In 1978 Kim and I knew that God was calling us into full-time Christian ministry. 

It was a "knowing" that we both shared in our hearts.  We took a major step of faith by pulling-up our roots of security; and then, transplanted our lives into fertile, spiritual soil in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  God provided a way for me to attend Oral Roberts University, while Kim worked for Oral Roberts Ministries.

Here it is almost 30 years since we began following the Lord, and we still believe God is working His plan for our lives.  What an adventure it has been!  We have felt much like “Pilgrim” in John Bunyan’s classic work, Pilgrim’s Progress.  We have been on a journey that has a destination - an eternal homestead with God. 

At times our journey seemed fast-paced; at other times, slow.  Sometimes it even seemed that we just stopped moving; but as time progressed, so did the steps of our journey.  Over the past years, life has had its ups and downs, but we have remained true to our commitment to follow Jesus.  And yes, we have not fully realized all of our personal aspirations in ministry, but we still have hope that God will certainly fulfill "His calling" for our lives. 

Some of you may be thinking at this point, “You mean that I will have to wait 30 years before I fulfill my calling from the Lord?”  It’s possible, and the Bible is full of many examples.  But don’t be so consumed or dazzled with the end that you forget about the means to the end. 

I have written these words today to offer you hope.  God truly has a unique plan for your life.  Most assuredly, it will be a life-long journey full of life-changing experiences.  Even though you may get tired of traveling at times and decide to sit down and rest, God will patiently wait on you. 

I leave you with some of my favorite Bible passages:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33, NIV).

For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). 

A few years back Kim and I were at a Christian concert in Memphis.  Accompanying us was a couple who worked with us in Youth Ministry.  At the concert, Kim and I sat together in the middle while the couple sat on both sides of us. 

I guess it was a thing where guys sit together, and girls sit together.  Well, the concert got under way, and it was great!  Towards the end of the concert, the guest artist shared from his heart how love was the glue for binding relationships together.  He even sang a song about it.  

Although Kim and I were literally knocked off our feet, we rejoiced at the couple’s affirmation of love.  You see, they had been married for many years; but for whatever reasons, they had grown apart.  Nothing dramatic had happened.  Just the pressures and struggles of life, in general, had taxed their relationship. 

That night at the concert, the Holy Spirit did a remarkable work in their lives.  It was if the Lord re-opened their eyes and allowed them to see each other in a “light” that had long since gone dim.  It seemed that their love for each other was re-born.  The moment of their embrace has been etched in my memory for years.

Over the years, I have learned great lessons about love.  My mother and father were very loving parents and taught me well.  Up until I was thirteen years old, life was pretty normal; but then, life suddenly changed.  My father suddenly passed away from illness.  Drastic changes really complicated my life from then on.  Then when I was just 18 years old, another tragedy “blew me away” - the death of my mother.  It was a time in my life when I really felt "alone." 

Somehow, I made it through both incidents; but not unscathed.  Bitterness and a harden heart were the emotional scars that I wore for many years.  It wasn’t until I met Kim, my wife, did life begin to look bright again.  Kim and I were both young when we married.  A short time later, Kim gave her heart to the Lord. I didn’t. 

During that first year of Kim’s “re-birth," love seemed to pour out from her life, wide-open.  I really did not know how to handle it.  Because of her prayers and God’s loving kindness, I finally realized the value of love and turned my life over to the Lord. 

Since that time I’ve learned a lot about love.  Three honest, sincere decisions in our life will greatly enhance our ability to love and be loved. 

#1.  We must decide to allow God to perform a miracle in our life - the gift of salvation.  We must allow God time to re-establish our right relationship with Him and transform our lives according to His will.  We must become vessels that will not shatter when God pours new life, love, and the power of His Spirit into our lives. 

#2.  We must decide to let the Holy Spirit heal our innermost being of our past hurts and sorrows.  We must let God renew our minds, influence our aspirations, and improve our attitude about ourselves. 

Remember this concerning love, you can’t share that which you do not possess.  The warmth and richness of love is felt only when it flows through our lives; in other words, when the "inflow source" of lasting love is unrestricted and the "outflow faucet" is not stopped up. 

