What once was ugly has now become beautiful

I was listening to Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell today and was struck by his illustration of the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller. He was giving an overview of this chair and it's research, surveys, and release. Early on in the market research people found the chair to have high comfortable ratings but low aesthetic ratings. People thought it was one of the worst looking chairs but one of the most comfortable. It didn't look comfortable. It looked like a skeleton. It didn't have cushy leather and high backs.

They were weary about releasing the chair but Herman Miller led with his natural instincts and brilliance. He pushed through and now the chair is one of the best selling (best selling in Herman Miller's history) in the industry. It has gone from being ugly to a cult like following that all employers, executives and normal Joes just love and think is beautiful. The rest of the market has responded and has made a ton of rip offs.

This could be the same way people, church goers, pew sitters, pastors, and missionaries think of a new style of church and mission. When it comes down to the nuts and bolts of what the missional/apostolic church is going after people in all honesty rate that philosophy of mission as high. Yes, it may get us to reach the lost post modern world a bit better. Yes, it is about living for those outside the church walls. Yes, it is what Jesus meant when He said, "I have come to seek and to save the lost."

But it just isn't comfortable. It doesn't look good. We're not used to it. It is just sort of ugly. Where is the comfy cushions that we have so grown used to? All we see is a stripped down skeleton looking church (chair). We want fluff and flavor.

My guess and leadership is going to push ahead with a missional/apostolic style of ministry that is about creating a new church alongside of the old church. Both seem to be under the hand of God. Both will reach people. Another guess is that soon, this ugly looking style of mission will soon become beautiful and will have the cult like following that Christians and not-yet-Christians will all long for.

Will you buy this chair?
Categories: leadership, coaching, God, movements, culture, books

Reggie rocked my world

Reggie McNeal is not what I thought he was going to be. I have been to numerous conferences and heard tons of speakers with a ho hum response. Yesterday I was radically inspired and challenged. He recently wrote a book called Practicing Greatness and he touched on the 7 disciplines of extraordinary spiritual leaders. There were some great points that all leaders need to think about, struggle with and move ahead in. I particularly challenged with the discipline of Self Awareness and the discipline of belonging. Wow, so much was going on in my heart and mind.

Over lunch a group of us from around the world, outside of the U.S., got to have a private meeting with him. He touched on, a possible future book, the 3 shifts of the missional Church. It will:
1. Go from internal focus to external focus.
2. Go from being program driven to people development.
3. Go from church based leadership to apostolic based leadership.

That in itself could be about 50 blog entries.

In light of changing organizations to become more missional he made comments like:
"Cooperate with the Spirit. He is moving and will move. Don't try to fix or change the current systems and structures. Let the missional living and leadership become a pandemic to overwhelm the systems and structures."

That is where I want to live. I want to live on the fringes and jump on in leading a movement that is missional that blesses and transforms the world.

It is great getting to play with this. I'm glad I'm not just tossing around ideas but getting to flesh them out. More to come as we learn, make mistakes and see the Holy Spirit move.

We're staying up in Lost Antler Ranch owned by Tango Investments (Scott Beck) and it is knock out beautiful. Yesterday Matt Thiessen and I just sat out on the deck overlooking the valley, pond and how beautiful God is.

This morning though we woke up to 10 inches of snow. Isn't God just amazing!!

Categories: Coaching, Leadership, Movements, Church

From Mexico to Colorado

This past Sunday I left, not forever, Mexico City and my family for Colorado for a global leaders conference in Estes Park. It was great to be back in Colorado. I didn't say "it was great to be back "home"" as we really feel like Mexico is our new home. But all in all it was great to be back in Colorado and around some friends again.

Monday night I headed up to Estes Park for our annual local leaders conference in which I'm still part of but we're at a parallel Global Leaders Conference. This is one of my favorite places to be as some of my best , gospel breathing, life giving, understanding friends, Ethan, Matt, Joe, and Eric are there with me. I wish Christine could be here with me. She is doing a great job of being in Mexico with the kids. Amazing!

The first night we just talked about what is God doing in our lives. What a time for me to see Him working in others. That is such a great reminder of how is grace and mercy is working in me too. One thing I observed in my Colorado friends as they shared about their lives and ministries was the Spirit of God is moving. They couldn't always find out why or how. But it was evident that the Spirit was/is moving. Very cool.

