Draw from the Well

If You Want Stuff to Grow, Do This...

I'm into gardening right now having just embarked on my first square-foot garden.  I like the idea of producing something...from seed to harvest.  It's exciting to be able to say, "I grew that." 

This weekend, Pastors Jon and Fawn reminded us that we all are in a process of growth.  Jesus told the parable of the sower and the soils to point out that growth isn't always equal.  Like it or not, if you claim to follow Jesus, you are some combination of soils...in some process of growth and there are things which help our growth and things which hinder our growth too.

The main reason I'm  doing "square-foot gardening" is because I'm lazy.  Seriously, gardening is hard work.  Square-foot gardening is ultra-efficient.  Compared to the traditional single row gardening, it promises that you will get the same "100% Harvest" for  "50 % of the cost, 20% of the space, 10% of the water, 5% of the seeds, and 2% of the work."

Did you catch that?  100% harvest for 2% of the work!  That's amazing! 

So what's my point?  The longer I follow Jesus and work with people who claim to want to follow Jesus, the more I realize that we make growing in our relationship with Jesus harder for ourselves than it should be. 

Here are three thoughts on what we can do to make our growth journey as efficient and productive as possible:

1. Be consistent.
Hands down this is the most important thing we control about our growth journey.  So often people start out with enthusiasm, over and over again!  The average church attender comes to church one out of four Sundays per month.  Ponder how often they might actually read the Bible.  Pastor Jon says that's like trying to water your faith with a "tea cup".  How effective is that?  If I only watered my garden a quarter of the time, my plants would be dried up and dead!  Note that consistency isn't perfection.  However, if you are consistent, you will develop a habit.  The great thing about habits are that when we miss a day or two, we usually are motivated to get back at it!

2. Mind the weeds.
Weeds happen.  Only a foolish gardener thinks they can avoid them.  But the smart gardener keeps on top of them.  Small weeds are easier to deal with than big weeds.  How often in your faith walk have you let a "little weed" (translation:  little compromise, little sin) go untended?  Before long, that weed is out of control.  Are you actually stopping to consider the "weeds" in your life?  Again, note that the call isn't to have a "weed-free" life, but to pull those weeds out as soon as you detect them!  (The Holy Spirit is happy to highlight the weeds in our lives for us!)

3. Get good nutrients.
In gardening, it's all about what type of nutrients your soil has.  You can do all the right stuff, and if you have poor soil, stuff just won't grow.  Consider what you are feeding yourself.  Are you snacking on spiritual "junk food"?  Yes, reading your one-minute-day Bible every day is good, it's just not very nourishing.  What are you reading, watching, and listening to every day?  The media fasts we participate in during our discipleship classes have really challenged me to examine what I consume on a regular basis.  What messages are you surrounding  yourself with? 

I don't think that finding growth in our relationship with Jesus is all about working harder and spending all our time in a Christian bubble.  However, some of us find ourselves frustrated by our feeble growth (we struggle with the same sins and hang ups over and over again.)  Perhaps if we were more efficient, we'd find more growth and harvest, too!

Foursquare President Response to President Obama

Glenn Burris, Foursquare's president, posted on his facebook page this thoughtful response (italicised below) to President Obama's recent statements. 

I really appreciate the wisdom and sensitivity that our denomination's leader put into these words.  He will be speaking at Living Water next weekend (May 19 & 20.)

This is a hot issue.  As a believer, you need to prayerfully consider how you are going to engage this issue.  I so appreciate Pastor Glenn's challenge for us to articulate "what we stand for", not just what we oppose.

Please read and consider his words.

I disagree with our U.S. President concerning his recent statement on "same sex marriage & unions".  I do not agree that convictions and values are simply open to "evolving".  While this issue invokes a lot of passion and disagreement, and we often get mired in a debate on rights, the Church must find a way to clearly articulate what it's for, not only what it's against.  We should:

1) Model an environment of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.  Jesus did not marginalize those whose lifestyle he disagreed with.  He invaded their world and was honest about his views.  He did not condemn them nor did he condone their decisions.

2) Stay true and faithful to the core foundations of our faith.  We should always be clear and courageous concerning our convictions.

3) Model our beliefs by valuing our own marriages with fidelity, honor, respect, and commitment.

4) Create a culture where people who have been wounded, hurt, marginalized, and considered worthless and often laden with guilt and condemnation can find their way to healing and restoration.

