theokairos

Change is the only Constant at Renewed Life – Kelsey Tarrant

If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice – Rush

Nothing is static in the universe

You can resist it but change happens every moment and not doing anything is setting in motion concrete actions that will eventually change.

Taking care of a house  or not then the weeds and nature overtakes it.

your molecules are even moving all the time in resonate frequency.

The world changes and is moving whether we move or not.

The question isn’t will we change but how will we change?

And do not be conformed to this world [age], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

In this verse there is a negative command followed by a positive command:  “do not be conformed . . . but be transformed . . . .

This word is metamorphosis means to change from immature to an adult. From one stage of being to another. In our spiritual condition there is no room to stay static. This is not in God’s plan. We are either pushing into deeper more spiritually mature waters or going the opposite direction into further and deeper deception.

Does this now explain the chasm between us in the United States today? One side is seeking to adhere to what is known as traditional Christian values and the other is pushing the limit’s. This goes beyond any political discussion. This goes to the core of our understanding of God.

One of our early leaders P. F. Bresee was heard to say something that is relevant for us today in our post-Christian and post- modern world.

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; but in all things, love.”

As we are seeking our way as a church into a new building we need to remember this quote. There will be many challenges ahead and many new faces and ideals. People always come with agendas and try to change any church or organization. We need to approach them with love.

We need to be quick to listen not just to the questions they ask but to the heart and experiences behind these questions.

What can we learn from them and how can our understanding be flavored by our mutual experience?

The essentials we cannot and must not budge on. These are the foundational and core issues of Christianity. If these move then we have built our house on shifting sand.

The non-essentials are cultural biases which we even see expressed in scripture.

1 Corinthians 11: ¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.

This is not even an issue today in church because it was more of a cultural requirement than a spiritual command.

What needs to change?

This is a question we do not fear. But we never change just for the sake of change. There needs to be a reason. Do we have scriptural backing? If it is cultural then how do we express this in a way that produces closeness to God by everyone?

Embrace also the continual spiritual enlightenment of God. Our minds are being Renewed – Transformed – daily. Remember what is normal to us is our carnal sinful way of viewing and living in the world. What Jesus through the Holy Spirit brings is a counter – culture way of living. Be prepared to be questioned and even misunderstood. You are not alone in this. As a matter of fact you now have joined countless followers of God who have been misunderstood and even persecuted for loving and being the light in a dark world.

Viva la Change

#renewaliscoming

www.renewedlife.church

The word we all seem to run from. Accountability means we actually have to have real dependance, real openness with others.

Lets look at a few steps in the process:

1: Scripture encourages us to realize that each person plays a role in the Body. No-one is expendable.

1 Corinthians 12:

^14-18 I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. If Foot said, “I’m not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don’t belong to this body,” would that make it so? If Ear said, “I’m not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don’t deserve a place on the head,” would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.

^19-24 But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster. What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons. If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?

^25-26 The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.

^27-31 You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything.

Accountability realizes our part actually effect others. We are not alone. That our actions create bonds or divisions.

• Start thinking of ourselves as a part of something.

The idea we don’t need to be part of the church is un-scriptural and illogical. It sounds good to a battered and bruised soul. Isolation is the tool of the enemy.

• We are not expendable

The church now has to take a different view. Even if someone is a thorn in your side they are still a part of the body.

2 Thessalonians 3: ¹⁴ And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

• What part do I play?

Explore what gifts, strengths or talents God has given you. You will find a natural fit for who you are and what you can offer the church. You may want to sing but if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket you may have been created for other things.

• Do I understand the importance of the role I play?

We may do a particular part but do we understand how important this role is. Looking at the nail on any finger or toe. It seems insignificant and actually worthless. However if you have ever lost a nail you realize how important it is. You realize how quickly the whole body stops and just focuses on that one digit without the nail. Ask God to show you the importance of your gifts and talents.

• How can I not only be encouraged but encourage others in them fulfilling their roles

Now here is a concept for every Christian. There is no place for gossip, back biting and even negative comments. We are to always see people for who they could be in Christ. Who they were created to be. Imagine being part of another persons success. Our kind words and encouragement could change the course of another’s life.

