#444 - THOUGHTS ON PREACHING - PART 1

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Thursdays are the days I spend the majority of my day preparing for the message I am going to preach on Sunday. In addition to studying the text, preparing my Keynote slides, and doing a lot of praying (a LOT of praying!), there are several questions that I force myself to answer before I conclude my preparation for the day.

Over the next several days I want to share with you the questions I ask myself. Here are the questions I ask myself to help me set up my INTRODUCTION:

  1. What is a compelling question that I can frame the message with that both unbelievers and believers would be interested in the answer to? [This gives the audience a "reason" to listen.]

  2. What is a personal story I can share of how I have recently dealt with the issue this message addresses? [This connects the audience with me and my humanity.]

  3.  What are several general ways that the audience has dealt with or is dealing with the issue that is being addressed? [This further connects the audience with the message.]

  4. What is at stake if myself and the audience do not understand the answer to the question being posed? [This adds "gravity" and "weight" to the message.]

I spend a significant time on how I "set-up" my message because I am convinced that it's not enough to just "teach the Bible" on Sundays. I must show those I am ministering to how what I am about to teach has implications and applications for their life that truly matter.

I liken the introduction to a message to how I feel about the first few pages of a book. If a book doesn't get my attention in the first few pages, I'll most likely put the book down and never get to "the rest" of what the book has to offer! Similarly, if I can't get the audience to care about what I'm going to say in the first 5 minutes, it will be very difficult to keep them engaged for the next 35!

#443 - A PROPER ROLLOUT

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Though we are a church that is in its' third full year, I am ashamed to admit that a clear, intentional, strategic discipleship process has not been something we have had in place. 

But, in an effort to remedy this issue, as a leadership team, since January, we have been working on defining the discipleship process at theMOVEMENT.

In a few weeks, I am going to do my best to rollout this process.

With this is mind, here are a few questions I'm doing my best to answer as this "rollout" unfolds:

  1. Who are the stakeholders who will ensure this rollout's success?

  2. Are the stakeholders on board? 

  3. Has clear communication gone out in regards to when the rollout is going to take place? 

  4. Have proper handouts/visuals been created so that what is being rolled out is clearly understood? 

  5. Is the "Why?" behind what is being rolled out convicting and compelling? 

  6. Do we have positive/negative testimonies in place of people who have benefitted from and missed out on what is being rolled out? 

  7. Are the "next steps" we want people to take obvious and easy? 

  8. How will people get their questions answered in regards to what is being rolled out?

  9. How will people provide their feedback to what is being rolled out?

  10. When will version 2.0 with all of its' upgrades/fixes be released? 

In no way is this an exhaustive list of all that needs to be involved in a "rollout," but these are the things on the top of my mind. 

What else would you add to this list? Please comment below! 

#442 - EASTER 2016

220 adults. 30 kids. 1 baptism. And PLENTY of churros!  

As I reflect on my third Easter Sunday at theMOVEMENT, our most well attended service in the history of our church, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for God's gracious goodness in my life! 

In an effort to practice my personal value of resolute gratitude, here are 5 things I'm grateful for in regards to this past Easter Sunday. 

  1. Leading a selfless, sacrificial, and committed team. I am so blessed to be surrounded by a group of people who have caught the vision of Overwhelming Oakland with Love and, whether paid or unpaid, are willing to do whatever it takes to make that vision a reality! I have done nothing to deserve the team I am privileged to lead, it's all grace.

  2. Worshipping with a diverse community of people who represent various cultures, ages, socioeconomic statuses, and degrees of faith in God. I am so blessed to be a part of a community of faith that accurately represents the demographic of the city in which it has been called to serve. I have done nothing to earn being a part of such a diverse community, it's all grace.

  3. Serving alongside my family. My mother and father served on our church's guest service team and my youngest brother sang with the band. To carry out the mission of God with the people who are closest to me is one of my life's greatest joys! I have done nothing to merit doing ministry with my family, it's all grace.

  4. Preaching the Gospel to a packed house! My Heavenly Father knows that it is a desire of my heart to be used by Him to preach the good news to as many people as possible. To have the opportunity to share the uniqueness of the Christian message to a full room is something I hope I never take for granted. I have done nothing to entitle myself to such a privilege, it's all grace.

  5. Seeing a dream become a reality. What started out as a hope in my heart is slowly but surely becoming a fulfillment of my faith! Unchurched people trying the church. Dechurched people returning to the church. Overchurched people enjoying the church! I have done nothing to warrant such results, it's all grace.

