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READING IS LEADING

I know there are different ways to learn, however for me reading is one of the best means.  So as we wrap up 2011 and move forward into 2012 -- I have laid out my first several reads for the new year.  This is one of the best ways for me to keep on track in my self-leading efforts.

I can feel the difference when I do not regularly seed my mind with good brain food.

So in the column on my right: What's In My Kindle I have laid out the several books I plan to read this year.

Simply put "READING IS LEADING!"

What are you reading as you enter this new year?

Merry Christmas from the Kaya's 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS

To our online community of friends on Twitter and Facebook we want to thank you for staying connected with us and enriching our lives throughout this past year.  We want to wish a Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!

For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Love,

Emersen, Rhett, Tara & Rod

My Second Grader's Telling of the Christmas Story

Before school let out for Christmas break my son Rhett's 2nd grade teacher asked each student in class what they thought Christmas is about.  Here is the response that he typed out.

The actual project he turned in is below and I have retyped verbatim what he wrote out.

The most important thing about Christmas is Jesus' Birthday and Jesus' being born its also about the wise men and Jesus' Mom and dad.. They had to sleep in a barn well Jesus was born.  When Jesus was born he had to sleep in some hay in the barn.  It smelld bad there was donkys and shee and maybe a cow.  Three wise men followed a star that took them to the new born king and the new born king is Jesus!  When the wise men go there they gave Jesus some stuff and that's what Christmas is all a bout.

By Rhett

The Land Between -- GLS Weekend Extra

Still wanting more from what you experienced this GLS weekend?

Here are some additon learnings from Jeff Manion .. enjoy!

 

Also for more information on book "The Land Between" available at the Daily Journey Counter this weekend,  check this out below:

 

The Land Between -- "GLS Weekend" @Journey

2011will mark the 8th year that Journey Community Church will serve as the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) host site in the San Diego area.  Annually this world-class leadership training event impacts hundreds of leaders in our community and tens of thousands globally.  For three years now we have designated a weekend to feature an actual GLS message given at a previous event to give our church a sampling of what an incredible event the GLS is.

This weekend, May 27 & 29, is our GLS weekend featuring one of the highest rated sessions from last year's conference.  It is the message "The Land Between" by Jeff Manion senior teaching pastor at Ada Bible Church.  The message is also the topic of a book by the same title that we will have available after each of our services at the Daily Journey counter. 

Here is a sample of what you will experience this weekend.

 

In addtion Journey members will be able to sign up for the 2011 GLS at an incredible host site rate after services also at the Daily Journey counter. 

You will not want to miss this weekend!

What You Need to Know for Good Friday & Easter @Journey!

Easter Weekend at Journey Community is quickly upon us.  There is still time to pick up the phone and invite someone.  I know there is still a few more people I need to follow up. 

So here is everything you need to know to make you and your guests' experience has meaningful as possible.

GOOD FRIDAY -- 5PM & 7PM:

• Service is scheduled to go 70 minutes in length.
• Communion will be served.
• Doors will be open 15 minutes prior to start of the listed service times and kids will check in will also be available from that time.
• Kid's ministry for infants to 5thgrade.
• Middle school and high school students are to attend the main service.
• Bookstore open at the conclusion of each service for a half hour
  

EASTER SUNDAY -- 8AM, 9:30AM & 11AM:

• Service is scheduled for 60 minutes.
• Easter kicks off a new series.
• Doors will be open 15 minutes prior to start of the listed service times and kids will check in will also be available from that time.
• Kid's ministry for infants to 5thgrade.
• Middle school and high school students are to attend the main service.
• Intepretation for the deaf will be available for the 11am service
• Complimentary refreshments available after each of the service
• Bookstore open at the conclusion of each service for a half hour

NEXT WEEKEND:

• Part 2 of Series that launched on Easter.
• Regular service times resumes: Fri. 7pm, Sun. 9 & 11am.
• Kids ministry for all services.
• Middle School & High School at 9 & 11am
• Kids Fun Day after the 11am service.

Journey Community Church. 619-464-4544. 8363 Center Drive La Mesa CA 91942.  wwwjourneycommunitychurch.org

Join Me in Going Barefoot Tomorrow!

Will join me in going barefoot tomorrow (Tuesday April 5) in support of One Day Without Shoes.

Many of us were inspired by TOMS and its chief shoe giver Blake Mycoskie after seeing him share at the 2010 Global Leadership Summit (GLS).  TOMS has an innovative  business model, "one for one" that is not only providing a quality product to consumers but is making a global impact by giving a pair of shoes to a child in need every time a pair is purchased.

