Becoming a Berean

I made a commitment a while ago to become a Berean. Acts 17:11 states, Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

I'm not quite there, but I want that.

I never want to believe something just because it was said by a speaker who fluently comes across with flawless charisma and conviction. I also never want to read something and assume it’s right because it was written by an “influential” conference speaker and author.

My wife often calls me a skeptic and I have to agree with her on that one. I sometimes wonder if skepticism is my spiritual gift. For some reason, skepticism just comes naturally for me.

Anyway, I want to be one who examines the Scriptures every day to see if what people are telling me is true.

I did this today with a blog that I read. It doesn’t matter who the author is. I’ve read several posts by this person and generally appreciate a lot of what I read while other times respectfully disagreeing.

I caught myself reading right past some catchy phrases thinking, “this is good stuff.” I then paused and reminded myself that perhaps I should examine some of this.

Here are a few examples that I just don’t see lining up with scripture. His statements are in italics.

If you don’t say “oh crap” when God reveals what He wants for your life…then you probably didn’t hear from God!
Perhaps that is sometimes the case. However, I think God more often wants us to do what could be considered simple things like...love our neighbor, love our spouse, care for our kids, be kind to people, encourage someone. I don’t respond with “oh crap,” you want me to train my child in the way she should go!

David faced his fear and stepped out to face Goliath.
Does the Bible ever say that David even feared Goliath? We so often use this story in scripture to help us conquer our fears or giants. In elementary school it was the fear of bullies, in high school it was overcoming the ‘giant’ temptation of drinking beer and fitting in, and as adults it is conquering the giant of debt. We open up 1 Samuel and read about how “David overcame his fear of the giant and how you too can overcome your giant.” I just read all of 1 Sam 17 and don’t see any indication that David was ever afraid. He was an expert at the sling shot and saw a strategy to defeat the giant that others didn’t. He wasn’t afraid, he was a clever young man with a great plan who had a clear advantage. He previously killed a lion and a bear in the same way he was about to kill Goliath. We make an assumption that this story has to do with overcoming fear. I think it’s much more likely to assume that David had the clear advantage over the slow and uncoordinated giant. Maybe this story has more to do with Goliath's pride.

“I will do it one day” is a lie that we tell ourselves in order to justify our disobedience.
Or, it’s actually an act of obedience because God wants to prepare us for what He has called us to do. I wonder how many times David said, “I will do it one day” when referring to his destiny of becoming king? He waited 15 years. Paul spent 3 years preparing for what God had called him to (Gal. 1:18).

Just to make it clear, I am by no means attacking the author of the blog I'm referring to. I have written and have said several things publicly which I later examined and realized I was wrong. I am simply encouraging us to examine what we hear and what we read.

It seems to me like the whole premise behind his post is to communicate that God wants us to achieve greatness. He mentions that there are several things we need to overcome in order for us to “achieve everything God has for us.” Maybe it’s just semantics, but since when was the Christian faith ever about achieving anything? I thought the whole point of being a follower of Christ was to become nothing so God can be made great. We are here to bring Him glory, not vice versa.

Colossians 1:6-11
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

Please take time to examine this post and please feel free to disagree with anything I’ve said. I encourage you to truly love the Lord your God with all of your mind; however, God doesn’t just encourage it, He commands it.

Ten Commandments of Decision Making

Not sure where I got this, but it's great stuff.

1. Everything must address the central question, how will it help us to better fulfill our mission? And the mission must be connected to changing lives.
2. Focus on opportunities, not problems. Far too often, the best resources are assigned to solving problems instead of seizing opportunities.
3. Deciding what not to do is often more important than deciding what to do. “There is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” (Peter Drucker)
4. Don’t wait for others to forge innovation, then seek to duplicate. Be creative, innovate, and think out of the box.
5. People decisions are more important than strategy decisions. People are our greatest resource. They are also constantly looking at what values we really hold.
6. Understand that all decisions are team decisions. No individual has the temperament and the skills to do every job. The purpose of a team is to make strengths productive and weaknesses irrelevant.
7. The three most important questions are “What is our reason for being?”, “Who are we serving?”, and “What do those we are serving expect of us?”
8. Resist the tried and proven approach. Just because it worked yesterday does not insure it will work today.
9. Don’t defend the indefensible. Admit you made a mistake and move to another option rather than putting a “spin” on everything.
10. Understand that plan B may be no better than plan A, and it could be worse. If it doesn’t work, it’s almost always better to do something different than to tweak it.

Hawaii

I recently returned from an amazing week in Hawaii with some of the most incredible people on the planet. I'm so thankful to Bethel Chapel and the Hawaii district for such an awesome experience. I had the privilege of speaking for the Getaway Young Adult Retreat, Sunday morning service at Bethel Chapel, and the Sunday night service at First Assembly in Red Hill. Other highlights included...

