Evotional.com - Originality, Authenticity, Creativity

Dismissed

I've never been so excited not to be chosen for something! My jury number got called and I thought I'd have to sit on a trial, but they let us go!

The funny thing is that a couple NCCers were in my group that got dismissed. I was going to use them as my excuse. I can't serve with these people I pastor :) But alas. No excuses necessary! Thankfully it was a relatively low-crime day in DC!

Jury Duty

I'm off to do my civic duty. I've got jury duty today. We get called about every two years in DC! It's crazy. A few years ago I ended up the foreman of a jury for a double murder case. I spent five weeks in the jury box!

Catalyst Labs

Already excited about the Catalyst Conference in October. Always one of the highlights of the year for me. And I'm fired up about doing a lab this year. You need to check out their website not just to get the 411, but because it's an absolutely unique website.

Registration for labs begins on June 1st.

One Day's Pay

We brainstormed a pretty cool idea in our Big Idea meeting today. I plan on talking about the launch of our fourth location on Sunday as part of our Chapter Two series. It'll take about $100,000 to get it off the ground. And we didn't include the launch in our 2007 budget. We really wanted it to be above & beyond our budget--a financial step of faith.

So this weekend we're doing another experiment modeled after the giving pattern in Acts 2. We're going to challenge NCCers to give One Day's Pay as an investment in the launch. We'll hand out psuedo-checks that will double as commitment cards. We're still working on the final design, but here is a rough sketch.

Sold Out

We're T-minus one month from Buzz 07 and I just found out that we are sold out. Didn't see that coming. We knew we'd have to cut off registration because we decided to keep the conference at Union Station. Just didn't expect it a month out.

We do expect a few cancellations so if you want to get on a waiting list you can email our Buzz Coordinator at Juliet@theaterchurch.com. If you get on the list soon, I think there is a chance a few spots might open up.

We do have spots available for NCC Undercover--our pre-conference seminar with the NCC staff. We'll hold that event at Ebenezers--our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill.

Buzzed about Buzz!

Wild Goose Chase

It's official.

My next book, Wild Goose Chase, is slated to release Spring '08. We pulled the plug on the leadership book because In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day has been such a pleasant surprise. My publisher felt like I should write a sequel of sorts. So we're going from chase the lion to chase the goose.

Wild Goose Chase is a double entendre. It plays off the name the Celtic Christians had for the Holy Spirit. They called Him the Wild Goose. It's also a great description of what it's like to be led by the Spirit of God. Nothing is more adventurous.

Memorial Day

Had a great Memorial Day.

We're so blessed to have extended family that live in the DC area. The kids had a blast hanging out with their cousins and we spent the day out at "the ranch" as we affectionately refer to any house in the suburbs with a backyard larger than fifteen feet and green stuff called grass. Not many backyards on Capitol Hill.

Had a knock-down, drag-out water balloon fight. Made the inaugural trip to the pool. And grilled out.

That's what I'm talking about.

Pentecost Fast

We kicked off our Pentecost Fast on Sunday. I put on my coach's hat and really challenged NCCers to seek God with some intensity and intentionality over the next ten days. Excited to see what God does. When it comes to prayer and fasting, I really think you get out whatever you put in.

I think we mistakenly think that spiritual exercise should be easy. But spiritual exercise is much like physical exercise. Almost all of the benefit is the 2% pain you feel at the end of the workout. Fasting can be painful. So can prayer. But the old adage is true: no pain no gain.

Book Giveaway

Father's Day is right around the corner. If you'd like to do a book giveaway for Dad's Day, email resources@theaterchurch.com and we'll hook you up with a discount!

Love to get In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day into the hands of as many guys as possible!

We're trying to ship before June 1.

Reinventing Church

I love reading about the way different enterprises are reinventing themselves. It helps me think about ministry in new ways. One of the ways I try to remain an open-system is by staying on top of the sea change.

About a year ago, I blogged about the evolution of the restaurant industry and juxtaposed it with preaching. Here's a link: Sermon Salt.

Read an article in Motto magazine about wedding photography that made me think. The article focused on a photographer who has "created a cool niche in a tired industry." Matt Hagen approaches the wedding like a photojournalist. So instead of the stitled poses, he takes an editorial slant and tries to capture the spontaneity and candidness.

Hagen says, "It's those spontaneous and even ridiculous moments that everyone remembers best, so why shouldn't the photos be centered around that? I want to tell the story of the day as it really hapepned."

Just made me think. I think spontaneity and candidness is precisely what's missing from most church experiences--NCC included. I've always wanted to make church, especially in our coffeehouse, more interactive. We've thought about Q & A. I think it'd be cool to have people email questions during a message and respond to them afterwards.

What would happen if we set up our services more like a talk show? Or a town hall meeting. Or the View?

Just thinking out loud.

What I know for sure is this: there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet!

Kenya Team

Just prayed with a team of 22 NCCers who are heading to Kenya today! I'm jealous. Wish I was going on the trip. Kenya is on my list of must-see countries. When you think of them, please pray for the team.

You can track their journey @ our missions blog!

