paulurban.blogs.com

I'm all a Twitter

After a little pressure, I'm jumping on the twitter bandwagon.  I'm a late adapter, I tried to hold off as long as I could.  But here I go!

 

Follow @PaulSUrban

YOUR church

I have sensed a momentum at The Journey and it's not led by the staff.  I have consistently seen Journeyers stepping into leadership, taking steps of faith, being used by God in the lives of others.  I've seen those who call The Journey living out the vision for church that God has given us as a community.  I have watched our Lead Team truly own the vision and direction of this church.  

The Journey isn't my church, it isn't Matt's church.  It's God's church, and we are ALL a part of it.  But, cutting through semantics, it's truly YOUR church.  If you're a part of The Journey, we hope you feel a stake in what is happening here.  I hope you feel some ownership, I pray that you take steps to connect, grow, partner in what happens for your own sake and for those who will come after you.  

God has given us His Church.  The body of Christ.  It is to be a light to the world.  The Bible says that people will know we are Christians by how we love one another.  That takes all of us.  I believe God has some incredible things in front of us, and that our best days are ahead, but that only happens when The Journey becomes YOUR church.  

I love when someone goes from "I love what you guys are doing here", to "I love what we're doing here".  And, YOUR church needs YOU to play a part.

So, do you feel that way about "YOUR" church (whatever church you go to)?  If not, why not?  It may be an issue with the church, and it may be your issue.  But, life is too short not to be playing your part in God's redemptive plan for the world, and if you're a follower of Jesus, part of that plan is for you to be playing your part in the church.

Work hard, Pray Hard

One of the mantras of our staff is to "work like it all depends on you, and pray like it all depends on God" (p.s. It does!)

For some people, it's easy to pray like it depends on God, but they don't work like it depends on them.  You can spend your time just praying for God to do something and not taking any action yourself.  Some people will even say that's just "having faith".  But most often, your faith is activated after you've determined to move and take action.

For some people (I think most people), it's easy to work like it depends on us, after all we're good at working hard in this country, but it's also easy to forget that nothing of eternal good happens unless God does it.

In your life, and in our ministries, we need to balance working hard and praying hard.  If all you do is pray, you're not doing your part.  If you're not praying, then you're missing out on inviting God to do something far greater than anything you'll accomplish on your own.  

Would you, could you . . .

I'm going to ask something a little audacious.  I'm going to ask you to take a moment and pray for The Journey.  And, I've got something specific I want you to pray.  And, I want you to ask other people to pray.  Even if they don't really know much about The Journey, but they know you, and they follow Jesus - I want you to ask them to take a moment today and pray.  Would you, could you . . . 

Here's what I want you to pray:  God, would you do things so God-sized in 2012 in and through The Journey this year, that only You could get the credit.  Would you move in such remarkable ways that lives, and families, and eternal destinies are changed forever, and would you move in such power that it would be obvious that You were at work and that You did it, and that it would build the faith of everyone who hears about it or experiences it first hand.  Amen.

Would you, could you . . .

Join with me in praying a God-sized audacious prayer for 2012 here along the West Michigan lakeshore. 

136% and 1%

So, the United States has almost 1/2 the world's richest 1%!!  And, that 1% is anyone that makes over $36,000 per/year.  That is not only incredible, and we're blessed to live in this country, but if you're in that top 1% or even top 10%, what kind of a responsibility do we have to help, support, encourage, live with generosity towards the other 99%??  Our family is part of the 1%, which is one reason why we feel it's so important to give back as much as we possibly can.  It's why I drive an older car, it's why we give to The Journey, it's why we support Compassion Kids, etc.

There's another number I saw recently.  It said that the average American spends 136% of their yearly income!!  We're spending more than we're making - by a significant amount!!  

Here's the sad part.  When you spend more than you make, then you're handcuffed in your ability to be generous, AND you end up becoming more and more self-focused.

