Joshua A Story Unlike Others

I know I have been super quiet on here for some time now. Been a crazy season and it’s about to get even crazier (super excited for all this summer has in store and this next year).

I have been praying and thinking a lot about what God calls us to in life. How He equips us and encourages us to do things that ultimately build His Kingdom. I hear some folks say that when you know Gods call its easy, you just have to follow, just trust. A few days ago I was hit with a reminder of the story of Joshua, the general for Moses and the Israelites as they fled Egypt into the promised land. His story hit me as I began to think about calling and how ‘easy’ it is, how we love Joshua 1.9 “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you where ever you go”. We find so much comfort in this verse. It gives us strength to carry on.

But when I think about the entire story of Joshua this verse, although the lynch pin, is but a flicker in the dark for what Joshua was called to do. What Joshua embarks through for us is 24 chapters, but for him a lifetime of battle, strategy, leading people, watching friends die, going to war, being hungry, dirty and tired.

I am fascinated by Joshua’s story as of late, the promise that God instilled in him was followed up by a call, a call to something difficult, something life changing, something life giving. Join me as we walk through the story of Joshua this next week.

• Joshua: A Promise
• Joshua: A Call
• Joshua: Moment in the Sun
• Joshua: Blood Sweat & Tears
• Friday Five: Joshua a man who never gave up.

 

Friday Five: Lent is around the corner…

It is crazy to think that the time of year has come for the celebration of Lent. My tradition as a younger christian was not based in this practice at all, but with my involvement at a Lutheran church I get the privilege to partake in it & bring about some great resources for our church to participate in the season as well.

This year I am a little more excited than normal. I think because of the prep time I have had to get ready for this year & our theme. I wanted to share five reasons I am super excited about this year’s Lenten time at Faith Community…

• We are teaching through Parables of Christ. I have always been fascinated by this teaching style of Christ. Some of the parables I ‘kinda’ understand. Some are total ‘what the heck’ to me, but needless to say I am so ecstatic to be teaching on them for the next 6 weeks on Wednesday nights at 4.30 & 7pm…

• We have created an entire devotional booklet (I will be posting next week) for our congregation to be guided, grow and go deeper in their faith. To often we simply just focus on the guiding or the growing, but very very excited to be giving people the opportunity to go this year as well…

• We have added a new element of spiritual practices each week to our devotionals. I am so excited about this because I am getting to use more of passion for spiritual formation in our church & helping peoplegrow a little deeper into their relationship with Jesus…

• I have some pretty radical prayers coming from my soul that is so ready to experience some radical transformation in my life, physically, emotionally, spiritually… am I missing any ‘lly’s’ there?

• I will be taking this Lenten year just as much for myself  if not more as I bring to others. I serve others a lot in my job but rarely take time for myself. I am going to refocus that this year & really spend some time for myself with God trying to understand more about my soul & my heart.

So, what about you? Lent is around the corner… are you ready? Are you participating in it? If so how?

Check out our Lenten Promo video as well…

Sound-byte Theology

I participated in an event recently called The Elephant Room. It was an incredible time of learning and stretching of my faith. The format is as follows…

The Elephant Room features blunt conversations between seven influential pastors who take differing approaches to ministry. No keynotes. No canned messages. These are “the conversations you never thought you’d hear.” All conversations are moderated by James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel and Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church ~ From theelephantroom.com

As a young pastor I get into lots of conversations with other younger pastors and youth pastors who talk about the idea of ‘tribes’ and what ‘tribe’ I belong to. I have to confess I read a lot of books, blogs, posts and articles from lots and lots of people and organizations. Not all are christian or of religious nature but things I read none the less. I watch a lot of podcasts and sermons from time to time. It is refreshing and an incredible tool to be able to go the web and hear the word of God from different pastors simply by clicking a button.

That said, for the last several years there has been this measuring stick for every single group where you are judged based on who you read and listen to.

