Fearless by Max Lucado

The title of this book sums up its message extremely well. Lucado writes to encourage the reader toward the freedom from fear that can be found in relationship with Jesus. He reminds us that Jesus said the words “fear not” more than any other statement. It’s hard for us to take a statement like that seriously when the world in which we live is in constant crisis. Things are out of our control…we should be worried. The author says no. God is in control and He has proven it to us over and over again.

We all have fears and the author addresses some of the most common with each chapter. He makes the point that “fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness” (p. 9) and keeps us from living the full, purpose-filled lives that God intends for us. Lucado challenges the reader to react to life situations with faith, not fear.

This fearless challenge is one that I have needed for some time and I have come a long way over the course of the few days it took me to finish the book. Fearless was, as with all of Lucado’s books, an enjoyable and quick read. He is a remarkable storyteller and his wisdom and shepherding skills are on full display here.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in freedom. It’s a big topic that I’ve wrestled with over the past couple of years. What does real freedom in Jesus mean? Lucado has helped me more narrowly define it.

ps. Here’s a little disclosure thingy I have to put at the end of my reviews so you won’t think that I give the book a favorable review simply because the publisher gave it to me for free.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

We were blessed to have our friend Holly Spears (hollyspears.com) join us to lead music. Holly is a gifted worship leader/singer/songwriter from Cincinnati who recently released her new CD titled “Redemption Road.” You can get to know Holly a bit and listen to part of the CD on her website. She’s pretty busy with gigs and touring but we are fortunate to have her join us for most of our meetings until we officially launch in 2010.

The series we are in is called “We Love Cullman.” We began talking about our desire as a new church to adopt the people of Cullman by loving and serving it’s people in our September meeting. In October we continued by talking about “I Love My Neighbor.” We want to be a church of inclusion, not exclusion. This aint no country club, it’s a church. We talked about how we can get outside the four walls of the church and into peoples lives by building authentic relationships.

As we have said before, we don’t have this whole thing figured out. The leaders of Catalyst are normal, everyday people just like you. While we’ve never started a church before, we know what we’d like to be a part of. And we believe that other people, regardless of their thoughts on church or God, have an idea of what they’d like to be a part of as well. So we are asking for input. We opened the floor at both of our meetings and have received some great feedback. Your advice is building this church. It is an integral part of our success as a church. We will continue listening to what you have to say.

Our next meeting will be on November 22nd at 6:00 pm at the Cullman Civic Center. We’ll be continuing our conversation by talking about how we can be a church that serves its community. We want to hear your service ideas, large and small. Visit catalystchurch.net for more information.

Finding My Life: Strong or Not

There couldn’t have been a better time in my life to read this book.  I am 34 years old, married for 5 years to an amazing husband, working at a company that I love, in a job that I thoroughly enjoy BUT with all of that, I would not have said that I was the happiest woman around.  At least, not prior to two months ago.

Two months ago I gave birth to my first child.  A beautiful boy named Sawyer whom I absolutely adore.  From the moment I saw him I knew I was in trouble, he had me hook, line and sinker.  I was completely and wholly in love with him with every part of my being.  Every day I was home with him on maternity leave, I enjoyed. There was nothing more I wanted to do than stay at home to be Sawyer’s Mom.  But alas, as life has it, my maternity leave had to come to an end.  I am also the breadwinner of my household and so last week I headed back to work.  My husband joined the increasing percentages of dad’s who stay at home while mom heads off to work.

In Find Your Strongest Life, author Marcus Buckingham, speaks specifically to women like me.  Those who are splitting their time between work and home and still not feeling like they are doing what they are passionate about.  Buckingham offers some key points on what women living a strong life might be experiencing.  First of all, he says that women who are living their strong life are successful.  They feel successful at work and/or at home. Second, they are instinctively looking forward to tomorrow. Third, they’re growing and learning. And fourth, they are getting their needs fulfilled.  It’s not that I don’t necessarily feel these things, the challenge can be that now that my son has joined us, these feelings are experienced most frequently for me while I am at home with my son and no longer while I am work. It’s amazing how having a child can so quickly change your priorities and your perspective on life. But just like so many women who wrote to Marcus, I am in a position where I must work everyday and therefore don’t feel like I am living a strong life. I am no longer doing what I am passionate about.  Now don’t get me wrong, ask me two months ago if I was doing what I was passionate about, I would have given you an resounding “Yes.”  But there has always been something deep down inside of me that said, this isn’t it, there has to be something more. Now I know there is.

So what’s a girl to do?  Buckingham offers various examples and anecdotes of ways in which a woman can take what she’s got and make the best of it.  Chapter after chapter gives suggestions on ways in which one can change their circumstances realizing that it’s not going to happen overnight and it’s going to take some sacrifice but the sweat and tears could be worth it in the long run.