The more we become flowing "vessels" of God’s love, the more we experience the greater dimensions of love everlasting.  Remember, love flows…or it goes. 

Determine to be a fountain and not a drain.

Our life is not about aimless wanderings. 

LaDonna’s love for Glenda translated into seven (7) long years of intercessory prayer.  She hoped that Glenda would one day give her life to Jesus.  As time went on, LaDonna finally grew weary in her weekly prayers for Glenda; so much so, that she actually stop praying for Glenda. 

Two weeks went by and then something happened.  Out of the blue, Glenda calls LaDonna on the phone with some exciting news.  She had just given her life to Christ and wanted to attend church where LaDonna went.  Unable to contain her excitement, LaDonna asked Glenda to please hold on the line for just a minute.  In the background Glenda heard LaDonna shouting for joy and praising God for Glenda’s salvation!  When LaDonna returned to the line, she told Glenda in a calm peaceful manner, "I’m looking forward to seeing you in church this next Sunday."

Little did LaDonna realize that her prayers for just one person set into motion "concentric rings of ministry" that still flow today, impacting the lives of thousands of people.  Since that time approximately 200 people have come to the Lord.  This included my wife’s entire family in just one year! 

Three people have entered into full-time Christian ministry.  Two non-profit Christian organizations have been formed.  Two churches have been planted.  A coalition of hundreds of churches involving thousands of Christians worked together in a city-reaching movement that still continues to impact an entire community for Christ. 

Remember, your life matters because God makes sure it does. 

Tomorrow morning when you get out of bed, pray this simple prayer: "O.K. God, what have you got planned for us to do today?"  Then go out there and watch what happens.  You might be very surprised.

You’ve probably seen in my previous writings that insanity is "doing the same things over and over again; expecting different results." 

Our environment resonates with three (3) principles:

• First, God orchestrates personal relationships for divine purposes!  Teamwork and ministry are maximized through the “avenues” of meaningful personal relationships.  God uses relational networks to accomplish His strategic plans in impacting a small group of people, a large fellowship, or an entire community.
   
• Second, unity may be defined as a targeted force of many…moving as one!  This is not accomplished through conformity, but through unity of purpose – where we celebrate our own unique designs, respect other’s differences, and then capitalize on personal strengths and pooled resources.

• Third, through “synergism” we cross the threshold into explosive biblical dynamics.  This is a process by which people learn the value of effectual communication, mutual cooperation, and transformational community.  In a practical sense, ministry aspirations are fully realized, visions are transformed into actions, and results are measured in biblical proportions.

As individuals, we can often see the "big" picture as this relates to finding simple solutions to complex challenges.  But this doesn’t satisfy us.  We purpose to reach new heights in helping ministries grow and move forward.  To do this, we must constantly tap into creative genius and innovative design.  This is found only in "relational synergism" - the "bigger" picture.

What God has done…and continues to do in our midst, He can do in yours.  We embody transformational principles which are transferal to others ready for the journey.

We see this as a "mission accomplished."  Our hopes in helping ministries build coalition forces for worldwide evangelism are now starting to take shape.

Defining who we really are, can be a challenge. 

We go through so many changes and seasons in our life that influence the way we think and act.  We also have a tendency to imitate others we admire and respect.  But does this truly define who we are, really?

As a company, we’ve finally come to some conclusions.  We are not like many others in the marketplace, especially in web design and software development.  I guess the best analogy of who we are, is the television commercial of the two guys: PC and Mac.  The PC guy is professionally dressed, all about efficiency, and little nerdy.  The Mac guy is casually dressed, all about aesthetics, and “cool.”

The Mac best describes our company, organic and approachable.  And even though we are the "new" kids on the block, we have many years of experience in ministry and technology.  People say our software is amazing with a "wow" factor that has great value and practical functionality.  We have a reputation for being visionaries, ahead-of-the-curve, and innovators.  We kinda like these labels, which resonate from the "paradigm shifts" that we’ve experienced in our personal lives.  At times we do feel like "a voice crying in the wilderness."