“What you read Rob Bell‘s books and watch his Nooma stuff? You are one of those people…” “You actually can stand listening to Mark Driscoll? You must be filled with a lot of anger to do that.” “You actually listen to Steven Furtick? That guy is too young and arrogant.” “Joel Osteen, can’t be a believer and you mean to tell me you would actually watch his sermons?” “You work for a Lutheran church? Do they even believe in Jesus?” “What you grew up Southern Baptist? Have received the Holy Spirit and made a real commitment in your life?”

The ‘name dropping’ can go on and on with countless bigger pastors and ministries that far exceed my reach and my current calling to ministry. What I have come to see taking place in the ‘clergy’ is that we have created a ‘sound-byte-theology’ where we see a clip, read a quote, read a blog from someone who doesn’t like that particular tribe or way of thinking and doing ministry and we then label that pastor or person or denomination or church from hence forth. And then if you read or listen to that person you then become lumped into that same ‘sound-byte-theology’. I have been really convicted, especially after participating in The Elephant Room, that we have begun to judge others in such a harsh light and are willing to critique and throw others under the bus so quickly because of this careless kind of theology.

We are more than words and even more than actions. We are the divine total of both, multiplied by the Love of Christ poured out on the cross, divided by His overcoming of death and being resurrected. If my guaranteed admittance into heaven is a culmination of believing the right brand of Christian theology of God, the right books I read, right things I said and did, right people I associated my self with, then none of us are safe from eternal separation from God.

I know there are smarter and wiser theologians that I am out there, but at what point will we start living out the Prayer of Jesus in John 17.20-23? I’m praying we can quit attacking our brothers and sisters (and quit being attacked by them) long enough to live out the kingdom by sharing the Grace of God that is found in His Son Jesus Christ that calls us out of our Sin to repent and live new and constantly refreshed in His Holy Spirit! (How is that for a creedal statement)

If you are judging out of a ‘sound-byte-theology’ for others, what is the ‘sound-byte-theology’ you are living for others to see? I want to be known more for my life lived than my few quotable phrases and poor decisions I made in life.

Finish this…

Reading the incredible story of Daniel for this weekends worship and struck by something Daniel said in Chapter 2 verse 28. So I want you to finish this statement in your own words

But there is a God who…

Leave your answers below.

Day 1 of Willow Creek Global Summit Leadership

Where to begin?

Well first a thank you to Faith Community for allowing most of the staff to attend this years Summit Leadership. It has been great so far and very challenging. Secondly to Willow Creek Association for all their heard work in making it happen. The speakers have all been incredible with their ‘sound bytes’ of wisdom to echo deep in our hearts and souls.

I wanted to just take a few moments to share my thoughts from today and high lights & questions from the speakers from today.

Bill Hybels

I have to start by saying how much I respect Bill, his ministry, and integrity to God, His church, and His people. I really appreciated Bill sharing about to many of us in ministry are working in the Dangerously Over Challenged range of our level of work, while some are Under Challenged. I felt, even before he spoke, that I operate slightly above the Appropriate level of Challenge and that I have my ups and downs because of that. It was a powerful reminder that slightly above that range is where we have to call on the Holy Spirit to empower us to do incredible things for Gods glory.

I had some trouble in his talks when it came the letting folks go in ministry because “they church had out grown their capacity” or that they “did not have the elasticity to change and perform with the church”. With a business model I totally understand the need to ‘drop’ weight when things aren’t going right, or positioning folks to serve in their ‘sweet spots’. I also understand letting folks go when there are moral issues at hand. But I do struggle with this idea of saying to staff member, a child of God, “you don’t have what it takes to ‘lead’ this church and its people any more, because you lack the skills”. I know its necessary sometimes, just having a hard time meshing that concept with the 1st truth of we are a family of God called to serve and grow with one another, not fire people and hire people better suited to create programs and vision for the church… anyways I digress, something I will just have to continue to think through and pray.

A few questions Bill’s session got me thinking about were…

• What is my ‘replenishment’ system? — What am I doing to replenish who I am?
• Who I am letting set the pace in my life & ministry? The Holy Spirit, the Staff of the church, the ministry, the Congregation?
• What 5 words best describe the Good News?

Great thoughts really challenging for sure.