  

Toward the end of last year I had a chance to visit the TOMS headquarters.  Click here to see what my experience was like.

CLEARING THE WAY -- the New Weekend Series at JCC

Today begins the 2nd Quarter of 2011 and if this quarter proves to be anything like the first we are in for quite the ride!  We began the year with the Jesus Creed series where we saw unprecedented movement in the life of our church.  We saw hundreds take significant faith steps (raising the bar in their devotional life, extending acts of compassion to their "neighbors" and finding the beauty of being in community with others)  in loving God and loving their neighbors.  And immediately after, we launched into the SHIFT series where again hundreds and hundreds stepped out in faith -- this time in areas of serving within the life of our church and out in our community!

This weekend we are launching a new series: CLEARING THE WAY -- Getting Ready for an Encounter with God.  A breakdown of what this series will look like.  Don't be a fool and miss any of it.

For centuries, followers of Jesus have known that though we can’t control when we have “God encounters,” we can make sure that we are ready and in the right place. You’ve got to clear the way! This is where the idea of the season of “LENT” came from. In this series we’ll look at three things that will help us “clear the way” as we get ready for The Weekend (Good Friday and Easter Sunday).

April 1 & 3 Fasting — Giving God a Little More Attention and Space
April 8 & 10 Focus — Making Sure We Don’t Completely Miss the Point
April 15 & 17 Forgetting — Unlearning is the Key

 

Are you ready to ... "SHIFT!?"

This weekend we begin what could potentially be pivotal and life-changing series for us a church and as individual Christ Followers -- the series is called SHIFT.

At certain times, we need increased momentum in our lives. We feel like something is a little off, we are lugging a little too slow or somehow need a surge of juice. That¹s when it¹s time for a shift.

This isn¹t about going in the wrong direction, it isn¹t a U-turn, it¹s about executing a gear change, it¹s a about an adjustment that will give us momentum A SHIFT.

This series will look at five different shifts that we think are staring us in the face, five cultural shifts, five momentum changers for us as a community and you as an individual. We only have so much energy so let¹s use it wisely, let¹s make sure we¹re in the right gear. Let¹s shift!

February 25 + 27    SERVE SHIFT From Renters to Owners
March 4 + 6             STUFF SHIFT From Giving to Surrender
March 11 + 13         FAITH SHIFT From Wishing to Expecting
March 18 + 20         MISSION SHIFT  From Watching to Engaging
March 25 + 27         PRAYER SHIFT From Saying Prayers to The Center

What Makes a Good Book?

What makes a good book? 

Though there are many determing factors that you can mention, for me, what makes a good book is whether it gets me and others talking. Not just thinking, but talking where what is being read compels me to share my learnings or its content with others.

An arena of life that I spend a good portion of my time is in a local church.  And here are five books that I and friends and colleagues of mine have read that have lead to some great discussion about the church and what it means to be a Christ follower.  I hope you will be prodded to read one or all of these books.

1. The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons 
2. Untamed by Alan Hirsch  
3. Generous Justice by Timothy Keller 
4. Radical by David Platt 
5. Crazy Love by Francis Chan

I believe it has done so for the following reasons ...

• The timeliness of its content -- it has implications for the world we are living in now.
• Accessibility -- people can engage in its content regardless of the prior knowledge to subject matter.
• It gets you think because as it challenges your current point of view.

Jesus Creed "The Series"

Jesus Creed the series will be launching this weekend at Journey.  The series based on the book The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight will be a part of a church-wide initiative that will include an accompanying group study that all of our small groups will going through.   In additon there are supplemental learning materials --  McKnight's books the Jesus Creed and a devotional 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed.

If you are not in a small group and would like to join one.  New groups are starting in view of this current series.  The Jesus Creed small group study will begin the week of Jan. 17 and continue for the next 7 weeks to coincide with the series.  You can sign up for a group and/or purchase either of the Jesus Creed books at the Small Group Rally tonight 6:30pm at Journey Community Church or after the services this weekend.

Also toward the end  of the series we are excited to have Scot McKnight join us. For a complete breakdown of the series, see below.

Here is a complete breakdown of the weekend series:

“Spirituality”—most of us feel like we want it. We would like to think of ourselves as a “spiritual” person. But how are you suppose to figure out whatʼs real, whatʼs true, what actual spirituality looks like? Even if you are connected to a church, who do you ask? Even if you decide to read the Bible, where do you start? I mean itʼs a big book! Itʼs almost like we are suffering from information overload. It would be nice if someone who really knew what they were talking about could boil it down and just give us something
to work with. Enter Jesus, who did just that. 

