. His only mode is "dream big" and he stretches me every time we talk.

In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan had a bizarre idea: rather than sitting around waiting on the numbers to make sense, maybe my teenaged armor bearer and I can take on an entire Philistine outpost by ourselves. Oh, and we'll have to scale two cliffs and the valley inbetween to get there, but no worries, God is able to work mightily on our behalf.

I love the armor bearer's response:

"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."

With that, they go and God does in fact show up mightily on their behalf. Not only do they take out the entire outpost, but God sends an earthquake that sends the entire Philistine army into total confusion. The story ends in verse 23:

"So the LORD rescued Israel that day..."

God used one guy who had an audacious vision to rescue a nation. But what if the armor bearer said, "No." What if the armor bearer questioned his sanity and told him to go back to bed? What if the armor bearer told him, "You can't do that - it's not in the rules."

So much of what God wants to do in and through us hinges on who we surround ourselves with. We don't need "yes" men and women as much as we need encouragers. Encouragers don't just pat you on the back, tell you you're perfect, and confirm all your ideas as God's ideas. True encouragers push, pull, poke, challenge, ask questions, give advice, offer suggestions...all with the end of EMPOWERING you to go do what God has put on your heart to do.

I don't know what I would do without the empowering encouragers God has brought into my life. When I approach them with questions, dreams, ideas, etc. and say, "I need your help," the avalanche of wisdom, experience, and encouragement most definitely empowers me. I came out with of my time today with a napkin full of notes and a heart full of encouragement!

Look around you and decide if you have at least one empowering encourager. If you don't, go find one...NOW!

Time for a Makeover

LB and I finally have another TV show addiction that's not on Thursday night! Literally, the only shows we really watch are The Office and Grey's Anatomy with occasional "flips" to other shows. But now, we have a new addiction...and it's a good one!

Not sure if we had this in Greenville, but our Columbia cable package gets us the Fox Business channel which means every night, we have a financial counseling meeting with Dave Ramsey via The Dave Ramsey Show. Wow...we love that guy!

The show is addictive for two reasons: 1. You get to hear real-life stories. Talk about weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice. 2. Dave Ramsey is smart, simple, and credible. The dude lost it all several years ago..by lost it all, I mean millions...and he's on a crusade to keep people from experiencing what he experienced. He's straightforward, which can hurt sometimes, but when it comes to money, we all need someone who is straightforward.

Here's the deal for us...we've done well with our money for our almost 8 years of marriage. Wait...I should say LB has done well with our money! :-) We don't use credit cards except for my ministry expenses, we save strategically, we live well below our means, etc. But, we're in a really different season right now. And some parts of our system aren't holding up.

So, we're getting a makeover! Molly and I went to Barnes & Noble Sunday after church and bought the book. LB read it Sunday night. I read it last night. This week, we're devising a new game plan.

A few weeks ago, I told you that one of the things I am working on in becoming a better leader is pastoring my family. Obviously, a HUGE part of pastoring my family is working with LB to ensure that we are honoring God in the way we give, save, and spend the money He gives us.

I know some things are about to change BIG TIME for us...I'm praying Starbucks can still make it in the budget :-)...but we're ready for it. It will hurt at first, but the end result will be worth it all!

Measuring Success

A pastor friend once said to me that every great church planter is, at his core, a competitor. My Gallup StrengthsFinder says that Competition is one of my highest strength themes. Take a stroll through the blogosphere and you'll read all sorts of posts related somehow to "winning."

Being competitive has its upsides...unquenchable drive, little fear of failure, constant innovation, hatred of losing.

But it can also cause us who have it to carry around a warped scorecard to measure our success.

If our calling is to make disciples and transform cities, then we can't only care about how many butts are in seats and how many bills are in the plate. We have to care more about the people we are producing than the numbers we are attracting.

I DID NOT say that we should not care about numbers. We should...we must. But, if we're in the disciplemaking/city transformation business, Sunday numbers are not the only factor and maybe not even the best factor in measuring success.

The most challenging, profitable, mind-stretching conversations I am having these days revolve around the question, "What kind of disciple do we want to produce?" Once we figure that out as best as our feeble minds can understand, then we need to construct a scorecard that will tell us how we're doing in helping people attain those characteristics.

So, I want your voice in the conversation. What is a disciple? What does a disciple do? How do we know if we're actually making disciples?

What Are You Up To?

This weekend, tragedy struck the campuses of the University of South Carolina and Clemson University as 7 students were killed in a beach house fire on Ocean Isle Beach, NC. 6 of the students were from USC and 1 was from Clemson. Their names have yet to be released, but the families have been notified.