Field Day

You know the school year is winding down when field day rolls around. Field Day was the greatest day of the year for me when I was a kid. I loved field day. And I'm all nostalgic today because my kids have Field Day. Wish I was back in Elementary School.

One of my defining moments was field day in the second grade. I think all of four people know this about me. I'd never competed in a race before, but somehow I managed to win the 200 yard dash! Crossing the finish line first was one of the greatest moments of my life. Like old photographs, emotional memories tend to fade with time. But I can still feel the sense of confidence it gave me as a kid.

Isn't it amazing that way 99% of our self-concept is defined by 1% of our experiences? Positive or negative, we're shaped by the defining moments. I'd had a few negative ones. But I'm remembering a positive one today.

I've definitely lost a step, but I bet I can still take any of the second graders in a foot race!

Life Mottos

Just got a copy of Motto magazine from Daniel Decker. Very cool magazine concept. They ask all their contributors to share their mottos. Reminds me of something C.S. Lewis said: "Every life consists of a few themes." A motto is a life theme. Here are a few of my favorites:

You have to be different to make a difference--Marty Mercer
Too blessed to be stressed--Jon Gordon
The worst thing in the world to be: not yourself--Shaeron
You get in life what you have the courage to ask for--N. Solomon
Keep Climbing--Sean Swarner
Give Your Firstfruits and you will be truly blessed--Blake Mycoskie

Sometimes I feel like Motto Man. I have so many mottos that have become part of the fabric of who I am. Here are a few of my personal mottos. Not necessarily a top ten. Just ten mottos that come to mind:

1) Play Offense
2) Die Doing What You Love
3) Everything Is an Experiment
4) Love People when they least expect it and least deserve it
5) Playing it Safe is Risky
6) Your Focus Determines Your Reality
7) Be Yourself
8) Live your life in a way that is worth telling stories about
9) Pursue Your Passion

...and of course

10) Chase the Lion

What Magazines Do You Read?

I think magazines are a great form of cultural exegesis. Over the years, I've read a variety of magazines--everything from How to Mental Floss to Fast Company. And, of course, I love ministry magazines like Leadership Journal, Rev, Outreach, Relevant Leader, and Ministry Today.

Just curious. Anybody got any magazine recommendations? Always looking for a good read that stretches me or helps me keep a pulse on culture.

Next Location

We're gearing up for our next launch at NCC. We'll launch our fourth location in September.

I love the multi-site church model because it's the best of both worlds. I want to pastor one church for life. But I have this entreprenurial itch that needs to get scratched. Launching new locations fulfills some of that entreprenurial desire.

We're checking out two movie theaters and one nightclub today. We'll make the rounds and hopefully make a decision on location in the next few weeks. It is such a tough decision because there are a thousand variables. But I remember reading something Peter Drucker wrote a few years ago. He said decisions aren't made. Decisions become apparent. That rings true in my experience.

Off to explore the Promise Land.

Cheesecake Factory

Had a great day off.

Took a picnic to the National Arboretum. Had a little water balloon fight with the kids. And we had some gift certificates to Cheesecake Factory so we rode the metro across town. So funny, the commuters looked like they were bored to tears. It was like an amusement ride to our kids!

I just want to go on public record: I love Cheesecake Factory! If I was on a deserted island with only one restaurant, Cheesecake Factory would be one of my top picks! Love their Spicy Cashew Chicken!

Golfing for Missions

Headed out to a golf tournament I play in every year. It's golfing for missions. Hey, anything for missions. Someone has to do it. You know what I'm saying? What's cool about this tournament is that you can buy mulligans and the money goes to missions. Once again, anything for missions!

Four!

Buzz Film Festival

The Buzz Conference is filling up fast.

And the submissions for the Buzz Film Festival are starting to come in! It was one of last year's highlights! Would you share your creativity? Here's the 411 about what videos to submit and how to do it.

If you have questions, contact our Buzz Coordinator, Juliet Main, at juliet@theaterchurch.com.

Pentecost Fast

We have a core value at NCC: everything is an experiment. We love doing spiritual experiments. Just thought I'd share an NCC experiement with blog readers. Love to have some evotional readers experiment with us.

On Pentecost Sunday (May 27) we're going to begin a ten-day Pentecost Fast. I know this is a crazy thought, but what if we actually did what they did in the Bible? What a novel thought. You can't plan Pentecost. But if you pray for ten days, Pentecost might just happen. The 120 believers prayed for ten days. Pentecost happened. And they turned the ancient world upside down. I'm naive enough to believe that if we pray for ten days we can turn our cities upside down.

We're not prescribing how to do it. I am recommending a fast of some sort. You might want to fast TV. The season finales are over anyways! You might want to fast sleep or fast a hobby. You might want to fast food or fast fast food.

Fasting is simply giving something up for the purpose of seeking God.

I'd also encourage you to add something to your spiritual rhythm. Maybe it's reading through the book of Acts. Or reading through the New Testament in a different translation. Maybe it's a spiritual retreat or a day of silence or prayer walks.

Ultimately, it's about seeking God with the same kind of intensity and dependency as the early believers. Do you know why most of us have never experienced a personal pentecost? Because we want in nine days what took the Apostles ten days! Or better yet, we want it in eight or seven or six days. Or three or two or one. We've forgotten how to tarry.

