JUST WALK ACROSS THE ROOM

On Sunday, Feb. 14, we began our four-week emphasis "JUST WALK ACROSS THE ROOM," based on the book of the same title by Bill Hybels. If you want to "go a little deeper" on this topic, the very best step is to read a copy of the book!

I also ran across a great article by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg that goes along very well with what we are learning.

You can read the article online - it has the odd title "The Barbecue-First Principle" - click HERE to read!

Conference Day 4 Update

Today is the last day of the conference at Saddleback.

KERRY SHOOK of The Woodlands was our first speaker. He splke on "Risking Radical Leadership."

RICK & KAY WARREN then spoke on RADICAL PURITY.

In particular, they addressed the problem of adultery and affairs. No leader is immune to the danger. For those who have been through times of stumbling, they gave suggestions on the "pathway back to purity." For everyone, we were challenged on how to "affair-proof" a marriage.


For the final session, RICK WARREN spoke on RADICAL GENEROSITY!

He talked about five investment funds in which Christians are called to invest as part of our purpose:

The TREASURY fund is my undesignated giving to my local church - using my money to worship the Lord.

The MUTUAL fund is the way I use my money to help other believers - encouraging the fellowship. This involves more things than we might imagine - like taking someone to lunch, providing babysitting for a fellow church member, etc.

The GROWTH fund is using money to enhance my character - my spiritual growth. Like buying a book or attending a retreat.

The EQUITY/SERVICE fund is using money to expand ministry - meeting needs.

The GLOBAL fund is using money to extend my mission by taking the good news around the world.


It has been a power-packed week and there is much to chew on. Pray that each person who attended this conference will be used by God in mighty ways!

Conference Day 3 Update

The weather continues to be nice!

Thursday at the conference began with music by Steve Fee. He is one I have heard before - a great musician!

Rick Warren gave a presentation on RADICAL COMPASSION.

While most people say "practice what you preach," he says the biblical approach is to "preach what you practice!"

In Luke 4:14-21 we learn who Jesus came to help:
++ the poor (the "have nots")
++ the brokenhearted (the "let down")
++ the imprisoned (the "locked up")
++ the blind (the "shut out")
++ the oppressed (the "kicked around")

To have a heart like Jesus we must care about what Jesus cares about. We must be indifferent to what Jesus is indifferent about (such as impressing others). We must get angry at what Jesus gets angry about. We mus sacrifice for what Jesus sacrificed.

MARK DRISCOLL spoke next on "The Radical Cross." This was a striking presentation in which he went into considerable uncomfortable detail about the horror of the crucifixion. This was followed by a memorable time of Communion.

RADICAL MISSION was the next presentation by Rick Warren. Going to "all nations" was not the Great Suggestion! It was the Great Commission!

Your ministry cannot be merely local, regardless of your church's size. Every church must be "bifocal" - with a local and a global vision!

He is focusing particularly on five "Global Giants," each of which affects billions:
- Spiritual Emptiness
- Corrupt Leadership
- Extreme Poverty
- Pandemic Diseases
- Illiteracy and Lack of Education

ED STETZER also spoke on the importance of church planting. Even smaller churches can help plant a new church, but only about 3% of churches take a primary role in doing this.


My afternoon workshop sessions were once again focused on Preaching for Life Change.

Conference Day 2 Update

Yesterday was cold and rainy but today was sunshine and beautiful!

Our music leader for today (Wed.) was a Texan - Kari Jobe. She is a worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake (near DFW). Once again - great music.

The first morning session, we heard Rick Warren speak on RADICAL MEMBERSHIP. Remember - in this context "radical" does not mean "extreme." Rather "radical" means going back to the roots.)

Warren said our faith is not just about believing - it is about belonging. "A lot of people want to date the church, but never get married!" Most people think of church as either a building ("Look at that church") or an event ("When does church start?") It is neither. It is a family.

He suggests that membership classes should be an expected thing for local churches - even for folks who have been in another church before. There should also be a covenant of membership - tell them up front what is expected.


DINO RIZZO followed up with a presentation. He is a pastor in Baton Rouge, at a church that emphasizes serving others. (He did a little bit of bragging on the New Orleans Saints too!)


After break time - we heard Rick Warren speak on RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP. He reminded us that you can't measure a church's maturity by your attendance. More important than your seating capacity is your sending capacity!

Maturity is connected to FRUIT! "By your fruit you shall know them."

