Blog

My Son the “Soccer Star”

I want to share something that’s kind-of-personal. I don’t think my son Hudson will ever be a soccer star like I hope. I mean maybe a miracle might happen, but it just doesn’t seem to be in Hudson. And here is why: he’s too compassionate.

Hudson doesn’t have that competitive edge that leads to real greatness in sport. Hudson is more likely to be found on the soccer field giving the ball to the opposing team (“here you have it – let’s share”), singing songs of encouragement while running around the players (“Go blue lighting!”), or upset that the team isn’t sharing back with the ball (“But daddy sharing is good!”).

So all of this leads me to believe that a future of soccer stardom may not be in his future.

But is this a bad thing? He might not have competiveness, but he has compassion. He might not have intensity, but he has generosity. He might not have that sports edge, but he loves to encourage.

All I mean by all of this is that kids are different, and each are shaped in a unique way. The point is to find ways for their uniqueness and special gifts to shine forth. For some that’s in competitive sports, and intense playing. For Hudson it’s not so much, at least right now.

But what Hudson is good at is coaching. Because that’s what he is doing right now.  He is teaching our second child Asher to play soccer. He is encouraging him, sharing with him, and playing great with him.

So he might not be a soccer star, but he might be a star coach. The point is we all have unique gifts; let’s not lament what’s not there, but encourage what is.

And on the plus side Asher has a competitive streak. He just tackled Hudson and took the ball, so who knows we still might have a soccer star in the family 🙂

 

by Andrew Mills

Jon Stewart on The Golden Rule

Just thought this quote was awesome, so a short post, with a deep thought by Jon Stewart:

“Remember to love your neighbour as you love yourself. And if you hate yourself then please just leave your neighbour alone”

 So much truth in that to unpack for another day… 🙂

by Andrew Mills

The Problem of the Coolness and Manufacturing of Missional

Found at: http://www.ralphhoweministries.com/sancfiles/cqnov2.gif
Found at: http://www.ralphhoweministries.com/sancfiles/cqnov2.gif

Here is a problem I’ve noticed. It’s cool to be “missional”. You might not know the term, but trust me it’s the new “cool term”. Just look at how many books are on the topic. Just look at how many Christian workshops there are about it. Just look at how often people talk about it…or blog about it (yes I know I’m blogging about it and have many times before).

Now I’m not against the missional movement at all. I’ve led workshops on it, I’ve created resources for it, and I wrote my thesis on it. What I’m worried is that we tend to “consume missional-ness” rather than practicing being missional. So we go to trainings, read books, buy more books, go to another training, and leave our “old churches” to do something cool and new. And in the end rather than being missional, we end up being consumeristic and “consuming mission”.

Jason Clark puts it this way:

“This is how we consume church. We read book on missional church, attend missional events, leave existing churches to be revolutionary, and at the end of the day we end up ‘consuming’ mission rather than doing the dirty work of bringing about a concrete church and mission”.

And the truth is it’s easier to consume church, rather than truly being missional and committing to a location for a long-term. It’s easier to read a book, go to a training, and start something new rather than investing, planting yourself, and saying, “God use me here.”

I am in no way against new things, or the church moving into the community. This needs to happen. I just want to make sure the motives are right for why it’s happening. Because the truth is this: it’s too easy to jump to the new cool thing, it’s hard to do the faithful thing. And I believe being faithful to God means being missional. It’s just that it’s so easy to try to “be missional” not from a desire of faithfulness, but a desire of rejection and consumerism.

I think Jason Clark’s question is a good one for all of us to think about, “are we ‘consuming mission’ rather than doing the dirty work of bringing about a concrete church and mission”

  • Are we responding faithfully to God’s call to move out into the neighborhood, or just tired of the neighborhood we find ourselves in?
  • Are we launching something new because God is calling us to, or because we’re just bored and frustrated with our current place?
  • Are we learning about being missional to practice it, or to critique others who aren’t doing it?

I just think Jason Clarke’s point is wise. Are we consuming mission, or living out God’s mission? Because especially in being missional, motives matter.

by Andrew Mills

Where is God Taking Us?

1243996_56375506On Sunday we dreamed together where God was taking our church. Our dream to is to be changed by Jesus, and to change lives with Jesus. But what does that look like in the future?

To answer that question I shared seven little signposts that point to where I believe God is taking us. I think these little signs help us get a picture of the future God might have for us. And I asked the church to dream with us, and to see if these are the signposts to our future. Here are the seven signposts:

Signpost #1: Be the Church to the Area

The point for us isn’t to be the biggest or best church in the area, but to be God’s church to the area. I could care less about being cool and hip, I want us to be faithful. The point isn’t for us to be a giant church, but a church fulfilling God’s calling. The point is that there is no competition in God’s kingdom; that we will seek to bless the community.

