WELCOME TO THE REVOLUTION

1. The understanding of the Last Supper

Growing up in church, it is always known that partaking the communion has always been a quiet moment where it is mostly inward looking. It was refreshing to come to an understanding that it is more than a practice or routine. It is about the coming together as a community in remembrance of Christ. In the context of The Corinthian church, the Lord’s Supper is a full meal where people fellowship in remembrance of Christ while in today’s context, it is ‘watered-down’ to simply a practice held during weekly services.

2. The Understanding of Marriage and Singleness

The fresh depth of this topic has developed stronger character in my life. Knowing the importance of relationships and marriage. Especially in our generation, where one in four marriages end up in divorce, I find Paul’s writing both instructive and full of logic for the development of strong marriages in the church. What makes it an even greater impact for me, is that these characteristics are taught at a young age, as compared to waiting till later in life. 

3. The Experience of working in a Team

I had the honor of working with a very amazing team. They were caring and sensitive to the needs of others, as many of our team mates are holding fulltime jobs, group meetings were hard, however we were creative in setting our times and content. When we met, we were ready to share and agree with one another. I look forward to bring this system and heart of teamwork to the rest of my ministry and work life.

I told the world, one day I would pay it back. 
Say it on tape and lay it, record it, so that one day I could play it back.
But I don’t even know if I believe it when I’m saying that. 
Doubt startin’ to creep in, everyday it’s just so grey and black. 
Hope, I just need a ray of that 
‘Cause no one sees my vision 
When I play it for ‘em, they just say it’s whack. 
But they don’t know what dope is. 
And I don’t know if I was awake or asleep when I wrote this. 
All I know is you came to me when I was at my lowest. 
You picked me up, breathed new life in me. I owe my life to you. 

— Eminem [I Need A Doctor]

Dedicated to Mr Hoshi Turangan | Happy Birthday

I was Taylored to snatch the mic Swiftly like Kanye did
And lay it down for the king like Dr Dre did
And they can kill us now, go get the yellow tape
Hey put me 6 feet in the ground and watch a great escape
I promise, ain’t a shotgun can keep me down
My God’s so official, that’s a technical foul
Was engineered in my mother’s womb for Gods’ glory
Plenty faith in the persecution is inventory
I been spit in the face, still exhibiting grace
Kicked out many a place, just for sharing my faith
My belt tight, shoes laced, plus a breast plate
My war helmet on now I got my head straight
The battle’s on but the war is over when Jesus reigns
And for His name I withstand the pressure and take the pain
And if they drop us, this promise, we’ll take it to the grave
That tonight we may die, but to die is our gain!

I

Walter Breuning, the world’s oldest man died recently at the age of 114 in Great Falls, Montana. With the average life span ending in the 80s, there is no doubt Walter was constantly asked what his secret was for obtaining a long life. Here’s the world’s oldest man’s secret to a long life:

1) Embrace change. (“Change is good.”)

2) Eat two meals a day (“All you need.”)

3) Work as long as you can (“That money’s going to come in handy.”)

4) Help others (“The more you do for others, the better shape you’re in.)

5) Accept death. (“We’re going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die”)

So lets be a generation that will embrace change, be wise, hardworking, creative, generous, giving and sacrificial - who do not live for ourselves but for the rest of the world.

11 points to finding your idols

Idols are sneaky. They tip toe past our brains, set up shop in a corner of our heart, and begin to grow. Most of the time we don’t even notice because we’ve fallen in love with the idol—it’s become part of what drives us and makes us (momentarily) happy.

 Here are the questions:

1. What do I worry about most?
2.  What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
3.  What do I use to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?
4.  What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I do to feel better?
5.  What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
6.  What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I the proudest? For what do I want to be known?
7.  What do I lead with in conversations?
8.  Early on what do I want to make sure that people know about me?
9.  What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
10.  What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?
11.  What is my hope for the future?

Recently, i have had the opportunity to sit in, be involved and run a few different kinds of meetings, with different people, involved in different situations.

lets look at a few “Wisdoms” in Running a Meeting:

1. Meetings tend to go on forever and nowhere when its all “priestly concreted and not Kingly driven” - Make sure a king drives your meeting.

2. Longs meetings, doesn’t mean effective meetings ( You can do much more with the time, a good length is an hour to about an hour and a half)

3. Please take note of the size of the group, the time of the meeting, the people’s skill set, experiences and emotional strength during the meetings. - remember that a leaders role is to create an environment during the meeting (good or bad - thats up to you)

4. The Meeting isn’t the problem - People Are: You have to first deiced who needs to be at the meeting, not everyone needs to always be there, understand the context and the needs of the meeting.

5. Be Empowering, Motivating, Inspiring and Nice - Esp when you are in a meeting with a group of Volunteers. If that is not their full time Job - dont expect them to give as much as you.

TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEETINGS YOU MUST HAVE:

1. The Meeting Before the Meeting: Often You will need to meet your members before the meeting to settle everything and only bring up the finalized idea with proper presentation during the big meeting.

2. The Brainstorm Meeting: Sometimes you will have the first “everybody gather” meeting - over here, dont nail people down. Inspire them to think creatively and strengthen the objective so the Meeting becomes a Movement!

LASTLY:

You would want to train and develop other leaders as well in your meetings - mentorship/apprenticeship is good! Teach them to think like you and impart wisdom to them as well. Now Have A Great Meeting 

One of the questions often asked of me is, “how in the world do you stay so passionate?  It seems like you believe everyday is going to be the ‘best ever!’”  

#1 – My Personal Time With God

NOTHING fires me up more than my time with the Lord.  I am a firm believer that if God is going to light a church on fire that He is will do it through a leader who is on fire…and we can’t be on fire if we’re not drawing close to Him on a daily basis.

It is a sad fact that some church leaders do not make their personal time with God as a priority…and if this happens it will become evident.  AND…let me make sure to emphasize this…this is NOT my sermon prep time…this is a time where I ask the Lord to speak to me, to convict me, to challenge me and lead me in the ways I need to go.

#2 – People

The people you surround yourself with will either add to or take away from your passion. Personally…I can’t really handle people in meetings who are not fired up about being there.  A person who lacks passion will always bring the temperature in the room DOWN; however, passionate people will always find a way to work though problems and find solutions that advance God’s Kingdom.  Passionate people do whatever it takes…and those kind of people fire me up!

#3 – Rest

God did not design us to go 9000km per hour with our hair on fire 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  (AND…church leader, rest never “just happens,” if you don’t schedule time to rest…you won’t rest!)

#4 – Working Out Physically

The healthier I have gotten physically the more my passion levels have increased.  Physical health isn’t talked about that often among Christian circles…but it should be!  Trust me church leader…your passion levels can and will be higher when your body isn’t ticked at you all of the time for the way you are treating it!

#5 – Change

John Maxwell once said, “if you always do what you’ve always done then you’ll always get what you’ve always got!”  AND…we’ve all also heard that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get different results!”  So…if I find myself in a rut…I make some changes.  It may be a change in an environment, change in my routine or even a change in a way I schedule a meeting.

#6 – Not Becoming Obsessed With What People Who Don’t Know Me Think About Me

When pastors and church leaders begin to live for the approval of an online audience…it’s over!  I’ve said it before and I will say it again…you cannot allow those who know you the least define you the most.

#7 – Understanding

Understand that…He loves the church more than me!  That He has the world in His hands.  That He called me, is with me and will sustain me through whatever I go through.  That He was at work long before I got here and will still be working long after I am gone.  That He has greater plans for this ministry than I do!  That HIS power is so much greater than my performance!  It’s on HIM…not me!!!