How to Take Next Steps in Friendship

Recently I shared about friendship with our Women in the Word Bible Studies.  It seems strange to have a full blown introvert chatting about how to cultivate relationships, yet I realized, though I am an shy introvert, I do well at building relationships.  What doesn't come naturally, can be practiced and learned.  Often times people are paralyzed because they don't naturally know what steps to take next.  Our lives and situations rarely get less busy, complicated, full of distractions, easy...building and maintaining friendships takes intentionality.  If we don't stop and make an intentional plan, we often get stuck settling for less than satisfying relationships.

As part of my research for sharing I did a highly unscientific fact-finding poll on facebook and was surprised to find out the number of people who believe that other people are too busy for relationship.  They dismiss the possibility before it's even presented.  They assume that people w0n't make time to relate with them.  That false believe coupled with a lack of plan keeps makes so many people miss out on great frienships!

As part of my talk, I gave some practical tips for taking next steps in cultivating friendship.  I admit that these aren't profound.  However, sometimes we need to be reminded to do the basics.  So if you've found yourself making excuses for other people about why they don't have time to relate to you or you just don't know what to do next, I challenge and encourage you to to go back to the basics of cultivating relationships and take a step towards friendship.

How to Take a Next Step

1. Get a phone number or an email address.  Use it.
2. Establish a relationship on Facebook.  But don’t be a stalker!
3. Plan to sit with or near people at events or services to build relationship.
4. Find common ground for discussion (music, books, sermons, Bible Reading Plan)
5. Start with non-threatening events to building relationship (women's event, a movie, service, casual dinner, coffee)
6. Pay attention to small ways to bless (i.e. write out a recipe or share a book or article)

Friendship Conversation Starters

1. When/how did you become a Christian?
2. What has your involvement in church (others and LW) been like?
3. If a couple, what's your story? (Actually for singles or those divorced, I sensitively ask this as well.)
4. Who makes up your family? Tell me about your children.
5. How is your faith walk today...what does it look like?
6. What do you like to do for recreation?  Hobbies?  Special interests?
7. What do you do for a living? What do you like and dislike about that?
8. What is one thing you are really excited about in your life right now?  What is one thing you are not excited about?
9. Which of your life events shaped you the most?  Which person in your life shaped you the most?
10. What is one area you are pursuing growth in?  How are you pursuing that growth?
11. What is your favorite book, CD, movie, vacation place, food, animal, etc?  Have them explain why.

How To Deal With the Haters

The other day I received a nasty email.  It wasn't directed at me personally, yet it said some very unkind things about the church I work for.  I've spent some time processing how to respond.  Here are some of the thoughts I've had as I've dealt with this situation:

1.  I felt sad. 
Mean, spiteful people make me sad.  They are obviously broken, hurting individuals.  I asked the Lord if there was an intentional or unintentional mistake made which needed to be repented of or dealt with.  But I also realized that immature, hateful people are most often the last to pursue honest reconciliation or to want authentic community.  (This individual doesn't worship here.)

2.  I felt confirmation.
"When you decide, you divide."  As we get more clear about the direction and definitions Jesus has called us to, we realize that our clarity will make other people more clear as well.  And some of them will make a decision to go.  Attempting to be "all things to all people" is a immature, foolish pursuit doomed to fail.  If we are not the right environment, or your preferential style of worship, preaching, ...fill in the blank...that's okay.  Let us know, we will try to help you find a Christian community in town where you can plug in and be committed.  We please an audience of One first and foremost. We also won't put down your preference, and we expect you to respect ours as well.

3.  I felt resolve.
When your conscience is clear because you are instep with going where Jesus has called you to go, there comes a security which is amazing.  Security means that you don't need to defend yourself, or promote yourself, or really worry about yourself all that much.  I haven't lost sleep over the words spoken in this email because I know that they are not true.  I was reminded of how Jesus said we should deal with our enemies...by praying for them. 

So, in the end, I prayed for this individual, that Jesus would heal him and bless him. 

Then I deleted the email.

That's how I deal with the haters.

 

How Do You Rest?

It's tempting to debate who is busiest. Truth is, everyone is busy in their own unique way. We all have different roles and responsibilities which consume our energy and time. Furthermore, as we move through different life stages, we are faced with new requirements and new demands on our resources.

One thing I've learned is that life is less about time management and more about energy management. Energy management brings up the issue of "rest" or refreshment. In a nutshell, how do we get replenished?

Early in my Christian walk I became convinced of three things: daily reading scripture, tithing, and sabbath (thank you IVCF!) However you define a sabbath, there is some element of rest involved.

Clearly, different personalities and people find renewal and rest in different ways. I'm not sure there is a universal "right" answer.