Len Schlesinger

Len’s message was good. It was a little hard to follow academically from time to time but I came away with lots of questions from his talk to ask myself in my own life and walk.

Len started by talking about the purpose of leadership is to move us from ‘here’ to ‘there’ and that before any movement, or I would add, any smart, important, helpful, honorable, purposeful movement, is made we must ask our selves ‘What about ‘here is unacceptable that we need to get ‘there’”. Its in this understanding that we see the injustice, unfairness, and lack of fulfillment that we can have a focus well intentioned enough to propel us from ‘here to there’. If we can’t understand why here is not a good place then how can we ever fathom of going to there.

Here are some sound bytes that really rocked me from Len’s session with a —> explaining why…

• Believe in the future by creating it first —> Don’t simply hope and pray for something to come but partner in making it reality
• How do I self-edit myself out of action? —> This one is huge for me. What am I doing to sabotage my action and vision before I ever get it started
• Do we ‘enroll’ people into ministry or ‘sell’ them into it? —> Am I living and working in a ministry that people are wanting to help and create or am I have to sell them this idea of what ‘could be’
• Stop obsessing about the ‘what if’s‘ and lean into the ‘what is next’ —>This is really rocking me still. If I get caught up so much in the future of what if’s will I honestly ever take a step into the what is next. I have to lean heard on the Holy Spirit to follow the what’s next
• What am I excited about —> As I think about ministry and my unique call to be a part of the body of Christ, what excites me, what is screaming from my soul that I want to do and share and usher in a new future for myself and others?

Pretty tough thoughts but very necessary to ponder for sure.

Honorable Cory Booker

Where to begin with this prophet of New Jersey. Cory Booker is an incredible man of God and someone I have been reading up on and following for some time now. I loved his passion, his faith, and his humility. I can not thank God enough for Cory sharing his heart and story and battle cry from the Lord to ‘Stand up for something!’

Cory in sharing his story shared that in the end of every day it is not about the thoughts we think, but the somethings we chose to do. Are we choosing to stand up for something or sit in frustration and impotency to not believe we can do anything?

It is an injustice to just share sound bytes from Cory, but here are a few thoughts that got me thinking and will for some time…

• Will I stand and metabolism the blessings the Lord has given so that it becomes a nourishment for action in my world to impact others?
• The world I see outside is a mirror reflection of what is inside of me –> If I see only ugliness and evil, where is the beauty and good in me that wants to come out and transform the world?
• To stand for tomorrow we must stand today
• We have ONE choice every second: to accept the situation or to transform the situation for greatness –> I can, through kindness live a choice to impact a situation for greatness or to leave it untouched to just be.

Really, Cory is a man on a mission from God to transform New Jersey and politics I believe. My prayers go to him and his area of ministry.

Brenda Salter McNeil

I had heard Brenda speak once before at Youth Specialties and heard a lot of the same message today, but was no less moved and inspired to ask some hard questions in my world  of where isn’t Jesus calling me. Brenda’s ministry and passion for cultural & ethnic restoration is so contagious and fresh that her words from the mouth of God really called me to look at my own ‘Jerusalem’

A question she posed that I formulated as ‘Does the noise/business/culture cause me to stop and want nothing to do with it or does it push me through it with power’. Do I believe that God has placed the Holy Spirit in my life to make those moments of uncomfortablity moments that push me through the Sound Barrier in my world. What are those things in my world that need that?

Brenda left us with 3 questions and mandates to ponder to break through our sound barrier’s into the ministry and leadership God has called us to

• Pray for a Divine Mandate –> What has God put my name on this earth to do? To ask God to break my heart for what breaks His
• Name my catalytic events –> too look for those things that won’t just bring destruction but to actually bring change and transformation. Seeing moments where God is waiting to break in and transform people.
• Mobilize people to go! –> the Spirit hasn’t just come for us to go and do this ushering in, but to empower others to come into contact with that Holy Spirit “wind” they are swept away to go into all the world Acts 1.8

Seth Godin

I always enjoy Seth Godin. A very fascinating man who is very creative. He is the king of one liners and creativity. I enjoyed his session, but felt it wasn’t very focused. He seemed to hit every book he has written. Seth is normally all over the place anyways so its him, but I would have liked to have had a little more focused talk about ‘poking the box’, pushing for change beyond the normal and accepted. I did have some good walk a ways and questions that you will find below…

• We ask people to fit in and be molded into our systems so we can ignore them
• What lines in the sand am I drawing for my life –> those places that make me stand out
• What lines in the sand is the church drawing in the sand –> like above
• Just because the tide is out doesn’t mean there is less water in the ocean
• To often we hold on to our gifts until they become rotten and we can’t share them or even give them away.

