20 Lessons In 20 Years

Twenty years ago today I started working in vocational ministry. My first ministry job was as an Assistant Youth Pastor at a church in Goldthwaite, Texas. As I've looked back over the last 20 years of my ministry career & life, here are a few lessons I've learned (in no particular order...)

20 Lessons In 20 Years

1. God has been incredibly good to me. The last 20 years of my life God has used me in ways disproportionate to my own skills & abilities and has given me opportunities beyond my wildest dreams.

2. Ministry is better with a best friend. I did almost 10 years of ministry without Johanna by my side. It's better...and way more fun...when your best friend is your partner in ministry as well.

3. It's all about Jesus. Ministry is good. Church is good. But Jesus is better.

4. There is nothing that fills my should and creates fire in my heart more than seeing people far from God find life in Jesus Christ. I'm addicted to life-change!

5. Don't EVER, EVER, EVER sacrifice your kids and family on the alter of ministry. The church will find another pastor. My kids have one dad.

6. Don't do ministry alone. Bring friends along. Make life-long investments in people. I feel bad for the pastors who say "it's lonely at the top." Life's too short to live that way.

7. Believe in people. I believe that the biggest contribution that I've made to developing leaders over the years is believing deeply in people & releasing them to do what God has created & gifted them to do.

8. Choose grace. If given the option, always choose grace. It sets you apart from the rest of the religious world.

9. Have fun. Ministry can be hard. There will be difficult days. But I GET TO do this. So have some fun.

10. There is no substitute for hard work. If you're in ministry, you have ZERO excuse for laziness. Dreams don't work unless you do.

11. Say thank you. You didn't get here alone. Leading in ministry means there are tons of people helping you accomplish God's call on your life. Let them know you appreciate them.

12. Get some mentors. My life has been INCREDIBLY BLESSED by some amazing mentors & spiritual fathers that have poured their lives into me. It's made me a better husband, dad & pastor.

13. Break down barriers to the cross. Don't put "secondary" stumbling blocks that keep people from coming to Jesus. Keep the main thing the main thing.

14. Learn to hear from God. Tune your ear to his voice & follow his lead.

15. Grind. Ministry is hard and sometimes tedious. Get up everyday and GRIND.

16. Don't believe what they say. You are not as good as they say you are. But you're not as bad as they say you are either. Listen to Jesus.

17. Being a dad has made me a better pastor & leader. There's something about being a physical father that helps you become a better spiritual father.

18. Love people. Mess and all. That's what Jesus wants.

19. Never put religiosity before relationship. Here's what people want to know: Can I belong before I believe? Can I come to the family before I come to the faith?

20. Jesus is enough. 

Hey Pastor: Just Try To Keep Up

I believe that one of the biggest temptations for church planters and pastors is the temptation to "keep up."

I can remember a Sunday a few months ago where we had 7 people commit their lives to Jesus in our Sunday worship experiences. I was ecstatic. That is, until I went home and got on Twitter. And saw a pastor of a large church post about how his church had over 100 people trust Jesus during their services that same day. 

And all the sudden, the 7 lives that were forever changed seemed small. All because I felt the pressure of not being able to "keep up." Seven lives forever changed by God. It's amazing. It's incredible. But that joy was diminished because of the pressure to "keep up." Because of the sin of comparison.

Here's the truth: Comparison is a thief. It will rob us of our joy. It will rob us of our peace. It will rob us of our gratitude for what God is doing in our lives and in our churches.

So here is my challenge to you, pastor and church planter (and to myself): Let's try our best to keep up. But not with other people.

Don't try to keep up with other people. Instead, keep in step with the Spirit of God.

God's Word says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)

That's wisdom. That's godly advice. So let's shift our focus from comparing ourselves to others...and just try to keep up.

What Church Planters Can Learn From Taylor Swift

Dear Church Planter,

You will face opposition. The enemy will try to stop you. People are going to oppose you. Sometimes those people will even be church people, or at least religious folks. That shouldn't shock you. Because the same thing happened to church planters in the early church. 

Go read Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas are in the midst of planting the church and they begin to face opposition. Who starts it? The religious leaders of the day. Read it for yourself:

But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. - Acts 13:50-52.

But notice how Paul and Barnabas react to the opposition the religious leaders incited against them? 

They went all Taylor Swift on the naysayers. Verse 51 says "So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them" and then they moved on.

God's given you a vision for your city. He's calling you to make an impact for His Kingdom in your community and beyond. He's placed in your heart big dreams of changed lives, healed homes, and better cities. 

Don't be shocked when the opposition comes. Just be prepared. Go all Taylor Swift on the naysayers. Shake it off.

Math In God's Kingdom

Here's a thought: Too many times when it comes to our lives, our callings, and our legacies, we use the wrong math.

We look at our life and see the obstacles and the realities and the road blocks and begin to think of all the different reasons why God couldn't use us and why we don't measure up to make an impact for His Kingdom.

But we're doing the math wrong.

Here's the Math of God's Kingdom:

God > My Reality

God > The Obstacles I Face

God> My Limits

God's Grace > My Past

God's Vision > My Vision

God's Plan > My Plan

So go live your life with the confidence of God's Math and make an impact for His Kingdom.

