Difficult Decisions

Probably one of the greatest challenges for any person is the challenge to make tough decisions.  No matter if you are a parent, supervisor, father, single mom, teacher, or ministry coordinator – you lead in some capacity.  I believe making tough decisions defines you as a leader.  Tough decisions may often seem like a step backwards.  However, after you navigate the decision – you can see that it was actually a step in the right direction.  Here are some insights to making tough decisions in the different arenas of your life:

1.  Pray and do what God says.  Sounds oversimplified but often times we skip over this step.  BTW – it’s the most important part.

2.  Think through the decision and it’s impact as much as possible.  Paint the scenarios in your mind of the implications.  How are others going to react?  How should you react?  What are the negatives and positives?    You may not be able to prepare for everything, but you can for most things.

3.  Get some buy-in.  Go to key people affected by the decision and get them on board with you as much as possible.  Shared decision-making adds synergy to your decisions.

4.  Make the decision.  Indecision is a curse.  Leaders/people often second guess everything and, therefore, live in a constant state of indecisiveness.  That causes them to live without focus and direction.

5.  Don’t over react if someone is negative towards the decision.  Often times people react negative but later realize it was the best course of action.

6.  Stand firm in your decision.  It may be a tough decision but remember #1.  Remember that you prayed and asked God for guidance.  So trust God to work out the details.  Obedience is paramount in the life of a Christian leader – no matter if you’re leading your family, co-workers, or simply yourself.

Friday’s Download

1.  I am super excited about the series starting September 13th.  HOSTAGE – What’s holding you back?  You don’t want to miss church.  It may be the best series all year.

2.  I challenge you to invite someone to this new series.  People need to be set free.  People need God’s power to change their lives.  Who can you think about right now?  Stop and pray for them.  Then invite them next week to come.

3.  I can’t wait until Saturday at 6 PM.  The Oklahoma Sooners kick off their season in Dallas.  BOOMER SOONER!  I am a fanatic about college football.

4.  I can’t wait until our new baby arrives.  I have the most amazing family.  Lori has been such a warrior through this pregnancy.  I love her so much.

5.  This Sunday is Spud-Fest.  We are going to have a fabulous time at the all-church dinner.

6.  I am so proud of my Lauren.  She and a couple of friends are going to ask permission to start a Bible Club at her Jr. High.  She has such a heart for God. 

7.  More exciting things are happening behind the scenes at Elevate.  We are taking steps of faith to move our vision forward. You’ll hear…

Be The First To Preview My New Sermon Series Video

Coming to Elevate Church September 13th.  I cannot wait until this series.  It may be the best one all year.

Here’s the preview video: www.myelevatechurch.com

Weekend in Review

1.  This weekend was one of the best worship experiences in the short history of Elevate.  The Baptism Bash was amazing.

2.  You have to hear the video stories of people who were baptized this past Sunday.  Go now to the www.myelevatechurch.com and watch the videos on the Life Change page.  This is just one…

3.  We saw 4 people make commitments to Christ last Sunday.  God is working.  That means that 9 people have made decisions for Christ in the month of August in our Worship Experiences.

4.  A huge thanks to the many who worked so hard this past Sunday.  We had extra stuff to do since it was Baptism Bash.  You pulled it together.

5.  I was so excited to see new faces plug in last Sunday to set up and tear down.  We serve God by serving in ministry.  Thanks for adding so much value to the Elevate Team.

6.  I cannot wait to launch my NEW SERIES beginning September 13

Baptism Bash Stories

Tomorrow is the 3rd Baptism Bash for 2009 at Elevate Church.  Why be baptized?

1.  Jesus commanded us to be baptized.  It is an act of obedience. 

2.  You become more like Christ.  Jesus, Himself, was baptized.

3.  It publicly identifies you as a part of God’s family.  Faith is not meant to be hide in our lives.

4.  You can tell the story.  It gives you a chance to share what God has done for you. 

5.  It is symbolic of your “old life” dying (going under – burial) and new life coming alive (coming up-resurrection).

Tomorrow you will hear some of the most powerful stories of life change happening at Elevate Church.  This is one of my favorite services we have at Elevate.

Some Things I Am Looking Forward To

1.  Our new baby girl arrives in less than 5 weeks.  We are so exited.

2.  Baptism Bash this Sunday.  I can’t wait to see people take the next step in their journey of faith in Christ.

3.  College Football.  This is my favorite time of the year.  Watch the Oklahoma Sooners DOMINATE!

4.  Connect Groups.  If you have not been involved, this is a must.  It’s going to be new and improved this fall.

5.  New sermon series coming September 13.   I am passionate about teaching God’s Word in fresh ways.

6.  The Cowboys Tailgate Party:  Hang on.  This one is going to be exciting, new, and fun for the whole family.

7.  Growing this fall.  I believe we are going to see Elevate grow this fall in every area. 

8.  Going deeper with God in my personal life.  I am committed to living with an eternal perspective.  This world is NOT my home.

5 Things I Don’t Like

1.  I don’t like the devil.  Everything about him and his ways are destructive.

2.  I don’t like half-hearted commitments.  There is no such thing.  You are either in or out.

3.  I don’t like disengaged leaders.  They create disengaged followers.

4.  I don’t like waiting.  Most people don’t like this either.  But God teaches me many things through waiting.

5.  I don’t like arrogance.   Arrogance says, “You can’t teach me because I already know.”  The truth is the more I know, the more I know that I don’t know.

Drop me a comment and tell me some of the things you don’t like. 

Sunday Rewind

Yesterday was a great day at Elevate Church.  Here’s my random thoughts about this past weekend.

1.  We had 2 people make decisions for Christ.  Incredible!  I am proud to be a part of a church where people’s lives are being transformed.

2.  Worship was real.  We have one of the best worship teams on the planet.

3.  I loved the God Co video about prayer.  It was hilarious.

4.  I can see a leadership team developing at Elevate in new ways.  It’s simple.  The more leaders, the more followers.

5.  We had 7  first time guests yesterday.  Way to go! 

6.  Elevate Church is an incredible church in the making.  I love being the pastor.

7.  I am so excited about the things we have planned for the fall.  It’s going to rock your world.

8.  Great prayer time for the people headed back to school.  Remember, school zone = prayer zone.

5 More Things You May Not Know About Me

1.  I have fought insecurity in the past.  Height, hair (before I was bald), being overbearing, being a good dad, good pastor, ect.

2.  I have a love/hate relationship with running.  I run for exercise, stress release, weight control, mind relaxation, and prayer.  But sometimes I think I could give it up and never miss it.

3.  I love starting something new.  I am driven to change and new ideas.

4.  I am nervous about being a dad for the 3rd time.  I thank God my first 2 are incredible kids.  This one will be incredible as well.  4 Girls – I live in Hormone Hotel!

5.  I expect a lot out of people.  Maybe because I expect a lot out of myself.

Committed to ?

I find it interesting that if you ask someone what they are committed to in their life, they struggle with answering that question.  Yet the truth is that every person alive is committed to something.  You can see that fleshed out in their lives by where they spend their time, energy, and resources.  The BIG QUESTION is:  Is it the RIGHT thing?  Being committed to the right thing or things in our lives takes serious examination, intentionality, and discipline.  If you want to know 3 things worth committing your life to, you’ll find out this Sunday at Elevate.