For those of us women who struggle with the suggestion that women should be at home with their kids, the first few chapters may be a challenge to get through.  But press on my sister, there is more of a message than one may think.  With an open heart and an open mind, this book can be life changing.

We started off with our new message series titled “We Love Cullman.” It’s an ideal series for a new church that wants to adopt and serve the people of Cullman. Pastor Chris Owens answered several questions that he often gets regarding this new church: 1) where does the name Catalyst come from; 2) how does one go about starting a church; and 3) why do we need another church in Cullman? Don’t we have enough already?

If you look up the word “catalyst” in the dictionary you will find that it refers to an agent of change. We want to be a part of a church that is about affecting change in ourselves, our friends, our community and the world. It’s a perfect name for us.

Churches can be complicated or they can be simple. We prefer the simple model. To qualify as a church, basically all you need to do is gather together a group of people who want to make a difference in people’s lives….and you start making a difference. It really can be that simple. The first church (described in the second chapter of Acts) identifies what we are supposed to be about. We talked about modeling ourselves after the early church in the meeting.

Are there enough churches in Cullman already? The short answer is no. Why? Because we did some math. Recent statistics show that less than 20% of people nationwide will be in church this weekend. Since there are nearly 80,000 people in Cullman County, that means that only 16,000 people go to church. That leaves 64,000 that aren’t connected to a community. Also, 80% of people say that religious faith is important to them. That means that there is a disconnect somewhere. Maybe people just haven’t found a place where they fit in. That’s why we’re starting another church. Maybe our way of doing church will be appealing to some.

The second half of the meeting was spent brainstorming. Chris unpacked the Acts 2 scripture and identified five areas that the early church focused on. They are: Worship & Prayer, Outreach & Evangelism, Fellowship & Community, Learning & Discipleship, Mercy & Social Concern. He then said that the early church provides a model for us as we start a new church and asked everyone to write down what kind of church they would want to be a part of as it relates to each of these areas. There were some great responses. They are listed below.

So we’re off to a great start. Next time we get together we’re going to unpack these ideas even more and start forming a picture of what Catalyst will look like in Cullman.

Worship & Prayer

- prayer opportunities during the week

- worship – genuine, simple, modern but not flashy, heartfelt

- work on getting away from the mindset that worship is something we do for an hour or two on Sunday or Wednesday

- authenticity

- serve the people of Cullman with love

- God inhabits the praises of His people

- be there for the sick, prayer for the sick

- worship that moves people

- worship is vital & priority to serving God

- concentrated, simple & real practices of prayer

- pray to fill the room at the next meeting

- prayer is very important – but I don’t feel that long, drawn out prayers that go on and on are desirable

Outreach & Evangelism

- Christ’s last words to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach good news”

- extending God’s love to ALL people

- loving our neighbors – all of them

- showing the love of Jesus as opposed to always just telling people

- work toward providing a long term rehabilitation program (like Jimmie Hale [Mission])

- youth outreach/social issues

- make church fun for all ages

- guide people, help people

Fellowship & Community

- acceptance

- fellowship other than church services

- it’s OK if you can’t make it – not making people feel guilty

- small groups that are like family

- service in the community is very important. Looking out for those less fortunate than ourselves shows the love we should for our community (it’s people). Love is stressed very much in the New Testament.

Learning & Discipleship

- teach biblical truths and not traditional ideas we’ve grown up with

- “Study to show yourselves approved a workman that needeth not be ashamed”

- real care for people, accept all people

- seeking “out of the box” opportunities to teach & be the gospel

- not about law – staying free

- open minds

- mentoring groups

- teach [people] to be better Christians

Mercy & Social Concern

- break down walls of judgment against certain races

- helping needy people

- teach how to give mercy & receive mercy

- God is not a democrat or republican

- serving the location we meet in

- anyone is welcome – no pressure

We also received feedback from people who attended. We did this because we want to build a church for the people of Cullman by the people of Cullman. So we asked, “if we were to model ourselves after the early church (as described in the second chapter of Acts) what would that look like? What do you want to be a part of?” We will be posting some of the comments and suggestions later this week after we have a chance to sift through them all.

Really. It bothers me that someone can have the audacity and gall to approach me out of left field and tell me that Jesus died for me while trying to get me to repeat after them a prayer of repentance. It has happened to me before and I wasn’t impressed.

That sounds a bit harsh, I know. Especially coming from a pastor. But it’s because I am a pastor that I hate this kind of “evangelism.” Now, before I get too many emails, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t “share Jesus” with people or that we shouldn’t evangelize. Calm down. I take evangelism very seriously because Jesus told us to. It’s in how we do it that makes all the difference.

This isn’t coming out of thin air. I’ve been thinking about proselytizing lately. A friend of mine was recently telling me about a sidewalk evangelist in a small Ohio town who “evangelizes” by mocking people as they pass by. He literally tells people that they are going to hell while commenting on their clothing, tattoos and the music they listen to. When people ignore him or shout back it just fuels his fire (I’ll avoid the pun here).