But what would happen if we prayed through for ten days with no agenda other than seeking God? There's only one way to find out.

What Makes a Church a Church

We kicked off a new series this weeked titled Chapter Two. Just thought I'd post my introduction online.

One week ago, Lora and I were in Italy celebrating our anniversary. We spent a few days exploring the Eternal City--Rome. Like most tourists, we hit all of the "must-see" places like the Coliseum, the Forum, and the Vatican. But one of the highlights was a little church that was off the beaten path called the church of San Clemente. It was named after the fourth pope, San Clemente, who was martyred for his faith. He was thrown into the sea with an anchor tied around his ankles. The church wasn't real impressive from the outside, but what made this particular church unique was the fact that it has three layers of history.

When you walk into the church, you're walking into a 12th century church that is remarkably preserved with frescoes and altars and statues. But for an extra five Euros you can take an underground tour. I don't know how or why they did this in ancient Rome, but they built stuff right on top of other stuff. The Emperors would actually tear down their predecessor's palace and build their own on top of it. Same with a lot of the historical sites that we visited. And what is so cool is that you have the remains below. So you have multiple layers of history in one place.

That is what the church of San Clemente did. We walked down several flights of stairs and back in time. The 12th century church was built right over the 4th century church. And the 4th century church was built right over some ancient catacombs where they believe that some early Christians worshipped God in secret before the practice of Christianity was made legal in 313 AD by Emperor Constantine.

As we descended into these catacombs, it was like peeling away the layers of history and walking back in time. And in those catacombs you had what I would describe as the primal practice of Christianity.

That church is a picture of what Chapter Two is all about. Every once in a while we need to peel away the layers of history and go back to square one. We need to remind ourselves of what makes a church a church.

Over the last 2000 years, the church has evolved in some pretty amazing ways. We added church buildings. We added pews and pulpits. We added choirs and organs. We added sermons and worship bands. We added creeds and canons. We added steeples and bells. We added bulletins and Sunday School. We added offerings and 501 (c) 3 status. And there is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things. But none of those things are primal. They aren't what makes a church a church.

Let me take it a step further. I love the way we do church at NCC. And one of the core convictions that drives us is: there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. I really believe that every church is a unique expression of the kingdom of God and our creativity glorifies God.

I love our graphics, our website, our videos, our atlases, our outreaches, our locations. But those things aren't primal. They aren't what makes a church a church.

The church was birthed in Acts 2 when God poured out His spirit. Nothing has changed. You don't need a building to be a church. And you can have a building, but without the Spirit, you don't have a church!

The longer I pastor the more I realize that the simple things are the important things.

We need all the creativity we can get. And I'm all for systems and technologies and strategies. But what we need more than anything else, if we're going to have the kind of impact the 1st century church has, is the Spirit of God.

No one can convince me that we need the Spirit of God any less than the Apostles!

That is what Chapter Two is all about.

Pastoral Reflection

Had a moment this weekend.

Whenever I'm gone from NCC for a week, I genuinely miss NCC and I'm so excited about coming back! And I think I appreciate the privilege of pastoring a little more!

Not sure how to say this, but there is a unique bond between a pastor and a congregation. It's almost like the unique bond between a parent and child. No one can love your kids the way you love your kids! I feel the same way about NCC. I think NCC could find someone to preach better sermons or run better meetings or give better leadership but I'm not sure they could fine someone that loves NCC the way I love NCC.

I hope this doesn't come across as a pat on the back. I just feel a unique love for and responsibility for NCC. And it grows stronger and deeper each week. That is one reason why I believe in pastoral longevity. I couldn't love NCC the way I love NCC three or five or seven years ago! Maybe it's the vested interest--a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Maybe it is a deepening pastoral calling. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love NCC. I wouldn't want to be anyplace else doing anything else. Sometimes you have to go away for a week to really appreciate what you have when you come back!

A New Breed of Evangelicals

Gabe Lyons, head of the Fermi Project and catalyst behind the Q Conference, sent out a link to a great article in the New York Times titled Emphasis Shifts for New Breed of Evangelicals.

It's no secret that the church has some perception issues. Some of the characterizations of the church are unfair and uninformed. But the reality is this: the church is more known for what we're against than what we're for. And that needs to change. The good news is that pockets of Christians are beginning to take on their rightful role as culture-shapers. The cultural tradewinds are shifting.

A Theology of Travel

Just thought I'd take a moment to share my theology of travel.

I honestly believe that each stamp in my passport is a form of stewardship. In recent years, travel has become a spiritual endeavor for me. It is one way I worship God. It is one way I study God.

In a sense, I think travel done the right way is a partial fulfillment of the Genesis Commission to fill the earth and subdue it. One of our primal callings is to experience and enjoy what God has created. The command in Genesis 1:28 is an invitation. It's an invitation to explore, to discover, to map, to study, to climb, to experience, to enjoy, to taste, to see, to hear, to adventure.

