Pretty excited about an upcoming event planned for July that I’m involved in. A Skate Camp at Shepherd Community on Indy’s Eastside is turning out to be a pretty sweet thing. Quite a few people are coming together from all over to host a SkateCamp for the kids of Shepherd Community in Indy. Good times.

Last Sunday the local church I’m a part of, Indy Metro, hosted another gathering at the Barton Tower. We have been hosting a monthly outreach of love to be Jesus in very practical ways in this urban Indianapolis government housing complex.

Last month (see blog post) was especially powerful and it always seems like I limit how God could possibly “top that.” I guess that explains my continual need to take God out of the box. Also, requires my continual confession of more, is bigger, is better, is more blessed thinking. As if God transforming the heart of one person serving or being served isnt’ enough.

Anywho, this past Sunday a handful of people come down from HC to serve with us. I am moved by the honest feedback from one of the young adults Ali, “I was surprised how open people really were. I got to know a woman named Megan.  Her willing personality made her very easy to talk to and get along with.  Right before the service, she asked if i’d sit with her.  Looking into her eyes I could see years of hurt and rejection.  I gratefully sat next to her.  When worship started everyone stood as they were told.  But Megan stayed sitting.  Holding the packet of papers with the worship lyrics on them, she grabbed my arm and whispered “I can’t stand, because I’m in a wheelchair, I have to sit and sing”.  My heart tugged at me to sit down with her.  I humbly replied “Can I sit with you? I don’t know the words and we could share the lyrics.”  Her face lit up with joy.  I don’t think anything is more rewarding than this.”

Sunday evening we helped lead a collision of the worlds. A collision of the rich and the poor; of different races; but most importantly a collision of love. One that I pray no one will recover from. An overabundance of love was poured out.  I think Paul describes it best in the letter of Philippians, “Poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.”

This collision occured at the John J. Barton Annex. The John J. Barton Annex is a  government housing facility managed by the Indianapolis Housing Authority. A very diverse crowd ethnically and nearly all of the residents fall beneath the “poverty line.” A group of Jesus followers from IMC and Heartland “poured an offering” of love and service into the lives of many friends and “strangers.” I’m pretty sure no one left the same.

One of the most consistent topics throughout all of Scripture is God’s heart for the poor. There is no way to escape that God desires for people whom proclaim to be active followers of Jesus Christ to be lovers of the poor and marginalized in our world. Whether it was through the breaking of bread together, handshakes, hugs, singing some music, sharing a message of hope available to everyone, Jesus uses it all to bring light into the darkness. 

Proverbs 31:8-9, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our purpose or calling is to help people take steps closer to Him. For the addict to be freed; For the hungry to be fed; and the hopeless to hear about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

I am tempted to be known for how many Bible verses I know, what my job is, or even what my possessions add up too but the reality is that, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” as Paul writes in Galatians.

Perhaps one of the most exciting things for me in the midst of this is having children participate in their own way.  Having children playing and introducing childlike joy is beautiful. As a parent attempting to raise children that spit in the face of a culture that rejects people based on their position in society… its a joy of mine to engage our children in these collisions of the worlds.

Loving God. Loving people. Following Jesus.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

Sierra Leone is the poorest of the 177 countries of the world. Their average annual income is $142 per person, 70% below the poverty line of $2 per day. The average life span is 41 years. Their homes were torn apart by 10 years of civil war from 1991-2001 and a third of the population was displaced during that time.

This is one churches committment to not talk about it but do something about it…

Sitting in the middle of our Regional Gathering of Missional Leaders being facilitated by Gary Rohrmayer.

One of the things that he has said that struck me was this convicting statement was to, “Act like a leader!” While morally, ethically, and emotionally are all part of this… the context he layed it out is for the leader to act in a way in culture that other people already see them as.

As a follower of Jesus and a leader part of the mantle of leadership requires accepting some of the public expectations and issues that come with it. So often I miss the opportunity to influence people positively because I neglect owning the opportunities to lead to the fullest of my potential and the depth of the need.