Obviously, as word spread, students who knew those who were killed and the others who miraculously escaped the house were overcome with fear, emotion, questions, and deep grief. Even those of us who did not know the students are overcome with questions like, "God, how could You allow this?" Fair question.

Over the past couple of weeks, God has taught me to ask a new question that by no means is meant to belittle the situation, but rather a means of finding hope and evidence of His presence, even in tragedy.

The new question:"God, what are you up to?"

In the tragic death of our friend in Kentucky, we saw God at work. In the unbelievably tragic deaths of these college students, we will see God at work. Look what He is already up to at Midtown Fellowship, a church strategically located in downtown Columbia that God is using to reach hundreds of USC students.

There is much to grieve in this tragedy - lives lost, futures lost, friends lost, and sons and daughters lost. But maybe, just maybe, many will find rescue in Jesus. I don't even pretend to have answers for why God allows these things to happen. But, I know He allowed His Son to be beaten beyond the point of recognition, to be nailed to a cross where His blood poured profusely, and to die a criminal's death in spite of His absolute innocence.

But out of that tragedy, God brought about the greatest victory ever recorded. The same One who was beaten, nailed, and dead came ALIVE! And because of His death and resurrection, rescue is available to you and me. The Old Testament says, "Rescue is coming!" The gospels and the rest of the New Testament say, "Rescue is here and His name is Jesus!"

"Father, would you send Rescue to the campuses of USC and Clemson? Would you send Rescue to the families and friends of the victims? Would you send Rescue to all of us who hear of this and wonder what you are doing. Father, help us to trust you - admittedly, it's hard sometimes. Help us to see that you are good. That you are always at work to send Rescue into our lives. May it be so today, for your glory and your Kingdom. Amen."

"Lord, remind me..."

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.

You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

This scripture has been on my mind all day. God challenged me personally with it - how I take time with my wife and daughters for granted, how I take opportunities for granted, and how I take His blessings for granted.

Then out of that, He began to form a message that I'll share in the coming weeks at a speaking engagement.

Then I got a phone call that literally brought me to my knees in my hotel room in Winston-Salem, NC. One of the greatest men of God I have ever known died suddenly at 4:30 pm today. Early 50's. Perfect health. One of the greatest encouragers God has ever sent into my life. A passionate evangelist. A true servant leader. A well-known veterinarian in Kentucky who invested years of his life molding and shaping high school students. An amazing husband and father - ask his wife and three kids...they'll tell you.

That kind of person isn't supposed to die. Except that his life is just a moment...a breath...fleeting...brief...just like yours and just like mine.

All you and I have is this moment. Clearly, God is calling me to remember how brief my life is - and as He has called me, I feel a responsibility to call you to remember. All you and I have is right now. Make it count. For His Glory. For His Kingdom.

If you would, please pray for the Wonderlich family. Their loss is deep.

A Few Things I Know

The past few weeks have combined to form a season of questions for me and my team. Boy, have we had to work through some stuff! I said a week or so ago that I find myself with more questions than answers these days...and that's a good thing! After all, I've never done most of what I do now, so it's all a big experiment...:-)

But, in all of my questions and answers and whatnot, there are a few things I know. Here they are, in no particular order...

1. I'm really glad Catalyst has weekly environments now! The "every other" gig was good for a while, but it was time to make the jump...maybe it was passed time. Sure feels like we actually have a chance to build some serious momentum through the summer.

2. God has given Catalyst some VERY generous people. I have been amazed at how people have stretched and given so far beyond what is normal. We need a few more people like that, but I am so thankful for the ones we have and for how God uses them.

3. Serving our city really resonates with people...and it resonates in a way that doesn't distract from our mission of reaching lost people. We're actively piecing together an initiative where we will partner with organizations in our city that are making a difference. Every week, people are asking me where things are and how they can help. I have a feeling we may be on to something big.

4. New people are not afraid to come to Catalyst. I am blown away by how many new people come to Catalyst every week. Now we just have to figure out how to better move those people into environments where they can connect. By the way, our next Newcomers Q & A is NEXT SUNDAY, May 20. If you're new to Catalyst, check it out.

5. We have an incredible volunteer staff at Catalyst. At last Thursday's Leadership Community, I just had an overwhelming sense that the people I locked eyes with around that room were there because they "get it." They're not at our church asking, "What's in it for me?" There here saying, "How can I be used?" The passion in the room was tangible.