What a way to introduce people to Jesus. Moron. Trying to scare people out of hell doesn’t work. It’s about as effective as telling a butcher’s dog not to drool.

Fair warning: If I don’t know you and you come up to me to talk about the “good life in Jesus” that I can have if I just trust in Him…I will jack you up. I will say things to you that will challenge your faith and you just may leave wishing you had never shoved that irrelevant gospel tract in my face. I will ask questions that you have no idea what the answer is. I will blow your mind with things you haven’t thought of in your rehearsed speech. Trust me, it’s not a pretty thing to witness. And I’m a Christ-follower. Imagine if I wasn’t.

I don’t know a single person who has become a follower of Jesus because they were attacked by some well-meaning street preacher and convinced that they are doomed to the eternal fires of hell (if you are one of these people PLEASE let me know. I’d love to hear your story. Seriously). It’s obvious why this approach doesn’t work so there’s no need for me to go on and on. You get where I’m going.

So what does work? How about relationships:

• if you have spent time with me
• if you really know me and I really know you
• if we have lived life together and I have seen you in good times and bad times
• if you have cried with me over something
• if you have attended my kid’s birthday party
• if you’ve helped me move, paint, haul or build anything
• if I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you want what’s best for me

…if you have done any of these things, then you have earned the right to share whatever you’d like with me, including my need for Jesus.

I was once told that people come to Jesus by believing either 1) heaven sounds really good, or 2) hell sounds really bad. I used to believe that this is true (I grew up in a church that preached the really bad part nearly every week). Now that I’m a little older, a little wiser, and I’ve offended a few of those well-meaning street “evangelists,” I think I have a clearer picture of the most effective way to share Jesus with people. One word…friendship.

p.s. If you think I’m hard on the street “evangelists,” guess what…Jesus was too (see Luke 18:9-14, Matt. 9:10-13, and Matt. 12:22-37 to name a few).

p.p.s. Catalyst is a church that believes in a literal heaven and hell. Someday we’ll all be in one place or the other.

whatever comes after p.p.s…We care about people because Jesus does.

I should mention that, although I read what people write, I don’t always agree with them. So I recommend these sites for you to peruse at your own discretion.

Tony Morgan Live – http://tonymorganlive.com – Tony Morgan is a friend to church leaders. From his blog: “Tony is the executive director of ministries at West Ridge Church near Atlanta. He’s also a strategist, coach, writer, speaker and consultant who equips leaders and churches to impact their communities for Christ.” Church leaders have been flocking to his workshops to learn how to equip and grow their churches. I read his Tweets and blog postings daily.

Desperate Pastor Blog – http://desperatepastor.blogspot.com – Bob Hostetler, my friend and mentor, shares his life and ministry here. He says, “I call this blog the “Desperate Pastor Blog” because I don’t know nothing about pastoring no churches. But that’s not the only reason. It’s also because I’m desperate for God. Desperate to make a difference. Desperate to find some sanity in my life and ministry. And because I am in desperate and constant need of help, prayer, counsel, grace, and forgiveness.” I’m right there with him…so I read his blog.

LeadingSmart – leadingsmart.com – Tim Stevens is the Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church in Indiana. He leads the staff of this high impact church. The main focus of his blog is, obviously, leadership. I have read a few of his books, any of which I would recommend. His books are what got me interested in what he has to say on a more regular basis. So I searched him out on the web and have become a regular reader. He is adamant about helping leaders learn from his successes and failures.

Trappstr/Capitalism + Grace – http://trappstr.com – My friend Brett Trapp, who lives and works in Atlanta, is one of the sharpest young minds I know. He recently started this blog where he shares his thoughts on God in the marketplace. He merges the concepts of capitalism and grace. I am a sucker for young people who are connected to God, social media and communities.

This is just a sampling of blogs I read daily (or almost daily). Maybe I’ll post more in the future. I’m always on the lookout so if you have any suggestions let me know.

I’m not new to blogging. I’ve been doing it off and on for years (more off than on, actually). I’ve had personal blogs and blogs that are meant for people in various church communities I have been a part of. And if you venture over to catalystchurch.net you’ll find a blog on our new church’s website that I’m going to try to update on a regular basis.

Why two blogs? Easy.

The blog at catalystchurch.net is designed for people who want to know about Catalyst…what we’re doing in and around Cullman, Alabama; what we’re learning as a community; how to get connected and so on. It’s meant to introduce people to our church community.

This blog, however, goes deeper. Here I’ll be posting thought-provoking, life-changing content. I’ll keep you updated on the books I’m reading, shows I’m watching, sites I’m surfing. I’ll share my struggles and successes, my faith and failures. And it’s all meant to help us grow as a community.

So check back often for new content. I may post something new at any moment.