• How can I make my role the best it can be? Thinking outside the box and seeking guidance with leadership. This ensures we again are all on the same page.

Do everything as if you are working for God. The most mundane task can be done with great joy if only we renew our mind and take on the right attitude. Purpose is a powerful thing. Knowing why we were created and that our existence has a powerful life changing purpose inspires awe.

It is also humbling to think that the God of this universe sees and wants to use us for the redemptive purposes of the Universe.

How will you now be accountable to your church?

Has God called you to Renewed Life?

If so then the Time is Now. The Work is before us. With God on our side we cannot fail !!!

#renewaliscoming

www.renewedlife.church

Hype  definition:

Unity – The Power of God.

1 Corinthians 12:…God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Unity at its core in Christian thought and practice falls under one word… Value…

Do we see that every person has value?

Someone on the left should challenge conservative thinking. Conservative thinking should challenge Liberal mindsets. Out of this tension we see the world as a whole. The oppressed now have a voice and those with power now have a responsibility. And yet those with responsibility also should have a voice. They can guide and help the forgotten rise above their situation.

We see economic’s, race, gender, and now with the abandonment of truth by Church leaders we shirk our responsibility and leave the world even more confused than before.

John 13: ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Loving each other however does not mean always agreeing with each other.

A child may only want to eat candy, sleep all day and never go to school. A parent however has the responsibility to guide, teach, and even discipline when rebellion takes place.  In a loving community we have to give permission to those who have gone before us. Those who have experience and knowledge we may not have.

Loving and valuing someone means listening to them. Truly hearing what they are saying. Hearing their side and being open to their experience. Your most hated enemy has value. The political leader who you despise has value. The person who lives a lifestyle that is opposite of what you understand also has value. The proverbial walking in their shoes gives us a different insight. It does not mean we have to embrace their philosophy but by taking this step we will grow as a person and as people in community.

Love means hearing someones heart. When someone feels safe enough to express their true feelings then they will be open to yours views. At this point we are actually having real meaningful dialogue.

What is not love?

Personal attacks. This way of communicating does not give value to the other person in your words. Our words speak from the fullness of the heart. I need to not only listen to what the other person is saying but to the words coming out of my own mouth.

Are these word’s bathed in prayer for the situation?

Are these word’s immersed in prayers for blessing even upon someone who has wronged me?

Matthew 5: ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect,therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Unity is the expression of allowing the Holy Spirit control over our thoughts, actions and emotions. In this we will begin to embrace v 48 of being Perfect.

I hear all the arguments you are bringing right now. I know all the emotion rising up in your heart. The frustration is the beginning of the madness.

James 1: ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. ¹⁵ Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

The bottom line of disunity is PRIDE.

My self inflated view and self-righteousness is at the heart of every division. We feel we have a right to be offended but only Jesus has this right. Ultimately every offense is a sin against a Holy and perfect God. When I devalue you then I am devaluing the part of you that is in the Image of God.

Unity then begins when Matthew 22: ³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the greatest and most important command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

The power of God is Unity Through His Transformative Love

Romans 2: ^3-4 You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

The great misunderstanding.

This verse in the Message version nails how people view God. We either see Him as a vengeful God waiting to punish us. With this view our defense is showing God how much better we are than others. The problem with this tactic is we presume God is ignorant of our onion skin charade.

The flip side is that we see God as endlessly permissive. he is a parent that we can manipulate. Like a spoiled child we think we can get away with whatever we want when we want. There is no understanding that we actually will be held accountable for our actions. Someone who is spoiled sees someone with boundaries as hateful and unkind.

These two ways of seeing God sum up how many outside the church view God. The saddest reality however is that many inside the church secretly have one of these two views toward God as well.

As we seek to have a holistic view of ourselves we must gain a Renewed Mind.

This mind doesn’t look at the world as we desire to see it but seeks to be open to a perfect God to help us understand reality in new ways.

God is kind, but he’s not soft.

In our culture we look at kindness as weakness. The weak are to be bullied and thrown aside. As much as our current culture hates bullies we are not in the real business of dealing with the core issues.

The Core issue is God’s kindness guides us to a counter culture way of thinking.

The world around us does not value individuals.

The world does not believe in redemption or that people can change.