Tuesday my good friend Ethan and Marta led us in a devotional. A great reminder of the Gospel. Oh, how I need the Gospel to lead me, change me, make me significant and grow me. Tuesday's highlight was going on a walk with Joe and Shawna and seeing God move in their lives, grow them, hearing about their kids and passions in life. Someday in the future we pray we will get to serve alongside each other in the same location. Joe and I spent the afternoon talking, sharing, and encouraging each other. God is good!

Today we're starting to hear from author Reggie McNeal, author of Practicing Greatness. Should be great.

Categories: Leadership, God

Followers and Real Leaders

I love what Sam Metcalf is doing, sharing and leading his movements.

Today he posted this quote:
"Followers want comfort, stability, and solutions from their leaders, but that's babysitting. Real leaders ask hard questions and knock people out of their comfort zones and then manage the resulting distress."

View his link What Followers REALLY Need.

Categories: Movements, Leadership, Coaching

Why Plant Spiritual Movements (Churches)?

A great question in church / campus movements is why not just keep putting our efforts and energy into things that are working, growing and helping people / students? Why not just do things the way we are currently doing them and put most of our manpower and money into those things?

A good answer is from Tim Keller, pastor, planter, trainer of Redeemer Presby in NY. "New church (movement) planting is the only way that we can be sure we are going to increase the number of believers in a city and one of the best ways to renew the whole Body of Christ. The evidence for this statement is strong--Biblically, sociologically, and historically. In the end, a lack of kingdom-mindedness may simply blind us to all this evidence. We must beware of that." (parenthesis mine)

I write nothing original. Just like what I read and want to practice it.

You can read the whole thing on a post in Steve Addison's blog at Why Plant Churches.

We as Campus Crusade and other ministries that have been around a while must begin to ask some great questions. How will we reach a new and changing generation? How will we develop new style of leaders with new vision and mission? How will we let go of control and let the next generation define how we will do Kingdom work? How will we in the same city, same campus, same district work together yet in different approaches to reaching the lost? Can we as one organization have two different teams in one city/campus? How will we change/tweak so that we are raising up entrepenurial/edgy/creative/go for it leaders who will do things new and different?

The times are a changing and we all get to be part of building a Church that redefines itself. What a time to live and lead.
Categories: Church, Leadership, Movements, Coaching

Partnership, Partnership and some more Partnerships

The last couple of days with Asrael y Adriana, our Enfoque Mexico volunteers from Oaxaca, have been amazing. They share with passion, expertise and experience the vision, mission and tactics of Enfoque Mexico. To have them here this week has catapulted us far beyond what we could do in months.

Tuesday we met with a group of pastors and missionaries that Ryan, A of G missionary, gathered at VIPS (a Walmart style Denny's restaurant). There 4 pastors of a Assemblies of God church from out east in the Neza area and a couple who are missionaries with Latin American Missions (LAM). They are the real deal. Not only are they partnering with others, churches and missionaries their vision to reach Mexico City and beyond is passionate. It was a fun time sharing our vision, mission and seeing the Oaxacan gals light it up. They are also putting on a huge conference in November 2007 to fill up Estadio Azteca. It holds 110,000 people. It will be a pastors, youth and other training time. They want us to partner and help in any way we can. Killer! This happens to be a similar vision that Craig Johring, my co-leader, had last year. God is good.

Again were praying this partnership with these groups will yield hundreds of university student leaders who will help their churches launch spiritual movements in each and every faculty on every university throughout Mexico City.

Tuesday night I took a break but Joe, Craig, Asa, and Adri took off for a follow up meeting with Capital City Baptist church. About 4 weeks ago we presented to some youth, pastors and professionals our vision of reaching each university with student leadership. Some of the same students showed and they brought more. I was told it was an off the charts time. After 3 hours presentation and questions and answers, Craig tells me there is no doubt that some will start spiritual movements immediately. He also tells me that we couldn't have done it with out the Doble A's (Asa y Adri) sharing their hearts and wisdom.

Wednesday morning we drove far out east to Los Reyes de Paz. Candido is a pastor of a 100 or so person church and gathered about 10 pastors, ministry leaders and pastor alliance leaders. They told us to not eat breakfast because they wanted to eat with us. We didn't go to VIPS, praise the Lord! They made us Chicken, Mole, rice, beans and tortillas. All home made and the mole was out of this world.

This group of pastors have a tremendous vision to plant churches in each little delegation. They send off members to pray, reach out, share the Gospel and impact the community. They too, like many of the others, see a tremendous need to reach university students and expressed they have no resources or training. This is where we come in with Enfoque Mexico and especially the Doble A's. They again knocked it out of the park.