“Love God. Love your neighbor.”This little ditty is something author and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight calls “The Jesus Creed.” Join us as we take a closer look at the center of Jesus Spirituality.

• January 14 & 16     Everything Life in a Line
• January 21 & 23     OneThe Lord is One…and that Changes Stuff!
• January 28 & 30     WhoThe Great and Very Wrong Question: Who is my Neighbor?
• February 4 & 6       Unlikely A Connection with God Where You Least Expect It
• February 11 &13   Scot McKnight Author of the best seller, The Jesus Creed
• February 18 & 20    Love Itʼs Not What You Think

No Bible Reading Plan in Place ... No Problem

So we are heading toward the half way mark of January and if you don't have some type of Bible reading plan in place?  No worries, but I would prod you to do something. 

In most years I have had something in place before the New Year has begun.  In the past of I have read through The One Year Bible (which we offer in different formats in our bookstore), The Chronilogical Bible in a Year, or a specific series of devotionals.  However, this year I find myself stuck, with no plan in a place.

Yet, there is a need to do something. We need a steady of diet of God's Word getting through us regularly. So in the mean time here is what I am doing and this is something you can dive in today if you find yourself stuck.  Because January is a 31 day month, read one chapter of Proverbs every day and read one Psalm each day corresponding to the date on the calendar.  I have found my first days of this year filled with great reminders of God's faithfulness and recementing of some foundational truths.

Now here are some places you can check out with potential plans:

• Our Daily Journey ministries has some great resources stop by their counter after services.
• The You Version provides over 50 different plans.
• The Discipleship Journal has some solid options.
• New Hope Christian Fellowship has some great plans.
• A customized reading plan for you via MONVEE

If you plan in place that is serving you well, I would love to hear about it.

"My Top 5 Movies of 2010" (God at the Movies 8 candidates?)

God at the Movies has been a series our church has done for 7 years running.  It has proven to be a series that stirs up great conversation and presents an incredible opportunity to bring spiritually seeking friends.  Now whether we present an 8th installment of this series this summer has yet to be decided.  However, as it is the beginning of the year and many are making lists of what their favorites and best of's the past year. 

Here are my top five movies of 2010 all of which, in my opinion, would be great candidates for God at the Movies 8 should we decide to do it.

1. The Social Network (for those of you missed it in theates, it comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 11.  Aaron Sorkin proves again what an incredible writer he is.)
2. Inception (This is really more like 1b and a film you will need to see more than once)
3. Toy Story 3  (The best of the three. Whereas sequels never deliver like original, this one does!)
4. True Grit (Go see it now.  Who doesn't think Hailee Steinfield playing Mattie Ross gives a stellar performance!)
5. How to Train Your Dragon ( Very poignant learning moments for me as a parent and leader)

I hope you will be prodded to go and see some of these films. 

What were your favorites from last year?

Do any of these make your list?

"My First 11 in 2011" -- Reading List

Like a lot of people I am setting goals for this new year.  One of the most fundamental ones to me is putting together a reading list to help me in my self-leading efforts.  Listed below is the first 11 books that I will be reading in 2011 and a brief commentary on why I am choosing to read them.  I have downloaded most of them to my Kindle 2.  Links to respective books are in the column on the right.

I would love to hear about what you reading.  Please tell me what you are reading by commenting.

1. Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition by Michael J. Mauboussin (A book that caught my attention as a result of my Monday Morning Routine.)
2. Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea from Getting Shot Down by John Kotter (One of the most insightful thinkers on change.)
3. Chief Culture Officer: How to Create a Living, Breathing Corporation by Grant McCracken (Another book that caught my attention as a resutl of my Monday Morning Routine.)
   
4. Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li (Social Networking is not going away, the more we are up on it the better we can leverage it in our leading.)
5. Talk Less, Say More: Three Habits to Influence Others and Make Things Happen by Connie Dieken (A skill set that I can always use some learning in.)
6. Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper  (His key thought that reading is thinking really resonates with me.)
7. Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller (Keller is one of my favorite author, I simply read whateve he writes.)
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Just curious about this book series that seems to be gaining popularity.)
9. Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction by Eugene H. Peterson (Our worship pastor Jason Denison referenced this book in our leaders meeting and got my attention)
10. Winning on Purpose: How To Organize Congregations to Succeed in Their Mission by William Easum (This is a work related read for a project I am currently working on.)
11. Well Being by Tom Rath (Rath's work through the Gallup Organization I find very insightful.)
12. The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist by Craig Groeschel (I know that I said 11, but there are just too many good books so I added one more.  One of the best innovative leaders in the church and I read everything he writes.)

