covered in dust: March 2010

the search

"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him." -C.S. Lewis

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20, NIV

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1, NIV

"In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts 14:16-17, NIV

"[God] does not avoid us, but seeks us. When we seek Him, the contact is instantaneous." -Neva Coyle

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20, NIV

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10, NIV

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." Acts 17:26-27, NIV

"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times." -Martin Luther

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6, NIV

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV

"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24, TNIV

| composed by dave |

beloved

I love those moments; moments which seem to propel life into the stillness of the present.

I long for those times when my son leans into me-- quiet, strong, loving-- and his chest presses against mine as we embrace.

Our hearts beat as one.

I long for those times when my son reaches out to me and grabs my hand. He grips it with a strong, masculine touch; tender yet firm.

Our grip is inseparable.

I long for those times when we sit calmly and read a book or watch a movie-- him next to me; me next to him. He catches me reveling in him. I smile. He mirrors my loving sentiment then our eyes lock. I catch a glimpse of his heart reflected in his eyes... he is my beloved.

I cherish this boy.

Some nights I kneel beside my son's bed and pray for him-- for his future wife, for him to put Christ first in all things, for the future impact that he will have in changing this world. I cry out to God to forgive me of my inadequacies as a daddy, begging for Christ to help me love him more sacrificially, and rejoicing that God has allowed me to be his dad.

I treasure this boy.

Some nights I tuck him in long after he has fallen asleep. I cover him with a blanket that I am sure he will toss off only minutes later. Then, in the still, I watch his chest rise and fall with each breath. I could listen to him breathing for hours.

I adore this boy.

What enraptures my heart more than this intense love that I have for my son is the crazy love that God has for me. The love I have for my son is only a reflection or shadow of the love that God has for me.

God has pursued me.

God has moved Heaven and Earth

to be close to me...

and His name is Jesus.

Because of Jesus, I am an adopted son of God. I am His and He is mine. God adores me, treasures me, cherishes me. In His grip, He and I are inseparable. Our hearts beat as one. I am His beloved.

This too is true...

Because of Jesus, you can be an adopted son/daughter of God. God adores you, treasures you, cherishes you. Jesus gave up His life for you before you were born because He is crazy in love with you. You cannot make Him love you more. You cannot make Him love you less. He will never let you go. He wants your hearts to beat as one.

Trust in Jesus.

You are His beloved.

| composed by dave |

seven easy ways to be missional

Over the past several months you've heard me discussing that we must activate our faith through our actions. Another way of putting it is that the natural result of a life "all in" with Jesus has very physical, tangible results and that these results will make a lasting impact on our world locally and globally.

As Christ-followers, we should see the world around us being transformed very naturally and organically because of Jesus living through us.

But you may find yourself asking, "What does that really look like in my life, in my everyday world?" I can empathize with that notion completely!

To be honest, the more we get to know Jesus as we read The Scriptures, the more He awakens within us a passion for people and this is where the tension arises. We feel compelled towards others but don't want to either freak them out or be seen as uber religious or be put in the same category as "Bible thumpers."

Are ya still trackin' with me?

So how do we do this? How do we communicate the grace and love of Jesus in a way that contextually becomes relevant in the lives of our neighbors, coworkers or friends?

This must be an inside-out thing. Let me clarify. What we do missionally to engage our world for Christ must... let me say that again, MUST flow from within our own heart and unique giftedness as Jesus moves us outward toward others. Otherwise what we do may seem manufactured which may have the opposite effect that we hope to have happen.

Caring for and loving others just because they exist, this is what Jesus did and it is from the overflow of Jesus' love in our own lives that we give this love away- freely and without agenda.

Now, what I am about to suggest is not a comprehensive list but several actionable steps that we can take to help spur our own missional creativity.

1) Eat. Yeah, eat food. I know that it sounds simple but we see evidence of this all throughout the Scriptures (Matthew 9:10-12, Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 8:1-9, Luke 7:36, Luke 7:33-35, Luke 10:5-9, John 12:2, John 21:15). Besides, we all eat at least 3 times a day right? Why not be intentional about inviting others to join us? One of the most recognized and celebrated traditions of the Christian faith is... the Lord's supper. One last thing, we should try to do this with people "not-like-us." Try it out and see where God takes it.

2) Be a regular. Go to the same grocery store. Visit the same cashier. Engage in a conversation. By doing this everywhere we go, we begin creating relationships with people that God cares about intensely; people that He wants us to care about too.

I do this when I go shopping for groceries and at my local Starbucks (of course). I love getting to know people's stories... and I'm an introvert! Seriously. My Myer-Briggs is INFP (introvert, intuitive, feeling, perceiving). If I am an introvert and can do this... so can you. Here's why- because I don't rely on my own motivation to do this. I rely on God's Spirit to guide me, strengthen me, and compel me.

3) Sit in the front of the house. Having a barbeque? Move the grille or smoker to the front of the house. It's amazing how many of our neighbors we begin to interact with when this happens. Having an afternoon tea or coffee? Sit on the front porch or lawn. Here's a tangent: hasn't it ever seemed odd to you that we have huge back porches and fenced in yards with 6' fences? It's like we want to purposely avoid one another.