What would happen if we could hire them to come up here at weeks at a time, meet with students and pastors and launch movements? They have been planting movements for 7 years in Oaxaca and bring so much to what we're doing. They want so badly to join staff yet at this point it hasn't worked out. They attempted to earlier to raise their support but it took 2 years. Now we're praying, seeking finances and talking with them about coming up regularly.

Categories: Leadership, Movement, MexicoCity, Coaching

Cuernavaca and back and then something new

This past weekend was a ton of fun. The weather here has turned cold and it is still raining daily. Yesterday we found many creatures running for their lives into our house. I sprayed around the perimeter of our house two days ago for bugs and others and low and behold they were not afraid of us or my poison. A little 8 inch snake showed up in our guest room. Youch! I'm not sure if that is a sign of deeper issues in my life. We'll have to take that one to a counselor. And it seems weekly we kill a scorpion in our house, the non-lethal ones.

Another group rolled into town as well, the good kind; Christine's sister, husband and 3 of 4 of their kids came to Cuernavaca. They used to live there about 2 years working with a church. It was such a blessing to see them, hang, connect and meet some of their friends.

We arrived back late to our house on Sunday night and the next morning two friends, Asriel y Adriana, of Craig's from Oaxaca showed up to help us this week. Craig met them about 6 years ago while he was living in Oaxaca, Mexico planting spiritual movements all over the region. These two lead a network of spiritual movements focused on Christ there in Oaxaca and bring a ton of experience, knowledge and wisdom to what we're doing here in D.F.

Yesterday we took them to an appointment with a church leader Edgar Torraya and two of his friends. This was encouraging to me as we talked less and the gals took over sharing their vision, experiences and answering questions. It is great when you relinquish control and hand it over to the next generation how great and effective it seems to work. The group of men seemed interested and will go back and see how many of their university students and other pastors in their network want to see if anyone is interested in adopting a university and/or staring a spiritual movement on their campus.

Then off to dinner for sirloin steak hamburgers. Pretty good but In and Out still would explode successfully here. Anyone want to start a franchise? Because Mexico City has it all and is growing like hot cakes or like "hot ones" from Krispee Cream we headed to Krispee Cream to share a little of American Culture with the gals. Isa liked it too.

No more creatures have showed up and the Broncos won last night. All is well.

Today we head off to meet two more networks of churches and university students. One is Ryan and Cristy, who are Assembly of God missionaries. They are bringing a group of interested pastors. Then tonight we are meeting a 2nd time with those at Capital City Baptist church who are interested in starting spiritual movements at their universities. God is good and each day we acquire new contacts, enter into new pastor alliances and are trusting God for a model movement in the next 4 weeks.

Categories: God, MexicoCity, Family, Movements, Leadership, Church

Movement (Church) Planting Gem

Jay Lorenzen, down in Colorado Springs on staff with CCC, posted a genious entry today with insights from Tim Keller, Redeemer Presb Church in NY.

Natural Church Planting by Tim Keller

This embodies what we're trying to do in Mexico City. We're trusting the Lord as we launch these movements and give them over to new leadership.

Categories: Movements, Church, Leadership, MexicoCity, God

Isa gets the shots this month

Here is a photos update on Isa. VanDiest Photos

Categories: Family, Photos

O God Change Me

Today reading from the Psalms 52-55 and from Glenn Smith's blog I was reminded of my sin, lack of seeking out God as number one in my life and the need for Him to be part of what is happening on a deeper level in my heart, life and ministry.

Here is the small excerpt from Glenn's blog:
A Coaching Moment

"Today was one of those highlights in coaching church planters. One of my planters has been struggling to gather a following and achieve a critical mass to begin his new church. Today he shared with me that the past month has been a time of soul-searching. Some major breakthroughs have been occurring in his heart and mind.

For example, he realized that passionate prayer had been absent from his last several months of work. He realized that he had not seen any significant spiritual breakthroughs or answers to prayer. Over the past two weeks he has devoted himself to intensive prayer, seeking God's direction and provision. He reported to me today that he has just experienced two very significant "God-things". He has clearly seen God at work in his efforts. More importantly, he shared with me how God has been changing him!

That's significant, because God is more concerned with what happens in US than what happens in our church. Why? Because little will change in our church (or our church planting efforts) unless something significant changes in us. My dear brother is now beginning to experience God in powerful ways."

So this all goes back to the same lessons I have been learning for a year or so. Is God number one in my heart, life and ministry? Is He my 'one thing'? Do I care more for the change in my life than the success in my movement launching ministry?

Again, back to step 1: Seek God.

