Love146

As a church we’ve been asking ourselves how can we can make a difference in our community and around the world this Chris

tmas… after all Christmas changed everything, and it still does. Out of this desire to make a difference we’ll be hosting some special, and perhaps uniquely different services for the Chirstmas season. This weekend we’ll be hosting Rob Morris from Love146. An incredible organization working to end the trafficking of kids in the sex trade industry as well as safehomes to restore these kids. If you’re in town and don’t have a church your at this weekend drop by and hear about the incredible work this organization is doing. Your Christmas can still change things! Check out some Love146 videos here.

Things I learned from Disney (part 3)

Service isn’t a means to an end. It’s the goal.

After winning the evening Cinderella’s castle, my girls got ready for our dinner at Cinderella’s table. Dressed in their princess’ dresses, make up and sparkles with those little jewels on each cheek. Excited we take the elevator to the first floor and go into the lobby to meet Cinderella… royality, a real life princess in the mind of my little girls. The photographers where there, the girls run and hug Cinderella and then the unthinkable… one of Sophie’s jewels gets lost from her cheek. Sophie loses focus and begin to get upset about losing the jewel in the presence of Cinderella. What does Cinderella do? “Sophie come with me and let’s look for it together.” Are you kidding me? Royality, the Princess Cinderella, the owner of the castle we get to stay in that night is on the floor with my daughter looking for a cheap plastic jewel… It was in that moment that I realized service wasn’t a means to an end for Disney, it was the objective. Serve every guest and make them feel special, loved and appreciated.

The King of kings and the Prince of princes did exactly the same thing. In Matthew 20:28 He told us that He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. In John 13 He didn’t wait for the disciple to wash His feet, He washed the feet of His disciples… in verse 15 He tells us, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” Service wasn’t a means to an end… it was the end game, the goal, the objective.

Allow God to pop the bubble wrap!

I’m sure you’re probably aware of the whole Mike Guglielmucci (author of the Healer song) episode and while it’s sad what has happened, there’s a grace that I’m sure Mike’s experiencing as he gets the help he needs and God can still anoint a song regardless of the messenger. The blogosphere has been passionately abuzz with opinion and comments about the story. But this morning I stumbled across this post, and it added fuel to a fire that I’ve been investigating in my own soul. What am I allowing in my life to ruin me for the cause of Christ? Or have I so bubble wrapped my life that I’m insulated from “feeling” anything too deeply and as a result not moved to do anything too outta the boat. Rather moved to play it safe and live in balance.

I’ve always been inspired and challenged by Royce and Elizabeth Iverson. A couple who many would say had everything going their direction and living a great life in Portland, Oregon. However they were ruined for the cause of Christ when they allowed themselves to see things from an eternal perspective. I remember Royce on many occasions telling me, “all this stuff won’t mean a thing in heaven. I’ve only got one life to live and I don’t want to get to the end of my life and have regrets.”The ruining had begun. And it would radically change the trajectory of their life – they quit jobs, sold homes and possessions and moved from their comfortable, nice neighborhood in Portland to Uganda with their two kids to start a medical clinic and orphanage called Hope Village (video here). They had been ruined and moved to never look back. It was forward with what God had put in their heart or death of a vision which would slowly antrophy the rest of their spiritual existence. They chose to be ruined, and as a result choose life.

So in the midst the Mike Guglielmucci episode, or whatever local level irritant you’re encountering let me ask you what is ruining you? As we head into the fall, back to school, back to what might be a normalizing of work and corporate schedules is there something that’s going to ruin you this fall? Is it something with your kids that will cause you to change your schedule or lifestyle so you can invest in them. Is it something in your church, your community or in the world that you know is God challenging you to let yourself be ruined by it, so moved and changed from the inside out that you have to do something about it. A neighbor that needs your support and encouragement. A community that has needs they can’t meet on their own. An area of your church that’s struggling because you’re not there passionately engaged in making it better.

Whatever it is, let’s allow God to pop the bubble wrap!

Wild Goose Chase

Just got two copies of the Wild Goose Chase… just a couple of chapters in and it’s an incredibly challenging and inspiring read.

A quick summary: Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect.

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” –from the introduction.

For more information and to download Mark’s 10 Steps to Setting Life Goals visit www.chasethegoose.com It’s great material for personal or group study.You can pick up your copy here.