If you're part of the 1%, like we are, or even the 10%, my hope is that this year, you'll live generously and experience the freedom and impact that comes from living that way.

It'll be different this year.

What do you hope will be different this year than last year?  What's the thing that you want to change this year?  If there's one resolution that you are making this year, what is it?  Go ahead and sound off . . . 

P.S.  We've got a great new series starting this Sunday, called "It's Your Choice", and we will help give you some building blocks to make all those possibilities at the beginning of the year, a reality at the end of the year!!  Don't miss it!

going, going, gone . . .

The year is almost gone, and 2012 is almost here.  As I look back at this past year, it was filled with good moments, bad moments, surprising moments, and real God moments.  So grateful for all that God has done this past year, and that no matter what we've walked through God is there and present.  

At The Journey, we've seen God do some pretty incredible things, like bringing on new staff, moving towards a second site, making a huge difference in Kenya (including a mission trip there), and the launch of our networks that are making a REAL diffference in our communities.  The year has been filled with challenges, surprises, and blessings.

At home, we've seen God continue to be our provider, and work and move in our lives (often in spite of ourselves).  This year, our kids are in three different schools (elementary, middle, and high school).  Both are older boys made their basketball teams (7th and 9th grade), so we've spent a lot of time playing taxi service and sitting in gyms.  They both love it so much, that it's been really fun for them to be a part of the team.  More importantly, we really feel like they are growing in their relationship with Jesus and are proud of them.  We have our challenges with them, but it's fun to see their growth.

This year has been one of continued economic stresses, political upheaval in places like Egypt, Pakistan, Iran.  A horrible Tsunami in Japan.

The Tigers made the playoffs, the LIONS MADE THE PLAYOFFS!  What's next in 2012?  The Cubs?!

I enjoy looking back at the year that was, but I'm always excited to think about the possibilities in the year ahead.

What are you looking forward to in 2012?

A Journeyer's Christmas miracle

Here's the text from a Journeyer's Christmas miracle that they messaged me about on facebook:

• • Yesterday:
    Ive been struggling a bit (ok alot) financially. This is the first time in, I cant tell you how long, that I was this broke. I have scaled my expenses back to the bare minimum and even less...
    
    Yesterday, I got home and found a shut off notice in my mailbox.As I read the notice I actually said out loud, "Oh God, what am I going to do?" I have two bills Ive been worried about and this was one of them.
    
    About an hour after I got home, there was a knock at my back door. I know someone was there, because my dog heard it and was barking to no end...when I got there though, there was no one there, but as I went to close the door, I noticed an envelope taped on the window that said, "Merry Christmas'. When I opened it, I found money.
    
    Ironically, about another hour passed and the second bill disconnect notice came in my email. They are both due in the next couple of days or be turned off (utilities). The "Christmas" envelope will more than pay those bills and take care of me and my aunt until we get paid again. I dont have a clue who the angel was/is, but someone knew I was having a hard time...funny thing though; I NEVER told ANYONE. I only prayed to God and said, "please dont do this for me, just show me how and I will do what I need to do in order to make things better. I will work as many hours as I need to, so I can pay these bills." I have not the faintest clue who did this, but will def pay it forward soon...
    
    thats my christmas story....I am blessed and grateful.

    Thanking God with her for God's provision in her life!  By the way, when you feel prompted to do something, give something, help someone - do it!!  You never know when God might use you to be their miracle!

    
    

 

Christmas Tickets for church? Are you serious?

Yup, and Yup.  The last two years at The Journey, we have done a ticket process for our Christmas services.  Here's why, and what we've learned.

We have limited seating and in the area that we live, there are a lot of extended families that attend together.  This year we are having 3 gatherings: Dec. 23 at 7 pm; Dec. 24 at 3:30 and 5 pm.  We purposely print less tickets than actual seats, because we know that we will have people who will visit the website or call the church phone number and just show up at a service.  We also want to try and leave space for someone who runs into a friend or neighbor and invites them last minute.