The world lives in their pain and hides it from even those closest to us. We are afraid it might be discovered and then exploited.

Or the flip side is we wear our pain as a badge. It defines us so greatly that is would be unthinkable to be healed and have a different self image.

However: 

                     In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand

                                                                    and leads us into a radical life-change.

God’s Kindness honors and values EVERY INDIVIDUAL as being Created in the Image of GOD.

God’s Kindness believes that regardless of the sin God can not only forgive but radically TRANSFORM the person from the Inside Out.

God’s Kindness gives us a safe place to be vulnerable. Like trusting a doctor to perform surgery and remove diseased and cancerous tissues or organs. There will be pain from the procedure but now there can also be healing and a better New life.

God’s Kindness is our New Identity.

John 13: ^34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

This community we are rebuilding has gone through some deep surgery. It has been a journey not many would take but those who have stuck it out are reaping the benefits. They are experiencing freedom they never knew to be possible.

We all now realize that the Kingdom of Heaven coming to Earth is possible.

It is not possible because of our effort or plans – but possible because of our surrender and courage to allow God’s kindness to lead us by the hand.

renewedlife.church

#renewaliscoming

Romans 12: 2 Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.

The true Counter cultural expression of Christianity is how we cut across what the everyday person think’s is normal with this seemingly absurd way of viewing reality. The whole political debate mirrors this polar way of thinking. We see today truly a nation divided not just on one ideal but on truly core values.

The reaction to this counterculture way of thinking causes great emotion from those who hear you. Why? Well the expression of a God way of seeing the world is diametrically opposed to the thinking of the current culture. The emotion is brought about by a frustration with the opposing perception. To admit this opposite has validity would call into question everything.

This is what God wants. We must realize our normal is flawed. The theological term would be sin. It is a self-preservation self-centric world view. This perception puts us or people at the center and relegates God to the unimportant peripheral world. Most people today think: God is a neat concept to ponder but for the real solutions to our true struggles a god in the equation appears weak and 1.0 thinking.

But is this correct?

When we value what is eternal the worldly stuff seems cheap. It is always going to rust, and break down. There will always be a need for a newer model. We just get bored and systems never run as well as they could.

This New Mind however isn’t taking us to a future perfect model but restoring us back to the original. The original purity of two garden dwellers who were innocent and content to be together and in unity with their Creator.

Keeping our old way of thinking is like arguing we need to keep the virus in our computer. That this viral destructive experience is better than the pure flow of a clean perfect system.

Our goal at Renewed Life is to walk with each individual. We are on a journey an adventure. This path will present daily challenges that help us seek God for His Virus scanning abilities. We submit our will and ask Him to clean up the program every day, moment by moment.

Of course we can be seduced to open an old system and reinfect our minds. But in the context of life we learn to trust God and avoid the pop up ads filled with trojan, spyware or whatever devious way to get into our code and corrupt the data.

God gives us a system reboot and then has us plugged into an ongoing help desk called prayer and the Bible. Staying plugged in keeps our lives free of chaos.

My challenge is not new. But it has never proved to fail.

Come to Renewed Life for 3-4 months. Truly plug-in not just on Sunday. Read your Bible. Seek to talk with God in that wonderfully mysterious yet simple way called prayer. Be open to new ways of thinking and seeing the world.

We are not here to debate or argue you into faith. We just want you to join us all in this great conversation and journey. We compare notes in small group discussions. We encourage each other to live different then the world around. A new way that is honoring, truthful and transparent.

The only question is:

Are you brave enough to join us?

renewedlife.church

#renewaliscoming

Jesus Want’s You!!!

I couldn’t think of a more appropriate theme for our next part of the journey. I mean knowing Jesus wants us may be a hard thing to swallow. many of us believe we are so bad that if we even walked into a church it or us would burn up. lol

We walk around knowing our dark thoughts and actions and if we were honest we don’t believe God could or would forgive us. The sad thing is we definitely don’t think the people who call themselves Christians would ever give us a chance.

If this has been your experience then I want to say a very LOUD I AM SORRY.

The whole message of Jesus was about not just the good people getting closer to God but the main message was that the outcast, the sinner, the biggest heathen, prostitute and whatever other sin you want to add can not only be accepted by God but can be Transformed in such a dynamic way that everyone around them will have to confess something amazing has happened.

