27

More than half a year has gone by since my last blog. I've decided that I should write a bit more than just a mere twitter entry to reflect on my hopes for this next year. So here we go...


27 reasons why 27 will be special:

1. Living for Christ
2. My second wedding anniversary
3. The birth of my first child
4. More time with Lauren
5. More time with Family
6. More time with Friends
7. Being a better husband
8. Learning to be a Father
9. Completion of my Master's Degree
10. First year working for Christ Fellowship
11. More awesome traveling with Lauren
12. More time to serve Miami
13. Less time dedicated to television
14. More books to read
15. New Leaders to train
16. More people to disciple
17. Working with a solid team
18. Cooking more at home
19. Planting a garden
20. Running more
21. Dressing better
22. Being a better steward
23. Being more spontaneous
24. Loving more
25. Giving more
26. Hoping more
27. Having more Faith



That's all.

Christ Fellowship's Response to Haiti

In the wake of the tragedy at Haiti, I was wondering how our church would respond. The following statement has been issued from our missions department:

Through the regular giving of CF members and attendees, our church is able to cooperate financially with other like-minded churches in supporting International missionaries and national pastors all around the world. Through the Southern Baptist Convention, we support six missionaries in Haiti who are being resourced right now in part because of your giving.

Additionally, The Florida Baptist Convention, who we support, has an assessment team that is ready to go into Haiti just as soon as transportation can be arranged. The team will determine where food and other commodities can be shipped, stored and distributed. Then the team will assess damage to Convention-owned property and the churches that comprise the Confraternite Missionaire Baptiste d' Haiti (CMBH).

Please pray the following for Haiti:

o Pray for the safety of the six missionaries in Haiti.
o Pray for God’s mercy and compassion on this country, interceding with steadfast prayers for the thousands who are suffering in the midst of untold destruction.
o Pray for the many missionaries as they minister to the Haitian people and share God’s love with a nation that is in deep spiritual darkness.

Update as of 1/16/2010 from CF's website.

Donate
Christ Fellowship Palmetto Bay campus will be an official drop-off point for essential supplies being delivered via helicopter to the people of Haiti.

We are in the process of setting up our donation site. At the moment, we are NOT ready to receive donations, please check back frequently for more information.

You can start collecting the following:

* Gallon-sized jugs of water
* Basic medical supplies (gauze, first aid kits, Band-Aids, Neosporin)
* Cans of food
* Small packaged camping tents (this is the major request)
* Shoes

These supplies will be distributed through the missionaries we support, in part, through your regular giving.

Please note clothes are not helpful.

The Cooperative Program is an awesome way to support the relief down in Haiti. Southern Baptists have already responded by sending support to those in need. Join us in praying and giving to help those who are suffering.

My new ministry: Small Groups

This is my first blog of the year. Which is good because now that you're over reading everyone else's resolutions, mine will seem fresh stupid. (or not--even the new year deserves some sarcasm) I actually will not talk about resolutions in this blog.

This blog will be used to discuss excitement over my new ministry at Christ Fellowship: off-campus small groups. Christ Fellowship is a church of numerous small groups, each designed to both serve as a means of community and discipleship in the church.

I'm thrilled about working with this ministry because of the impact it has had on my life. In the New Testament, the Apostles met in houses and public places. It was a way to gather together, share life, and proclaim that their lives had been changed by the death and resurrection of Christ.

I love my small group because I feel like we do the same things. People have come and gone over the years. They are dearly missed because we have shared our lives together for a time. That can't be taken from us. Even while I was gone, I still felt as if I was part of the group. When we returned to Miami, Lauren and I went back to our small group. We love our small group.

Here are some things that I've learned from my off-campus group over the years:

* God is teaching theology to people through His Word on a daily basis. Not a shocking observation, but some of the conversations that we have had have kept me on my toes. I'm thrilled to see people bring out the Bible and use it to comment on the Bible Study.

* It is good to share my hurts in community. If not, who else will pray for them? I must admit, this was a tough one for me at first. I seriously thought that if I was vulnerable with others, they may not see me as the spiritual person that I desire. Nothing was further from the truth.

* Even those who don't ordinarily come to our church can enjoy community. We have had occasional visitors come in, eat, learn, and talk to us. It's great to see God working in the lives of others.

