Year: 2015

Are Supernatural Gifts For Today?

no responses

In my book, Beyond Awkward, I spend three chapters on the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism. Some people have written me, and reviewed, saying it was the most helpful part of the book for them. Others have written wondering when it was I fell off the cart!

[5 ways that help me hear God on the move]

With further reflection this summer, and a great conversation with both my brother in law and Tim Catchim, I have come to realize how to talk about the way I see the role of God speaking and the gifts of the Spirit for today. 

This post is thinking I am taking further and is not found in my book.

I think a continuum is helpful here.

Continue Reading

Do Not Despise These Small Beginnings

no responses

[This post is part of the “4 Hour Campus Plant” series. I am live blogging my attempt to plant a ministry at a new campus with only 4 hours a week. This is a continuous story that builds, so make sure to start at the beginning.]


 

Kimy is totally gaining strength from the Lord. You can just hear it in her voice.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” – Zechariah 4:10

Continue Reading

Planting – When You Don’t Want To Be There

2 responses

[This post is part of the “4 Hour Campus Plant” series. I am live blogging my attempt to plant a ministry at a new campus with only 4 hours a week. This is a continuous story that builds, so make sure to start at the beginning.]

This week students from Long Beach State, a neighboring campus with a strong InterVarsity chapter, came to pray at Long Beach City College (LBCC)

I have been away from Los Angeles for more than two weeks and I couldn’t be more proud of how Kimy is holding firm in the efforts to plant LBCC. Let me remind you that it is the summer, not a ton of students are around, and in many ways this is a terrible time to plant a ministry.

Continue Reading

When Reinforcements Come

no responses

[This post is part of the “4 Hour Campus Plant” series. I am live blogging my attempt to plant a ministry at a new campus with only 4 hours a week. This is a continuous story that builds, so make sure to start at the beginning.]

Do you ever feel like you are at your end and you don’t know if you can keep going? Well, I think Kimy was at this point yesterday. I could just tell when we first started talking. She has a lot on her plate this summer, some personal things are coming up, and the idea of planting LBCC just seems overwhelming. If you have planted anything before, you know that feeling.

This couldn’t have been a better day for reinforcements to come and cheer her up, let her know she is not alone, and put some wind in her sails. Here is her reflection from our time together:

Continue Reading

$140 Million and Feeling Lost

no responses

FullSizeRender

Does this resonate with you? It does with me.

I am reading through Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration and I am loving it! Ed Catmull, the founder of Pixar, takes you through his journey to launch and run the company and all the lessons he learned along the way with regard to eliminating blocks to creativity.

The quote above is written just after Toy Story brought in $140 million and all the fears of his company failing vanished.

All of a sudden, in the most secure time of his 20 year career, he feels lost. WHAT?!

Continue Reading

Learning to Prayer Walk

no responses

[This post is part of the “4 Hour Campus Plant” series. I am live blogging my attempt to plant a ministry at a new campus with only 4 hours a week. This is a continuous story that builds, so make sure to start at the beginning.]

I wasn’t able to make it to LBCC this week because of Regional staff meetings. But Kimy and Juan held it down and went about business as usual. When I got off the boat from Catalina on Tuesday I had a video and multiple pictures from their time!

They studied Acts 17 and talked about Paul in Athens and how he saw and responded to idols. Then they went on a prayer walk.

The lesson they learned in planting was all about the power of a prayer walk in a secular place.

Enjoy her video reflection…

Continue Reading

Attract a Crowd or Develop a Following?

no responses

[This post is part of the “4 Hour Campus Plant” series. I am live blogging my attempt to plant a ministry at a new campus with only 4 hours a week. This is a continuous story that builds, so make sure to start at the beginning.]

This week at Long Beach City College Kimy and Juan-David led the group through Luke 10, the sending of the 72. Their task was to invite some friends and invite them into the mission with us. They were able to get two friends there and we had a great discussion. For their first time leading a group with us they did pretty well!

Eric didn’t show up, as he was talking to some friends. It was unclear if he was bailing on us or if he was getting into a spiritual conversation with them. Time will tell.

Continue Reading