THIS IS THE COMMUNITY OF RENEWED LIFE CHURCH.

So what do I base all this on? How do we keep pushing to be this kind of community?

Well here are a few scriptures I wanted to share that I believe outline how every person who says they are a Christian should live.

1: Jesus want’s you to do the right thing for the right reason.

Matthew 7: ^21-23 “Knowing the correct password saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience doing what my Father wills. I can see it now at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

many religious people do great works in helping the poor and other acts of compassion but if it is about the act and being seen for doing it then you missed the point. At renewed Life we do allot of things to help people in need but they are all done because we see every person as VALUABLE. It’s not because of a command but because if everyone is valuable and created in God’s Image then we need to LOVE THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

The Only reason we wouldn’t do this is if we have selfish reasons or motives. Trust me these get revealed and exposed quickly. Many join us in acts of love and service for the wrong reasons at first. But then God grabs ahold of their heart and they begin to change which changes why they continue to do the acts of service and love.

2: Jesus wants you To Chose the right foundation for your life.

• If you start wrong then you end in chaos, loneliness and pain.

Matthew 22: ^37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”

Starting just at love is not enough. If what and who we love is misplaced then our hearts can be broken and all our hopes and dreams can not just be crushed but tragically lost forever.

Loving God first puts us on the right track. God being Holy and Perfect knows true love. A love that is not selfish but selfless. A love that isn’t for the moment but has the best plan for the most good. God’s love is transformative. His love never leaves us but heals our wounded places where others love has damaged us. His love even extends to those who would be our enemies. Jesus did not just die on the cross to reconcile the a relationship with Israel. He did so that every pagan, every one who denied, refused and turned their back on Him would have the same opportunity to receive God’s forgiveness.

3: Jesus wants you to make your life count

Romans 12: ^1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

A living sacrifice isn’t something that is burned up and gone. No a living sacrifice is a person devoted to leaving a LEGACY.

This type of person realizes every day and every moment counts. Every encounter with every person can have meaning. They realize that every action, job, and word can be an act of saying THANK YOU to GOD for the gift of life now and Life to come.

Most of us have played some sort of sport or game with a ball. To connect you have to keep your eye on the ball. When you do this then cool things can happen. You are actually engaged and in the game. If you miss then you are out or someone else gets the glory.

The writer of this letter to Christians in Rome was saying; ” Hey I live in the most pagan place there is right now. Everyone here thinks they have power and are above everyone. They believe this will never end. They honestly want everyone else to disappear and they leave a legacy of little images of them every where. Well accept for the nobodies who are their slaves who have to serve them.

I am telling you the nobodies are just as important. Those who fall through the cracks and are powerless are vastly important to us and more importantly to God!”

Are you getting what the RENEWED Version of LIFE and CHURCH is supposed to be?

If so then you don’t have to sit on the sidelines.

I challenge you to join us!!!

Take 3-4 months of your life and commit to come every week.

Commit to actually read the Bible and be open to what it has to say.

Commit to actually pray as if you believe someone hears you.

Commit to use your talents to help the community and others outside of it.

The greatest adventure of your life is about to happen.

You will experience more purpose and freedom than you ever have before in your life.

What are you waiting for???

Renewedlife.church

#renewaliscoming

Welcome to the Adventure !!!

We have 10 weeks to move into our new to us Building on 1130 W. Division in Arlington, Texas.

On this adventure we are going back to the basics to explore again who we are as a church. What that means today in 2018 as opposed to the world in 2000.

THEN:

The church was in a state of being behind culture by at least 2 decades in music, thinking and how we dealt with the culture around us. People wanted to escape from the trappings of religion and wanted something real that looked comfortable. A place with little judgment and more heart to meet them right where they were.

So we started in a Rock and Roll club on Division Street called DreamWorld.

NOW:

The same can be said as the above but what was so cutting edge then is common place now. The new problem is that being real is not enough. We have an image problem with ourselves. The church doesn’t like itself and blames everything but sin for it’s frustration, anger and disappointment.

We have cheapened the gospel to be relevant and have abandoned logic as well as sound theology to fill our seats or make the world see us as the good guys.