Long before Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, God told them to fill the earth. It was an invitation to explore His creation! Think about it. Everything outside Eden was terra incognita--unknown territory. Planet Earth was untamed, uninhabited, undiscovered. They could travel 24,859 miles in any direction and discover mountains and deserts and jungles and oceans. There was 196,949,970 square miles to explore. God's creation. Humankind's playground.

Not unlike Columbus who was commissioned by the King and Queen of Spain to discover a westward route to the Indies; not unlike Lewis and Clark who were commissioned by President Jefferson to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase; and not unlike Sir Francis Drake who was commissioned by the Queen of England to circumnavigate the globe; Adam and Eve were commissioned by God to explore planet Earth.

Exploration is a godly instinct. It is a form of curiosity which is part of the Imago Dei. One way we glorify God is by exploring what He's made and praising Him in the process.

Just like an artist who wants others to enjoy his art; just like a composer who wants others to enjoy his music; God wants us to enjoy His creation. He wants us to explore it, to study it, to name it, to protect it, and to admire its beauty. Exploration honors God.

The astronomer who charts galaxies billions of light-years away; the geneticist who maps the human genome; the researcher who seeks a cure for Parkinson's disease; the oceanographer who explores the ocean floor; the ornithologist who studies and preserves rare bird species; the physicist who tries to catch quarks; the chemist who charts molecular structures; and the theologian who studies God have one thing in common. All of them are explorers. They are fulfilling humankind's original job description.

I don't want this to sound pejorative, but I honestly believe that every ology is a branch of theology. When I was at the University of Chicago I took classes in meteorology and immunology. In graduate school, one of my fascinations was neurology. I love psychology and biology and zoology. And every one of those ologies reveals something about the Creator. Our scientific endeavors are part of discovering the kaleidscopic personality of our Creator. Isn't that what Romans 1:20 says?

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I honestly think that travel will be one dimension of heaven. We will explore the earthly wonders we never got to see. I can't imagine that God would not want us to see absolutely everything He's created. That would be wasted creativity. Why not do as much of it as you can on this side of the spacetime continuum?

A Few More Pictures

Just thought I'd post a few more pictures from Rome. Loved the Colisseum at night, the energy at the Spanish steps, and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Back From Buffalo

Thoroughly enjoyed my time in Buffalo. Love seeing what God is doing in other cities. Keeps me from becoming myopic!

Enjoyed dinner on Friday night at a famous Buffalo joint called Chefs. Hung out for three hours with my buddy Brek Cockrell, Al Cockrell, Daryl Largis, and Jerry Gillis the Senior Pastor of The Chapel. Love their heartbeat and kingdom mindset. There aren't that many mega-churches in the northeast, but The Chapel has it going on. Incredible the way they are impacting the city of Buffalo including their new campus in Elmwood. What's so cool about The Chapel at Elmwood is that the media was all over their launch because church in a theater is such a novelty there! They got some serious buzz!

On Saturday morning I talked about chasing lions. Never gets old. Nothing like a room filled with hundreds of guys going after God. My prayer from the very beginning is that God would raise up a generation of lion chasers. That is what this book tour is all about. I think there is going to be some serious lion chasing in Buffalo, NY!

Next stop is LA!

Count it a privilege everytime I get to share this message!

Off to Buffalo

I'm about to hop a flight to Buffalo, New York. Going to talk about chasing lions at a men's event Saturday Morning @ The Chapel. Then I hop a flight back to DC Saturday afternoon and preach Saturday night.

A little bit of a whirlwind, but I feel so energized right now. Just excited about the amazing privilege of serving Christ. What a way to spend your life!

A Sense of History and A Sense of Destiny

Not sure how to put this feeling into words, but I'll give it a stab.

There is an undeniable sense of history in Rome.

Lora and I walked along the via Sacra near the Arch of Titus and stepped on the same stones that conquering Roman armies paraded down 2000 years ago! We visited Mamertine Prison where Peter was held before he was crucified upside down! The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums contain some of the most amazing relics in Christendom! And one of my favorite places was The Church of San Clemente. It has three layers of history! A 12th century church was built over a 4th century church which was built over ancient catacombs. And you can go down about 30 feet under the church and see the different layers of history.

The sense of history is off the charts! And a sense of history is incredibly important. I think it was Churchill who said, "The farther backward you look the farther forward you are likely to see."

I hope this doesn't come across as judgmental, and I didn't actually visit any live church services in Rome, but the churches felt like museums. It felt like there was more history than destiny! I really think the architecture, frescoes, sculptures, and paintings glorify God. And I have no question that many of the architects and artists and bishops were inspired by God to do what they did. But it is so easy for something to become institutionalized. So you have the physical remains, but the spirit that motivated them is missing. It's all form and no function!

I'm not even sure what I'm trying to say, but I think it's this: a healthy church has a strong sense of history coupled with a strong sense of destiny. If you lose that sense of destiny it is so easy for a church to turn into a museum. We need to remember where we come from. But we also need to know where God is taking us. Our sense of history has to fuel a sense of destiny.

Just thinking out loud.

Books I'm Reading

Just in case you care, thought I'd share the books I read on our trip to Italy. I never travel without a book. In fact, I never go anywhere without a book! Long plane rides are a killer when you're 6'3" with no leg room. But I get more uninterrupted reading time on flights than anywhere else. I read for about seven hours on the trip back.

