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Monday Musings

• Another wild day at The Mission
• I think I am getting used to the stage.  It has taken some adjustment but it is good to be able to see the folks in the back of the room.
• Friday night was really something else.  We do setup on Friday night and then we pray.  The Lord gave me a vision as clear as day.  As He did everything kind of broke open in the room.  Folks had visions of the harvest, others had encounters with the Lord as He addressed their sin issues and their future, some people did some radical giving including a cell phone, cash, and a fake ID (that’s the kind of folks that come to The Mission).
• I woke up Sunday morning and the anointing was on me like it was Friday night.  It was so heavy I had Tracey drive me to church.  That may have never happened to you but it did to me.  Not sure why but it did.
• Serg killed it in worship.
• Sometimes I feel bad for other churches that don’t have our worship.  Maybe we can raise up worship leaders to send into the harvest.
• I preached on the call of the lost.  Great message.  Unfortunately nobody outside of service will ever hear it do to some technical difficulties.
• I was going to pray for the revivalists in the room but stopped and said, “Is there anyone here is the room who is in sin and wants to give their life to Jesus?”  8 folks came forward.
• That’s what’s up.
• Go is dealing with me regarding leadership an systems.  Its hard to trust that others will do jobs with the same level of excellence and commitment.  But the Holy Ghost is telling me time and again that gifts are multiplied through leadership
• Wish I had the time to tell o some of the folks that have recently gotten saved at The Mission.  Really out of this world kind of stuff.
• Ok, one real quick one.  This girl came who had never been to church in her life.  I was praying for someone and she was near me so I reached out a hand to her.  I prayed for her and she was overcome with the Spirit of God.  A little later I prayed for her to receive Jesus as her Savior, then she flled with the Holy Ghost, prayed in tongues and hit the floor again.
• That’s whats up.

Domain Name Registration for Churches

Before I was in ministry I had a web based business and owned anywhere between 20 and 50 domain names at any given time.  I have used a bunch of different domain registrars (the companies that you buy the domain name from and point to your website).

For a long time I used Godaddy because they had good prices.  Over time I stopped using them for a few reasons,

• The sheer volume of junk they would make you wade through to buy a domain
• The difficulty in transferring domains out of their system

and the #1 reason, bar none

• The level of perversion in their advertisements.

I got to the place where I did not want to fund their quasi-pornographic advertisements.  I always had good customer service from them.  In fact they may be the only registrar that has phone support.  But domain registration is such a commodity that this was not that important to me.

I am now in the process of shifting all the domains that I plan on keeping to Namecheap.  Good services, low prices, no p0rn advertising.

Kingdom Man / Carnal Man

Kingdom people are driven by the Spirit.  Carnal people are driven by flesh.

Kingdom people are driven by values.  Carnal people are driven by circumstances, emotions, etc

For Kingdom people the Word is set.  For carnal people, the word is ever changing.

If the “now” word of God for your life changes before the last “now” word was fulfilled, chances are that your life is not being directed by the Holy Ghost. It is being directed by your lusts and insecurities.

I pray that God is raising up a generation of believers who will stand and see the deliverance of God.  They won’t be tossed by disappointment.  They won’t allow their failures to dictate their tomorrow.  They will not allow their lust for power and fame rob them of the blessings that come from being rooted and grounded.

In your prayer time tonight, ask Jesus to teach you to walk in perfect communion with the Holy Ghost like He did during His earthly ministry.  Then be prepared to stand.

Monday Afternoon Delights

• Exciting times at The Mission
• We had a great guy deliver our new stage.  We really needed this.  We are not one of those churches that has some big church up north stroking checks.  Everything we have purchased cam through the tithes and offering of the people of The Mission.  We have a great testimony of how we came to be able to get this stage but the bottom line is we have it and the back of the room could finally see worship.
• I wonder if they thought Tracey and I were singing that whole time?
• Probably not.
• About a dozen folks came up for the altar call.
• We have released our first worship cd Raw & Uncut.  It is a live worship CD from The Mission.  We are going to use the proceeds to pay for the stage.
• Buy yours now!  http://www.musicfromthemission.com
• The music at the altar call kind of fell apart but we will work on that.
• We have a new head greeter.  Diane stepped in when we needed one but we were looking for a permanent replacement.  I really needed to free her up to focus on her ministry at FAU.  More on that later.
• Might have another member of the team to announce soon.
• God is blessing our efforts here.  For years I cried out to God to see young urban people saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.  I almost have to pinch myself as I see it happening.
• The  greatest days are ahead.
• Go buy a couple dozen CDs!

20 Reality Checking Questions for a Church Planter

I have renamed this list 20 reality checking questions for a church planter.  It was originally written 20 reality checking  questions for an entrepeneaur.  It seems that in the world of business, there are cheerleaders much like the church planting world.

I have watched enough church plants crash and burn to know what it ain’t all fame and fortune.  Destruction and failure may come at any time and have nothing to do with what you have done.  I know the list does not translate perfectly to the world of faith but if you have planted a church you will nod your hear repeatedly as you read.