How To Be Part Of The Solution

Dear American Christian,

If you have strong opinions on race relations, Baltimore, Ferguson, and the like but haven't shared a meal or deep conversation with a friend of another ethnicity this week, you're part of the problem...not the solution.

If you've used social media to share with others all the reasons why another faith group is wrong and evil, but you don't actually have relationships with people from that faith group, you're part of the problem...not the solution.

If you can lament endlessly about why a Christian baker shouldn't have to bake a cake for a gay wedding, but don't have one openly gay friend, you're part of the problem...not the solution.

If you pick your political candidate simply on his or her position on welfare reform, yet you don't give of your personal resources to care for the poor, you're part of the problem...not the solution.

If you've hopped from church to church to church, attending a new church every year because it better fits "your needs" you're part of the problem...not the solution.

Jesus said this in Luke 6: 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

What if we just started acting like Jesus and doing what He said? Let's be honest. It's hard and uncomfortable at times to be part of the solution. But Jesus calls us to it...so it's worth it.

Meet The Team Monday

I've started a new blog post series that runs every Monday and introduces a new team member that serves at Timber Ridge in a leadership role. 

This week's Meet The Team Monday participant is Paige Johnson. Paige works as a school counselor for Dublin ISD and at Timber Ridge, she and her husband Matt serve as our Director of Student Ministries. Paige has been with us almost since the beginning and has been serving in this role at Timber Ridge since August of 2013. Here's some interesting facts about Paige.

(Paige is the one without the beard!)

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Some form of potatoes: Mashed, baked, hash browns, french fries, etc.

Describe what you do at Timber Ridge in your own words:
Connect people with Jesus. I serve alongside my husband as the directors for Timber Ridge Students.

What do you like best about your role at Timber Ridge?
I love getting to pour into the lives of the young people. We have so many great students in this area and most of them don't realize how much God can use them.

What's your favorite hobby?
I really enjoy watching movies with my husband, shopping, and crafting

What songs would be included on the soundtrack of your life?
Like Nobody Will by Kyle Park (1st Dance At Our Wedding)
My Girl (My mom used to sing it to me.)
Wild Things by Andy Mineo (Because I want to live like the lyrics in the song.)

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?
Tom and Jerry

Tell us about when you committed your life to Jesus?
I was really young maybe 6 or 7. My mom tells me that I have always have a strong faith in God. I was baptized at 11 with my mom.  I remember thinking I wanted to live a different life than many of the people around me. I wanted God to use me.

What's something you learned in the past year?
That God is never going to leave you no matter what you go through. When you are faithful he really will give you the desires of your heart.

If you could have one talent or ability that you don't possess what would it be and why?
Definitely singing. I love to sing anyway but I am terrible at it. I always love hearing good people sing and think it would be fun.

You can get to know Paige better by connecting via social media by clicking here.

Meet The Team Monday

I've started a new blog post series that runs every Monday and introduces a new team member that serves at Timber Ridge in a leadership role. 

This week's Meet The Team Monday participant is Sara Sanderson. Sara is a Tarleton Student and currently serves in our intern program. While she serves in various areas, her focus in on our college ministry. Sara has been on the Timber Ridge team since August of 2014. Here's a part of Sara's story.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

French fries...or ice cream...definitely ice cream!

Describe what you do at Timber Ridge in your own words:

At Timber Ridge I am a College Ministry Intern. I get to work with awesome people on a daily basis and learn the ins and outs of how a church is run. For the college ministry side of things, I help to organize, plan and coordinate events to reach out to the students at TSU and Ranger College. I also serve on the worship team and lead a college LifeGroup.

What do you like best about your role at Timber Ridge?

I love that I get to work with such an amazing group of people and have an opportunity to have a big reach on campus.

What do you do for fun?

I love spending time hanging out with my friends, going to rodeos and taking pictures.

What's something you learned in the past year?

In the past year I have learned the value of good friends and the importance of asking for help when you need it.

What has God been teaching you recently?

God has been teaching me to love and look at everyone as He does. He has taught me the importance of the relationships He brings into our lives and to know that each relationship has a reason, a season and a purpose.

Tell us about when you committed your life to Jesus?

I grew up going to church but did not know what it meant to have a relationship with God until my junior year in high school. My friend, now my soon-to-be sister-in-law, took me to a church that is nontraditional and opened my eyes to a whole new world of “church.” At Christ Community Church I learned what it meant to have a relationship with God and how to begin that relationship. After attending the church sporadically for a few months I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was baptized last April at Timber Ridge and my life has been radically changed! God has definitely moved mountains in my life.

If you were stranded on a deserted island & could only have 3 things, what 3 things would you want?

Three things… Toothpaste/toothbrush (who wants nasty teeth!), iPod (I can’t go long without my music!), food (I wouldn’t last long without it!).

If you could have one talent or ability that you don't possess what would it be and why?

I would love to be able to draw. I love art and painting and all that creative stuff but I am just not the best with it.

Nothing would make me happier than spending a day......

Hiking with no one other than God.

You can find out more about Sara & connect via social media by clicking here.