What we need instead is to continue to be the counter culture birthed in Pentecost. The only way that happened then and in 1908 or 2018 is how it happened 2000 years ago. Jesus said:

Acts 1: ⁴ While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

So The first part of our plan is like the first plan for the birth of Renewed Life Church was to assemble people passionate about Real change. People who have not lost hope but believe God can still Transform this crazy world. People who realize real transformation doesn’t come from human logic but from the Power of God through the 3rd Person known as the Holy Spirit. And this Power is not for our personal gains or desires but to fulfill the desire of God.

What is that desire? That All people be reconciled in a healing relationship with Him. We call this being saved or becoming a Christian but whatever you call it the result is the same.

For us to reach this goal we need to continue seeking God with all our heart. I believe we need to expand from the usual people to any and everyone who believe’s in true Transformation.

Will you join us?

Will you do this first step with us?

So if your interested in joining us as a prayer advocate then Please let us know by liking and following this blog or private message me on fb. You can also email me at rlc@yourrenewal to get updates on the move and current ways we are reaching into the community near UTA.

So join the journey and do more than be a bystander. Get involved by praying for us TODAY !!!

This is a critical question. I know I could spend lots of time on the Why we exist and I may come back to it, however I want to also look at some nuts and bolts of our experience.

What are we not seeing?

Guest and their perspective make me smile. A new fresh pair of eyes can see that chipped paint, bad signage, or poor quality a mile away. We may have excused it away or even not see something.

Yesterday I needed a Kleenex. I looked over where my wife Lori was sitting and then all around the room. I didn’t see the box so I got up and looked in the kitchen and walked around and finally went to the bathroom and grabbed some toilet tissue. I went back to my chair and as soon as my butt hit the cushion I again looked at my wife and saw this big box of Kleenex sitting next to her. I have no explaination to why I missed it but I did.

What are we missing in our Kairos. Merriam Webster says: a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action :  the opportune and decisive moment

Got Questions.org The word kairos was an ancient Greek word meaning “opportunity,” “season,” or “fitting time.” Another Greek word for “time” was chronos. A sequence of moments was expressed as chronos, emphasizing the duration of the time; an appointed time was expressed as kairos, with no regard for the length of the time. Thus, chronos was more linear and quantitative, and kairos was more nonlinear and qualitative. 

This Time with God is crucial. The Post-Modern church is all about the concert effect. I have noticed that in myself and with the current culture that this though awe inspiring can leave one with a sense of insincerity. Our new eyes have caused us to look at worship, discussion groups, greeting and hospitality, and the sharing of the Word. We are even looking at our space and what does it communicate to someone who has never been here.

Worship experience– Our Lead Worshiper has decided to strip down the music. Lets go more acoustic on purpose. This allows us to hear everything. To give God our best, we need to not hide behind the noise. I have been in several bands and learned that I at elevated volume can hide my mistakes, but one we turn everything down they are all blatantly exposed. It is uncomfortable but doesn’t God deserve our best?

We are also relooking at the space. Does it need to be less cluttered?

Are there any little things that can enhance someones experience or be less of a distraction. These little attentions to detail speak volumes about who we are and what we think about what we are doing.

It is a very hard task to train not just yourself but your team to see what we normally may overlook. The brain purposefully jumps over things and tries to help us process our environment. We have to slow down and try and look with new eyes.

My second most painful observation is flow. Does the time we experience together flow well or is it a disjointed mess. Each and every person has a responsibility to help with flow. Are we giving enough time and space for the movement needed on the platform? Maybe positioning a microphone in a different place would help. At we thinking through every detail or have we just decided to let everything go. It sounds crazy but we expect in every other area of our life to have an easy time navigating through stores, the web, and events. We especially in the metro area have a higher expectation for everything. I am not saying we should loose our minds over this. We have to evaluate on any given Sunday what is important and learn to be flexible, but we must like a strong team after excellence look and reevaluate everything.

Doesn’t God deserve our best?

Don’t the people who take time to experience God with us deserve our best?

Looking at flow helps us also sync into the flow of the Holy Spirit in Worship:

I as the pastor have a say in the order of service. I have to be painfully aware that I am not so focused on the planned activities that I miss an opportunity for God to speak. We may need to stay and soak in a particular place for awhile. I need to also trust my team and if the Lead Worshiper is sensing God to cut or add songs then I need to be open to this.