I've realized that I'm very aware of my energy needs. Working in a highly extroverted job, yet being an introvert, there are times when I literally have met my relational quota for the day. I love and guard my sabbath time because I know I desperately need to be refueled to serve at my best.

Here are the ways that I find rest and renewal:

Solitude - after a week of people, I literally run to a quite, alone place. I love people, but it takes my energy to interact and focus (because I give my attention to them!). I love the quiet and stillness. Yes, I have been alone and quiet for a whole 24 hours (and didn't go crazy. It was nice.)

Hard Physical Labor - "work and pray" is a motto I believe in. I am totally recharged by mowing the lawn or working in the garden. Outside is a bonus, but also painting or cleaning the garage. Finishing the project is a must. It feels good to use my muscles, not my mind, for a change. (I wish house cleaning fit in this category, but it doesn't.) (Kayaking is physical labor I quite enjoy too!)

Mind Candy - I like to consume random, non sequitor information. I troll different disciplines and genres just to see what is out there. Wired, pinterest, and tumblr are great for this. Everyday on my lunch hour I take 15 minutes for randomness. Redirecting my mind is refreshing. (Caution: this has to be done with moderation, cause it can be a rabbit trail which becomes counter productive.)

Contemplation - this manifests itself in one of two ways and is focused on God and Jesus. Either this is deep study (not uncommon for me to spend several hours in personal study on my sabbath) or its pure reflection. I've found I have a great capacity to just dwell on a thought and do nothing.

What brings you rest? When was the last time you recharged?

Why We Pray in Pairs

I was asked by a leader the other day why we have our prayer team pray in pairs.  I thought it was a great question.  Here's my answer:

 It’s scriptural.

1. Jesus says that when two or more gather – He is there (Matt. 18:20.)  There is no guarantee that the person you are praying with is a believer.  But with a prayer partner, you are sure.
2. There is power when we pray in agreement. (Ecc. 4:9, Matt. 18:18,19) It builds faith and is added discernment in the praying process.
3. Mark 6:7, Luke 19:29, Luke 10:1 …numerous examples of the model of ministry being “pairs” sent out.  This isn’t a new idea we are making up…it’s how Jesus modeled ministry!

It’s safe.

1. You are covered from someone who wants to harm you (Ecc. 4:12.) With pairs there will be no “he said, she said.”
2. Others are covered from any error you may unintentionally have (Ecc. 4:10.) Certainly not your heart, but we all have bad days and blind spots.  You should be open to encouragement and exhortation.

It’s smart.

1. We are called to make disciples (Matt. 28:19.)  Who are you passing what you know about prayer ministry to?  Who’s your disciple?
2. Older Christians are to teach younger Christians.  Praying in pairs provides a safe place for a less mature believe to learn and grow (Titus 2:3.)

We have our team members pray as married couples or in same gender pairs. 

Easter is more important than Christmas

I have a growing conviction that Easter is more important than Christmas.  It seems wrong to actually say that, but let me back up my statement with a couple of observations. 

First, from scriptures: Did you know that while only two of the Gospels talks about the details of Jesus’ birth, yet all of the Gospels give details about His trial, death, and resurrection.  In fact, those details make up an amazing amount of the Gospel records.  Next, from Church history:  The early church didn’t begin to celebrate the birth of Jesus until the 4^th century.  Early Christians always commemorated the death of Jesus and quickly added in the celebration of His resurrection day as well.  Finally, from cultural observations, at least in the church world: Easter attendance far surpasses Christmas attendance.

I’ve tried to make sense of this data, especially the last point, because by viewing our culture it’s easy to see that Christmas is a big deal.  One conclusion I’ve come to is that Christmas IS a big deal, but it’s not always a big deal about JESUS.  Christmas has been co-oped by lots of other “good” things like the spirit of gift giving, family time, and Santa Claus.  Easter is trickier.  The whole bunny and egg thing isn’t as satisfying.  Easter, though certainly filled with pagan influence, doesn’t make sense without focusing on Jesus.  And so people that’s who people focus on.

It’s the one time of year when people who don’t normally come to church really do come to church.  Which is wonderful because they get to hear the best part of the message:  Jesus won.  He beat death. He did it all.  He paid the price for all our sins. 

So what difference does all this make?  Because I have this conviction that Easter is more important than Christmas, I’m realizing as a Christian this should influence how I participate in Easter.  See, Easter isn’t really about me – I’ve already got the message.  Of course, I’m grateful and it’s a family holiday.  But it’s also the most evangelistic day of the year.  That should be a big deal to me as a believer!  This is the day of the year when people are going to give Jesus a shot to make a difference. 

