i’m a dreamer.

i love to think about what things can be like.

i can get a vivid picture in my head and see what it looks like in reality.

in church world that can be a great commodity and dangerous at the same time.

it is great because vision must be cast out of looking from the clouds and seeing the big picture.

however, this can be very dangerous because sometimes we can get our head stuck in the clouds and never come to the dirt and put the shovel to those dreams.

the people i see doing the most good in the church are those who balance having their heads in the clouds and then parachuting down to the dirt to make them a reality.

we make all sorts of excuses for staying in the clouds.

we make lots of BUT statements…(might I add those are big but’s- #sirmixalotreferernce)

i would get in the dirt, BUT…i might get dirty.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…the clouds are nice and i don’t have to do anything but dream.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…what if others don’t understand what i saw in the clouds.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…i might fail.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…what if God let’s me down.

i would get in the dirt, BUT… i’m creative not administrative.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…my family might think i am crazy.

i would get in the dirt, BUT…

that little word is the difference between living out your dreams to do what God has called you to and staying in the clouds and never experiencing what he longs to do with you.

as much as God is in the clouds,

He is also…very much…

IN THE DIRT!!!

what dream do you need to get out of the clouds and into the dirt?

]]> http://freshairpoetry.com/2012/01/06/head-in-the-clouds-2/feed/ 0 http://freshairpoetry.com/2011/04/20/come-hang-with-me-here-this-weekend/ http://freshairpoetry.com/2011/04/20/come-hang-with-me-here-this-weekend/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:05:30 +0000 Trevor http://freshairpoetry.com/?p=2604

A few months ago I posted THIS in response to a trip to the Apple store. Yesterday I had another similar experience, except this time it was at the beloved caffeine drip of America…Starbucks. Or for all you hipsters out there that are cooler than the rest of us St. Arbucks!!!

So here is the context. I will label yesterday Wicked Wet Wednesday. In the span of a few hours yesterday, in some places, we had around 10 inches of rain. It was insane. I am not sure I have seen that much rain since I moved here 8 years ago. So instead of taking me 15 min. to get to Starbucks to get my Chocolate Vivanno, it took me 45 min. When I pulled into the parking lot I was floored by what was taking place.

I pulled up and the rain was coming down sideways. It was beating on the side of my vehicle and I would have sworn it was going to actually penetrate the metal. Then out of no where one of the Baristas comes running over to my car with an umbrella. He was soaking wet, getting pelted with rain and debris, and get this…HE WAS HAPPY!!! He peeked in the window and yelled, “You going into Starbucks?” I nodded a frantic yes, and he screamed, “LET’S GO…I WILL KEEP YOU DRY!!!” So with that I opened the door, grabbed my bag and the Barista escorted me into the building. After he opened the door he looked at me and said, “Thanks for letting me help you.” I looked at him with what I am sure was a look of “REALLY DUDE?” Then I proceeded to say, “No Bro…Thank you.” Then as he held the door for me and I walked inside he took off running out into the parking lot to help another POSSIBLE patron. So what can we learn as the church.

1. Be willing to serve people no matter how uncomfortable it makes you- He could have easily stayed inside his comfy shop, behind his safe counter, making his expensive drinks and no one would have blamed him. But he did something that many of us in the church are not willing to do. He got uncomfortable in order to make sure that everyone coming in had the best experience they could in a seemingly “bad experience” kind of morning. Unfortunately we would much rather stay in our comfy buildings, in our comfy chairs, and our safe friends long before we would risk getting up and getting uncomfortable for those that don’t yet know Christ. It is time that we are willing to serve people in an uncomfortable state.

2. Be willing to serve when it is not your main responsibility- My guess is when he took the job at Starbucks there was no mention of bringing people in from the rain with an umbrella all morning. In fact my guess is, is that he was taught how to make coffee and remember names, but that was it. However, he saw a need and knew that doing what he did would in fact impact people to experience their coffee gods better. Whether you are paid in the church or a volunteer, when was the last time you stepped out of your “role,” saw a need, and jumped without question? What I have found is God usually uses me when it is not what I am paid to do. He usually uses me when I actually pick up the ball that no one else has seen and run with it. Be willing to step out of your responsibility to serve others.