My favorite read was an old book by Arthur Gordon titled Wonder. Then I read Randy Alcorn's book on Heaven. Picked up Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory. And I topped it off with a little fiction. I rarely read fiction. Too pragmatic :) But I enjoyed The Broker by John Grisham, in part, because the story was set in Italy.

Capri Pictures

I'm not sure pictures can capture the beauty of Capri. You have to eat the food; feel the warm sunshine and cool breeze; and hear the sounds of the waves, sea gulls, and italian accents. But here are a few pictures.

The Island of Capri

About one year ago I read an article in the travel section of the newspaper about an island off the coast of Naples called Capri. I actually drew stick figures on the picture of the island; wrote "Mark and Lora were here"; and left it for Lora to find.

Turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We spent three days on the island. There is something magical and mysterious about an island. Loved the piazetta with shops and cafes. The rocky cliffs were awe-inspiring. And the sunshine was spectacular. Nothing short of a mediterrean paradise. Caesar Augustus actually built a villa on the island 2000 years ago. And it still is home to some italian celebrities like Giorgio Armani and Sophia Lauren.

Capri is famous for the Blue Grotto. Ought to be one of the natural wonders of the world. Because the opening to the grotto is so small, you have to hop into a little row boat with an oarsman and wait till the tide is just right to get inside. It is pitch black inside except for the florouscent blue water. I don't understand all the science behind the iridescent blue color, but it is breathtaking. And our oarsman actually sang a little Solo Mia while we were inside.

What I'm Excited About

The toughest thing about coming back from a trip is digging out of what I call the email avalanche! Took a full day to get unburied, but I finally got to the bottom!

In some ways, reentry after a retreat is tough. But I'm also reenergized! I have a litmus test that helps me know whether I'm still doing what God wants me to be doing: am I excited about coming back after going away? If the day comes that I'm not excited about coming back, then it's probably time for me to get out. Good news is: I'm stoked about getting back into the game and seeing what God does next at NCC!

So excited about this season of ministry. In fact, I'm as excited as I've ever been about what God is up to at NCC! Here are some of the things that have my adrenaline pumping.

1) Fired up about our next sermon series

Getting away helps me regain clarity both as a leader and as a preacher. This weekend we kick off a four-part series on Acts 2 called Chapter Two that coincides with Pentecost. It's what I'd call a back-to-basics series. As part of the series, we're doing a ten-day Pentecost Fast.

I honestly believe that if we seek God with the same kind of intensity as the early believers that we'll experience the same kind of impact. Believing that this Pentecost Fast, patterned after the 10 days of prayer in the upper room, will be a defining moment for NCC and lots of NCCers!

2) Fired up about our next location launch

I feel like one of the spies doing recon in the Promise Land. We're looking at some incredible theaters and clubs. Honestly, the toughest thing is going to be only launching one location this fall. I'm cursed. I can't walk into a movie theater anymore without visualizing a church. I can visualize us in three or four amazing locations. Just trying to discern where God wants us.

We'll start going public with our launch location and launch strategy in June.

3) Fired up about Buzz 07

Nothing like hanging out with hundreds of pastors who are passionate about incarnating the gospel and reaching our culture. Hosting a conference is a ton of work, but we feel like it's one of the best investments of our time and energy. We aren't just impacting hundreds of leaders. We're impacting the thousands of people they lead.

That's the tip of the iceberg. Just grateful for the awesome privilege of serving God. Can't believe I get paid to do this!

Rome Reflections

Where do I start?

We spent 4 days in Rome. Loved everything from the language to the historical sites to the sidewalk cafes to the gelato. My favorite food was the pizza margherita. Favorite gelato was pistaccio. And you gotta love cappucino with nutella!

We visited all the "must-see" places like the Colosseum, the Forum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basillica. And they were incredible! But I loved some of the "off-the-beaten-path" places like Mamertine prison where Peter was imprisoned before his upside-down crucifixion. And I loved some of the subtleties of the places we visited. For example, Michelangelo's depiction of original sin. It shows Adam and Eve right before and right after eating the forbidden fruit and the artist aged them about ten years. Great artistic impression of the effect of sin! It ages us.

Enough words. Here are a few pictures.

Hurry Sickness

After seven days in Italy I've concluded that we don't know how to relax in America!

One of the highlights of our trip was strolling the city of Rome and the Island of Capri. I'm so used to getting where I'm going as quickly as possible that I had to slow myself down. One of the cultural nuances I noticed is that our server never brought us the check till we asked for it. Nothing like great food and great conversation. Lora and I enjoyed some long meals!

Enjoyed discovering and hanging out in the multitude of piazzas. Love the way the city was created with so many "community squares" surrounded by sidewalk cafes. My favorites were Pizza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and The Spanish Steps. We actually spent about ninety minutes sitting on the Spanish Steps just soaking in the energy, people watching, and resting our feet. Actually turned into an Italian version of Cops. Fun watching the Italian police chase the illegal street vendors who were selling purses and watches. Every time they saw a uniform, the vendors would scoop up their purses and watches and scatter in every direction.