6. God has sent some amazing people to join our staff and our volunteer staff in the past month or so. I am convinced that God doesn't bring in the caliber of people He's brought to Catalyst unless He is going to use them BIG TIME! More on our staff additions later...

7. We are identifying some growth barriers that we have either already bumped into or will bump into very soon. CCers...pray for us this week as we aim to make some serious movement to bust through some of these things. It drives us crazy when we can see one of these barriers coming, but we smack into it anyway! It happens...but to let it happen over and over is just stupid and unacceptable. Enough said.

8. The most unlikely of CCers are investing and inviting like crazy. We see the results and hear the stories every week...this gets me FIRED UP big time! Every week is somebody's first week. Every week, these CCers trust what God is doing at Catalyst enough to invite their unchurched friends into it. That is HUGE!

9. God is ALL OVER Catalyst Church right now! People are crossing the line of faith, marriages are being reconciled, dry religion is being replaced with life and intimacy, generosity is replacing selfishness...Jesus is alive and well at CC and I believe with all of my heart we are on the verge of a wave of momentum like we have never seen in our lives. If only you knew the full story of the past 4 weeks at Catalyst, you'd agree wholeheartedly.

Pretty sure that I'm going to try to go to sleep right now, but miserably fail in my attempt to do so. There is just too much running through my pea brain right now and the adrenaline is pumping, for sure...which leads to number 10...

10. I LOVE JESUS! I LOVE MY FAMILY! I LOVE MY JOB! I LOVE CATALYST CHURCH! I LOVE GREENVILLE, SC! And, I LOVE WHAT GOD IS DOING HERE!

Why We're Here

One of our volunteers just sent me some pics from a recent baptism at Catalyst...

270,000 people live within a 20 minute drive of our meeting location. Around 162,000 of them do not go to church. That's why we're here...that's why God breathed this church into existence...for that image to be replayed thousands of times.

21

There are some days in portable church world when the 3 hours before a service can literally make you question whether or not you heard God correctly. Christmas Eve was one such Sunday at Catalyst. Yikes!

BUT, as with the Christmas story itself, all I can say now is, "Glory to God in the Highest!"

Here's what happened...people invited their friends...the Holy Spirit led our creative meetings...God ordered a few last minute adjustments...and the result...21 people are in the family of God tonight who were not 48 hours ago!

I cannot put into words what a rush it is to see people publicly declare their newfound faith in Jesus as Savior. Our worship set was after the sermon and response time, and it was hard for me to walk off the stage and let our band lead! I was that jacked up!

Somebody said it best..."if that doesn't put wind in your sails for '07 at Catalyst, I don't know what will." Right on. CC'ers...this is what happens when we partner with God to create irresistible environments and invite our unchurched friends into them.

I love what I've heard and read from others. Check out my blogroll to see some other cool stories of God at work on Christmas Eve. And...congrats to Perry and Lucretia! It's about time...:-)

Some have asked for our setlist from Sunday:

Pre-sermon:
Better Days (Goo Goo Dolls)
Come and Listen (Crowder)

Worship set:
Salvation is Here (Hillsong)
Joy to the World (public; Third Day-esque arrangement)
Here is Our King (Crowder)

21...can't get over that!

No Excuses

Just read a report on a study done by Ed Stetzer, author and missiologist. Two big numbers jump out at me:

"42% of those who said they were not born again would come to a Christian worship service during the Christmas season if invited."

"42% of those who are not born again were very or somewhat likely to make a New Year's resolution to attend religious services more frequently in 2007."

How much more evidence do we need to know that by investing in relationships with non-Christians and inviting them to an appropriate environment, we are participating in the Great Commission? This study says that 2 out of 5 people who say they are not Christians would attend a Christmas service at a Christian church IF they were invited.

So...what are you waiting on? Do it! Invite them! What are they going to do...say, "no"...maybe. But, what if they think about it and say, "Okay. I'll do it." You won't know unless you ask.

And who knows, you may be able to lay your head on your pillow Christmas Eve knowing that you had a part in God totally re-directing someone's life...and YOU invited them into the environment where it happened!

CC'ers...we set up the theatre for Christmas Eve yesterday and I got REALLY pumped for Sunday. I've been listening all week to the music we're going to use Sunday...everytime, I get more pumped for Sunday. Here's what I know...people WILL cross the line of faith Sunday at Catalyst. The question is...who will it be?

Your friend? Your dad? Your sister? Your boss? Your business partner? Your dentist? Your neighbor? Your spouse?

You won't know unless you invite them in...there are no excuses! Go ahead, do it now!