I think about times when I haven’t allowed my baggage, job, excuses, etc. to be barriers to engaging a situation with the completeness of my ability. When that happens, God always does things that I never thought weren’t possible. And yet I think of times when I have blown opportunities to be used by God and, “act like a leader.” Uggg.

I can’t help but reflect on what it would look like for me to wake up for even a month straight and act like a leader for Jesus Christ?

A quick vid on some of the things we are involved in around Indy. Lots more to come.

A while ago I had the opportunity to sit with a young man after the Sunday AM at Indy Metro Church with lots of questions about following Jesus. It is always a joy of mine to listen to someone process questions of faith and probe deeper. He talked about a lot of honest struggles and took great steps towards embracing the Jesus of the Bible.

After we prayed together I gave him a hug. I was so  moved by the sincerity in his search I could think of nothing better to do for my new friend than extend my arms.

To be completely honest though, there was something else unique about him. He smelled really bad. I mean really bad. It was the kind of smell that transformed me and didn’t leave. As I went to lunch with my family and did some running around that day I thought of him quite frequently that day.

Last Sunday, I talked at IMC out the Gospel of John in the Bible. There is this story of all these religious nuts whom caught a woman in the act of adultery. They were so ready to judge her with stones in hand ready to throw….they were utterly surprised in the response of Jesus. Yet, the religious people of the day would prefer to condemn her from her poor choices that see Jesus intercede on her behalf and exhibit great mercy and grace.

It has dawned on me over the past few days in reflecting on this Bible story again that following Jesus truly means following in his actions. And one of those actions is placing ourselves in close enough proximity to in effect “smell” like the person whom Jesus is calling us to love.

The reality is for me today even I face a choice of whether I will only provide support from a distance, or throw stones, or will I get close enough with an attitude of love to truly be used as an instrument of Jesus?

Last night was a great night for IMC. Every time a gathering of people get together to learn, encourage, dream, and plan  together about what God could do in the city through a handful of servants, its a beautiful thing.

I was reflecting on the dialogue from last night and the high committment of so many people that spend countless hours to build this new church in the city committed to serving the city. Especially with the majority of them being young adults, it’s amazing to see what God is doing.

A passage we looked at was Psalm 145. I was reflecting again on Psalm 145:4, “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” The amazing committment of so many people at Indy Metro is inspiring as we pray and plan in how to be more effective in telling this generation of the Lord’s mighty acts!

 I did some guest blogging yesterday on the topic of leadership development….

In watching the Mel Gibson movie, “We We’re Soldiers” again this evening spoke to this reality we face. At one point Mel Gibson looks to his right hand man in the middle of the battle and asks, “At what point did General Custer realize he had taken his men to a slaughter?”

For the rest of the blog visit: Indy Christian

A couple weeks ago a good friend and I were reflecting about loneliness that come with the mantle of leadership. As Robert Greenleaf explaines the leader often provides ideas, structure, and takes the initial risk of failure to pointing the direction for others. Fulfilling this role, whatever the organization or mission, brings about natural loneliness. Surrendering to the calling of leadership leads into situations and emotions that often no one around you can understand.

However, what I’ve found over the years is there are leaders who embrace a cavalier attitude and independent spirit in leadership to points of isolation and loneliness and surpass a natural level of isolation. Truth be told, many lead in a way that they often aren’t leading at all.

When the gap between the leader and the organization and people whom are to follow is so significant they aren’t able to even be inspired to move at a faster place, is that leadership? And for the leader, the question is asked, is it worth it? Is the added level of loneliness truly worth it? Often our talents outpace and outweigh our commitment to truly leading.

So, at the end of our musing about the various leaders we’ve served, known, and endured over the years whom led in such ways that intense levels of isolation bore witness. Their is a continuing necessity for “hill-analysis” as leader. Though a leaders talents may allow him to conquer the biggest hill on the block; if you get to the top alone, was it all worth it? Who do you celebrate the journey with alone at the top of the biggest hill? Or is it yet better, to survey and “take the hill”  that provides a community to celebrate at the top with?