As Christ-followers, let's try to reverse this tragic neglect of basic human desire... to be known.

4) Be friendly. See someone cleaning up after a dinner? Help them. Notice a neighbor at the grocery store? Say hello.

Try this one: wave to everyone in your neighborhood- whether driving, walking or just hanging out in front of your house. It's amazing how this has transformed the culture in my own neighborhood. I have been doing this now for seven months and I have had new neighbors comment to me, "Everyone here just seems so friendly-- they always wave at you." That was not the case when I moved in but this simple act of intentionally being friendly has changed my neighborhood.

5) Throw parties. Christ-followers ought to be known for the BEST parties. Need a reason to have a party? How about because they're fun! Or try this place for ideas- http://brownielocks.com/. We once celebrated "Talk Like A Pirate Day" for an entire month! Every social gathering, party and family night were pirate themed. Our neighbors loved it!

We should always strive to give our best too. A half-hearted party that we could care less about won't be fun for us nor anyone else. Throw you heart into it. But remember, it's not about the production nor how many people come to our shin-dig, it's about the people who show up.

People matter most.

6) Organize a care calendar. Every now and then we hear of a neighbor going through a rough time or time of transition- job loss, tight on finances, loss of a friend or family member, new baby, etc. Why not organize some neighbors or small group friends to reach out to that person with some meals. It's easy to collaborate and set up by using http://carecalendar.org. The impact that this can have on one person's life is astounding. My wife and I have experienced this first hand and in turn have become advocates of this type of tangible love. Who doesn't feel loved when they find out that someone has organized bringing them meals for a week? This just might be the catalytic action that propels someone toward Jesus.

7) Go for walks. This goes hand-in-hand with the "Be Friendly" portion as well. As we walk, we should look for people to just say "Hi" to and then stop if someone wants to talk. Seems simple, doesn't it? I know that this may mean that we have to record Lost or put down the Xbox controller but it is well worth the effort... and it's healthier for us too!

I'm sure you've noticed a trend with these recommendations- food. I can't help it. It's how I'm wired. I just love a good meal. I love conversation over a Venti at my local Starbucks. See...

I truly believe that the quickest way to a person's heart is through their stomach.

As I stated earlier, this is not a comprehensive list and I am sure that I have missed a lot of other good, missional opportunities. But when we look at the rhythms in our life it's good to ask ourselves- are we truly noticing other people? How often do we look others in the eyes and let them know that they matter? When was the last time we told someone that they did a good job?

My hope is that it will help us all think through some everyday type of activities and interactions that we already have to help spur us along with more intentionality.

Be creative. Enjoy the process. Make some friends.

Do what you normally do with Gospel intentionality-- that's being missional.

| composed by dave |

altruistic renaissance

The time has come and is now here to unveil my other, NEW online playground...

altruistic renaissance

I have been slowly revealing what Altruistic Renaissance is all about this week in my posts but today is the day that I officially launch the blogsite. Altruistic Renaissance has the intentionality of encouraging influencers through stories of applied leadership.

It is about a conversation; a dialogue that I hope to have with leaders about our decisions (whether effective or ineffective), systems, and influence. Most importantly, it is about people and how well we are investing in our most precious resource... each other. It is from this human oriented perspective that I hope we will all grow as we pursue exponential influence together.

Consider this from The Scriptures...

"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:2, NIV

At Gateway we refer to this as 3G Leading (3rd generation leading). Meaning, that we must invest in others who will invest in others (Paul--Timothy--reliable men--others).

"The Altruistic Renaissance is about a movement, a movement of individuals collectively choosing to love others and serve them well. In doing this we can awaken the catalytic influence within the soul of humanity."

For more on leadership and influence, join the conversation at Altruistic Renaissance (http://davehackbarth.com)

Will you join me?

| composed by dave |

another glimpse into the future

The future awaits...

What type of future will you create?

Every action, every decision today creates tomorrow's reality. Will your tomorrow be more like yesterday? How can you begin to transform the world around you?

"Unleashing the creative dreams within each human requires a great deal of investment- time, energy, resources. The future that we create as artists painting on the canvas of humanity’s heart can transform the ordinary into the exceptional; the overlooked into the respected; the empty into the abundant."

Stay tuned...

| composed by dave |

a glimpse into the future

Something renewed is coming.

Something that moves in a different direction.

Something that stirs within the soul of everyday heroes that compels them to influence the world for a better future.

"The world needs a better future, the future we activate. This future will not wait for the timid but will be informed and inspired by everyday heroes who choose to risk comfort in an effort to empower others through reckless acts of sacrificial love."

Stay tuned...

| composed by dave |

the missional church... simple

Thoughts?

| composed by dave |

christian atheist

Does that say "Christian Atheist" in the title?

Yes, yes it does.

What is a Christian Atheist? That's a good question since just reading that title alone seems to be quite the oxymoron like military intelligence or large shrimp.

Craig Groeschel is the originator of this phrase and is using it as the title of his new book. He claims that Christian Atheists are people who believe in God but live as though God doesn't exist and he believes this is a majority of... well, Americans.