One of the lessons learned: the slower you go the more you appreciate!

Back in Blog Land

Just landed at Reagan National Airport a few hours ago after ten hours in the air. That'll knock you out. Once my body clock adjusts to EST and I get a few hours of sleep I'll post some thoughts, reflections, and highlights from our week in Italy!

We took 350 pictures. Here is one of my favorite night shots of the Colliseum.

Caio!

Off to Italy

Lora and I hop on a plane today for a little anniversary getaway. We're exploring Rome for a few days and then relaxing on the island of Capri off the coast of Naples.

I'm checking out of the blogosphere while we're gone so I'm turning off comments. Just in case you need a blog fix, here are links to a few articles:

The Guts of Leadership
Pop The Red Pill
The Buzz Mandate

Peace out.

495 Pounds of Books

Just got a shipment of 495 pounds of In a Pit delivered to our office. If you want to take a few pounds off our hands, email amanda@theaterchurch.com. Love to hook you up with a bulk discount for a sermon series, small group, or Father's Day.

Weekend Reflections

This is one of those weekends where I lost my voice. I've been speaking so much that it's taking a toll on the old vocal chords! Really enjoyed our services this weekend, and I really felt like the Lord helped me.

I don't believe God blesses lack of preparation when that lack of preparation is the byproduct of laziness. But there are weeks where you're going in so many directions that you don't have as much time to prepare. And I've found that sometimes God blesses those messages even more because you know how much you need God's help! That's how I felt this weekend. I spoke four times at the Fusion conference the last three days so I was pretty wasted. But I really felt like God used my lack of strength, lack of voice, and lack of study time to speak! Sometimes all we have to do is get out of the way.

I also enjoyed the change of pace. We typically worship going into a message, but this week we decided to worship coming out of the message.

Spider-Man 3

Parker and I went to see Spider-Man 3 last night.

I love going to these kinds of movies with Parker because they prompt spiritual conversations. The spiritual symbolism in the movie was off the hook. So many great messages about making the right choices and the way revenge turns you into someone you don't want to be. But the sin symbolism was incredible.

I don't even know what you call the "evil black stuff" that bonds to Spiderman and turns him to the dark side, but whatever it's called it is an amazing picture of what sin does to us. If we allow sin to get a grip on us and take over our personality, it eventually turns us into someone we don't want to be and we hurt the people we love.

The climatic scene of the movie happens in church. No doubt the director wanted to focus on the cross because it's in the frame for a long time. Peter Parker wants to break free from the black suit and what it's doing to him so he literally goes to church. It is in the church belltower that he rings the church bell and rips off the black suit right below the cross!

I don't want to over-spiritualize the movie. But isn't it interesting that every good story is somehow a reflection of God's story?

It's all His-story!

Ten Ways I Hear God

We're continuing The Anatomy of Faith series this week. I talked about the ear this weekend. Thought I'd share a list of ten things that help me hear the the still small voice of the Spirit more clearly.

#1 I hear God better after I've confessed my sin.

Somehow confession gets rid of the static. Besides, when I'm living with unconfessed sin I don't always want to hear God's voice.

#2 I hear God better when I'm worshipping Him.

Worship is one way I tune into God's frequency.

#3 I hear God better early in the morning.

Some of you have never heard God's voice in the morning :) Part of spirituality is understanding your circadian rhythm.

#4 I hear God better after I've read my Bible.

When you open the Bible God opens His mouth. When you close the Bible God closes His mouth. Not sure who said that first, but it's true!

#5 I hear God better when I'm not in a hurry.

Blaise Pascal said, "All of man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone."

#6 I hear God better when I'm out in nature.

#7 I hear God better when I'm on a rooftop.

My favorite place to pray is the rooftop of Ebenezers. I love praying in elevated places where I have a good view.

#8 I hear God better when I'm fasting

I hear God more clearly when I do a TV Fast--sometimes we have to tune some voices out so we can hear the voice of God.

#9 I hear God better when I'm out of my routine.

Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective. God seems to show up in burning bushes in the middle of nowhere!

#10 I hear God better when I'm going after a dream

God doesn't speak to me when I'm not stepping out in faith.

Manifesto

I did a Chase the Lion session at the Fusion Conference today.

As promised, here is the lion chaser's manifesto.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion!

Get A Story!

Donald Miller said some pretty profound things tonight. He talked about the way we are designed to live in a story. I think we underestimate the authorial dimension of God's character. God is a storyteller. And He wants to tell His-story through our lives!

What really resonated with me was his reframing of conflict. Most of us don't like conflict, but a story without conflict is boring! Conflict makes the story. The greater the antagonism the greater the story!

At the end of the day, putting your faith in Christ is like giving God editorial control of your life. You let God tell His-story through you. And no one tells a better story! There is an old saying: get a life. I think Donald was saying: get a story! That is what God gives us when we enter into relationship with the author of our faith.

Leadnow Day 2

Thoroughly enjoying the leadnow and fusion conferences. Some conferences are "in and out" and there isn't much connection, but I really feel like I'm part of the rightnow team. Super impressed with the heart and vision behind the conference. Feel privileged to be part of it.

