For about two months now we have had new  neighbors to the left of our house. In fact over the course of the last 8 years we have had many neighbors in the house to the left of ours. Some were nice, some where loud, some were destructive, some did drugs, some had dogs, some kept to themselves.

Laura and I have always made it a point to at least make contact with our neighbors. It usually requires my wife making some sort of baked delicacy and me traipsing across the front yard to go make our peace offering and begin relationship with our new found neighbors. Now for whatever reason (summer, schedule, life..etc) we have yet to do that with our new neighbors. No real reason other than time!!! Now here is the deal. They have been great neighbors thus far. They are quiet, keep to themselves, keep their house in order…all the things good neighbors do. So the fact that we have yet to meet them has now since been bothering me…UNTIL TODAY!!!

As I was pulling into my driveway I noticed a young man with a baby sitting out front on their porch. As I pulled around the back of the house and into the garage I had that moment where I knew I needed to take the opportunity to go introduce myself. Now I know I was about to break our rule of taking baked goods, because baked goods make people like you. So this time I knew it was all on me. I walked around the corner and through the yard and immediately introduced myself. The young man got up and went inside to get someone. I must have looked trustworthy, because he left me alone with one of the cutest baby boys I had ever seen. When he returned there was a lady with him. I immediately introduced myself as the bad neighbor next door who had  yet to welcome them to the neighborhood. She looked at me and with a loud and boisterous voice said, “Shame on you…” And then she let out a huge laugh. Not just any laugh, but one of those laughs that can be heard blocks away.

For the next 30 min. we stood on the front porch and just talked. It was incredible. Instant connection was made. She asked me my favorite question of what I do for a living and I told her. Immediately she asked if I would give her a “word from the Lord.” I laughed and told her she needed to come hang out with us at the church I preach at. Immediately she told me she would come. I told her I was gonna hold her to it and she told me she was gonna hold me to it. I guess that is good accountability right there.

What I love, is that there is now an instant trust and relationship, and all it took was me walking next door and meeting my neighbors. If I am to truly take scripture to heart and Jesus tells me to “love my neighbor as myself” then this should be the norm not the rarity. Today I am stoked that I met Joy (and she totally lives up to her name) and her husband Tim. I am blown away by the instant connection between me and their family. Yet in the same breath why am I so surprised? God has called us to do and be this.

So today, may we take opportunities. May we love people as we love ourselves. May we simply be good neighbors to the world around us.

Two questions today:

What are the names of your neighbors? Who in your life do you need to be a good neighbor to today?

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?

I would like to call up my 16 year old self and have coffee in some vintage little nook that you can only find in one of those little eclectic towns. I would love to look myself in the eyes and just search my soul. I would love to guess what I am thinking. I imagine my younger self’s first thought would be, “Wow, that is me 15 years from now. When did I get so old?” Then I imagine I would be thinking what kind of things do I want to know from the older me?

I would like to join me for coffee.

I would love to see the anticipation in those eyes 15 years prior to today.  I would love to hear what he is so excited about. I would love to hear about the girl he is dating, the classes he is taking, the job he has, and the relationship with his family and friends. I would love to see what gets him stoked and amped up. I would love to ask my younger self why he wants to change the world. I imagine he would have a lot of wisdom to impart to me. However, I could not let him think that, because I am sure he is a pompous little know it all. I guess some things never change huh?

I would like to join me for coffee.

I would love to see how respectable he would be to himself. He was quite a schmoozer back in the day and my guess is that he would still be one, even with himself. I would love to ask him what he plans to do with all those crazy dreams he has swirling around inside of him. I would love to talk to him about his faith and when he is going to finally decide to grow up and live it out. My guess is that he may ask me the same thing. I would love to ask him why he thinks that the acceptance of others is more important than grades, God, and family.

I would like to join me for coffee.

I would love to tell him that he is going to grow up to be a preacher. I imagine that he would laugh at me when he heard me say it. He would spout something off to me about wanting to be a lawyer, but I would just smirk. He would know by that smirk that it was real. I would love to tell him that he would be moving to Illinois and then to Texas. Man I bet he would think that was the funniest thing he had ever heard. Illinois maybe, but he cannot seem to fathom Texas. He would look at me like I am an idiot for even saying Texas. I would love to tell him that when he gets to college he will be smitten with a girl that will change his life. He will laugh really hard at that, because 16 year old me has no desire to stay with one girlfriend yet alone one person. I would love to tell him that he will have two little girls that will rock his world. I notice when I say that, that his face gets a little more serious. He cannot seem to get his head around the fact that he would ever be a father and have the responsibility of someone else’s life. Finally I would love to tell him that he will have the opportunity to reach literally thousands through speaking the truth about Christ and his word, but some things I will simply let him figure out on his own.

I would like to join me for coffee.

But for now…I would just like to join you for coffee!!!

What would you say to your “15 years ago” self?

Now for me there are all sorts of church leadership parallels to this story. You can fill in your interpretation. Here are some of mine:

The monkey is church people and the tiger is the pastor.

The monkey is the pastor and the tiger is the church people.

The tiger is Satan and the toddler is a fresh young Christ follower.

The monkey is the world and the church is the tiger.

I am the monkey and you are the tiger.

You get the point. There are plenty of parallels to go around. So what about you. What parallels do you make? You have to watch the video of it. Check it out below.

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

When I was a kid I believed that anything was possible. My guess is you did too!!! I don’t know what happens to us between being a kid and being an adult that makes us forget that we have endless possibilities. God designed us to live a life of the endless possibilities. As I look to living a better story and helping others do the same we have to get back to that childlike state of knowing we can do anything as a long as God has called us to it. So question of the day is this…

What Endless Possibility Have You Neglected That You Need To Begin Living Out?

It is no secret that blog readers slow down their reading on the weekends. However, what are we all slowing down our reading to do? I know that on this Saturday I am going to slow down and eat breakfast with a friend from half way around the world at Rise n’ Dine. I am going to slow down and hang with my girls and probably play the wii, chill outside, and cookout. I am going to curl up with THE WIFE and watch a movie and then probably fall asleep before I really need to so I will be rested to bring the noise from the Word of God tomorrow morning at Compass Roanoke!!!

So what are you doing to slow down today?

(Laura and Ella- First day of 1st Grade)

This week has seen major changes in the DeVage household. This past Monday was the highlight and the saddest day all in the same and all for the same reason. At 7:50am Monday August 23, 2010 my little girl Ella started the first grade. What does that mean? That means she is at the big kid school now. She is a lamb in world full of wolves (extreme I know, but she is my baby). Monday we walked her to her class and bid her goodbye. Monday was not hard for me…Tuesday however, destroyed me. I went to walk her in and she said, “Daddy, I’m good. I know where to go.” It was in that moment that I knew I had to begin letting her go just a teeny tiny bit. A tear may have entered the corner of one eye for just a second, but so did a bit of pride in my soul for the little girl that my baby is becoming. I am so proud of her and how she keeps growing up.

How did you handle the first day of school for your first child?