Rest assured, we don’t consider ourselves radicals or revolutionaries.  We are still ordinary people with extraordinary vision, especially as this relates to thinking and doing Church in the 21st Century.  And even though we think "outside the box," we still celebrate an organic, back-to-the-basics approach in life and ministry.  Jesus is at the center of our lives; guiding and directing our paths in purpose and mission.

For some of you, this kind of talk sounds a little "futuristic or out there!" But with all respect, this is the future of things to come.  In order for us to reach the next generations, we will have to shift into a higher gear in relevant language and practice.  New technology can help us.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV)."

Community is the reason God created mankind. 

Community is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Community is the mission of the Church.  So, what makes community so appealing?

Community is where we belong, grow, and participate.  In community we discover a very important truth:  We are not alone.  We, each of us, belong to God and each other.  We grow in relationships and experience life together.

Community may be described as “common oneness” – a place where different people find common connection.  They learn to accept and welcome differences; and at the same time, they build friendships and bonds.

Perhaps the best example of community is found in Scripture.

"They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.  Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!  And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.  They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God.  People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved (Acts 2:42-47, The Message)."

My prayer is that somehow, someway, the Church could experience this kind of community, today.  What gives me hope is the above Scripture.  Ordinary people did “connect” with an extraordinary God.  They experienced "life together" in a community environment that stands as a witness to us all.

We all long to experience an environment that resonates with great passion for God and sincere compassion for people.  God created community with us in mind.  So, let’s enjoy it.

The 1st Century Church understood how cities can be transformed.

Since that time, over 10,000 "student-led" Bible studies and prayer groups have been planted on school campuses all across the U.S.  This all began with one commmited Christian "on fire" for the Lord.

America is now beginning to experience what can happen when Christians unite in prayer, purpose, and transformation.  City-reaching coalitions are being formed all across America.  They are tearing down the walls that divide and building bridges that foster "relational synergism" - people working together for greater purposes, realized only through concerted efforts. 

God is not finished with the Church in America.  Now is the time to embrace renewal…revival…and reformation!

Greg and I had a great conversation the other day.  We talked about city-reaching, a great passion that both of us share.  Many years ago we were both instrumental in helping cast vision for city-reaching with ministries leaders in our home town. We watched as the Lord did some great things in our midst.

For a season, the Lord opened up a window of opportunity for many people to come together on common ground, collaborate, and build coalition forces for advancing the Kingdom of God. 

We all had hoped that the “brush fires” of revival would soon catch our whole city ablaze.  And then, things changed.

Circumstances began scattering ministry leaders to the wind.  Some moved; others retired.  A lack of resources caused some to leave the ministry and return to secular employment.  The attendance at ecumenical gatherings slowly began to wane and so did city-reaching plans.

No one truly knows what happened.  Was God shutting it down?  Was the enemy destroying our efforts?  Or was it our lack of faith and commitment to working together as the Body of Christ?  Only God knows.

But even though the activities and events died, the hope for city-reaching lived on in our hearts.  There are still those of us who never gave up hope.  When Greg talks about his hope for city-reaching, I feel the fire begin to burn in my heart.

He recently met with a new group of youth ministers whose passion for city-reaching is beginning to take shape.  They have worked through their denominational difference and are now working together.  They are unhampered by competition and “sheep stealing.”  They are only interested in seeing lives transformed by the power of Christ.

As Greg shared this with me, his eyes glistened with hope.  He shared with these ministers how to stay “connected” using our software. They were excited.  Could it be that the Lord will once again rally us together and breathe life into our midst?

We stand ready to meet the challenge

Everything we do in life is about people and relationships. 

So, what about those time when people rub us the wrong way?  Consider the following tips about people and relationships: 

• People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered – love them anyway.
• If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives – do good anyway!
• If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies – succeed anyway!
• The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow – do good anyway!
• Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable – be honest and frank anyway!
• The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds – think big anyway!
• People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs – fight for some underdogs anyway!
• What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight – build anyway!
• Give the world the best you’ve got, and you’ll get kicked in the teeth – give the world the best you’ve got anyway!