3. Be willing to serve with a smile- Remember…it was POURING down rain. Yet he was HAPPY!!! Did you get that? HE WAS HAPPY!!! Why is it that in the church when things don’t go as we have planned we become Debbie Downer. We complain, we bicker, we snap and bite at each other, we point blame, we_______(fill in the blank). He did none of that. He simply wanted to serve people in a way that would show he loved them. As the church we need to remember that Jesus calls us to be people of JOY!!! If nothing else, smile and have fun in your service. If nothing else it will be contagious to those that encounter you.

4. Be willing to see serving others as an honor- If you remember the story above he thanked me for letting him help me. He was honored to serve me and the countless others he served yesterday. He ran back to the parking lot as if to say, “THIS IS AWESOME…LET ME SERVE YOU.” I imagine as much joy as others received from staying partially dry yesterday morning, he was experiencing a greater joy. I wonder how often we thank people for letting us serve them? Maybe it is time that we as the church realize that there is great honor in serving those that are not yet in the arms of Christ.

So there it is.

Where have you seen the market place do things that the church could learn from? What did they do? Why did they do it? How can we learn from it?

CASE IN POINT…TODAY!!!

We are usually anywhere from 4-6 weeks ahead in our writing. But let me give you a snapshot of what that really means…Here we GO!!!

• 6 weeks in advance everyone gets a writing assignment.

• 3 weeks out your rough draft manuscript is due…it is at this point that we as a team strip it apart and bleed red ink all over it to make it better. You cannot come with your feelings attached to it. You have to know that the team makes you and your message better.

• 2 weeks out you come back with version number two. Again we bleed, cut, and add new material. At this point it almost becomes therapeutic to cut the fat away.

• The week of the message you come with the final draft. At this point that baby is ready to be born. We have labored and toiled over it and now it is time to see that bad boy come into the world. This is where we see the payoff of all the hard work we have put into what God has instilled in us

So back to yesterday. We start a new series on Sunday called “Worldview.” We are going to be starting with Judaism and we have LABORED…I mean LABORED over this one. We started with a 32 page manuscript…cut it down to 17…cut it down to 13…and after yesterdays weed wack fest we have it down to 9 1/2 pages. For an hour and a half yesterday we cut almost three pages and 2500 words. After this whole process, lots of input, a monstrosity of cutting, and praying that what we have is what God wants his people to hear, we will preach this message with all our heart this weekend.

To hear the finished product of what God is doing in us as a team join me this weekend at Compass Roanoke at one of our two services…

9am or 10:30am at our new location in the NEW Roanoke Elementary School. If you cannot be with us go to the media section of our website and start this series with us there.

Here is to life.love.and creativity!!!

Many of you know that one of my favorite things to do is take photos. So much so, that I have a side business in photography. This is what I have come to love about taking photos…I can control light. I control how much I let in. I control how much I allow to hit my subject. I control where the light goes. I control the intensity. I have the ability to control light. I love that I can make a seemingly dark area come to life with just a little bit of light. I love that there are different ways and different modifiers that help you produce different kinds of light for different settings.

I LOVE LIGHT!!!

As I began to think about this the other night I was reminded of John 12:46 where Jesus says, “I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should live in darkness.” The reality is, is that if we love THE light, then we get to control the light that is given to the world around us. We control how much light we let out. We control where light goes. We control the intensity of the light to the world we come in contact with. We can take seeming dark areas of the world and bring them to life with just a little bit of light. Just like photography, we have different ways and different modifiers that we can use to produce light to all kinds of people. Your modifier may be music, the arts, sports, conversation, or a myriad of other things but the reality is that all of these modifiers produce good light to a seemingly dark world. I LOVE LIGHT!!!

Where do you need to bring light to? Also, what is your unique modifier of light to the world and how can you use it?

His story is one that I am sure Hollywood would love to have for a script. It would be a number one box office hit. It is full of intrigue, famous people, drugs, and glitz. There is a dramatic conversion experience that almost makes Paul’s conversion in the book of Acts look like a typical Sunday walk down the aisle. I have to admit that I have been completely entrenched in listening to this story this morning. It is an incredible story. The life change is unreal. He is now a pastor and God’s used his story I am sure to lead countless people to Christ. Here is what made me stop and wonder if the approach was to much for the one he was sharing it with.

When he finished the individual looked at him and said, “There is no way my story compares to that. I just want to know that Christ loves me. Does he Love me?”