Signpost #2: Creating Disciples Over Decisions

The point is that for a long time the church focused on getting people to make a decision about Jesus, rather than becoming a disciple of Jesus. I think God is asking us to flip this around. That we would focus on creating disciples, over people simply making one decision about Jesus. Being a disciple isn’t about making one decision to follow Jesus, but a daily decision to follow Jesus – and that needs to be our focus.

Signpost #3: Everyone has a place, and everyone has a role

As I look into the future I see a church where everyone has a place and a role. That we are all serving as the church (not necessarily in the church building or programs). But that each and everyone would be using the gifts God has given us to build up each other, and bless the world. The truth is you cannot follow Jesus and spectate.

Signpost #4: Our Church is a Family

This point is that our church resonates and continues to adopt the metaphor of church as a family. This doesn’t mean you need to have a family to attend, but that when you join us you gain a family. That we would be committed to one another, care for one another, and journey together. Like all family we will be dysfunctional, and there will be difficulty, but we will get through it together.

Signpost #5: Locally Grounded and Globally Focused

I think the days are gone where you can just focus on overseas missions, or local ministries. I believe we need to do both. That we need to be locally grounded, in our communities and neighborhoods and bringing transformation; and also globally focused partnering with people long-term all over the world to bring life.

Signpost #6: Going Deeper with Jesus

I believe a focus in our future is depth with Jesus. Shallow following of Jesus doesn’t change us, and it doesn’t change lives. So I think we will continue to have a greater focus on deeply following Jesus and taking the next step from wherever you are at.

Signpost #7: Gracious and Generous

And last, but not least, I believe our calling cards in the future will be grace and generosity. That we will build bridges through our graciousness and generosity. That we will be committed to being a people of grace and gift.

So as I look into the future that’s where I see God taking us. This certainly isn’t the end of the conversation, it’s just the beginning. But my prayer is that God might have us dream together to find his dreams for us.

 

 

Teaching Notes

Big Idea: God, where are you taking us?

Teaching Points:

  • God, where are you taking us?
  • Without a vision the people perish – Proverbs 29:18
  • A vision isn’t just a vision statement
  • Without a picture of where you are headed your life will likely run off course
  • To be changed by Jesus, and to change lives with Jesus
  • Signpost #1: Be the Church to the Area
  • The point isn’t for us to be a giant church, but a faithful church.
  • Signpost #2: Creating Disciples Over Decisions
  • Being a disciple isn’t about making one decision to follow Jesus, but a daily decision to follow Jesus.
  • Signpost #3: Everyone has a place, and everyone has a role
  • You cannot follow Jesus and spectate
  • Signpost #4: Our Church is a Family
  • Signpost #5: Locally Grounded and Globally Focused
  • Signpost #6: Going Deeper with Jesus
  • Signpost #7: Gracious and Generous

Adult Discussion Questions:

Where do you think Jesus is taking us as a church? Which signpost most resonated with you? Are there any you’re not sure about? What signpost might you add?

Discussion Question for Families:

Ask your kids one question around the table this week. “What do you think are God’s dreams for our family?” and let the discussion begin.

Challenge for the Week: Dream with us – and pray about where God is leading us.

by Andrew Mills

Dreaming with God

1136764_21619849On Sunday we are looking at an exciting question: “Where are you taking us God?”

Because here is what I believe – God has a trajectory for our lives. This includes your personal life, and our corporate life as a church.

I believe that God has plans, desires, and even dreams for us. So on Sunday I want to dream together and ask the question, “God what is your vision for our church? Where are you leading us? Where might you be taking us? What might be in our future?”

And this is so important because simply by asking this question you get drawn closer to someone. You might even have experienced this, that when you first started dating someone the thing that drew you close was dreaming about your future together. Getting married. Having kids. Whatever. And one of the things I’ve noticed is that when marriages start to struggle, they’ve stopped dreaming together.

And what is true in our dating lives, and marriages is true with God as well. As we dream together we grow closer to God, we listen better to God, we share ourselves and ask him to share himself.

So come Sunday I’m going to share seven signposts to where, I think, God is leading us, and I’m going to ask you to dream with him.

And so before then why not ask God this question, “What dreams do you have for me and my church”. You might not be part of our church, that’s fine, but what dreams might God have for your church? I think we need to get into the habit of dreaming with God because if we ever want to find his future for us – it starts by dreaming with him.

by Andrew Mills

The Leadership Principle of “I Don’t Know”

??????????John Cotton Dana once said, “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”

I would agree with that, and also say, “Who dares to lead must never cease to learn”. Because the truth is that leading, and teaching require learning at their core. Leadership is nothing you are “born with”, it’s something you are taught. Knowledge is something you gain as you learn. So both teaching and leading flow out of a posture of learning.