The #1 problem in churches today is the perpetual immaturity of believers. Immature believers cannot reproduce. A healthy environment will lead to growth - just naturally. (I did not have to command my children to grow!)

Saddleback draws a picture of concentric circles: Community - Crowd - Congregation - Committed - Core. Different ministries and events are designed to move people toward the core of the circle. This happens INCREMENTALLY - not in one giant leap!

He talked about the strategies they use for facilitating spiritual growth.


It has been good to run into a good pastor friend from Fredericksburg TX. We actually did Doctor of Ministry studies together for three years (1996 through 1999).

Our afternoon sessions were again in the individual tracks - so I learned more about "Preaching for Life Change." A lot of good insights there. Watch out - Bellville - no telling what will be "up my sleeve" in the next few weeks!!

Conference Day 1 Update

Tuesday at Saddleback Church was a full day, beginning at 8 a.m. The mornings are devoted to music and to keynote messages (where everyone - couple thousand maybe - is in the big gathering area). Afternoons are devoted to breakout tracks. I am attending the one on "PREACHING FOR LIFE CHANGE."

The music for the two opening sessions was by Phil Wickham. You can Google and find out more about him! In each case, we were on our feet for 20-25 minutes of music. The singing was GREAT and wholehearted.

The theme for the conference is RADICALIS.

In his opening talk, Rick Warren mentioned that we totally misunderstand the word "radical." We use it to mean edgy or extreme or even fanatical. In every case - however, the real word "radical" is connected to the word ROOT.

His call for RADICAL Christians is not for us to be weird or excessive - but to get back to the ROOTS! (GREAT POINT)

Session 1 was on RADICAL DEVOTION. Our devotion needs to get back to its roots. Why do people fall out of love with God? We replaced him with idols. They are the same things today as we see in Biblical examples - three P's
PASSIONS
POSSESSIONS
POSITION

Speaker Perry Noble continued the theme of Radical Devotion. He is an interesting speaker - a young 6'6" pastor from Anderson, S.C. I have heard Rick Warren before, but had never heard Perry Noble.

The second morning plenary session focused on RADICAL PREACHING.

Rick Warren again led us off. He says the biggest missing piece in preaching is obvious. As a young man, he heard so many sermons to which his response was Y.B.H. (Yes...but how??)

Preachers need to make it obvious that preaching always leads to DOING SOMETHING.

He even said we teach too many things about the Bible!! Some of us learn so many different things about the Bible, that we never take time to apply any of it!

(WOW...quite a zinger there)

He spent a lot of time reminding us that REPENTANCE is a word we often misunderstand. It doesn't mean "changing your ways." It means "changing your mind." Changing our behavior BEGINS with a change of mind. The goal of preaching is repentance - changing people's minds.

ANDY STANLEY was the next general speaker. I always love hearing Andy. He went through the questions he used to prepare his weekly messages at North Point Church.

He suggests that if preaching is NOT leading to life change - it may be simply because we have the wrong approach to preaching. The right goal with the wrong approach will not bear fruit.


In the afternoon, I attended the workshops on "Preaching for Life Change." Our workshop leaders are Tom Holladay (another of the teaching pastors at Saddleback) and Kerry Shook (lead pastor - right down the road from us - at Fellowship of the Woodlands).

I will add more info about this workshop later.

Continue to pray for me and all the attenders, that God will plant seeds that will bear fruit in might ways. If you have questions or comments, feel free to post them, but remember they will not show up immediately - as they have to be approved before appearing...be patient!

FEB 9 2010 - Live from Southern California

Hello Bellville! I am in Orange County, California - preparing for the first day of a four day conference at Saddleback Community Church. This is the large church founded by well-known pastor and author Rick Warren (writer of The Purpose Driven Life).

I will take time to share some of the highlights via this blog.

You can read about the conference at this website - RADICALIS.

The unique title of the conference - RADICALIS - comes from a focus on the Christian faith as a RADICAL experience - absolute surrender, sacrificial lifestyle, authentic Christianity!

"Imagine what would happen in your community, in your church and in our world if your church team collectively shared a Radical experience guided by the Spirit of God in which we saw His calling and His will for your ministry."

I am grateful to live in a world where we can learn so much from one another. Pray for God to touch my heart with the message he desires that I hear this week! And I will see you Sunday, Feb. 14 as we launch JUST WALK ACROSS THE ROOM together!!