You can find the whole article here but below is the list of 20 questions for a church planter:

1. I am willing to lose everything.
2. I embrace failure.
3. I am always willing to do tedious work.
4. I can handle watching my dreams fall apart.
5. Even if I am puking my guts out with the flu and my mother passed away last week, there is nothing that will keep me from being ready to work.
6. My relationship/marriage is so strong, nothing work-related could ever damage it.
7. My family doesn’t need an income.
8. This is a connected world and I don’t need alone time. I want to be reachable 24/7 by my employees, customers, and business partners.
9. I like instability and I live for uncertainty.
10. I don’t need a vacation for years at a time.
11. I accept that not everyone likes my ideas and that it’s quite likely that many of my ideas are garbage.
12. If I go into business with friends or family, I am okay with losing that relationship forever if things end badly.
13. I don’t have existing anxiety issues and I handle stress with ease.
14. I am willing to fire or lay off anyone no matter what — how good of a friend they are, if they are my own sibling, if they just had a baby, if they have worked with me for 20 years, if their spouse also just lost their job, if I know they might end up homeless, if they have cancer but no outside medical insurance, or any other horrible scenario millions of bosses and HR people have faced countless times.
15. I am okay with being socially cut–off and walking away from my friends when work beckons.
16. I love naysayers and I won’t explode or give up when a family member, friend, customer, business associate, partner, or anyone for that matter tells me my idea, product, or service is a terrible idea, a waste of time, will never work, or that I must be a moron.
17. I accept the fact that I can do everything right, can work 70 hours a week for years, can hire all the right people, can arrange amazing business deals, and still lose everything in a flash because of something out of my control.
18. I accept that I may hire people that are much better at my job than I am and I will get out of their way.
19. I realize and accept that I am wrong ten times more than I am right.
20. I am willing to walk away if it doesn’t work out.

Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of the cover of the upcoming Mission Worship CD.

Monday Morning Musings

• Great Day at The Mission
• Had my friend Pedro Ortiz come and preach for me and he tore it up!
• Had another great crowd.  Gotta put out more chairs next week.
• We announced another engagement.  Believe it or not the wedding is today.
• I am really tired today so this may not be the longest recap ever.
• At the end of service Pastor Pedro had an altar call for refreshing.  Before we started ministering I saw the Holy Ghost hovering over a few people.  That gets me excited and worried.  Excited because God is showing me some people that are called.  Worried because it breaks my heart every time I see one of the called ones walk away from the call.  Someone came to church yesterday that has not been there in months.  They came with someone that thinks they are in control of their life but is being pimped by the devil.  I wish I could lift the blinders but I don’t have that power.  The bible tells us that wisdom cries out and some choose not to listen.  That’s painful but it is the truth.
• Sergio shared last night in ASD.  God is raising him up to be a giant.
• Podcast and pics are up.

Kim Walker and Misty Edwards at the Olympics

Did you catch Kim Walker and Misty Edwards at the Olympics?  Wow! If no, get ready to be moved.

Randy beat me to writing about this so go check it out here.

If you absolutely do not have time (but I am sure you do) go watch this video, and this one.  The second one has Misty Edwards and Kim Walker in them.

10 Years Today

I tell people all the time to get single before they get married.  Most people date someone for a long time and realize the only progression their relationship can take is marriage.

It’s like life is a game of musical chairs and when the music stops, and its time to get married, whoever you happen to be with at the time is the one you will spend your life with.

I am here to tell you there is a better way.

Ten years ago today, the former Tracey Penn took my name and gave me her heart.

When I gave my life to Jesus I gave Him my all.  I gave Jesus my intended career, my identity, and my life plans.  I believed that if God was still alive then He could make it clear to me when I was supposed to get married and to whom.  And one day He did.

People think that if God is behind something it will happen flawlessly.  That could not be farther from the truth.  God is only in things that will collapse without Him.

So in the beginning, Tracey and I had to seek God in our marriage.  We had to allow Him to change who we are.  We had to choose love, choose forgiveness and choose to be husband and wife.

The strongest friendships are built on the backs of conquered adversity.

Our adversity was not from outside, but within.  As we followed the leading of God in parenting, ministry, and life, we had to choose over and over again to love, forgive, trust, bless, honor, respect, encourage, and believe in one another.

Today, Tracey is the closest friend I have ever had.  Our marriage is more open, affectionate, fun, fulfilling, and enjoyable then it has ever been.  Tracey has my total trust.  She has shown me time and again why God chose her for me.  Without her I would not be the man, the minister, or the father I am today.

I am eternally grateful that you took my name and gave me your heart.

Tracey I love you.

Always and Forever.

The Bible is Not a History Book

Too many people read the Bible to see what God used to do.  There is something to be gained by that but there is something better.

I read the bible to see who God is.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

When I read the Bible I ask God to show me aspects of His character that I take for granted.  I want to embrace all that He is and emulate those characteristics to a lost world.