Last year, we had more people than tickets "sold" at every service.  It always makes me a little nervous, because I know it's going to be crowded.  We tell our regulars to "Park Far/Sit Near", which leaves the best parking spots and best seats for guests.

We allow people to pick up their tickets at our Next Steps Center starting 3 weeks prior to the gatherings. They can also request tickets online.  Not everyone picks up tickets, and we don't actually take the tickets at the door, but it gives us an idea of what to expect.

This year, we decided to do a Christmas Eve Eve service because we thought some people might be going away for the weekend, starting Saturday morning.  We have been really surprised at how many people have said "we're so glad you're doing a service then, because we always have family stuff on Christmas Eve".  We will probably do a Christmas Eve Eve service from here on out.  We have actually "sold" more tickets to the Friday night service than the Christmas Eve ones.  Because of the tickets and "seeing how many people are coming, we're prepared for the large crowd on Friday night and have already set up our extra seats, have more Kids packets made, and are informing our volunteers and staff to park in our "additional parking" lot.  

Tickets also encourage people to think about inviting someone, and then actually do it.  They have tickets in their hand and it serves as a reminder.

Tickets also seem to say "this is going to be an extra special event", and creat a little buzz and excitement.

We printed 775 tickets, and we have seating capacity at about 990 for the 3 gatherings.  All tickets are gone.  We'll let you know how it all shook out.  

 

The Problem with the church

The problem with the church is that it is filled with people, and led by people, and staffed by people, and we're all imperfect.  We will disappoint, and make wrong decisions, and anger one another.  We'll read into someone's body language, and mis-interpret someone's words.  It is a mess.  

But, it is a beautiful mess . . . if . . . we're striving to follow Jesus.  When we're following Him, we're called to forgive when we're offended, we're called to make things right when we've made a wrong, we're called to seek restoration where anger has caused separation, we're called to give the other person the benefit of the doubt.  

It's a relationship.  A relationship with Jesus, and a relationship with other people.  Some who are following Jesus, some who are not.  Some who will agree with you, some who will not.  So, if there will always be difficulties in the church, what should you do?

1.  Make sure you are at a church where you believe the leaders (staff, Lead Team/elders) have a growing, passionate relationship with Jesus, and are authentic in their life with Him.  People of integrity.  People whom you believe are striving to listen to God's voice and then willing to do what He says.

2.  Make sure that your motives are right.  Are you willing to do the hard relational work that it takes to be connected in a relationship?

3.  Realize that everyone in the church is not a follower of Jesus, and often won't act like they are.

4.  YOU are an important part of God's movement in the town and place where He has you.  Play your part.  Live the Jesus way as a model for others.  Be quick to forgive.  Quick to restore.  Quick to serve.  Pray for the pastors at your church, and pray for the unity of your local church.

It's a beautiful mess.  The problem with the church is people, but the beauty of the church is also people.  People, with all their mess, following Jesus and being used by Jesus to turn the world upside down.

Huge Risk = Huge Reward???

I don't think I've ever found the secret formula for this, but I want to be a person that is taking huge (calculated) risks, that has big faith, but that also is wise.  Where is the balance in that?  I'm not sure.  Some people take huge risks, and claim big faith, and then make stupid decisions; there is no huge reward for them.  Some people are trying to be wise, so they analyze everything to death, and never actually DO anything, and there is no huge reward for them either.  

I wish there was a secret formula, but there isn't.  I try to be wise, and seek Godly counsel, but always be willing to take risks, and make giant steps of faith.  Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.  And, often it doesn't go exactly according to my plan, or how I thought it would work out.  

What big (calculated) risks are you weighing right now?  What steps of faith are you being called to?  Who is in your life bringing wisdom and insight to decisions you need to make?  Are you spending time with God, and seeking His wisdom?

There may not be a secret formula for the balance between risk and wisdom, other than this:  We need to listen to God, and then do what He says.  If we're listening to Him, and then we actually do what He tells us to do, we'll be making the right call every time.