I will also revisiting these two books that I have previously read:

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (I have given to this too most of my leaders to read)

Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight (Our leadership team is reading it)

Dog Days Are Over -- The Importance of Having a Solid Bridge Element

After our four Christmas Services (Dec. 23 & 24) I commented to our lead pastor Ed Noble that the crowd seemed much more engaged than usual and hence he seemed a lot more comfortable from the outset of his message. Now the reason I am bringing this up is because on a high outreach weekend like Christmas or Easter the ratio of regulars to guests are much different than a regular weekend -- meaning there are a lot more guests.  As a result it takes a little longer for the crowd to become comfortable with who you are as a communicator.  It also effects what you say and how you say it.  Nuances that are normal for the regular attendees seem to go over the guests head and it is often met with a deafening silence.

Yet on this occassion this was not the case.  The primary reason I believe, and I know there were other subtle variables played a part, was the song that preceeded the message.  What I observed deepened my conviction of how important it is to have a meaningful, solid bridge element in our servivces to communicate to our spiritually seeking guests that we understand the world they live in; and that here is something that you may have already have connection to that we want to help draw spiritual meaning from.

The music team performed a cover of English Indie Rock artist Florence and the Machine's  Dog Days Are Over.  This song not only served the theme and content of the message, but it is a song that is current and was recently performed during the hit tv show Glee.  The lead on the song Minnie King nailed it. After the service when I played the song for my wife by Florence and the Machine she thought it was Minnie.  In additon it was the type of song that brought lot of energy that I believe really looseed people up. I think we forget what it is like to attend church as a guest. Many guest sit with folded or crossed arms as a indirect way of putting their guards up.  Yet with this song it could not help but relax them.

Pray Who They Can Become

In a previous post I shared the first of two practices that I want to encourage us to engage in this coming year that will help keep God as the "one thing" in our lives.  This practice is one I have developed more recently and so I am gradually trying to make it a habit.  I hope you will be prodded to do the same.

PRAY WHO THEY CAN BECOME:

At the heart of this practice is simply lifting up a short silent prayer on behalf each person you come in contact with in the course of your day.  We don't need to know where they are at in their spiritual journey all we need to pray is that they would become all that God created them to me.  Ephesians 2:10 is a great verse that speaks to this notion,  "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."

Now if we know the person, we may offer a specific request on their behalf, yet with the same spirit praying that they would become of who God intends for them to be.  Jesus gave us a great example in how he saw Peter when He said in Matthew 16:18  "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it."  When Jesus made this declaration hardly anyone could imagine Peter in this light, yet Jesus did not only see Peter as he was, but who he could become.

 

Basketball's holy land -- Cameron Indoor Stadium

In honor of Coach Mike Krzyzewski's (Coach K)  880th victory last night putting him number two all-time on the men's basketball win list, here are some, or should I say a lot of pics from my recent visit (Dec. 8, 2010) to basketball's holy land --  Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University Campus in Durham North Carolina. 

Whether you are a Blue Devil fan or not, every serious college basketball fan should make a visit to Cameron for game at some point.  I am hoping to make this an annual pilgrimage.

I am fan of not only of Duke's basketball program, but Coach K has been an indirect leadership mentor to me.  I am sitting in a place of greatness.

I have been a long time Duke fan since 1978 when I followed them make a run to the final four eventually losing the championship game to Kentucky 94-88.   The purpose of this visit was belated milestone birthday gift to my mom, who is also long time Duke fan.

The game we attended Duke defeated Bradley 81-48.  It was a historic evening as Coach K chalked up win 877 moving him into third in all-time wins.

That night sophomore great Andre Dawkins had a career night scoring 31 points including 8 three-pointers.

Now what makes Cameron Indoor Stadium the number one home court advantage in all of sports is the "Cameron Crazies!"

Our seats gave a great view of seeing an incredible leader in action.

We spent the whole day walking the campus and taking in the mystique of this place and you never know who you might run into.  Here I am with all-american, player of the year nominee Nolan Smith.

Later that day we ran into sophomore sensation Ryan Kelly the starting 6 -10 forward.

Then after the game freshman phenom Kyrie Irving who was on his way to being a first-team All-American and no doubt freshman of the year. 

This was my second trip to Cameron this year.  Earlier this year I attended a game with my son,  and when we there there were only three of these now there are four.