Categories: God, Ministry, Leadership, Movements, Simple, Church

Could this happen, but even more?

CNN Live Katrina

5 min 2 sec - Sep 21, 2006
Description: 10,000 Campus Crusade college students choose to spend spring break doing Katrina relief work.

Watch this video and you'll be encouraged by the power of a few college students, well 10,000. This is what we want to see every year; college students going throughout the world making a difference. Down here in Mexico City we're trusting God for just 3-4 groups this Thanksgiving and over 1,000 over spring breaks. If you want to come, check out www.MexicoFocus.com

Categories: MexicoCity, Movements

Mexico City has it all

Check out what the media is saying about our little place in heaven.

Mexico City is a Hive of Activity
Mexico has become an increasingly popular choice among backpackers because of its reputation for laid-back beach resorts, strong cultural heritage and varied landscape.

From the deserts of the north to the turquoise Caribbean waters of the Yucatan in the south-east, the country is full of surprises.

The capital, Mexico City, is reckoned by some calculations to be the most populous city in the world and it certainly has a bustling feel about it. Distinctive green and white VW Beetle taxis buzz around the streets, with the main action centring on the Zocalo (square) in the city centre.

This square is the third largest in the world (after Beijing's Tianenmen Square and Moscow's Red Square) and highlights include the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace, where you can see Diego Rivera's famous murals. These fascinating paintings capture the history of Mexico and cover almost 1,200 square feet of wall space.

Also near here are the ruins of the Templo Mayor, the main temple of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, which stood where modern Mexico City is now.

With more bars, restaurants and clubs than you can shake a stick at, the Mexican capital is a hive of activity and is a natural starting point for backpackers, who can explore Oaxaca, Acapulco, Chiapas and the pyramids of Teotihuacan.

Categories: MexicoCity

I hope I don't have a lot to lose.

Yesterday afternoon after writing some thoughts about movements and style of ministry (insider and outsider-I will post later once my thoughts are clear) I came across Steve Addison's blog entry The Rise and Fall of the Swiss Watch. It is a short must read.

He says at the bottom as a summary: "Movement insight: Those with the greatest investment in the way things are have the most to lose when it comes to the need for change. Expect the breakthroughs to come from people who don't have an investment in the way things are."

The reason I titled this post "I hope I don't have a lot to lose" is because I want to move forward in bringing a new generation the Gospel in a way that transforms lives, cities and countries. I believe right now the western church has a lot to lose. I believe major Christian organizations who have been doing things relatively the same every decade have a lot to lose. I believe those who are hanging their hats on past successes and victories and talk about about the good old days have a lot to lose. I don't want to be in a camp where we're hanging onto the old, tried and true, successful practices. I believe there could be something more.

Do I have some things to lose? I'm sure I do. But one thing I have come to grips with in my leadership these past 12 years is that I was not good at a lot of things. I have already left behind the idea that I will be a great preacher, a great shepherd of thousands and an icon in the Christian world. So I lost that image of creating a traditional movement or church. That happened about a year ago. That was freeing.

Now I know that God has called me to create new forms of doing church and movements so that every person, educated or not, can lead a movement with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit at the helm. They don't need years of training. They don't need tons of money. They don't need to be the greatest extravert. They don't have to preach like Bill Hybels. Here is what I want to give them. Simple training. Encouragement. A vision that a new day of experiencing God and His Kingdom is coming. And I want to give them the validation that they too can change the world. Ordinary men and women who don't have it all together and have all the right skills are going to change the world.

What do I have to lose if I fail in this? Nothing at this point. We have already in our minds left the concept that old is better. We have left living in the states. We have left big teams. All these are good but I believe God is ready to pour out a whole new way of experiencing the Gospel and His Kingdom. Maybe I have to lose reputation and sanity but why not aim for something that will change so many more lives.

This is why I pray, "Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Categories: God, Leadership, SimpleChurch, Movements, Church

Crazy-Gnarls Barkley

I heard "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley this past summer and the tune caught my ear. Then I heard it again today and I thought about the lyrics and some other things that have been going on in my mind about church planting, simple movements and missional living. Read Shane Deike's blog today for some crazy perspectives/observations about how we normally do things: Factors in Revival and Renewal Movements By Dr. Paul Pierson

I think many think I am crazy for doing what we're doing, in a non conventional way, in Mexico City and Long Beach, CA. "What, you're trying to reach 1,000,000 college students with only 6 staff?" "What, you're not having lots of controlled structure, weekly meetings, teaching, Bible studies, outreaches?" "I think you're crazy." They all say.