Because I know me better than anyone else, I am convinced that if it were not for the grace of God, theMOVEMENT Church in Oakland would not be experiencing the type of favor and blessing it is experiencing. An awareness of my inadequacies, shortcomings, and deficiencies does not allow me to take credit for something that surely God is doing!

What God did in and through our church this past Sunday is more evidence to a truth that I am learning to grasp more and more as the years go by:   IT'S ALL GRACE!

#441 - 5 WAYS TO GET WORK DONE

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  1. You can do the work.

  2. You can do the work with followers. 

  3. You can do the work through followers. 

  4. You can do the work through leaders who do the work through followers. 

  5. You can do the work through leaders who do the work through other leaders. 

Though there is no moral value to the way you aspire to get the work done, there is a ceiling to the amount of work that can actually be accomplished at each level.

With that in mind, as a leader, there are two questions you must have the courage to answer: 

  1. How much work would I like to get done? 

  2. Am I willing to invest my life into developing leaders who develop leaders so that more work can be accomplished?

#440 - GO FIRST

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Be honest. About your fears. About your faults. About your failures. 

Too many people are carrying the weight of their past, their problems, and their pressures and they feel as if they have no choice than to shoulder their burdens on their own. 

But it is your honesty about your issues, many times, that gives people the permission to be honest about their issues.

But what they need is a leader.  

A leader who is vulnerable, transparent, and courageous enough to go first. 

Because that's what leaders do. 

Leaders go first.

#439 - A MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE TO MYSELF

Edward,

Bear down. Focus. Concentrate. BE DISCIPLINED!

You aren't getting any younger, the days aren't getting any longer, and your calling isn't going to get any easier.

Make every moment of every day this month matter. Routine is your friend.

Wake up at 6:30am.
Take Merritt out to go to the bathroom.
Feed Merritt.
Play with Merritt.
Eat breakfast and do daily devotions.
Read at least 10 pages of a good book.
Post a 100-word blog post.
Be in office by 9am.
Write down 6 most important work items you need to accomplish.
Start working on the first one until it is complete.
Focus and work through list one task at a time.
Feed yourself and feed Merritt at 12:30p.
Get back to work.
Run at least 2 miles.
Pray with Rebekah and be in bed by 10:30pm. (NO EXCEPTIONS!)

In regards to your health, this is the month you make drastic changes!

You are getting overweight. You are slowing down on the basketball court. Your face is getting fat and your belly is getting big. Take a hard look at the reality of your health. At 33, are your best days of health behind you? Is it all just going to get worse from here on out?!? Wake up PAZ!

Take control of your health situation and commit yourself to the daily disciplines that compounded over time will result in a healthier you.

Eat cereal for breakfast. Eat salads for lunch and dinner. Drink water (lots of it). Do at least 10 push-ups every. single. day. (It's a pathetic amount. Commit to it!) Run at least 2 miles. You have a half-marathon that you will run on Saturday, March 26. You need to do at least 20 training runs between now and then, including a long run of at least 10 miles.

The way you will feel each day after executing each of your disciplines will be way better than you will feel the moment you neglect your disciplines because of your laziness.

This is your month. The only thing standing between you and a month filled with productivity and life change is YOU.

Get after it. Make each day your masterpiece. The best month of your life awaits you!

MARCH 2016

5 MEMORABLE MOMENTS (FEBRUARY 2016)

  1. Launched the Rescuing Awe radio program on 1640AM - KDIA.
  2. Brought home our chocolate labradoodle Merritt on February 13!
  3. Strengthened NAMB relationships (Assessment in Vegas; Warriors game).
  4. Blessed to watch Movement Leadership Team host missions team from Houston's First Baptist and execute a great week of ministry.
  5. Enjoyed a restful week at Johnson's Ferry with Rebekah for the MOVE Conference. 

4 GOALS (MARCH 2016)

  1. Meet with tax guy.
  2. Take study break and get 3 weeks ahead with sermon prep.
  3. Complete Livermore Half-Marathon in at least 2 hours and 10 minutes.
  4. Lose 10 pounds.

3 HABITS

  1. Read 10 pages.
  2. Write 100 words.
  3. Run at least 2 miles. 

2 SACRIFICES

  1. Eat salads and drink water only.
  2. No social media. 

1 COMMITMENT

  1. Meet with tax guy.