Think about it. My frustration or control can be sensed and seen. I cannot hide my expressions very well. If the people see I am ok with the changes then they will be ok with them. The reality is usually they do not know that there is a change till they see my reaction. How many pastors are guilty of pushing the Spirit of God out of the way because they had something they felt was important to do or say.

Trust me I hate the uncomfortable moments when I am just there not knowing what God wants to do. It is best to breath and just let go. Stay in a state of prayer until I know where God is directing us.

The service may go long or short but the result is what happened the other day. A guest came and said she so enjoyed the service and had no idea it was 12:30pm. She was delighted that such an openness to God’s guidance was part of who we are.

The first 100 days of every Presidents first term sets the tone for their 4 years. We as a church have been hit hard and have come to a new reality of starting over, hence the title  of this new blog series:

It has been a few weeks since I have written. Let me fill you in on the details.

We where hip deep into rebuilding Renewed Life church at our new location in Mansfield, Texas. We had partnered with a sister church. We provided some muscle to help fix up the building and they provided us some space to do the outreach ministries that are deep in our hearts.

Christmas morning I received a call that our church was on fire. Later we found out that it was arson. The person who set the fire did so because in their words “I wanted to see the reaction on their faces”.

We still had service beside the road and praised God. We have long realized we were the church and that the church was not the building. Now we were on a new adventure again. We went from “Burned to Barbeque”. Spring Creek BBQ opened up their space to us. After a week Mansfield First relocated to a Seventh Day Adventist church deeper in Mansfield. We however were and are an Arlington church. I felt we needed to stay at the BBQ till God opened a door.

I have to say this was a very hard month for the church. 2 moves in less than a few months is hard on any church and I wondered if the people would hang in there. I knew God had called us and that we had a purpose to still exist, but in todays consumer client mentality we pastors often wonder if the people we minister to will remain faithful to the church they are in.

Another sister church reached out to us and it just felt right. Arlington First saw us and said they would make space for us. So we were on the move again. It is a miracle that 3 moves in 6 months that we are still in existence much less seeing progress.

Moving forward after literally loosing everything is the quintessential idea of restarting. At the BBQ we had a small borrowed sound system and had to turn one chair over on another to make a music stand. (O, I also failed to mention that previous to this God had called away our young worship leader. In the same season months earlier God was calling back one of our previous worship leaders. He had no idea he would be stepping back in when he first started coming back to the church). Let’s just say God has a sense of humor and has timing that is perfect.

I have learned that I need to trust God. He always is 5 steps ahead of what our present circumstances are revealing to us. He is working in the hearts of His people to accomplish something greater than ourselves.

As I write this we are a few weeks into our new reality. We still have a few old things that are part of our DNA:

No Panic policy– We just learn to be flexible and keep moving forward.

Change is the only Constant at Renewed Life Church- This helps us live in a state of trust rather than comfort.

Never stop reaching out– Death is in protection. As general Patton once said “He did not like to pay for the same real estate twice.” To stop living out the great commission is to begin the slow march towards the death of your church.

As we move into our new reality we are also having to reevaluate EVERYTHING.

This honestly is an awesome place to be. If you approach this with a positive perspective then you can see the opportunities for growth. If you choose to be pessimistic then all you can see is what is wrong and solutions will always be beyond your grasp.

We have a lot of work to do. The next few post will be about this work. How we are taking a church from near death because of a steady onslaught of the enemies attacks into not just surviving but thriving. 

1: Why do we exist?

I have taught for over 1 month now over Matthew 28:16-20 the Great Commission. The same passage every week, highlighting a different aspect. The key is to move from hearing to doing. We cannot do if we do not know why we exist.

We exist to be Transformed by God– This Transformation brings us back into relationship with God. This New Reality redefines Normal. What we think and felt prior, what we perceived as normal was actually a fallen mind and way of life. A life of separation from God that brought us chaos, and eventually death of our physical, mental, emotional and worst of all our spiritual selves.

I hope you will walk with me through this journey.

Please subscribe or at least like and share this post if it has in any way touched your life or encouraged you.

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