Discerning

¹⁴If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town...¹⁶I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 
       Matt. 10:14, 16

Judgmentalism and Discernment are like twin sisters: One is ugly as homemade sin and the other is a knockout beauty. Yesterday's post looked at judgmentalism--and she's still ugly. But, discernment is a beautiful thing in the life of someone who prays for it, exercises it, and reaps the benefits of it.

We have to be shrewd, even cunning, when it comes to choosing what streams we drink from, what spiritual/relational/intellectual food we ingest and metabolize, and what relationships we cultivate. But, the line between judgmental and discerning is hairline-thin. It's a matter of the heart.

Judgmental

The army of God is the only one who shoots its own wounded.

That statement hits just a little too close to home. Not because of wrongs I've suffered or wounds I've received, though. It hits so close because of wrongs I've committed and wounds I've inflicted. I've done it: Judging another person by deciding in my own mind what their motives, insecurities, and intentions are based solely on what they do.

When God chose David as the second king of Israel, he told Samuel during the vetting process that it's people who judge by appearances, but God examines the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Whenever I have judged exclusively by externals, I've noticed that I'm excluding several significant internal realities:

1. The actual heart condition of the other person. Jeremiah 17:9 says that no one can understand the heart. That's God's job.
2. Hurt people hurt people. Whenever someone lashes out or attacks someone else for no reason they are responding out of their own woundedness. MONSTER CAVEAT: Explaining their attack in NO WAY excuses it.
3. It's possible--just possible--that I don't have all the facts. Maybe, just maybe, that person has genuinely prayed and sought God's heart and is following the leading God gave her. Maybe, there's a calling on her life that I can't or haven't yet considered that would explain why she does what she does.
4. Judging others' judgmentalism is...oh, what's the word?...judgmental! I can get haughty in a hurry when I've been wronged or someone close to me has been wronged.
5. The task of judging others has already been assigned--and I didn't get the gig. God promises that He will set everything to rights. He will account for every injustice, from the Holocaust to my haughtiness and everything in between.
6. Judging others wastes time that I will be held accountable for what I DO with it. A lot of people don't yet know Jesus and the extravagance of his love. What in the world am I doing wasting a nano-second on a job that's not mine? Lives are at stake.

Tomorrow, I'll post about judgmentalism's beautiful cousin that is separated by a very, very fine line: discernment.

Where do you see judgmentalism rear its hideously ugly, green head in your life?

Rev90 Checking In

Faith vs. Science Resources

As I mentioned in this morning's message, here are the books that are a GREAT resources for the faith vs. science discussion:

(Huge thanks to John Fones for formatting this for me and making me look like I know what I'm doing w/ technology!)

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Vacation Is Hard Work, Pt. 4

Why in the world post about vacation in August?

Great question. The reason is simple: You have to start now preparing, scheduling, and planning for an extended vacation NOW. It takes months to plan where to go, how long to go, and who not to go with (VERY important criterion, by the way--more in a minute). We're just back from our trip and already I'm saving my milk money for next year's trip, fishing, and unknown-at-this-point opportunities to unwind.

The first thing that has to happen is that you decide and declare that time away is a priority. Making that time to get away and sharpen the saw as Stephen Covey calls it has to be a priority in your year and on your calendar or it will not happen. Remember, it's not just "time off:" this is a mission-critical strategic decision to be better at everything you do.

Second, travel companions determine how restful and replenishing this time will be. Family reunions are not vacation. They can be great. They can be fun. They can be important. (They can also be none of those, but that's for another time.) But they are not vacation. Bill Hybels has long encouraged people to pay attention to their gauges: Emotional, spiritual, relational, physical--just like a car has a dashboard that registers engine performance, fuel levels, oil pressure, etc., we have gauges that we can often ignore always at our peril.

Vacation travel should only happen with people who fill your tanks. If it's an obligation, it's not a vacation. If it's a whip relationally, conversationally, or in any other way--it doesn't count as vacation. And, because we all have a limited number of vacation days, this means that we have to be very discerning and shrewd about how we spend our time away. Kindof like we should be shrewd about how we spend our time not away.