  • The person who refuses to learn, refuses to grow.
  • The person who refuses to learn, refuses to improve.
  • The person who refuses to learn, stops moving forward and will soon move backward.

I think that’s all pretty straightforward, but here is the leadership or learning principle that flows from this that is hard. To be a good leader and a good teacher requires learning. This also means it requires saying, “I don’t know”. And this is what is hard for teachers and leaders.

They are used to being looked up to as the person with answers, with direction, with knowledge and skill. It is hard when you are in that position to say “I don’t know”. But being able to say, “I don’t know” is the fundamental posture of a learner. It is required to learn, to admit you need to learn. So here is the paradox or difficulty: to be a good leader means being a learner, which means admitting you don’t know things.

And this is hard, because we have somehow built up the expectation that our leaders and teachers would “know everything”. That if they were to admit that they don’t know we see them as an example of weakness rather than strength. But saying “I don’t know” isn’t a weakness; it’s a requirement to be a good leader and teacher. It requires self-awareness to know what you know, and know what you don’t. It requires courage to admit the limits of who you are. It requires humility to continue to look to others as well for direction, support, and growth.

The point is that if we want to be good leaders and teachers, it means being a great learner. And that means we need to get good at saying, “I don’t know”.

by Andrew Mills

Jesus Has the Final Word On Everything

1356537_26838575This Sunday we are looking at one of my favorite passages. It’s a passage that reminds us of why we can have hope no matter what we are facing. It’s a passage that grounds our lives in Jesus Christ.

So today for my post I don’t want to give you a lot of thoughts. I’d like to let Scripture speak to you. So the following is Ephesians 1:19-22. Here’s what I’d ask you do.

Slow down.

Read it quietly or aloud.

Read it a few times.

And let God speak to you through it.

We believe that Scripture can reveal God’s word and direction for us. So why not do that with this piece of Scripture.

“I ask God to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, endless energy, boundless strength! All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything.

The beauty is that Scripture is true. Jesus does have the final word on everything, which means anything you are facing is not the end of your story. God has more for you, and he has the final word on everything.

by Andrew Mills

The Fallacy of “Prayer Techniques”

1427667_31525848Eugene Peterson writes something brilliant. Okay most of what he writes is brilliant but especially this:

“In our technology-saturated culture, we frequently request help by asking, “How do I pray? Or even worse, “How do I pray effectively?” The question distorts what is fundamentally a personal relation into an impersonal technique”.

What Peterson is reacting against is our technique-driven mentality. That if we just get the technique right, the outcome will be right. That all we need to master is the mechanics for us to muster up the right result.

And this is fine in some things, but this doesn’t work in relationships. Relationships aren’t a means to an end. Relationships aren’t about efficiency and effectiveness; relationships are about intimacy. And this matters in prayer.

There is nothing wrong with trying to grow in prayer, and devoting yourself to it. But if all you focus on is the “right techniques, tips, and tricks” your prayer life won’t grow but will become stagnant. Because techniques do not develop a relationship, time does. Tips don’t make a covenant, commitment does. Tricks don’t increase intimacy, interaction does. 

So while there is nothing wrong with techniques, tips, and tricks in some things – it doesn’t relate well to prayer. Because prayer is fundamentally about a relationship. It is a conversation, it is an intimacy, and it is an interaction with God. And Eugene Peterson is right when we come to prayer first from a standpoint of technique, we’ve already missed the point. And I would say we end up missing God. Prayer isn’t a technique but a personal relationship that needs to be invested in, cherished, and grown in. Techniques can help, sure, but they are not a substitute for time and growth.

So my challenge to all of us, myself included, is this: rather than focusing on the techniques, and methods of prayer ~ focus on Jesus and the relationship. Because I think Peterson is right “In our technology-saturated culture, we frequently request help by asking, “How do I pray? Or even worse, “How do I pray effectively?” The question distorts what is fundamentally a personal relation into an impersonal technique”.

by Andrew Mills

Journeying Together is Healing

1254520_81286112On Sunday we looked at the story of Ruth, and the power of committing to someone’s journey. The book of Ruth begins with Naomi her mother-in-law in a deeply dark place. She moves to a foreign country, and her husband and her two sons die. This leaves her alone in a foreign land, without support, without care, and with two foreign daughters-in-law.

She is hurt, spiteful towards God, and bitterness oozes out from her. She decides to journey back home. She is so bitter that when she arrives home and people say, “Is that Naomi” (which means pleasant in Hebrew)? She responds with, “No, call me Mara now” (which means bitter). So she has gone from being pleasant to bitter. She now totally identifies with loss, bitterness, and hurt as her companions. She says God sent her away full and brought her back empty.

