Are You Willing to Make People Uncomfortable?

By Jenni Catron, Executive Director of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN

Great movements occur when a leader gets discontent enough to make others uncomfortable. 

We’ve seen them throughout history…

Joan of Arc

George Washington

Mahatma Gandhi

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mother Teresa

Winston Churchill

We’ve also seen them in our communities… church planters, community leaders, founders of non-profit organizations, moms who fight for health, eduction and safety.

Great leaders are comfortable making others uncomfortable for a vision of a greater good. They understand that keeping others happy perpetuates the status quo.  And they’re willing to risk being liked for being extraordinary.

Where are you settling for status quo? 

What movement has God inspired you to lead?

Quoted

“If we use technology for the right reasons, then we can potentially be the generation that actually evangelizes the planet before the second coming of Christ.” – Christine Caine

When Christians Get It Wrong

Here’s a portion of what Adam Hamilton wrote in his article, "When Christians Get It Wrong"..

"Pharisees are religious people who struggle with wrong motives, with being critical and judgmental of others, with missing the point and with being two-faced, then I’ve got to confess, I am a recovering Pharisee who often falls off the wagon. Everyone I know, religious people and atheists alike, struggle with these four tendencies. It is so easy to do the right things for all the wrong reasons.

It is so easy to point out the sins of others while ignoring our own. Most of us are experts at “majoring in the minors” while failing to do the really important things God demands of us. And which of us has never put on a face and pretended to be something we’re not? It is only in recognizing our tendency to be Pharisees that we have any hope of remaining in recovery. My experience with non-religious people is that they do not expect Christians to be perfect. In fact, one young adult said: “I don’t mind that you Christians don’t live up to your ideals. I don’t live up to all of my ideals either. In the end, I guess we’re all hypocrites. It’s just that I and my friends recognize that we’re hypocrites. It seems that many Christians haven’t figured this out yet.” Again, the hypocrisy of Christians is most troubling to non-Christians when we point out the sins of others."

Life is hard. But, take heart, Jesus has overcome the world!

I hope to begin blogging on a regular basis again. While I'll definitely share from my personal life, a big part of this blog moving forward is going to be me sharing with you many of the most helpful and inspiring readings I've come across.

This first post is from one of the blogs I follow faithfully ...Refine Us by Justin & Trisha Davis. Justin & Trisha are passionate about helping marriages thrive. They use their story of pain, loss and redemption to bring hope and healing to couples all over the country. Their blog is one of my favorites.

"Take Heart"

By Justin & Trisha Davis on their blog ... Refine Us

"Why are we surprised when life gets hard? Life has problems. Relationships are destined for conflict. Financial stability is never guaranteed.

For some reason, we assume life with God means life with ease. That isn’t the case at all.

Friendship is hard.

Marriage is hard.

Integrity is hard.

Parenting is hard.

Leading is hard.

Family dynamics are hard.

What I’m reminded of today is a transformational truth: God never promised easy, He promised His presence. God never promised comfort, He promised to be comforting.'

Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

Life is hard."

Click here to continue reading.

Isaiah 53:2-6 (The Message)

Read Isaiah 53:2-6 this morning in "The Message" paraphrase of the Bible. Never heard it stated quite this way. Very powerful picture of what Jesus did for us! 

Isaiah 53:2-6 (The Message)

"The servant (Jesus) grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him."

Great Quotes on Dreams

“Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is nightmare.” -Phillip Daniels

 “Fact: You’re capable of far more than you think you are!!” –DC Curry

“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.” Howard Schultz

“God uses frustration to shape a dream.” - Ben Arment

“If God is your partner, make your plans large.” - D. L. Moody

“Dreams come a couple sizes too big so you can grow into 'em. “ -Rev Run

“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” -John Barrymore

"Dreams are what make us who we are" -Sir Ken Robinson

“No one can pay the price for your dream but you.” -Bil Cornelius

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” -Muhammad Ali

“Leaders are paid to be dreamers. In fact the higher u go in leadership, the more your work is about the future.” -Hans Finzel

“Martin Luther King gave the 'I have a dream' speech, not the 'I have a plan' speech.” -Simon Sinek

"Fear is the dream killer, the silent voice that pushes us to lose our passion in a vain attempt to seek safety." – Seth Godin

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” -Earl Nightingale

“Just because your dream is delayed doesn’t mean it’s denied.” - Pete Wilson

“Some people "dream". Some people "do". Every once in a while someone special comes along and does both.” - Pete Wilson

Quotes on Perspective (Perspective of God and of our circumstances)

“Most of our problems are mostly a matter of perception & perspective.” - Steven Furtick (See 2 Kings 6:17)

“We get discouraged because we are comparing our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” – Steven Furtick

