Advance Conference- Mark Driscoll (Part 2)

In a second session, Mark Driscoll spoke from Ezekiel 14 on the topic of idols. Here is some of what he shared:

Most people don't worship bad things. Rather people take a good thing, make it a God thing and that is a bad thing.

Idols lie and present themselves as things they are not: a false, functional savior (marriage, parenting); things that can mediate between us and God (pastor).

Idols lie in that people believe they can give identity or that they can make one righteous.

Demons don't care what you believe as long as it is not the trinitarian God of the Gospel.

The goal of the Gospel is for idolaters to become worshippers not just make behavioral changes.

Many people profess faith but do not possess it and practice it.

Advance Conference- Mark Driscoll (Part 1)

I recently attended the Advance Conference in Durham, NC, a conference that promoted the resurgence of the local church. Over the next several posts, I will share some of my notes from the conference. The first speaker was Mark Driscoll, the Preaching and Theology Pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. Here are some notes from his message "What is the Church?":

The church is people doing what Jesus did.

Preaching is the first thing the church should do.

The Bible is full of commands not suggestions.

Proclaim facts nor perspectives.

Too many churches expect too little.

We must distinguish the difference between biblical principles and cultural methods.

Fun on Friday- Random Thoughts

Watched a few minutes of Jon & Kate Plus 8 this week for the first time ever. Those people look miserable.

Saw a new billboard along Alcoa Highway today advertising the services of a local palm reader. A phone number was given for those wishing to call and make an appointment. But really, wouldn't you think a palm reader would know to expect you? Shouldn't a palm reader just know that someone is coming?

Think back to when you first started to drive. 10 and 2. 10 and 2. You were taught to keep your hands safely on the wheel and 10 and 2. Now think to how fast you often currently drive one-handed at just 7 or just 3 or just 10 without the 2.

It bothers me to see irrigation systems working when it's raining.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

As a child, I was always fascinated by the story of the tortoise and the hare. I never could understand why the rabbit would race out to a lead, then get lazy and/or lose his competitive drive and ultimately end up losing the race to the tortoise. The tortoise, never flashy, maintained the slow and steady pace. His consistency, while unspectacular, was very effective.

Last night, as I was mowing, I found a turtle making its way through our backyard. He was a long way from home and heading the wrong direction. He had been making his way through the yard, unnoticed, for some time. In recent weeks, a few rabbits have made appearances in our yard. One friend on an adjacent street has even had horses (who had escaped from a nearby farm) and deer (roaming wildly through our subdivision) make appearances in her yard. In each case, these animals were noticeable. The turtle, not so much. But even though the turtle didn't generate much attention, it was still very productive and had accomplished a great deal.

Here's The Point: How many times in life are there celebrities or athletes or fashion trends that arrive on the scene in a blaze of glory only to fizzle away or flame out into obscurity? And yet, in every facet of society, there are people who carve out long, productive careers and styles are developed that are considered timeless. They endure and succeed. Slow and steady wins the race.

Thinking About It

My guess is there is something that has been on your heart and mind for awhile. Because that's just the way things happen. A thought or an idea that won't go away. And you've been thinking about it for a long time. Something like:

going back to school
making a charitable contribution
reading that book
donating blood
getting involved
starting an exercise program
volunteering to serve in some capacity
getting a medical check-up
training for a road race
going on a mission trip
getting more sleep

What are we waiting on? How much more do we need to think about it?

Give Me A J

"and they spoke the word of God with boldness"- Acts 4:31

One of my favorite points is just before the one minute mark.

Innovate Conference- Ed Stetzer

Ed Stetzer is the President of Lifeway Research and is currently the interim Teaching Pastor at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, TN. Here is some of what he shared:

Selfish ambition is as much sin as is murder (Eph. 5: 19-21).

Compromise is Satan's desire; if he can't compromise our beliefs, he is happy to compromise our character.

Secret sins are only that way for a short period of time (Numbers 12). If you won't come to repentance, God will bring you to repentance.

Private sin can deliver the community of faith into public defeat (Joshua 7). Faith gives strength to boldness; sin gives strength to weakness. Faith thrives in community.

The church's toleration of sin distracts from the mission God calls the church (1 Cor. 5). Tolerating open sin is naive; it should not be allowed in a covenant community.

A return to God's mission begins with a return to God's standard (1 Cor. 10).

John Calvin- "the human heart is an idol factory".

Sin grows and it becomes a big deal (James 1:15).

A repentant people is God's most powerful tool for ministry on earth.

The Gospel is not about the maintenance of sin.

The power in the Christian life is not in the absence of sin but rather in the joy of forgiveness.

Innovate Conference- Francis Chan

Francis Chan is the Teaching Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA. He challenged those attending the conference to "believe again", that we are called "believers" for a reason; that we should have the courage of Peter and John (Acts 4:13). Here is more of what he shared:

Often with more knowledge, boldness goes away.

It used to be that people who called themselves Christians looked and acted like Christ.

What are the absolute things you must have to have church? Are the things we have and use biblical or traditional?

In the book of Acts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the church was unstoppable, not by any reason or anything.

Innovate Conference- Jonathan Falwell

Jonathan Falwell is the Pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA. He spoke on "How to Keep Vision from Becoming a Victim".

Vision can become a victim of:
1. Pride- the desire to look successful is the first step toward failure
2. Jealousy
3. Stagnation
4. The opinions of others
5. Insecurity

God blessed the vision He gave to Joshua (Joshua 21: 43-45)

Falwell reminded us that "the uttermost parts of the earth" are not found within the walls of the church

Innovate Conference- Kerry Shook

Kerry Shook is the Pastor of Woodlands Church outside Houston, TX and the author of One Month to Live. He spoke on living each day to its fullest. Here is some of what he shared:

The size of the church is not important, it's the life of and in the church that is important

He asked two thought-provoking questions (Psalm 90:12):
1. What would you do if you knew you had only one month to live?
2. What would you do if you knew your church had one month to live?

He suggested we should:
1. Live passionately- John 10:10
2. Love completely- John 13
3. Learn humbly- Ephesians 2
4. Lead boldly- Luke 9:51

Not self-help, but self-helpless (allow God to work)

Little things have big impacts

Build permanence

Am I allowing God to do everything He wants to do in my life and in my ministry?

Innovate Conference- Eric Geiger

I recently attended the Innovate Conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church. In the next several posts, I'll share some of the notes I took during the conference.

The first speaker was Eric Geiger, Executive Pastor of Christ Fellowship Miami. He spoke on the concept of "Simple Church", that the modern day church has complicated what the original church in Acts was all about. Here is some of what was shared in his session:

"The church has drifted from its core message and mission. Clutter drowns out the essence of who we are. Drift never corrects itself- it must be addressed".

Two types of drift: drift toward complexity and a drift off mission.

Addressing the drift:

1. Clarify your discipleship process- is discipleship a brochure or a blueprint?; discipleship is transformation not information; not just knowledge but obedience

2. Be careful not to over-program early in your discipleship process- you can compete against yourself

3. Ensure missions is deeply embedded in your discipleship process- missions must be central to the purpose

4. Live your process- you must be able to do what you offer

5. Align people and departments around the same process- example of Google homepage vs. Yahoo homepage; is the entire church moving in the same direction or is it a bunch of sub-churches sharing the same space?

6. Remove the clutter- clutter takes resources (time, money ) from the essential things; read about Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18: 1-5