My small group meets on Tuesday nights @ 7:30PM. Lauren and I are getting ready to launch a group for young couples soon that will take place on Thursdays. If you are interested in discipleship or just getting to know people, let me encourage you to join a small group.

the big announcement

In case you missed it, Ministry Rally was incredible last night. Pastors Eric Geiger and Dave Lopez challenged everyone to get involved in some of the new things that will be happening at the church. Just so you know, here's what's coming up...

* Caring for Miami
This is a non-profit started by Christ Fellowship will be offering health care, language instruction, food, clothing, tutoring, and small business solutions in different areas of Miami-Dade County.

* CF Counseling Center
As it turns out, we have a great staff, but few of us have the gifting or training that it would take to counsel many of our church members and people in the community. This inspired our leaders to seek out the right leaders to take on this cause and provide something for everyone in our community. This is going to be huge!


As Eric said, our church exists for the city. This city should be a better place because we exist.

Caring Place Downtown

This past weekend, I had an awesome opportunity to serve with the folks at Caring Place Downtown. We sorted and passed out clothes to the homeless and packed snacks for them. It was awesome. Some were thankful, and some were attempting to see how much they could squeeze out of us. At the end of it all, we showed them kindness and mercy. I was encouraged by my wife when I got home. She basically told me that we should serve there more this month.

The Caring Place needs more clothes, and everyone should take part in giving. Now let's pause for a moment, because when most people give things away they hand over clothes with holes and stains all over them. This is not the kind of clothing that we need. Just because they are homeless doesn't mean that they don't have any sense of dignity. I've seen the occasional person hand over a box of junk and walk away satisfied as if they've done something good, only to realize that they have given us more junk. Not cool.

If you choose to give, give well.

The Caring Place needs more of the following items:
* Men's and Women's Jeans
* T-Shirts
* Socks
* Men's and Women's Underwear
* Belts
* Your time

Thought I'd sneak that last one in. What will you do for the kingdom?

*Photo by Merari

noticed

Have you ever noticed that we're not far from those in need?

My uncle confronted me a few months ago. He was a police officer. He is a skeptic. He wanted to know why Christians would be so quick to help people overseas and yet forget about those in need right in our own city. In some ways, I understood his frustration, but I glory in the fact that change is happening.

Last weekend, I watched Jake baptize Kevin. Kevin is the result of God working through CF Downtown and their homeless ministry. It's amazing to see the kind of change that we can make if we'd just be willing.

Tomorrow, I will be leading a few small groups in a reach beyond that takes place almost right across the street from our PB campus. CF Palmetto Bay is placed inside a lush, affluent neighborhood with beautiful scenery and a beautiful building. However, right across US-1, the nice trees change into broken homes with damaged buildings.

The first time I crossed into the area was four weeks ago. The principal of a public elementary school (who happens to attend our church) invited some of us to check it out and see how we can help them. In the middle of this low income neighborhood is a magnet school called R.R. Moton Elementary School. Hundreds of children attend this school. They are some of the brightest kids with amazing talents, but their school is looking shabby. So our church will be reaching out by mulching and painting the building. It's not huge, but it's a start.

I've also been in touch with the preschool across the street to see how we can serve them. I'm excited because God has given us a vision for changing this community that wasn't that noticeable, yet it was right under our noses.

The Collapse of Distinction

The Collapse of Distinction, by Scott McKain, is an interesting study of why certain businesses standout and succeed, and others do not. The idea is that as businesses attempt to mimic their competition, the heart and soul of what truly makes them great is lost. Originality is becoming extinct as many organizations feel that the only method for true success is to copy the ideas of their competition. (Ex. “If they offers free valet parking, then so will we!”) McKain examines business such as Apple, his parents’ grocery store, and a diner that he used to visit as a kid to demonstrate how distinction can revitalize any business.

There are issues with raising the bar of distinction that should be examined. Customer expectations are higher. As such, the author also notes that our own personal jobs can be threatened by the collapse of distinction. Whenever employees produce distinct results within their area, they are then moved into leadership and expected to reproduce leaders like them. McKain is indeed cynical towards this leadership style, and also towards companies that model themselves after the “Good to Great” methodology that is championed by Jim Collins.

Though distinction in the customer service and product might be key in the future economy, McKain may be speaking a bit out of turn when criticizing a company for identifying its hedgehog concept. The core values of an organization are what drive distinctive forces. They breed new and creative ideas because focus is clear. I believe he would do well to invite some of Collins ideas into his theories rather than disregard them.


272pp.
$16.49 @ Amazon