Vacation Is Hard Work, Pt. 3

Like just about everything else that requires hard work, vacation time is worth it. Nothing else provides the benefits and blessings that time off and away can provide.

Obviously, this idea can be pushed too far. Like any other gift, we can abuse and misuse it. But, if you apply a little common sense, pray for wisdom in setting the time (length of time and when to take the time), seek counsel from other people, and have a peace about it, then pull the trigger and go for it.

The great irony is that taking time off work in the way that I'm describing actually makes you better at work when you return. And, in every other way as a human being, assuming there is more to who you are than what you do for a living.

Here are just some of the reasons to make time off:

1. We are hard-wired to need rest. It's true every night. It's true once a week. And it's true throughout the different seasons of the year. No one--no, not even you--can operate at full capacity and highest effectiveness over a sustained period of months without some time to recharge.
2. We see the world differently in different locations. When I pick my head up and leave Austin, Lake Hills Church, even my house, I think differently. New sights, experiences, foods, people all cause us to expand the way we think and what we think about. Broadening our experiences stimulates our brains and hearts to think and feel in ways that broaden our capacity.
3. If you're calling is something that you truly love, time away from it will make you want to do it more. There's something about being away from the church, our team, and the work that makes me love it that much more. The rest is good, the new experiences are fun and exciting. But, after a few days or a couple weeks, those things make me appreciate my day-in/day-out so much more than I do when I'm at the end of my rope.
4. Family time. Like a lot of modern families, we have a LOT of activities going on. Sports, school, choir, friends, church...all of them are good things. And very, very few of them do we do all together as a family. Vacation time is where we reconnect and forge the ties that bind. From playing games--not one of my favorite pastimes, but I love doing it with Julie, Emily & Joseph because of the smacktalk, laughter, yelling and mockery that gameplaying entails in our house--to crappie fishing to deer hunting to trying a new flavor of frozen custard, we have lifetime memories together shaped through shared experiences.


Question: What benefits do you draw from vacation?

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Vacation Is Hard Work, Pt. 2

Obviously, vacation is about rest, refueling, and recharging. But, for all those things to happen takes enormous amounts of intentional work. Just because you're out of the office or out of town doesn't guarantee that your vacation will truly refuel you for the next season of work/ministry ahead of you. Here is a list of things to DO so that you can unwind and recharge:

1. Carve the time out on your calendar for vacation. You will not drift into quality time off. You have to make the commitment to MAKING time to recharge. Set the dates and treat vacation as a commitment on your calendar.
2. Communicate your level of accessibility while on vacation. Let the people in your office know how to contact you IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. Then, YOU define "emergency" for them, not the other way around. Also, change any voicemail/email responses to let people you know you're not available and give them an alternative contact (make sure your alternative contact knows he/she's the go-to in your absence!).
3. Set people up for a win. Before you leave, make sure that your responsibilities are covered and contingency plans are in place for WHEN something goes wrong. Something will need attention before you return, so make sure that you've equipped someone to handle it in your absence and it doesn't have to be YOUR attention.
4. VACATE. Vacation means that you have vacated, left the building, quit using email...in essence, you're not working, so that when you come back, you can work better.

In the comments section, share strategies you've used that help vacation really be vacation for you.

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Vacation is Hard Work, Pt. 1

Today marks our family's first full day back home after vacation. We got to play, rest, fish, eat, work out, sleep--on days we didn't fish!--hang out, and completely recharge for the new season of ministry and school that we're about to launch. All of this was made possible because of two huge factors:
1. We're blessed with a church family that encourages us to take time off and get away.
2. Lake Hills Church is led by a phenomenal team of gifted, passionate, talented, called people who make it happen day in and day out, regardless of where I am or who's looking over their shoulder.

The reality is, though, that neither one of those things just happens. It's taken years to develop, cultivate, and perpetuate both of those things. This year's vacation was a huge teachable moment for me. Over the next few days, I'm going to share some of what God is teaching me about the spiritual discipline of rest.