Check this out...

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Wow, that kinda sounds like church-ianity; that kinda sounds like America, doesn't it?

Hear what Craig has to say about it in the video below...

Craig Groeschel is the founding and lead pastor of LifeChurch.TV based out of Oklahoma. To learn more about Christian Atheists, check out the four week series that LifeChurch did called Practical Atheist (CLICK HERE).

| composed by dave |

church-ianity?

What is church? Maybe I should ask, what do you think of when you hear the word "church"?

Is it this?

With all of this?

Or maybe this?

With all of this?

Maybe you're view of church is somewhere in between the two or maybe it's different all together. Maybe when you think of church, you think of this...

Just check out how the dictionary defines church...

... a building for public Christian worship (source).

Here's one thing that they all have in common, they're all misconceptions of what the church really is according to The Scriptures. That's right. Even the dictionary is not Scripturally accurate.

When you explore The Scriptures with the question, "What is the church?" here is what you'll find...

"But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison." Acts 8:3, NIV (italics added)

"News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch." Acts 11:22, NIV (italics added)

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." Acts 12:5, NIV (italics added)

Reading these Scriptures make me ask some more questions like the following: In the context of "church", how could Saul be destroying a building when he was going house to house and arresting people? Do buildings have ears? Do buildings pray?

People do all of these things, don't they? So then how could churches be buildings when most of these references have human qualities? Could it be that our American culture has misused the word "church"?

Let's keep going...

"[Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him," Colossians 1:17-19, NIV (italics added)

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." 1 Corinthians 12:27-28, NIV (italics added)

"As you come to [Jesus], the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5, NIV (italics added)

Look again at the words The Scriptures are using to define the church- body, living stones, spiritual house. Based on these Scriptures, what is the church?

The church is a living, breathing person or "collective of persons." In other words, every Christ-follower IS the church.

If the building that we go to on Sunday is not the church, how does this impact your life... or does it? Does this change how you view yourself? How would you act differently knowing this? What implications does this have for how you engage your neighbors, co-workers, family, etc?

Knowing all of this, read the following from an email that I received from Kirby Holmes, Group Life pastor at Gateway:

"There's something wrong in America: many people have exchanged Christianity for Church-ianity. Church-ianity thinks the church is an organization of professional pastors who are responsible for feeding and meeting the needs of everyone who shows up for a service once a week.

In Church-ianity, the church is like a supermarket of goods and services. People go to sit, learn and then go to lunch afterwards to grade the service. If they don't like what they hear or aren't getting their needs met then they go to another supermarket down the street.

This view of church comes from our Western, affluent, education-equals-growth, feel-good, me-centered cultural view of life. It is a consumerism mentality. And it is wrong.

If you look at Scriptures you see a different picture of what is means to be the church. In Acts 2 we read what it was like to be in the early church:

'All the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew.'

The reality is anyone who opens up their life to the forgiveness offered to us through Jesus and lets Him lead their lives is a pastor and priest. In 1 Peter 2 we read that ordinary Christ followers share this identity. It says:

'But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you-from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.'

John Burke's message during the iSolation series has more to say about every Christ-follower's identity as pastors and priests (check it out HERE)."

Jesus said, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20, NIV

Here's to the church...

| composed by dave |

mistaken

Have you ever had someone come up to you and ask, "Excuse me, are you Steve?"

No? Hmm, I guess that would be odd if you were a girl.

So let me ask... have you ever been mistaken for someone else?

This is really an identity question, isn't it? Here's the thing, I've done this. I've wandered around a Starbucks ready for an interview and started asking strangers if they were the person that I was supposed to meet. In fact, I've just had this happen to me too in the past few days... and at a Starbucks! I have been mistaken for someone else.

We make millions of decisions each day. Some of them seem insignificant. While others change the trajectory of our lives.

Our decisions inform others of who we are and what we value most in life.

What are our decisions saying about us? If someone only observed our lives and the decisions that we make in a day, what would they say we value most?

This is deeply convicting for me. I gotta be honest that I am not always sure that I would want people to simply watch how I live to determine what I value most. Yet, we all do this to each other all the time. It's true.

Listen to how we communicate it...

"Actions speak louder than words."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Put your money where your mouth is."

"As I grow older I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." -Andrew Carnegie

Well, you get the idea. The decisions that we make and the actions that we live out are visible proof of what is deeply rooted in our hearts.

So here's THE question. Based on our decisions and actions...

Would we be mistaken for Jesus?

What are our decisions saying about us? Would someone see our actions and be compelled to ask us why we do what we do? Do we live lives that demand a Gospel explanation because no other explanation would make sense?

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:15-16, NLT

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. 1 Peter 2:11-13, NLT

I want my identity to be mistaken because of my decisions and actions. I want to be mistaken for Jesus.

| composed by dave |

the search

beloved

seven easy ways to be missional

altruistic renaissance

another glimpse into the future

a glimpse into the future

the missional church... simple

christian atheist

church-ianity?

mistaken

collections

my online spaces

blogroll

archive