What is your back to school bash?
Most families I have talked to in the last couple of weeks have had some kind of last ditch effort to hold onto summer before the old grind of fall rips into us: school schedules, fall sports, routine, mundane, salt mine grind.
So, people are headed to the lake, grandmas and Kansas City, but not the Addis’. No, we are way to classy for that.
For our back to school family affair we purchased four tickets to at a private table at the Cotillion Concert Hall to see Weird Al Yankovic.
Truly proving, once and for all, that we are a family that is white and nerdy. By the way, if I have to explain that last phrase to you, it would take too long and it would therefore not be funny at all. So, just smile, nod and skip it… thanks.
I have never seen so many people stuck in the 80s gathered in one place in all my life… it felt like paradise!
Before you think I was forcing this event on my kids, I just want you to know that they knew every word of almost every song. My boys rock.
We had a blast! Still, wrapped around the concert I have been attending a training event for our church called The Summit. It’s a great event based out of Willow Creek Church in Chicago, Il. simulcast to thousands of locations like ours here in Wichita.
While there are lots of things worth sharing, there was one speaker I heard just a few minutes ago (yes, I am still at the conference… the current speaker is not so hot… it happens… except at our church, right… RIGHT?) who pretty much rocked my world.
Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, leads a multi-site venue driven church and I really connected with him… hmmm… imagine that.
He spoke on IT. Some churches have IT and some churches don’t have IT.
It… excuse me… IT was fantastic, so, I just won’t to give you my notes and see if they bless you.
Enjoy:
The Subject of IT
- The local church is the hope of the world… do you believe that?
- Have you ever walked into a church and after being there for 10 minutes you knew they didn’t have IT?
- Have you ever walked into a church and knew when you met the people, heard the music, or listened to the preacher preach… these guys have IT?
- What is IT?… I don’t know… Probably has something to do with the Holy Spirit… I think… It’s really still a work in progress… but this I know… there are churches who have IT and there are churches who don’t.
Here are some of my theories on IT
- God makes IT happen
- We don’t make IT happen
- It’s rare that 1 person can make IT happen alone
- Almost never, can 1 person kill IT at a church
- IT cannot be taught, but it can be caught
- IT is not a system or a program that can be picked up or implemented
- IT can always be identified because it changes lives
- IT will always bring criticism
- IT happens (that’s funny)
- If you have IT, that does not mean that you will keep IT
- If you don’t have IT you can get IT
- These people had it: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Ac 2:42-47). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
While you can’t force IT on any church, business or person, here are four qualities present in churches that have IT:
- Churches who have IT, have a laser focus – doing too much will kill the IT factor. More and bigger is not better. Better is better. What are you doing that you need to stop doing?
- Churches who have IT, see opportunities where others see obstacles – When something in the road pushes you left, whatever is to the left may be what God wanted for you in the first place (the opportunity). The Obstacle is pushing you toward the Opportunity. What are you battling against that you should be embracing as an opportunity?
- Churches who have IT, are willing to fail – when you say failure isn’t an option you have already failed yourself. Failure is a necessity. What has God called you to do that you are afraid to attempt? When are you going to do it?
- Churches who have IT, are lead by people who have IT.
This material is covered much better in his book called… you guessed it… IT… just released this week. Here’s a link if you are interested:
Let me know you thoughts. I think this is gooooood stuff.