India: Technology in a Thatch Hut

During our recent travels, we spent some time in India learning more about the cultural landscape and the great work some ministries are doing there. While we were visiting different areas, I took this picture. Located in a poor village, this thatch hut has no running water or sewer, yet it does have satellite TV.

The government has created some initiatives that help make televisions more widely available, but the contrast is still surprising. It makes me wonder how having access to information might change poverty over the course of generations.

It also got me thinking…someone living in these conditions could be exposed to the Gospel while watching their satellite television. From a thatch hut in India, the poorest of the poor could hear a message of hope from somewhere across the globe.

If that’s possible, then what could that mean for the future possibility of using technology to share Christ with the world? This experience only increases my resolve to use these tools to reach the world, whether it’s satellite TV in a thatch hut in India or a mobile phone in the middle of Africa.

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What I’m Learning through our Fast

We’re nearing the end of a 21-day fast at LifeChurch.tv, and this morning I’ll be talking with our staff about some of the ways God is speaking to me during this time. I thought I’d take a few minutes and share with you as well.

I’m reading through the Bible in 90 days, and something in the Old Testament has stood out to me. God kept doing these crazy huge miracles, and after each one the Israelites would soon start complaining “What’s God done for us lately?” Parting the water, manna from the sky, water out of a rock, and next thing you know they’re whining, “Now what are we going to do?!”

It didn’t take long for them to forget. The same goes for us.

In the 14-year history of LifeChurch.tv (which is a very short span of time from an Old Testament perspective), God has done some remarkable things. Yet, even for those of us who experienced it firsthand, it’s been easy to lose sight of just how much He’s done. We focus so intently on moving forward that we can feel it isn’t worthwhile to look back.

We need to do something to remember all God has done and all God is doing.

Not because the past demands our attention, but because the future demands that our focus is on Him. We have to keep God’s work present in our minds, or we’ll be tempted to rely on our own abilities and forget the role He’s played.

To move forward, we have to look to the past.

How do you remember God’s work in your church and in your life?

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Following the Recipe

It’s not unusual for ministries to take a close look at other churches. Often, they’re in search of the recipe for success.

It’s great that churches can learn from each other. Our church has certainly been helped by it, and we hope other churches have found value in what we’ve been able to offer.

But there’s something important to keep in mind as we study others. We have to realize we have different ingredients.

When you do the same things as Ministry X, you can’t assume you’ll get the same results. God has given you and your team unique talents, resources, and vision to reach your community.

We’re better off building a recipe that takes into account the ingredients we have.

What are some key ingredients for your church?

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Lazy People Don’t Need Vision to be Lazy

Churches who decide to go multi-site often do so by adding campuses in nearby cities. Sometimes, churches will promote these new locations to their attendees as a convenience: “Now you can get to church in half the time!” Those same churches are somewhat surprised when the evangelism temperature for reaching the lost doesn’t seem to be the same at the new locations.

When that happens, it’s a good idea to step back and look at the vision that was cast for the new approach. If you focus on the fact that it’s easier now to get to church, you’ll attract people who want attending church to be easy.

But let’s face it, lazy people don’t usually need more instructions on being lazy In fact, people who are lazy are pretty good at finding more ways to be lazy.

When launching a new location, convenience isn’t the most effective vision to cast. Instead, how about…

“This is a part of our community that we’re really excited about reaching.”

“You get to be on the ground floor of something big.”

Can you share some great examples of casting vision for new locations?

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New Seasons Mean New People

When a ministry enters a new season, we must open the door for new leaders.

The “old guard” often resents new seasons. I’m a big believer in working hard to lead the tenured believers toward new life. Sometimes, though, they refuse to move forward.

In those times, we have to help people grow. If we can’t help people grow with the new direction, we need to be willing to allow some people to move on.

During these transitional seasons, I’m always looking for new leaders. Often they arise from right in front of you. There could be faithful people that were serving under others who seem to rise from nowhere when there is a new chance to lead.

When the current changes, keep your eyes open to new people God will raise up.

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What the Church Should Learn from Google (3 of many)

3. They haven’t arrived.

Most of us would say Google is pretty big. Just 11 years after they launched their search engine, they are one of the top ten most well known brands in the world. But despite how big they’ve become, they continue to think bigger. Instead of looking back at what they’ve accomplished, they look outward and to the future.

For example, with Google Translate they are aiming to break down language barriers across the globe. That’s a pretty ambitious goal, but it’s just the kind of big vision that helps propel organizations to go further.

As churches, it’s really easy to look at what God’s done–our history, heritage, or recent success–and become more focused on that instead of the big opportunities for what could be.

Is your church as big as Google?

No? Great, there are a lot more opportunities for your church to reach this world.

Yes? Great, there are a lot more opportunities for your church to reach this world.

Tags: Google

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Making It “Their” Church

When I meet people from our church, they often tell me more with their words than they realize.

They almost always say one of two things:

• “I go to your church.”
• “I love our church.”

When they say, “I go to your church,” I know this person is not likely very engaged in the life of the church. In most cases, they aren’t serving, participating, or giving. They are simply attending a church that is not yet “theirs.”

When they say, “I love our church,” they are usually very involved. The church doesn’t belong to someone else. It is “their” church.

I’m asking God to empower me to move people from “going to church” to “being the church.” When they stop going and start being, the church goes from yours to mine.

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The Church’s Vision is Too Small

For years, I wondered why some people seemed more excited about parachurch ministries than church ministries. Perhaps it is because our vision for the church has been too small.

Almost daily, I hear great church members excited about their “outside the church” ministry. Instead of whining about why they don’t give, serve, or care about the ministry of the local church, I’ve made two commitments:

1. I’m going to cast such a compelling vision for the power of the local church that the vision would draw their hearts back to the local church.
2. I’m going to celebrate and embrace whatever they are doing to make a difference.

Not surprisingly, God is turning many hearts back to loving his church!

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