I’m so excited to introduce you guys today to one of my favorite people in the world. Ketric Newell is the student pastor at our Cross Point Nashville campus and I love this guy.
I get a front row view to watch how God uses him to powerfully connect with students day in and day out.
He’s written a new book called Liar, Liar, Mullet On Fire 
I’m giving 3 copies of the book away today. All you have to do is answer this deep and profound question:
Have you ever had a mullet?
This morning I was looking at Matthew 6 and the one question Jesus asked in verse 27 has been totally messing with me. He asked,
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Think about that question. Can anyone here honestly say the time they’ve spent in fear, anxiety, or worry has added any value to their life?
This particular word “worrying” translated in the Greek literally means “to be drawn in different directions.” Worry pulls us apart. I read the other day where a John Hopkins University doctor said, “We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than non-worriers, but that is a fact.”
I believe the reason worriers die before non-worriers is because we are inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear, worry and anxiety is not true to the way we’ve been wired. Everything about you from your tissue… to your brain cells… to your soul is constructed by our Maker for faith and not fear. To live by fear is to live against the reality of your creation.
I thought we could spend some time today just listening and praying for each other. Where are you tempted to live by fear instead of faith? What are you anxious, worried, or fearful about today?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6.
I can’t tell you how excited I am that my friend Michael Hyatt’s new book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World
While I haven’t been as intentional as I want to be with this, I believe the idea of strategically building a platform is important. I’ve got one life, and one message to communicate during that life, and I want to reach as many people as I possibly can with the message of Jesus.
If you blog, I want you to leave a link to your blog in the comments. We would love to check out your platform.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love John Ortberg. Everyone has their favorite commuincators. It’s the people you just connect with and learn from. John is that for me.
Last night (in a moment of ministry guilt) I read THIS fantastic article. It really ministered to me and I’ll bet it will to you.
He wrote…
I often think that guilt is a particular hazard for people involved in ministry and church leadership. I don’t mean the kind of ‘godly sorrow’ that the Spirit brings to lead us to repentance and full life. I mean the kind of chronic cloud of inadequacy and general ‘loserliness’ that chokes motivation and saps energy. So here are a few chronic guilt-inducers that you might want to consider unloading.
Not pleasing everyone.
A friend of mine left the marketplace to start working in the church. He said his biggest surprise in his new role was that it can seem like everyone in the church feels like his supervisor.
Technology makes the greatest talks in the world available to everyone. They’re free to compare and contrast with whomever happens to be the live teacher at their church. And everyone has opinions. Years ago when I spoke at a conference a total stranger came up to me and said, “I thought your voice sounded familiar. A friend of mine gets all your tapes—and sends me the good ones.”
I think pastors in particular struggle with guilt here for a few reasons. One is that the pastorate attracts a disproportionate number of people-pleasers (as opposed to other occupations like being an umpire or marine drill sergeant or wedding coordinator). Another is the nature of our work. We deal with what matters most. If we fail, then the maintenance of sacred doctrine and the eternal wellbeing of souls are on the line. But if my guilt detectors go off every time someone is not pleased with me, they will never turn off! Whom did Jesus not disappoint?
Not reading everything you should
A university faculty member I know says the biggest lie in the academic world is, “Yes, I’ve read that book.” Since I went into ministry, there has been a stack of books and journals that I have not yet gotten through. Calvin and Luther never had to deal with this information glut. Most of the wonderful stuff that keeps getting written every year you will never read. If you did nothing but read all day, you’d never absorb it all. Plus no one would pay you. Get over it.
Not remembering enough names
I have been doing church ministry 30 years. I still don’t have a good response when someone whose name I’ve forgotten says, “Do you remember who I am?” Babe Ruth used to call everyone “Kid,” because he couldn’t remember names. You could go that route. Another option is the one used by Jim Carrey in the movie Liar Liar. When he was temporarily unable to deceive, he greeted somebody with, “Hi! You’re not important enough for me to remember your name.” I wouldn’t suggest using that one.
After mentioning a few other things we shouldn’t feel guilty about he turned the corner and mentioned a few things that are worth feeling guilt about. Like…
Ignoring your spouse, blowing off the kids, hydroplaning over the state of your soul, being apathetic about hunger and suffering and injustice in the world, failing to love the real-life people God places in your church and world.
Boom. That’s what I call a game changer. Don’t just read it today, digest it, think about it, and act.
What would you add to the list of things you shouldn’t feel guilty about today?
Hope you guys have a great Monday!!
I read THIS article in Time Magazine last night and it really got me thinking. Dominique Browning wrote,
“There was something to be said for the old-fashioned landline, with a handset so bulky, you had to tuck it between your neck and shoulder to get your hands free. They didn’t — couldn’t — go everywhere with us. Now we’re tethered to our mobiles — addicted, even. They’ve become handy tools for avoidance, and it’s our children who are getting the bad end of the deal.
All around me, I see parents with their babies and toddlers and young kids — but not with them. The grownups are on the phone. The dad pushing his son on the swing set while hands-free on his mobile isn’t really with his child. The mom pushing her baby in a pram while she’s yakking on the phone isn’t really with her child.
I’ve learned it’s possible to be present with your family and not really be PRESENT with your family.
One of the best decisions I’ve made in the past two years was taking email off my phone. I’ve never missed it once and while I believe it’s made me a more attentive husband and father it hasn’t once made me a less effective pastor.
Listen, I’m not trying to make anyone guilty, but I do think we need to take the time to think about how technology is impacting our families. Just read these final words of this article. Wow!!!!
Is being a parent boring? Sometimes. Lots of times. And guess what. Those boring moments are what you will miss the most once your children are grown. Carpool is when you should be hanging on every word. Walks are when the world unfolds at a child’s feet, in the safety of your company. The parent is the genius who gives names to things and encourages a child’s attention to detail on the path. The tiny accretion of daily routines is dull and divine. Of course there’s always plenty of time for a phone call, or 10 of them. Children are always slowly walking, slowly eating, slowly looking, slowly reading, slowly going nowhere, until suddenly they’re gone.
And giving the kids their own phones in the name of fair play doesn’t cut it. That’s happening all too often; families are together, but each person is in her own bubble of technology. Some of us worry about radiation and the developing brain. But we should be worried about disconnectedness and the developing mind.
Any thoughts?
My friend, Angie Smith, sent me this video earlier in the week. Her girls crack me up and even convict me just a little. You’ve got to see this.
I couldn’t help but think about 1 Peter 3:15-16 which says…
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
I know Siri didn’t ask, but I do believe that if we’re living our life with the hope of Christ people will take notice and people will ask. They’ll wonder about the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness that just naturally overflow from your life from moment to moment.
And when they do, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to tell them.
You ready?
I’m addicted to life change. There’s just a few things more incredible to me than watching Jesus transform the life of another human being.
The following video got me so excited!! God is doing some pretty incredible things at Cross Point these days. Honored to be along for this ride.