- The most delicious food imaginable
- North Shore
- Shaved Ice
- Pearl Harbor
- Aloha Stadium Swap meet
- Early morning body boarding
- Service Project
- Playing b-ball
- Forming and building relationships with an outstanding group of people

Here is some footage from our community outreach.



Here is my Hawaii experience in under a minute.

Leadership Lesson From Dancing Guy

Interesting video, isn’t it? I especially like the recap…

If you are a version of the shirtless dancing guy, all alone, remember the importance of nurturing your first few followers as equals, making everything clearly about the movement, not you.

Wasn’t that Jesus? He taught and displayed to his first few followers what real life was all about.

In today’s day and age we tend to get so caught up in capturing huge numbers. In the process we convince ourselves that we need to become big influencers with captivating ministries that will draw the masses. We read books and attend conferences that outline proven methods and principles from those who are considered “leadership experts.” We then attempt implementing those techniques only to find ourselves more frustrated at the end.

Why is that? Perhaps it’s because we focus too much on the methods and not enough on the mission. Maybe it’s because we are trying to build programs instead of building people. I don’t think shirtless dancing guy was trying create or build anything. If he was, his method in doing so was certainly unorthodox. When I see shirtless dancing guy I’m reminded a little of what Isaiah says about Jesus. Doesn’t he inform us that Jesus had no beauty or majesty to attract people to him, and that nothing in his appearance would cause people to desire him?

When I see Jesus in scripture, I don’t see someone intentional about creating a movement. I simply see someone loving people, building people, and releasing people. The books we read in the New Testament were not written by Jesus, but rather by those who were impacted by his leadership. Isaiah describes Jesus as one who was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Just think, he was willing to go through all of that so people like John, Peter, Luke, Timothy, Barnabas, Paul, and others could be a part of establishing the greatest movement of all time.

Place yourself in that grassy field for a moment. You’re trying to enjoy a nice little concert when, suddenly, shirtless dancing guy stirs up some commotion. If it’s me, I’m probably either whispering some jabs at him under my breath, or asking my friends if they think he’s crazy. Others might be thinking or discussing even worse things about him. This is where I love the narration… There is no movement without the first follower. Did you catch that? Followers begin movements, not leaders. So maybe, before we create great leaders, we first discover the true followers. These aren’t just the ones attending your meetings or your events, but these are the ones that are willing to get up and dance with you. These are the ones who are now leading out in prayer, coming up with crazy outreach ideas, and hosting Bible studies in their homes. Once they begin dancing, let them. It’s no longer just about your vision, it’s now about you helping fulfill theirs.

Finally, don’t think you have to be a big influencer. I encourage you to find a follower and then to work on influencing and leading that one. After all, there is no movement without the first follower.

We're told that we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective. The best way to make a movement is to courageously follow.

Overcoming Loss of Hope

I looked everywhere: glove compartment, kitchen counter, dresser, night stand, bath tub, microwave, and even the refrigerator, but my keys were nowhere to be found. Finally, after searching for what seemed to be like hours, I patted my side pocket and realized they had been on me the entire time. Has this ever happened to you?

This is often how we treat hope. We search high and low looking in what seems to be obvious places while later becoming desperate, we begin to explore in the most obscure locations. After coming up empty each time, we ultimately discover the hope that we’ve been searching for is right with us, or do we?

In John 11 Jesus appears to Martha only to find her mourning her brother’s death. The first thing Martha says to Jesus when he arrives is, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I often catch myself saying something similar when I feel that God is far away. It’s usually not because the loss of a loved one, but rather due the loss of an expectation. I thought for sure that job would have landed, or that raise would have occurred, or that check would have come through. I placed my hope in this expectation and when it didn’t materialize the way I thought God wanted it to, I doubted his existence in that area of my life.

When we wrap our faith around an external event to take place, our faith becomes only as strong as the outcome of that expectation. Martha understood that her brother would rise again in the last day, but she was still disappointed that Jesus didn’t prevent the death. Likewise, we often recognize that in the end most things will be okay, but we still leave certain situations puzzled that God didn’t come through how we thought He would. Later on Jesus explained to Martha that He was the resurrection and the life. Did you catch that? Jesus was the outcome, the event, the expectation, and all the hope she needed. While Martha was upset that her hope in a resurrection event didn’t take place with her brother, Jesus stands before her as the only hope she needs.

God has never promised to us a life that would turn out how we want. He never guarantees a life on earth that is free from pain, suffering, and disappointment. He never says, “Come to me, so all of your hopes and dreams can come true.” The true meaning of the gospel is that we give our lives over to Jesus, and He’s enough no matter what. Can we pray for healing, a job, and finances? Absolutely! Can we get mad at God when those things don’t turn out how we want? Absolutely not. Our hope isn’t in external expectations, but our hope is the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 – But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.