Also, make sure that you are a part of community worship this weekend. I'm starting a new series called POWERHOUSE that God has been pouring into me for weeks. I can't wait to share it and watch what he does with it.

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Billy Graham's Prayer for US

Below is Billy Graham's prayer for our nation:

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

Bottom Line (1)

Every business has a bottom line. It's the amount of money that they earn after accounting for all the costs, investments, and depreciation of assets.

Church is no different. Well, we are and we aren't. We are NOT different in that we have a bottom line. We ARE different in that it is not money. Our bottom line is lifechange. This past Sunday night, we got a front row seat to see our bottom line impacted greatly through the celebration of baptism.

Baptism in and of itself isn't our bottom line, but it is an indicator of how we're doing in fulfilling the mission of Christ's Church and the particular vision He's called us to realize. Every person who was baptized into the life of LHC is a living testimony to and expression of the power of Christ to change a life in eternity-shaking ways. And, THAT is our bottom line.

In the next few posts, I'm going to explore some of the unique blessings and challenges of bottom-lining lifechange.

South Texas and the Call of God

A good friend recently invited me to hunt with him in south Texas. It's a part of the world that really recharges and refreshes me every time I'm there. It is rough country, but it has a beauty that is raw and rugged. They say that down there if it doesn't bite you or have thorns, it's a rock. And that's pretty accurate.

I've wondered a couple of times what it would be like to earn a living as a writer living on a ranch in south Texas. It wouldn't be any easier than what I get to do now, but it would certainly be less complicated. Get up early, write until mid-morning or noon, and then spend the rest of the day managing the ranch for maximum deer growth, quail habitat and whatever else came to mind.

Whenever I have those thoughts, God reminds me that I'm right in the middle of what I was created for. To be Julie's husband, Emily & Joseph's dad, and pastor of LHC is as full a life as I can even imagine. I would so miss the communities that our family gets to be a part of, that we're strengthened by. I'd miss the beauty of Christ's Bride as she lives out through the people of LHC. I would miss the leadership opportunities to see and sometimes facilitate an intersection between people's gifts and passions and the needs and opportunities of the church.

Author Seth Godin relates a telling story that I think captures this idea:

It's four a.m. and I can't sleep. So I'm sitting in the lobby of a hotel in Jamaica, checking my e-mail.

A couple walks by, obviously on their way to bed, having pushed the idea of vacation a little too hard. The woman looks over to me and, in a harsh whisper a little quieter than a yell, says to her friend, "Isn't that sad? That guy comes here on vacation and he's stuck checking his e-mail. He can't even enjoy his two weeks off."

I think the real question--the one they probably wouldn't want to answer--was, "Isn't it sad that we have a job where we spend two weeks avoiding the stuff we have to do fifty weeks a year?"

Hit the COMMENTS button below and let me know what you love about what you get to do every day.

Uncertainty on the Decline

It's been an amazing roller coaster ride for the last few weeks, and the world's uncertainty doesn't show any signs of slacking up any time soon. BUT, we are getting to see some clear evidence of God's grace and protection through the uncertainty.

In Sunday's community worship, one wife came to one of the morning services even though her husband couldn't come with her. Her takeaway from the service was all about the priorities they pursue as a family. After experiencing God and hearing clearly from Him, she encouraged her husband to come to the evening service. His takeaway focused almost exclusively on the consistency quotient that we explored. Together, they got it!

They are just one example of the people and homes that God is touching, teaching, encouraging, and shoring up through this sermon series. Another man and his wife shared how they have never really shared the faith part of their life together until they started worshiping with LHC recently. Together, they're getting it!

Thank you for being the kind of church where long-time Christ-followers and tire-kickers alike are encouraged, challenged, and--above all--welcomed. Thank you for inviting people to encounter and experience the hope and peace of Christ in the midst of so much uncertainty. Keep it up.