"God never gives you more than u can handle. NOT TRUE! God often gives u more than u can handle so u can depend on HIM!" - Steven Furtick

 

“God is more concerned about preserving His purposes than preventing our pain.” Rick Warren

 

"All of God's great men have walked with a limp.” – John Stott

 “When God wants to make a mushroom, he takes 6 hrs. If he wants to make an oak tree, he takes 60 years. Which do you want to be?” - Rick Warren

 

“God will allow suffering, pain and trials in order to detach your reliance on other things and reconnect it to Him.” – Pete Wilson

“If God was small enough for you to completely understand him, he wouldn’t be big enough for you to completely trust him.” - Rick Warren

“God's promises are greater than life's circumstances...no matter what happens, He IS faithful & His Word is true!” – Perry Noble 

“When you know the size of your God, the size of your giants becomes irrelevant.” – Jim Larche

You Have A Platform. What Are You Doing With It? - Part 2

No two people are the same. In the same way, no two "platforms" are exactly the same. Thus, we make a mistake when we try to copy someone else. You aren't them. They aren't you.

I love how Erwin McManus puts it...
“He is not calling you to the same life that everyone else will live.  He’s not even calling you to the same path that every follower of Christ will walk. Your life is unique before God, and your path is yours and yours alone.  Where God will choose to lead you and how God chooses to use your life cannot be predicted by how God has worked in the lives of others before you."

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:13-16)

You Have A Platform. What Are You Doing With It?

One definition of the word “platform” is “a place, means, or opportunity for public expression of opinion.” As followers of Christ, we have each been given a platform on which to spread the Gospel, through our words and actions.

I love the words of Tony Dungy on this topic in his devotional book, "The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge." Listen to what he has to say… 

“God has given everyone a platform. Some of those are broad and highly visible, but others are small – or at least they seem that way. A “small” platform is huge when it impacts even one other person who goes on to impact many. God is the author of our platform, and he gives us the privilege of using it to influence others. Sometimes we don’t see the results of our investment in other people’s lives for years to come, if at all. But everyone’s platform is unique, and God has a plan for it.

You may not be a Heisman Trophy winner or a Super Bowl champion, but you have influence. A platform that may seem small to you can have lasting impact that you will only discover in eternity. That’s why it’s important to never sell your platform short.

God is a master of doing big things with small beginnings. And he has put you where you are – and surrounded you with the people you know – for a reason."

You have a platform. What are you doing with it?

Jason Romano, Senior Talent Producer for ESPN who also unashamedly tweets about this faith, recently put it this way: "Use your platform wisely. People are always watching."

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)

How Big Is Your God?

Tomorrow, we start a new series at NMC called, "Let Us Pray." I'm anticipating God doing BIG things through this series. Here's a statement that I first heard while watching the Code Orange Revival recap video last week, that sparked a renewed sense of urgency in my own prayer life...

"God is still the God that parts the Red Sea. God is still the God that tears down the walls of Jericho. God is still the God that makes a way where there is no way. We will not rationalize God! We will not shrink God! Out God is SO big! There is NOTHING our God cannot do! That's true!" - Christine Caine, Code Orange Revival

A Dangerous Formula

I believe one of the biggest mistakes we can make as Christians is to expect someone who isn’t a Christian to act like one.

Without a supernatural transformation of the heart, nothing a person does should surprise us. While the world says that humans are basically good, the Bible says humans are inherently evil (See Romans 3:23 and Mark 10:18). 

When we expect non-Christians to act like Christians we only exacerbate their misconceptions of God being condemning, distant, a kill-joy, etc.  

Telling someone to follow God’s rules without first having a relationship with Him will lead them to either further rebellion against God (Rules - Relationship = Rebellion) or to an empty religious experience (Rules – Relationship = Religion).

Neither is acceptable to God. Neither should be acceptable to us.

Don’t start by giving someone rules to follow. Rather, start by offering them a relationship. 

The Power of Song

On Wednesday, July 22, 2009 our daughter, Aleigha Grace, was stillborn. The previous Sunday, we sang this this song from Hillsong United in church that would end up serving as our anthem of hope and healing during the difficult days that followed.

If you find yourself going through a difficult time, may you find hope and healing in the words of "Desert Song" as well...

Great Quote on Goals, Passion, Fear & Failure

“Excitement about goals is often diminished by our fear of failure or the drudgery of work. If you’re short on passion, it might be because your goals are too small or the fear is too big. Do a job for a long time and achieve what you set out to achieve, and suddenly, the dream job becomes a trudge instead. The job hasn't changed--your dreams have. Mostly, though, it's about our fear. Fear is the dream killer, the silent voice that pushes us to lose our passion in a vain attempt to seek safety. While you can work hard to dream smaller dreams, I think it's better to embrace the fear and find bigger goals instead.” –Seth Godin