Category Archives: Vision, Leadership

Tonight’s Recap: Why I LOVE 20 Park

Tonight, we started the new series, ENTOURAGE at The Well. I am so excited right now I can’t sleep. So I’m going to write about how blessed I am. I want to look back and remember this in the days to come. I want to let people know that being real is possible, and that God really is faithful.

So here we go. Tonight, I preached on Friendship. (That’s what your entourage is.) Who you roll with. “Who is in? Who is out? You only go as far as they’ll go with you.”

Jesus tells us in John 15:9, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now, remain in my love.”

Why is it so important to remain? The biggest reason I could find is that I will not bear the fruit of love in my life while I am living only from my own amount of love. When I live in God’s love, His love overflows into my life, and I am loving people from a deeper well, from a truer place, from a love that is not conditioned based. I need to remain in the love of Christ, because if I don’t, then I will live out of what I have or don’t have, instead of claiming and giving out of what Jesus has given me.

“Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint.” Proverbs 29:18

How important is the vision of your life? What is restraint? Is it the ability to choose wisely with friends? Is it the ability to say no to other’s? I would say, “Where there is no vision, the people settle for mediocre friendships. They expect so little from themselves, and believe they deserve very little from a friend.

That’s not the life I want. I want a great life. That means I need courage. “Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid.” Joshua 1 (the whole chapter has that phrase on repeat). It takes true courage to go to the place of vulnerability, where you reveal who you are to another and invite them into your life. It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable. However, for the friendship to go further, someone has to risk. Otherwise, there is little hope of change.

Well, I gave some strong challenges to all in the room on going to the next level in friendships. Here is the amazing thing. People started going there with each other after the message: They sat down and shared their hearts. It feels so special to be a part of a group that takes the Word of God seriously enough to do what it says.

So let me praise 20 Park (the college ministry of Park Plaza).

*They are teachable. They come hungry for the Word of God.

*They are real. Quite possibly the most real group be ever known.

*They love to serve others.

They love to be challenged, and they respond to the challenges.

*They are creative. They are fun. They laugh. ALOT.

I’m blessed! Thank you God for an amazing night

Start Then When?

Tonight, I am loading up in three minivans with NINE to head to Florida on the Vision Trip. I am really excited about this. The Vision Trip is all about getting a God sized vision for your life. Last year, our first Vision Trip redefined our group! Phenomenal.

Well, we are taking off tonight to head to Memphis. Can you guess what I’m thinking about? Yep, my thoughts are caught up in Vision. Maybe yours should be too. Check out Proverbs 29:18.

Here is the tricky thing about someone finding a greater Vision for their life. As soon as you begin to dream, as soon as the vision of what God is calling you to begins, you run into a question of WHEN?

And this is why many people daydream great things, but they’re dreams are never translated into reality. As Steven Furticj says, “The difference between a vision and a daydream is the audacity to act.”

When is a huge part of Vision. Otherwise you’re just treading water in a world of dreams.

The other tricky part of When is that people become so Enamored with When that they lose sight of now.

Like the guy who wants to bench press 300 pounds in a year, but he isn’t in the gym right now.

Or the girl who wants to be financially stable, but her paycheck runs to the bank to the store to the hangers of her closet.

Or the young Bible major who theoretically talks about when he leads people to Christ in his own ministry in a church, but he isn’t trying to reach one lost person right now.

As long as When is Then and Now is ignored, your vision will not be actualized in your own life. If you’re really passionate about something, and not just theoretically passionate about something, start practicing/living in your vision now. That is how When becomes a reality is by refusing to start Then because you will begin now.