Here are the lyrics: (In parenthesis are my comments)

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind (about two years ago when I was fed up with the style of ministry and my leadership)
There was something so **PLEASANT** about that place
Even your emotions had an echo in so much space

And when you're out there, without care
Yeah I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
possibly

And I hope that you are havin' the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice

Come on now who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you
think you are, ha ha ha, bless your soul
You really think you're in control (many of us in Christian ministry think we are in control and have it all figured out. Well, it may just be that God is in control and if we let Him and others do the work, we won't be crazy anymore.)

well,
I think you're Crazy
I think you're Crazy
I think you're Crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart to live their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinkin' I wanna be like them. (When I look at the heroes of the faith in their early years, I want to be like them. aka Dr. Bright, Hudson Taylor, Jim Elliot, Amy Charmichael, Jesus, Apostle Paul...)

Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And there's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

But maybe I'm Crazy
Maybe you're Crazy
Maybe we're Crazy
Probably!
Probably!

Here is the Video: Let's all be crazy in living for Jesus. Forget the tried and true methods of ministry and church. Let's be considered the radicals of the world again. Let's live out on a limb. Let's leave behind plastic church and Christianity and let the Spirit of God go crazy. Maybe I'm crazy. Probably!!!! Categories: SimpleChurch, Leadership, Movements, God, Music

Jesus Film Mexico - Super connected

This past Thursday Craig and I headed off to meet with Jorge Dorcas the Pelicula de Jesus (Jesus Film) director in Mexico. Jorge has been with J film for over 10 years and is so well connected to churches, ministries and Christians in Mexico City. They know and believe their resource will change lives and in order to get it in every home and neighborhood they must partner with others. This is the same realization we have in Enfoque Mexico. In order to see God raise up a Christ centered spiritual community in the over 4,000 departments (faculties) on each university in the city we must partner with others who are trusting God with the same thing.

He brought together Andres Cerros Ruiz, the director of a family ministry. They loved our vision and mission and on Oct 30 we are speaking to about 30 pastors and ministries that Andres organizes monthly. We also asked for other networks of churches, pastors and leaders. Jorge was super encouraging and willing to help. He kept saying, "we're family." "my office is your office." Now we have our hands full in the next week or two to start meeting with, sharing and partnering with as many churches who want to bring a student led spiritual community in each faculty.

An answer to this need to meet with and share with these churches and pastors was provided through two gals from Oaxaca. These two girls, as Craig calls them the Doble A's. Both their names start with A. He worked with them in Oaxaca years ago in planting movements on campuses all over the south. One or two of them is coming in a week to aid us in planting movements and meeting with pastors. They get the vision and mission and this is a huge step forward in seeing God radically move here in Mexico City.

Categories: Leadership, MexicoCity, Coaching, God

Ability to make changes

Yesterday I was talking to a good friend, Joe Linstedt. He is the CCC director at CSU in Fort Collins. I love my conversations with Joe and I love watching his life, family, marriage and leadership. A man you'll want to spend time with. Like Joe, the other Colorado directors, Christian, Eric, and Kevin have all made changes to their ministry these past couple of years and I'm encouraged by what they are learning, how they are going about it (all different) and the success they are seeing. They are all up at the Rocky Mountain Getaway fall conference in Keystone, CO. This weekend would have made my 13th RMGA. Oh I miss them and the experience.

We were talking about some of the changes and how it is easier for me here because we don't have a history in our ministry to have to navigate that change. We can just start from scratch here in Mexico City and go for it. Yes, there are hundreds of years of Catholic and Protestant history and even about 40 years of CCC history but in all reality on the 400 campuses here, there is not much going on. We get to start from scratch and create exactly what we want with no baggage. I'm thankful because I'm not the best one to shepherd those through change. Joe and others have great skill in helping others be cared for, loved and listened to. The Colorado movements of Crusade will be charting a great future for CCC.

This morning I was reading the Get Off That Horse post by Steve Addison and Get Off That Dead Horse by Sam Metcalf and they reminded me that I love change. I love getting off the pre-dead horse as it is slowing down, even if it isn't dead yet. Yes, I miss elements of my life, ministry and responsibilities in Colorado but I love the fact that we made huge changes in our leadership, ministry and life. There have been challenges and now I must learn to stay on track with the simple plan that we have.

The key element for me here is to learn to trust and listen to the Lord, start with the right elements in our life and ministry and enjoy each day as the Lord gives it.

Categories: Leadership, Coaching, Movement, MexicoCity, God