WOW!!!

It made me stop in my tracks as I tried to not stare or look up from my table. Now listen I am all for dramatic stories of life change. Parts of my story have been that way too. But I wonder if sometimes we tell the over the top story thinking that it will draw people to Christ or if we tell it in hopes that it will draw them to us. The reality is that what the world really needs to hear is not how dramatic our story is, but that Christ simply loves them dramatically.

I have been guilty of trying to allow my story to overshadow the story of Christ. It has never been intentional, but if I were to really examine my heart I know it to be true. In fact my guess is, is that many of us have done the same. Today my hope and prayer for all of us is that we would simply show and tell the world that Christ LOVES them and their story…drama or not!!!

How can you share with the world that Christ loves them today?

Monday…

What is in a name like Monday?

Today there are a lot of things in that name. Today I am tired. I think in a good way, but a delirious good way for sure. Yesterday was an incredible whirlwind. I cannot express the things that I continue to see God doing in my life, the life of others and the life of the church here in Roanoke and across the nation. Yesterday at Newspring Church in South Carolina they had over 500 people give their lives to Christ. Elevation Church saw the same by way of first time decisions for Christ. In Compass Roanoke we saw one…AND IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! What I realized again yesterday was no matter if it is 500 or 1 the celebration is the same. Whether it is 500 or 1 God is still rejoicing over them all. Whether it is 500 or 1 the angels throw down the rock show of all rock shows for them..EACH AND EVERY ONE!!! I am thankful for the movement of God that is taking place right now across the Kingdom of God. The awakening that is coming from its slumber. I am thankful for Perry and for Steven and the many other churches that are speaking truth and life into people. I am thankful for the fruit of all their labor and efforts.

Today instead of being the church that is jealous of the bigger and seemingly better church, find refuge in being the church and beacon of light to the community you have been placed in. Instead of being indignant that you are not the church of hundreds of decisions, be thankful that your church had “A” decision this weekend. Don’t look to compete, but look to complete the body with your work. Pray for those that are having mass decisions, because I know that they are praying for your one. I pray that churches across the globe have thousands of decisions for Christ. I pray that Newspring and Elevation Church have 2000 plus next weekend. I pray that we at Compass Roanoke have two or more next weekend. More than anything on this delirious Monday morning I am simply thankful that God is moving in his Kingdom. Thankful that life is evident and victory is being proclaimed.

What are you doing today to encourage the body of Christ? Who are you praying will know the love and salvation of a God that we have not always accurately put on display? Are you taking light into the darkness or simply hanging out with other light bulbs where you light has no real impact?

With all that said here are a few highlights from our day at Compass Roanoke Yesterday:

• Yesterday we saw Megan baptized in the pool at the hotel we meet. IT WAS GLORIOUS!!!

• Her boyfriend  jumped in the pool fully clothed afterward to celebrate and immediately regretted that decision, but did not regret celebrating.

• We had a young man named Greg join our church first service. Seeing his joy and love for a place of acceptance was incredible

• We finished up our series on Proverbs and I believe that it has changed the face of our campus in Roanoke

• We saw people find HELP from God for the first time in a long time. BEAUTIFUL!!!

• I saw people offer HELP for the first time in a long time to people around them yesterday.

• I know that I say it all the time, but our set up and tear down teams are UNBELIEVABLE!!!

• We had to add more chairs in our second service for the second week in a row.

• People cheered again this weekend when we told them we were moving to the new elementary school in Roanoke.

• I saw more new faces today than in any other weekend we have had in a long time. People are bringing people.

• The message this weekend was my favorite one I have preached this whole series. Reminding people of when, who, and how to offer help is riveting.

• Mark 4:35-41, John 6:60-69, and Mark 9:17-29 are three of the greatest examples of Christ showing and bringing help!!!

• Jesus calls us to higher living and though his teachings are easy to understand, living out his teaching are hard.

• GOD IS ALREADY MOVING THIS WEEK. WHO ARE YOU MOVING WITH YOU TO BE A PART OF THE JOURNEY!!!

So there you have it. That is just a little bit of what happened this weekend. Know that you are all being prayed for and loved this week. Cannot wait to see how God moves this next weekend not only here at Compass Roanoke, but all throughout the Kingdom. Have a great week!!!
LIVE AS LIGHT!!! John 12:46