I did a Q & A session on NCC over lunch. Then I did a wrap-up session: The Leadership Gut Check. Pretty exhausted. I don't get sick very often, but I've been a little under the weather the last two days.

One of the highlights of my day was hanging out and talking shop with Dan Kimball, Margaret Feinberg, and Donald Miller.

bluefishtv.com

Really nice to meet Marty Mosley yesterday. Marty is the president of bluefishtv.com. Absolutely love their resources--great video illustrations and small group stuff. A few months ago I got their Chasing Daylight video series with Erwin McManus. So good!

For what it's worth, I've always wondered if Jesus would have shot some short films if he had lived during an era with video technology. The parables are so short-filmable!

FYI--if your church wants to submit some of your video illustrations or series trailers for our Buzz Film Festival here is the 411.

Leadnow Day 1

The leadnow conference kicked off today.

Good to see Marc McCartney and meet Lonnie Smith and Brian Mosley, director of the rightnow campaign. Great guys--you like 'em the minute you meet 'em. Really enjoyed listening to Donald Miller and Dan Kimball.

I'm new to Leadnow and Fusion, but one of the things that is so impressive to me is that the focus is on turning passion into action. There is a connection cafe where 27 organizations are represented. Some pretty amazing opportunities!

Case of Books

Just ran out of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, but we'll get restocked in a couple days. If you'd like to buy a case of books for Graduation Day or Father's Day you can email amanda@theaterchurch.com. We'll hook you up with bulk rate discount. Love to get copies into the hands of some dads and graduates!

Ten Lessons I've Learned in Ten Years

I'm heading out the door to the Leadnow conference. Thought I'd post the ten lessons I'm going to talk about. Really tough to narrow it down. In fact, it was originally going to be Twenty Lessons but I knew I wouldn't have time! Hopefully I'll have time to hit all ten.

Here are ten lessons or ten reminders:

#1 There is a fine line between "Thy Kingdom Come" and "My Kingdom Come"
#2 Enjoy the Journey
#3 Don't Try to Be Who You're Not
#4 Stay Positive
#5 Irrelevance is Irreverence
#6 Put Your Family First
#7 Turn Water into Wine
#8 Everything is an Experiment
#9 Do Ministry Out of Imagination
#10 Pray Ridiculous Prayers

If I have time, I'll post notes and add some honorable mentions.

Jesus the Artisan

We don't tend to think of Jesus in artistic terms, but I think we underestimate how artistic Jesus was.

For starters, Jesus created the heavens and the earth. Looks pretty good on your artistic resume! But let me put it in incarnational terms. During his tenure on earth, Jesus spent most of his time as an artisan. He was in carpentry much longer than he was in ministry. Almost a 10:1 ratio. And I'm pretty sure he took pride in his carpentry craft. He sanded till the wood was perfectly smooth. He measured twice to make sure the angle was just right. He cared about color. He cared about contour. He cared about quality. And like any carpent, I'm sure he wanted his work to bear his unique signature.

I love the way Dorothy Sayers said it: "No crooked table legs or ill-fitted drawers ever, I dare say, came out of the carpenter's shop in Nazareth."

I think we underestimate how much his artistry influenced his ministry. Read the gospels. Jesus was a wordsmith right? He chose words like an craftsman. Each word was measured like a carpenter measures wood. Any way you slice it, Jesus was an artisan first. And his ministry was shaped by his artistry.

I guess I'm just trying to make a case for artistry as a dimension of spirituality. Pretty cool to think about our heavenly carpenter preparing a place for us right now!

The Theater Church Movement

I continue to marvel at the way the theater church movement is taking off. Got an email from a friend in Buffalo, Brek Cockrell. They launched four weeks ago and God is blessing their socks off. And the media is picking up on the story because the whole "church in a theater" thing is new to Buffalo.

I was talking to the Cinemedia folks and I'm pretty sure the day will come when the DC market is saturated--a church in every theater. Who would have thunk :) I still remember when it was a total novelty. Absolutely thrilled at the way church plants and multi-site churches are redeeming theaters!

I really believe the day will come when there is a church in every viable movie theater in America!

NCC Undercover

We did a little planning for Buzz 07 today. Really excited about a new feature this year. We've added a half-day event called NCC Undercover. It's the day before Buzz--Wednesday, June 27, 1-5 PM @ Ebenezers!

We'll share best practices and have a staff panel representing a cross-section of our ministries including: outreach, media, discipleship, and coffeehouse. We'll talk about everything from our creative process to small groups to sermon branding.

You can register for Buzz or NCC Undercover here.

Sideways Energy

Can I get on my blog stump for a moment? We had a great bloggers roundtable down in Orlando at the National New Church Conference. So cool to talk some "philosophy of blogging." One of my linchpins is keep it positive.

Can I be positive about something negative? It just grieves me when I see infighting in the church. We're called to play offense. But we're busy playing defense against people who are supposed to be on our team. So we waste all kinds of energy fighting with each other when we ought to be fighting the enemy. Think of it as sideways energy.

Here's a thought: what if we used all that sideways energy and converted it into forward energy expanding God's kingdom?

