…for the rest of us

Continuing five things I’ve learned so far being a church planter and pastor.

#4 Taking a day off is critical, Biblical and very, very hard to do.

I loved my game job, yet I had no problem taking a day off.  Back then I had no problem leaving the office, going away from home to do something with Emily or friends.

Being a church planter resulted in the biggest paradigm shift in taking a day off.  It’s difficult.  I love my “job” so much that Tuesdays - my day off - I am still learning how to rest and disconnect.  The first thing I think is, “I wanna do something fun!”  Well, the most fun thing for me at this point is working on the church.  How can I make next Sunday’s message better?  How can I make the mailer/graphics/web experience look better?  Ooh, let me go find a funnier clip.  Oh I know, how can I use social media better to reach those we want to reach?  What relevant book should I read next?

Not all of these are my daily tasks, but are still “working.”  That’s what’s fun to me.  I still love video games and movies for sure, but on Tuesdays - my day off - I still feel this need to be productive for the church.

But, like for all of us, this is dangerous.  When you don’t take a day off, you’re just living a life exhaling without ever stopping to breathe in and catch fresh air.

Not only is it God’s design for us to take a day off and rest, but it’s good mental and physical health - which of course is no coincidence.

And those handful of times I’ve actually disconnected and done something else have always been followed by the most energized and focused Wednesdays.

Jesus came into the world as a baby in rags, lying in a feeding trough surrounded by the stink of poop and shepherds.

Not the “Precious Moments” sanitized version of a nativity scene you’re used to at Christmas time, right?

Jesus’s life began with the profound statement that He isn’t afraid of a mess.  Likewise, He’s not afraid of yours.  But we tend to sanitize or hide the real messes from others and God, somehow pretending that if no one knows, we’re safe.  When the reality is that we are being destroyed by our secrets, sabotaged by believing the lies of “one day it’ll magically go away”, and our growth is being stunted by not giving our mess to God.

It’s easy to say things like “God is so good” when we’re in a season of emotional highs and we feel good in life.  But our tendency is to say things like “God, where are you?” when our stuff hits the fan.  This is the irony.  Not only can we trust that God is with us in those times, but if we choose to stay on track and follow him in our mess, He will use it for something greater.  We will come out the other side with greater character, greater trust, greater understanding of what real satisfaction is and overall be greater news to those around us.

It was August 5th, 2009 when Emily and I rolled in with our Uhaul, ready to start a new chapter of our lives.  No one had a job yet.  The first Get-to-know-EastLake’s-vision BBQ was scheduled for a couple weeks later.  Our launch-mates were also arriving from Seattle to the mildest August in Lawrence probably ever.  “Is it always this nice in the summer?” they would ask. “Of course,” I replied.

Now they know the hot, humid truth.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I wanna pass on five things I’ve learned as a new pastor and church planter:

#5 Vision suffers when you care too much about what other people think.

If you believe God has led you in life with a specific vision for something, don’t just stick to it, but champion it constantly, clearly, sharply and without reservation until God changes your mind.

Of course I want people to love EastLake.  And of course I want to see God move in people’s lives. And guess what? That’s happening in spades.

However, it’s my tendency to make certain things softer for some people so that they’d stick around.  Why?   To tack on an extra couple to the attendance?  Who cares!  Sometimes growth is about pulling weeds.  Or is it just some hope that someday they’ll get it even though they’re a potential poison to guests? If you’re planting a church or business or any large venture and you’re like me: DON’T SOFTEN YOUR VISION…EVER.  You must learn that you are only out to please an audience of one…God.

Why are you coddling people that don’t get it or are willing to accept how things run?  In my experience, these are always long-time Christians that try to make style choices into deep theological issues.  They’re also the people who never serve or give either.  Translation: They’re not interested in how to be a part of what God is doing, they’re interested only in themselves.

Get rid of these people as quickly as possible because they are a cancer to those you’re trying to reach.  “We’ll that’s not very loving” you might say.  On the contrary, it’s incredibly loving because you are jumping in to protect the rest of your church and those God has yet to reach and bring through the doors.

Your vision must always be built on the solid foundation of God and the vision He’s given you.  Once you move that vision to the foundation of people’s opinions, don’t be shocked when it fully collapses.

Yesterday we blew up the “trueish” philosophy “God won’t give me more than I can handle.”  I just know some may be ready to fight on this one - but here is where this trueish philosophy comes out of:

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13

This is talking about temptation.  It gets twisted when we apply “more than you can stand” to every life situation, especially when it’s our own fault for getting us where we are.  Regardless of how we get to our present issue, there is an implied condition for the temptation to do wrong to have a way out provided: we choose God’s way forward so that God can build endurance in us.

Later this week I will begin a Top 5 blog series!  On August 5th we will have been back in Lawrence exactly one year.  I just want to pass on the top 5 things I’ve learned, possibly the hard way, about launching a church or just living in Lawrence again.