Economic Uncertainty, 2

It's tough to distinguish between political posturing and actual leadership as Congress and the Administration respond to the economic crisis. I do think there are actual leaders and people of character and resolve who hold high political office. I don't think it's 100% of the people who hold high political office.

One of the things that we keep hearing over and over is that any bailout has to include protection for homeowners. But, where is their responsibility in all this? Didn't they commit to pay their mortgages? True, financial institutions shouldn't have kept feeding the Greed Beast with unsafe loans to unqualified borrowers simply to line their own pockets. But, it also seems like at some point there should be some personal accountability for the decision to sign a loan for more house than you can afford.

Three things seem necessary:
1. Remember that God is our Provider and not a bank, a government, or even ourselves.
2. Based on #1, Accept responsibility for wisely managing the resources God chooses to put in our hands.
3. Pray for God to give wisdom--and COURAGE--to those making decisions and policy that will ripple out to not only every single one of us, but also throughout the entire world.

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18

Distractions

Few places in the world offer as much to do on a weekend as Austin, TX. This weekend, our city plays host to the Austin City Limits Festival and 70,000 people will converge on Zilker Park for an incredible lineup of artists and some of the best people-watching in the world.

At the same time ACL Fest is happening, the Longhorns will host the Arkansas Razorbacks in a game that was moved to this weekend when Hurricane Ike steamed ashore two weeks ago. Another 90,000 people will shoehorn into Royal Memorial Stadium for that event.

There are always options available, sometimes more than others. I can't overstate how important our community worship is this weekend. We're wrapping up the series New with a message that is tailor-made for ANYONE who is far from God or struggling with ANYTHING in their lives.

From hurricanes to economic storms, from specific crises to life in general, we have a unique opportunity to share the love of God with people around us like never before. Please be in prayer for this service, for me as I prepare and study to preach, and for the people that you will invite to encounter God in a personal, dynamic experience this Sunday. We'll never be the same.

Economic Uncertainty, 1

$700 BILLION.

700. B-Billion. Dollars

Let's let that just sink in a moment, shall we?

OK, that's the cost of the financial paddles that the government is about to use to jumpstart our economy's faintly beating heart. Clear! The consensus is that in order for banks to lend for businesses to spend so employees can be paid and hired, this is the only option left.

LESSON #1: Greed doesn't work. True, a precious few walked away while hanging us with the bill,( see Newsweek's feature, Who Got Away With What), but look at the financial whirlwind that millions will reap in their wake.

LESSON #2: There's no such thing as a sure thing. No matter how much or how little we have, the only constant is Christ. Period. And unless I live my life like that, I will ALWAYS pinball from one extreme to the next based on the ebb and flow of financial, relational, professional circumstances.

God is good. His throne is never threatened.

A Great Day

Yesterday (Monday) was just one of those days. I woke up in a little bit of a funk--it's a rare occasion for me but it happens. For whatever reason, it just stuck with me throughout the entire day. Nothing really wrong, just felt out of sorts. (Which, if you're currently single, is another good reason to make sure you marry well! A patient spouse like Julie is a must for those days.)

But, today proved to be the perfect antidote to yesterday. First of all, I started the day taking our kids to school, and singing at the top of our lungs to whatever country trash was currently on my iPod is just a great equalizer. Second, the first bit of "work" in my day consisted of a meeting with our pastors.

This meeting typically involves a review of the weekend just past (worship services, sermons preached, attendance, prayer requests, giving, what worked/what didn't, etc.), calendar previews, ministry opportunities ahead, and strategic planning. All of that is preceded and followed by prayer, bathed in laughter, and comprised of straightforward evaluations and affirmations.

The net results of that meeting--decisions made, issues handled, plans developed, and community affirmed--set a tremendous tone for the rest of the day. We didn't get all the world's problems solved (or, even all of LHC's problems!). But, we did get a headstart on a lot of them and made significant strides to affirm and sustain what's going well and correct what can be better.

Ultimately, though, it was the people I was with. People who take what they do very seriously but do not take themselves too seriously. They are a great blessing to our church at large and to me personally.