 

 

PRAY WHERE YOU ARE

I am always looking for fresh ways of engaging with God.  With my tendency to drift I need practices that help keep God in focus as the main thing in my life.  Here is a practice that I have come up with over the past year or so.  I do not do it well and fall short of its objectives often, however I keep at it because when I do engage in it I really sense God's hand at work.

This was to be shared in the message SHIFT that I gave on Sunday Dec. 26 as one of two ways to keep God in focus. 

The two key areas where I will need to do the most shifting is in respect to places that I inhabit and the people I interact with.  The first practice is ...

PRAY WHERE YOU ARE:  In its simplest form this practice involves praying  every time I enter a new environment. 

So here is how it might be lived out on an average day: first praying when I get into my car, my next stop would be the Starbucks where I get my morning coffee and praying there, then praying at my son's school when I drop him off, then praying as soon as I get into the office.  Then throughout the day when I run an errand or go to an appointment praying as soon as I get there, then later going to the gym and then back home praying as soon as I enter into all these environments.

Now what I pray will vary.  The main point is to acknowledge God's presence in all of these environments.  When I am faithful in this practice it has an incredibly shaping influence in my experience in these places. Instead of getting through the routine of what these places facilitate,  I find myself seeing things with more redemptive eyes and more intuned to the people around me.

Two key verses that have informed this practice are below.

Genesis 28:16,17
Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Matthew 28:20b
… I am with you always, to the end of the age.

I hope this will prod you PRAY WHERE YOU ARE  in 2011.

The second practice will be in a future post.

.

Adding "Angst" to Any Christmas Gathering

Now that  Christmas is becoming a memory  and in a few days we will be putting away the Christmas tree and packing away all the decorations, here is something I want to prod you to put in the vault for next Christmas.

Most of us attend several Christmas party/gatherings during the course of the season.  Some are highly anticipated, some are more of a commitment or obligatin, some you wish you could put more energy toward -- these are some of the ways we approach them.  Now with these gatherings there is not only a commitment of our time, but also, in a lot of instances, we are responsible to bring a dish (if it is potluck style) and some of you might have some type of gift to bring for a gift exchange.  So seemingly simple tasks are exaggerated because there are so many of them.  So in the midst of an already full schedule and season here is how you can angst to any of these Christmas Gatherings.

You can do so by adding this gesture.  Ask each person that attends to bring a gift for Jesus.  It is His birthday afterall that we are celebrating right?  And when I am invited to a friend's birthday party, I believe the understood norm is that you bring a wrapped gift.  So why would it not be any different for Jesus the King of King and Lord of Lords. 

Trust me when I say this will be met with angst.  Now why would I want to add angst to an already somewhat stressfull season?  I will explain in a moment. 

Up to the day of the party they are usually in a quandry as to what to bring..  When I have done this in the past, people usually have these type of responses:  "What?"  "I don't understand?"  "A gift for Jesus???"  "Do I get Him clothes, I don't get it?" 

And my answer to these questions is always the same, "It's a birthday party, have you not bought a birthday gift before?"  This usually does nothing for them, but add to their frustration.  So again why do this?

Because it can lead to one of the most meaningful Christmas gatherings you may have.  I speak from experience. 

20 years ago when I began following Christ.  I was invited to a Christmas party and when I asked what I should bring thinking it would be a food item, I was told simply bring a gift for Jesus.  And I went through all of the angst and frustration that people I have posed this question to.  I called others I knew who were attending the party, the host -- all who offered no help.

Yet, it proved to be the most meaningful Christmas.  When we sat in a circle to share our gifts I was incredibly moved to see the thought, creativity and heart that was put into each gift. 

This past Christmas that we just celebrated we did a birthday for Jesus in one of the gatherings  attended , and no fail it had a similar effect of adding angst but more important meaning.  The gift I brought for Jesus is in the picture above. You might think I that is an odd gift, but there is explanantion to the significance and the meaning.

Until next Christmas ..

When I Begin to Drift ... SHIFT (Self Examination Questions)

Yesterday, I had the privilge of sharing the final message of 2010 at Journey Community Church.  In my message (titled SHIFT) I shared that at times we will drift from keeping the "one thing" in focus, and when we do we need to SHIFT. 

I shared some self examination questions that I have found helpful in shifting God back into focus as the "one thing.

Here they are in case you missed them:

• Is there any area of sin that I am struggling with?
• Am I genuinely engaging in the lives of people whom Christ desires for us to reach?
• Am I living life of conscientious dependence on Him?
• “I am living life with a grateful spirit?”