As a church family, we’ve asked you to see Easter as an opportunity to serve others. 

Serve those who don’t yet know Jesus by inviting them to come hear the message.  Chances are good that they will say, “yes” – remember, Jesus makes sense at Easter time. 

Serve those who don’t yet know Jesus by attending a different service.  Most people want to attend an Easter service on Sunday.  It’s traditional.  If you are not bringing someone, serve others by attending a service on Saturday or attending one of our video venues.  Remember you’ve already got the message, so you know what it means to serve others. 

Finally, serve those who don’t yet know Jesus by actually SERVING them.  You are the church.  Use your time and talent to make an impact on those who only give Jesus a shot once per year.  Since it’s the most attended service time of the year, we need more people serving than ever.  You have the opportunity to make an eternal difference in someone’s life!

Non-Traditional Christmas Songs

Sometimes I go for the non-traditional. Last year I shared my first list of favorite non-traditional Christmas songs here.

Here are the songs I've added to the list this year:

Future of Forestry – The Earth Stood Still
Phil Wickham – Evermore
Laura Stockton – Alleluia
Chris Tomlin – Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground)
Brandon Heath – The Night Before Christmas
Francesca Battistelli – You're Here

What's your favorite non-traditional Christmas song?

Are You Expecting?

I love the Advent season. I love the anticipation and the countdown. I can't remember a time when our family didn't have an Advent calendar. Of course, as a child I was more focused on getting to the day when we got to open presents.

As an adult, the expectation of the incarnation is amazing to me. Infinite God wrapped in mortal flesh - an all-powerful Lord who chose to be a limited infant. I love trying to wrap my mind around the love motivation which is so fundamental to our faith.

I'm excited to celebrate Advent this year with my small group. I'm digging a little deeper to understand the tradition and liturgy behind the Advent traditions to make sure I get it right!

The Christian season of Advent is a time of preparation and expectation culminating in celebration. This time reminds us of the coming of the Messiah in the incarnation of Jesus, of the implications of the incarnation in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (a baby born to die!), and of the promise of the second coming when the King will return to to reign and rule.

There are many variations within traditions, but here are some constants: there should be a circle/wreath (which represents God, His eternity and endless mercy); four candles (traditionally 3 purple, 1 pink, - these remind us that Jesus is the light of the world who came into the darkness to bring us hope); a center white candle (which is called the "Christ" candle and lit on Christmas eve or Christmas).

There is no consensus on the meaning of the candles which are lit each of the Sundays before Christmas. Some people suggest that they stand for Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Others see them representing the various characters found in the Christmas story: Patriarchs, Prophets, Joseph, Mary or Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels. Regardless, the candles are used to remind us of the story which leads to the birth of Christ. Many people use Advent as a way to keep Christ in Christmas as the season can be filled with lots of competition for our affections!

This year I will post the devo I do with my small group. Of course, this will be after the fact, but I hope it might inspire your own advent reflections!

A Real Family Serice

We realized we made a mistake. It was our Children's Pastor, Molly, who pointed it out: our normal “family” service wasn't really a service for families – that term had just become code for the absence of Children's ministry that week.

We meant well, but we really hadn't thought it through.

Children have different needs than adults; they get the message in a different way than adults. It was time to put our money where our mouth is...you see, families are important to us. We want families who attend Living Water to worship together; we want to model following Christ to every generation. And we want people in different generations to “play nicely together.”

Here are some of the intentional things we did to make our Thanksgiving service a “real” family service:

• We integrated youth in as many roles as we could. Students participated on the worship team, as greeters, as ushers, and in serving communion. Students were partnered with adults to limit the pressure placed on them, but also to model generational partnership.
• We provided “kid friendly” activities for the youngsters – the bulletin cover was a coloring page and we passed out crayons and we gave one kid a prize (which tied into an upcoming message series!)
• We kept the service short and the elements in the service short as well. The message was broken into 5 – 7 minute chunks and interspersed with a drama to make in more understandable.
• We played worship songs that kids knew and verbally encouraged them to enthusiastically participate!
• We had a special video which featured kids.
• We encouraged families to take communion together.

Kids in the service do bring a different dynamic; there was a different energy in our services. Yet I watched at the end of service and found that the children were the most responsive to the message. That's a good reminder.

Jesus told his disciple's not to hinder the little children from coming to Him. It is good for us to be stretched and flexible as we continue to figure out what it means to help families become solid.

What were your thoughts about our family service?