This is the hard place that she is in. Yet in the midst of this difficult, and this Plan B, things change for her. Things change for Naomi because of her daughter-in-law Ruth.

Ruth commits to being with Naomi no matter what. Naomi seeks to push Ruth away, to say she can’t be helped, to say there is nothing that can be done (Ruth 1:11-13). But Ruth refuses to give up on Naomi. She commits to her that she will be with her no matter what. She says “Where you go, I’ll go, where you live I’ll live, your God will be my God. We will be together”.

And it is this commitment to journeying together that begins to change not only Naomi but also Ruth. Through a series of amazing events, God begins to restore to Naomi some of what she has lost. God begins to heal her. And this only happens though because Ruth committed to journeying with Naomi for the long haul.

The story ends with Naomi being happy and full of joy as she cuddles with Ruth’s new baby, her grandson. Her life moves from Plan B back to God’s promises.

From this story we landed on the main idea that we need each other. Not in the clichéd, hallmark, or sentimental way. But in a real – deep life – can’t get through life without one another. I need you, you need me, we need each other.

So we ended with a challenge. That for some of us we need to go be a “Ruth” to someone else. We need to commit to journey with them, to care for them, and to love them like Ruth did. And while we can’t be a Ruth to everyone in need, that is not an excuse not to be there for someone in need. That was our challenge.

We also challenged those of us who are in Naomi’s place to reach out to a “Ruth”. To not refuse the help that a “Ruth” can bring. To not push away that relationship.

Because the truth is the only way we get through life is with one another. This is the beautiful thing about the church ~ Naomi’s and Ruth’s commit to journeying together and both find a new hope in the process.

 

 

Teaching Notes

Big Idea: We need each other; we need to journey together.

Teaching Points:

  • Here’s the truth and this one is thoroughly biblical: throughout life you will face one situation after another that will be completely beyond what you can handle. Pete Wilson
  • We need one another to get through Plan B times.
  • Naomi means “Pleasant” in Hebrew; Mara means “Bitter”.
  • No longer are these emotions that afflict us, they are emotions that define us.
  • Ruth commits to journeying with Naomi.
  • People who are in a deep place of hurt often push away the only people who can help
  • When you are in Plan B, you need community more than ever. Yet because of the pain that comes along with Plan B, it’s easy to miss the God-given gift of community.  Pete Wilson
  • We need one another.
  • “I will go where you go. I will live where you live.”  Ruth
  • Just because you can’t help everyone does not give you an excuse to not help someone
  • We can’t benefit from the power of community until we dare to face who we are.  Pete Wilson

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new?

Have you ever been like Naomi, so consumed by hurt, that it defines you? How did it happen? How did you move out of it? Have you ever had someone “be a Ruth to you”? What was that like? How did they commit to journeying with you? Why do you think it’s hard to be a “Ruth” to someone? Why do you think it’s hard to allow others to be a “Ruth” to us? Who is God calling you to jouney with? Is God asking you to allow someone to journey with you?

Discussion Question for Families:

Talk to your kids about the importance of caring for one another. Talk to them about how Ruth helped Naomi by being there for her. Ask your kids if there is anyone they know that needs someone to be there for them. Ask them about ideas for helping them, and then use their ideas.

Challenge for the Week: Be a Ruth to Someone; Invite a Ruth to Journey with You

by Andrew Mills

Cliched or Not it’s True : We All Need Each Other

1103018_28726094This week at church we are going to look at a clichéd statement that is absolutely true. We are going to look at this statement, “We need each other”.

Unfortunately this is something that is said all over the place. It’s said in companies, in advertising, in banks, in schools, in communities, and it’s applied to almost every situation. I’m not bemoaning that fact but sometimes when something becomes ubiquitous it also becomes meaningless.

Well come Sunday we want to restore some of the depth to that statement, “We need each other”. Because the truth is that statement is incredibly Biblical. There are over 50 references to “one another” statements in the Bible. Statements that direct us to the fact that we need each other, that we need one another, that we cannot get through life alone.

And this is so true, and obvious, but it is something we often fail to actually live out. So often when we are in difficulty and we do need others, it’s the time we shut others out. So often we get so busy that our commitment to “each other” is to pray for them when we happen to think of it; rather than deeply committing to another person and to journey with them.

So that’s what we are looking at on Sunday, the story of Ruth, and the power of journeying with someone.

But before we get there why not spend some time reflecting. Who has journeyed in your life that changed you? Who committed to you and changed you because of that commitment? Why not thank them, and then ask God this radical question that we will explore on Sunday: who should you be committing to?

by Andrew Mills