Honestly? I'm shocked that I don't get criticized more than I do :) But what's frustrating is that most of the criticism comes from people who don't know my heart and have never heard me preach. Am I beyond criticism? Are you kidding me! I'm so flawed. And I'm so not omniscient. But I'd rather pick a fight with the enemy than pick a fight with a brother.

I just got an email from an NCCer--written with a genuine spirit. And I'm so glad she emailed me about it. But it came from a google search. Almost all of the 150,000 google listings are positive. But there is one from an unnamed source that is really negative. And it planted seeds of doubt. Again, don't get me wrong. I never want NCCers to take my word for it when I preaching. Test it against Scripture. And take God's word for it.

My friends, life is too short and the mission is too important to get negative and play defense and waste all that sideways energy! I honestly used to try to chase down negative posts or defend myself on other people's blog posts. But life is too short. And I'm not called to play defense.

So much of the criticism and controversy boils down to theological or methodological differences. And I'm not saying that they aren't important. But do we take Titus 3:9-11 seriously?

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

I've always subscribed to something attributed to Rupertus Meldenius. In fact, it is the preface to our core beliefs. This is a great guiding principle:

In Essentials, Unity; in Non-essentials, Liberty; in All Things, Charity.

May we have the heartbeat of Jesus expressed in Luke 12:49:

"I must be about my Father's business."

The Publishing Mountain

Just spent some time this morning with Leif and Margaret Feinberg. Margaret was a huge encouragement to me when I was a wanna-be author. We talked writing and publishing for about ninety minutes. I feel as called to write as I do to pastor. So I'm really trying to learn the ropes.

Margaret shared some great insights.

#1 In every cinderella story there is a fairy Godmother!

She said that most best-sellers are created best-sellers. A publisher bets the farm marketing the book. Or gives away 50,000 copies to create momentum. Our just pulls out all the stops!

#2 Writing is like buying a lotto ticket. The odds are low, but there's always a chance!

95% of books don't sell 5,000 copies. In other words, it's a crapshoot. You really have to write for intrinsic reasons. You have to write because you feel called to write and let the chips fall where they may.

And I love the last analogy Margaret used. Think of writing as climbing the publishing mountain.

#3 There is a difference between driving and hiking to the top of the mountain.

Margaret talked about hiking a 14er--a mountain with elevation greater than 14,000 feet. She said the drivers and hikers see the same view, but they look different and smell different because of how they got there! I also think they feel different. A hiker appreciates the view a little bit more.

When it comes to pastoring and writing, I want to be a hiker. I don't want to get to the summit to fast. I want to make sure I'm becoming the person God wants me to be. Plus, if you get to the summit too quickly or too easily it is easy to forget who got you there!

Really appreciate the writing trail that Margaret has blazed. FYI. She's doing a workshop on How to Get Published at the Fusion Conference.

Is it wrong to say something is wrong?

Not sure how to say this, but it's been stewing inside for some time. Here it is: we live in a culture where it's wrong to say something is wrong. That bugs me. I'd rather be biblically correct than politically correct. And I think the church needs to be a prophetic voice to our culture.

Here is what is frustrating to me. It seems like those with tact lack courage. And those with courage lack tact. How many of us have been publically embarrassed by something stupid that somone said in the name of Christ? We need some more voices that combine tact and courage. Voices that speak the truth in love. Voices that are rational and revelational.

I was talking about these issues with a Washington lobbyist yesterday. He's one of the good guys lobbying for good things! And I referenced the promise Jesus gave his followers in Matthew 10:11:

Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

This is an incredible promise. The Holy Spirit will tell us what to say when we need to say it. The funny thing is that we think of this in preaching terms. But this promise has nothing to do with saying the right thing from behind the pulpit. It is

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Dismissed

Jury Duty

Catalyst Labs

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

One Day's Pay

Sold Out

Wild Goose Chase

Monday, May 28, 2007

Memorial Day

Pentecost Fast

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Book Giveaway

Reinventing Church

Friday, May 25, 2007

Kenya Team

Field Day

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Life Mottos

What Magazines Do You Read?

Next Location

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Cheesecake Factory

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Golfing for Missions

Monday, May 21, 2007

Buzz Film Festival

Pentecost Fast

What Makes a Church a Church

Pastoral Reflection

A New Breed of Evangelicals

Sunday, May 20, 2007

A Theology of Travel

A Few More Pictures

Back From Buffalo

Friday, May 18, 2007

Off to Buffalo

A Sense of History and A Sense of Destiny

Books I'm Reading

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Capri Pictures

The Island of Capri

What I'm Excited About

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Rome Reflections

Hurry Sickness

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Back in Blog Land

Monday, May 07, 2007

Off to Italy

495 Pounds of Books

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Weekend Reflections

Spider-Man 3

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Ten Ways I Hear God

Manifesto

Friday, May 04, 2007

Get A Story!

Leadnow Day 2

bluefishtv.com

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Leadnow Day 1

Case of Books

Ten Lessons I've Learned in Ten Years

Jesus the Artisan

The Theater Church Movement

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

NCC Undercover

Sideways Energy

The Publishing Mountain

Is it wrong to say something is wrong?