Merry...New Year!

Well, it looks like I missed Christmas - I mean, it was there, I just didn't put out the standard "Merry Christmas" note to everyone this year. I thought about going through all the channels: MySpace, Facebook, text message, email, and of course a few phone calls...as well as a great and inspirational blog about how much Jesus loves us all. But I didn't. Not one. Well, I called the folks down in Florida, but besides that I stayed underground this year. I guess I just didn't have it in me this year.

Don't get me wrong - I love the season. And I love all the friends and family out there. I guess I just pulled the lazy card. :)

See ya next year, I'm off to Florida for a much needed vaca. Kerri needs one too.

2008 here we come!
-j

big D dream

I have been part of a men's group that meets on Friday mornings (at an ungodly hour, i might add) going through the book and field manual, "Wild at Heart." The book, one of John Eldridge's best, is a journey that forces you to dig deep in your life. What strikes me is how much better a man I am as a result of it. I am becoming a better husband, a better friend, a better me. Now it's not just the book, but the field manual that brings the introspection. All in all I am so happy for the men in this group and the journey I am on with them.

So today we had a whole discussion on our "big D dreams" and what that means exactly. For most we see it as God's calling in our lives, as the fulfillment of the adventure we are living. When it comes down to it, it's what makes you come alive.

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
-Gil Bailie

It's a tough question, no doubt. I mean, not one that can be answered in an hour session, but one worth pondering for sure. If what you are doing today is killing you, then you may be outside of God's purpose for you in life -- I dare say you definitely are -- for our loving God wants you to be joyful as you live your adventure.

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
-Colossians 1:10-12

God wants us joyfully giving thanks to Him as we bear fruit in good work, so let's start moving toward that big D dream, however that looks in your walk. Let's all come alive.

-jim

Multitasking

What a cool week! We have some really great stuff coming this weekend, and this past week has been absolutely amazingly awesome...ly! Our senior high girls group (G.I.F.T. :: Girl's of Ignite in Friendship and Truth) is headed to the Revolve Tour on Friday and Saturday...Discovery has a busy weekend with a baptism on Sunday...and we're tailgating prior to the baptism (awesome idea Annemarie!). Good times.

Let's all make sure we BYOB this Sunday...(Bring Your Own Buddy)! All this on top of the decision made last week that allows Discovery to move into new facilities in a few months. WOW!

So this week I'm praying for the following things:
-People are reached this Wednesday night as they are invited out to church
-Our youth realize the importance of spreading the gospel in our neighborhoods
-Our senior high girl's are forever changed by the message this weekend
-That many young woman would come to know Christ at the Revolve Tour
-That all our campuses have record breaking attendances this weekend
-That many people are baptized this Sunday

-jim

P.S. -> Shout out to Seacoast...they kicked off their Internet Campus this past weekend. Awesome work being done down there.

Lifehouse Skit

If you haven't seen this skit - do it NOW! Really is quite amazing.

The whole $.02...

I have been in a funk the last couple of days and I really think the enemy is attacking me. I got plenty of sleep last night, spent time with the Lord this morning, and still i feel an irritability I can't seem to shake. Is something really wrong? I don't know. I can only conclude I need to seek God more and more and He will help me work through it. Have you ever felt that way? What gets you through it? I'll update more on here as I work through it...

Maybe I need peace. I read an awesome article in Relevant Magazine this past week. Mark Steele had an article on fast food entitled "Rock the Cash Bar." Two things struck me. First was his analogy on how we often search for the easy way to get things done (i.e. drive thru at McDonalds) rather than the harder, more wholesome way. Often the fast food fix is damaging (if not always), leading to a billion calories and bad habits. I really liked the analogy and can clearly see how that relates to our faith in God. We always seem to want the quick fix, the easy way to be laid out.... We pray, "Lord, let your will be done," but what we are really saying is, "Lord, can you just do this for me now?!" Rarely does God work that way. Mark went on to share a personal illustration from his life. His wife went in for a checkup at the doctor's office and they found a mass in her abdomen. After many specialists and back-and-forth trips, every doctor concluded the same thing - a mass that may or may not be life threatening, but needed to be removed. Mark and his wife prayed for God to take it away, but time and time again they were told it was there. Mark's wife finally said one day, "You know, I'm at peace with this." On her last checkup before surgery, the doctor announced there was no lump to be found - it had disappeared. Wow! Now, God could have showed up sooner. Why did He wait and allow the stress levels to rise? I think the key is that his wife found peace and comfort in the Lord. When she finally reached that point God showed up in a big way.

When we allow God's peace to be central in our lives, He's with us. This doesn't mean healing from all affliction, but it's definitely a huge step forward in our faith. I want that.

-jim

Get your EyePods ready!

Ok...kinda freaky but I thought the pic was kinda cool. Anyway, I have been working on the Discovery Church podcasts for a while and I really like the new format. If you have iTunes and are interested in getting the weekly service on your mp3 player (or computer), go to the iTunes Store, click on "Podcasts", and search for "Discovery Church LIVE". Find us and click "Subscribe". Viola! Our goal is to not only upload the audio, but video and notes from the service too. Enjoy!

-jim

Changing Gears

As you can tell from the infrequent posting, I haven't been utilizing this whole "blog" thing very well. As it seems, it's not a fad as I once thought and people actually DO read them! Shocker. As I read more and more blogs on a regular basis for work, I decided it would be good to get back into it. This go-round, however, will be more guided at work and our multi-site youth ministry (and church).

Josh (my partner in crime aka student pastor) and I just recently visited Seacoast, a church in South Carolina (NC, and GA). They have over a dozen sites (almost all video venue) and it was inspiring to see a model at work that we can achieve here. I want to send a thank you out to Ernest for being such a great host, and to Greg for dubbing us "The Jersey Boys." We had a blast and would love to go back soon! Here's Josh in front of the main campus...



The direction I would like to take this is to just share what's going on here at Discovery Church and in our youth programs (ignite and element26). Maybe you can use the info posted or add to it in the comments section. Caio.

-jim