Steven Furtick

Steven was an absolute delight and man I enjoy hearing preach. He and I share an extreme delight in Gods word, and as he said it is our generation that is so arrogant and bold to actually believe what God says is true that we live it blindly seeking to usher that kingdom in.

Steven end capped day one with an incredibly passion filled message of really pushing our selves farther in our faith. In looking at the story from 2Kings 3.9-20 we see Elisha pushing the children of God to faith in not only asking, but obediently acting along with their prayer and request. Elisha instructed them to dig ditches and that the glory of the Lord would fill the ditches with the water they would need.

Steven reminded us that it DOES NOT matter how much we plan, how much we have, how much we have out numbered our enemy, it is God and God ALONE that ’causes it to rain’. With out Him it is all for nothing. The ditch is the act God is calling us to dig so that His Glory and Kingdom can come down. Below are some thoughts and questions from Steven’s excellent challenge to trust God more to provide for the unthinkable…

• Am I digging ditches that only God can fill?
• What are my ditches that I am being called to dig?
• Is my vision so small it insults God?
• If we will do all we can do, He will do what only He can do!

An amazing 1st day.

Lots to ponder and lots for you all to read through. So what are your thoughts

What’s This is About…

For the past 8 months I have been posting from Brit Windel twitter account the theme of ‘Stuff Jesus Wouldn’t Say’. It started when I began to think about the things we say and do as Christians, as pastors, parents, children, leaders and so on, and the difference in what Jesus actually said and did in His life. It is very tongue and cheek in its nature.

About two months ago theses thoughts started going around on the web, I was getting emails from folks both praising and cursing what I was doing. Not everyone likes the sarcasm behind the tweets, and others greatly enjoyed how it made them think. That in its essence is the purpose of this ‘project’, to cause us to stop and really think about how Jesus lived and what he said and did in His life here on earth.

I feel with the style I use it comes across kind of passive. I have chosen this because Jesus like the lion he is invites us to come close, be torn asunder and walk away wounded but forever transformed by his power and love to live a life that can only be found in and through him. Our culture has neutered the Gospel and Jesus in so many ways. This style I use I feel invites folks to come close to the lion thinking he is weak and wounded and to then be transformed once they see the ‘truth & life’ that is found in his “way’ (John 14.6)

Our tag line for this is “In a culture where Jesus words are misused or ignored…we gain clarity through things Jesus wouldn’t say.” I look at what he did and didn’t do in the Bible and through applying that to quotes I see just how we miss the mark sometimes with how we are called to live in our own lives.

This is going to be an ongoing process of working through some project ideas for this concept of ‘Stuff Jesus Wouldn’t Say’. My hope and prayer is that this concept/movement/idea spurs us individually, in community, and communally to really look at what Jesus does actually say about some things.

Could use your help in promoting the facebook group which you can find on the side, subscribing to this blog, forwarding it, retweeting and telling your friends, to play around with the idea yourself by leaving your comments here or if you tweet to hashtag #StuffJesusWouldntSay, and challenging the thoughts and things said here as well. This is a process for me of working through how as a culture we have totally moved away from the actual words and life of Jesus and do what we want, say what we want with no regards to the fact that Jesus is the model, the mirror, the Savior and living King for us all.

So share this site with others, share your thoughts and ideas as well. I just want to encourage…well more remind us that this is a dangerous/safe place to question the norm and understand the “Stuff that Jesus Wouldn’t Say.”

Thanks everyone,
Brit Windel & http://stuffjesuswouldntsay.wo​rdpress.com/