But as a special for readers of this little blog, I have one copy of the Wild Goose Chase to give away. Simply email me at gareth@garethgilpin.com with the Wild Goose Chase you’re on right now and we’ll have a little drawing to see who wins a copy.

Mark Batterson & Northway

Enjoy the picture of my son showing off his guns (sorry pea shooters) with Mark Batterson.

Got to hang with my family and Josh Brower’s family over at Northway tonight. Buddy Cremeans and team are doing such a fantastic job. It’s so awesome to see the incredible things that God’s doing in the capital region. And I’ve appreciated getting to know some of these guys over the past couple of months.

Mark Batterson happened to be over at Northway this weekend and it was an incredible honor to meet him. What an incredible guy! I was deeply challenged by his talk on the Holy Spirit and the names that the Celtic people gave him, the Wild Goose (being Irish myself that was pretty cool). Some notable quotes from tonight’s talk:

“Your assets become liabilities when you don’t use them for God… The very thing that provided security for the rich young ruler became a cage that kept him from living the adventure that God had in store.”

“We focus on what the rich young ruler was giving up, and miss what Jesus is putting on the table. An opportunity to follow the Son of God. Drink the water that was turned into wine, see the miracles first hand… The disciples chose to follow… They had box seats for everything that Jesus did.”

“If you say no you will never know…. Our biggest regrets will be our inactive regrets… The what if’s over things we never stepped out to do?”

Mark’s book, In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, was one of the tools that God used with both Jennie and I as we considered stepping out to move away from everything we knew to pursue the unknown, and I can tell you, while there are challenges, the rewards have been incredible. If you haven’t read it (and I know I’ve recommended it to many of you) pick up a copy and be prepared to be challenged. There’s also some great small group materials available. After hearing Mark’s talk tonight I can’t wait to get my hands on his latest

book, Wild Goose Chase. Highly recommend you order you copy. It’s been an incredible honor over the past year to meet the likes of Ed Young jr, Craig Groeschel, Steven Furtick and Mark Batterson. Incredible folks, with humble hearts and a singular passion to see people cross the line of faith and grow in their relationship with him. More than ever, to borrow a line from Craig Groeschel, we want to do anything (and everything) short of sin to see people find Christ.

Just a little

I’ve been struck by how often God asks us to do things that we don’t have capacity to do in and of ourselves… One sure thing about God is that he never wants us to depend upon ourselves or our own capabilities. Just take a look at the Bible – Moses had a simple stick in his hand; David, a sling and a couple of smooth stones; the widow, just a small jar of oil and some flour; the disciples had a couple of fish and loaves of bread. In fact Peter and John had nothing in Acts 3. The amazing fact and encouragement to all of us is that God took the little, or the nothing, and combined it with what He had to provide some explosive and miraculous results.

So what do you have? A little, nothing? What is it God’s asking you to do? Probably more than you have in your bank account or your talent pool to pull off on your own. Good. You’re right where God wants you to be… totally dependent upon Him.

I was reminded of the lesson over the weekend – I had prepared and studied to preach this weekend and on Saturday night with my bag of tricks and illustrations I preached and it flopped. I go back to my hotel to rework the message and God reminded me about dependence upon Him. More time praying, less time fussing over what I have in my hand. Sunday God showed up in an amazing way and touched people the way I could never imagine or be able to. The little you have with the lot God has is an equation that leads to incredible results. So if he’s telling you something (and make sure he is otherwise it’s presumption), step out with confidence knowing that his lot is being add to your little. That’s why Jesus said that if you have a teeny, tiny amount of faith the size of a mustard seed you’d be able to move a mountain. Why? Because its your little being added to God’s lot.

I’m ruined

I’m gutted, wiped out, torn up… ruined. The Holy Spirit has used Craig Groeschel and Steven Furtick to challenge me and put his finger on some areas of my life and leadership. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to be around people like this, and here them boast of their failures and weaknesses. To realize that just like you and me they are ordinary people who have paid the price, counted the cost and said that for all the pain it’s worth it. It’s worth it to lay down you life for the King. It’s worth it. I’ve been so challenged over the past 24 hours and now the work of implimenting and executing in my own life begins. It was also an incredible honor to spend some time with Josh Brower, Buddy Cremeans and his wife, Ryan Hollingsworth and of course my good friend Larry Hubatka… I admit I teared up a little when I began to think about the journey that God has taken Larry and Kelly on. I’m so very proud of them – they are an incredible encouragement, perhaps more than they will ever know!