(I'm also incredibly anxious to get into the next two weekend services as we wrap up New--more on that tomorrow.)

Core Strength

One of the new ministries that cranked up Sunday night was the slate of Core Classes that are offered after the evening worship service. Chris Larsen and his team have created a unique learning environment that offers something for everyone regardless of where you are spiritually. Currently offered classes include:

* Marriage for Life
* Raising Great Kids
* Overview of the Bible
* Spiritual Habits of a Christ Follower
* Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts
* Living and Sharing Your Faith with Others

For a full course schedule list, click on this link to get more information and to see some of the classes that are coming later this fall. A box dinner is available between the service and the start of Core Classes, so if you're looking to take your faith to the next level, make it a point this weekend to join us at 5p.m. for worship and then stick around for the Core Classes at 6:30.

In addition to growing personally, the Core Classes are a great first step in meeting people and connecting with the overall life of the church. It's a great way to finish the weekend and be fully charged for the week to come.

Also, in case you didn't see it, here's the story that News8Austin ran on the LHC Downtown launch this past weekend:


LHC Downtown News Story from Lake Hills Church on Vimeo.

One of My Favorite Days

This morning was a mile marker day for the LHC family. First, AGAIN, what an amazing job from Mark Groutas and his team leading us in worship. It was a monster day of genuine worship. (And that was after having spent all week leading worship for our Middle School Beach Week in Alabama!)

Second, it was such a blessing to have Ben Young preach in our house for the first time in the history of LHC. Ben is such a gifted, unique communicator of God's Word, and he led us through a truly wonder-full story of grace from his own life parallel to the biblical account of Nicodemus (John 3, 7, & 19). If you missed it, you owe it to yourself to watch the online version when it becomes available on Monday.

As if that wasn't enough, LHC Downtown had another preview service this morning at the Austin Music Hall. Since Ben was preaching at the mother ship, I got to be downtown for a little while, and it was awesome. Campus Pastor Chad Zunker and his team have put us in as healthy and strong a position as we could possibly be four weeks out from the Sept. 7 launch of LHC Downtown.

God has given us the opportunity of a lifetime to launch this new ministry in a place and at a time that none of us could have orchestrated. What a blessing for us all to get to pray, work, give, and serve to fully realize the vision God has called us to fulfill.

Follow Through This Weekend

This weekend, I'm continuing the series ALL ACCESS with a message entitled "Sound Check". Part of my sermon prep included watching the DVD of Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones rock-umentary Shine a Light. Now, Mick and the boys have been doing their thing for a while. But, WHOA! They really are amazing at what they do. It's an impressive film of an amazing group. But I digress...

This weekend's message is all about spiritual growth. For the last two weeks, we've looked at the very beginnings of a faith journey, but this week we're going to really get into HOW we grow and mature in the Christian faith. It's a fascinating combination of individual and community responsibility. And, honestly, it's one in which we as a church are stepping up our game this fall. So, make it a point to be there and to bring someone with you this weekend. You'll be challenged, encouraged, and equipped to take your faith to the next level.

Believe me, too, when I tell you that you will not want to miss the creative conclusion to the message that our team has prepared. They have definitely taken it to the next level.

7

7.

That's the number that drives me early this morning. That's the number that will fuel our staff meeting in an hour and a half. That's the number that reminds us why we do what we do. It's encouragement, affirmation, perseverance, and everything needed to keep going when you get tired, bruised, or just feel like coasting.

7. That's how many people stepped over the line of faith this past week in LHC worship services.

7 more people doing life this morning in relationship with God. 7 more people more aware of who they were created to be. 7 more people who will experience eternity in perfect, open relationship with Christ. 7 more people who are glad that LHC goes hard at ministry through the summer rather than easing up and just hanging on for fall and back to school.

7 more people who know that someone loved them enough to invite them and share with them the extravagant love of God. 7 more people who can now share that same love with others in their particular spheres of influence. 7 more people who are grateful that LHC brings God's tithe to fuel ministries that affect people's lives.

7.