todays services at downtown...

this am i had the opportunity of teaching at both the christ fellowship downtown services; 9.30 am leader service(my heroes) and the 11 am service.

as i was processing what was shared, i thought i might highlight some of the points that were shared. 

here goes (in case anyone out there cares):

1, we have found the saskwach(bigfoot) in the bible, his name is Goliath. he's big, mean, and hairy

2, the inaction of a nation, people, or person demonstrates what they believe about God

3, God’s invitation for us to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. (henry blackaby is the man)

4, no action = no faith

5, hasn't God proven Himself to us over and over and over again? why can't we just trust Him?

6, i can only do what i can only do. once i've done my part, God does his part

7, impossible is nothing...for God

i'd love to hear what different folks heard around the city in their houses of worship. 

what's God telling you out there?

to the least of these...

so tomorrow am i'll be teaching at christ fellowship - downtown campus. pretty excited about the opportunity.

however, there a ton of other good things happening while service is on. to name a few, a worship environment is created for our homeless friends. about 150 strong show up. we sing, teach, we don't push it, but many of the folks there even give of the resources they have. i'm floored every week.

showers, clean clothes, breakfast, and a hot lunch are served -- this happens every week. 

sunday mornings are great for different folks, for different reasons. 

so glad to be working within areas that are serving the city; regardless the cost. 

to the least of these...

to little dave...

some pics that my friend merari took...thanks for capturing dave's life. these are the images that we will look back on the day he gets married, has kids, and becomes a grandpa. thanks so much!

to the weekend...

so as i'm getting ready for the weekend, a few thoughts are running through my mind...so here goes.

-the nba finals were a great reason for adriana and i to spend dinner and time with our next door neighbors. it was incredible considering that we didn't really spend too much time watching the game

-i'm excited about teaching at CF DT this sunday am again. had a great response from the staff and folks there last sunday. this week, we'll be looking at the next chapter in dave's life - running to the battle and living on the edge...because that's the place that God has invited us to be (you gotta be there for the whole thing)

-class 401 at all the CF campuses are going on this weekend...get connected!

-we are taking dave's pacifier away today...for good. he's not reacting well to that, but oh well.

-my heart goes out to the many friends and family that have told me within the last 6 months that they've lost their jobs or have gone through financial loss. all good people that love God. i have been and will be praying for you

-my anniversary is coming up - June 24 save the date. this year makes 9 years. i love my wife more than i ever have

-God is in control.

to abilities...

so what do you do when you know that you have abilities and talent greater than that of your supervisor or up-line?

as i sit and chat with more and more folks, i discovering that this is more common than i realized. 

so my thoughts on the matter are as follows:

-honor your leader as best as you can (if you can't follow your leadership, then it's time to go)

-do what's best for the organization/business (if you get in trouble for doing what's right, it's the right thing to do)

-make lemonade out of lemons (if the current leadership is the problem, then provide solutions, not just complaints)

any thoughts on the subject? 

i'm still learning how to handle these things wisely when they come my way

to insecure leadership...

so today, i thought i would throw out some different ideas that i'm gathering from 2 main sources - 1 samuel and the life of saul and johnny hunt, pres of the southern baptist convention. 

basically, being a good leader is tough -- there's so many easy ways to get caught up in the initial success. below are some thoughts that j. hunt came up with; i think this is what happened to king saul.

i hope that i never lose sight of the bigger picture.

-An insecure leader has a hard time giving credit to others. “Why should praise seem like an unrecoverable cost? It is a gift that gives back to everyone.” 
-An insecure leader keeps information from his staff. “When you release information, you convey trust and confidence to others. When you conceal it, you convey just the opposite: no trust, no confidence.” 
-An insecure leader doesn’t want his staff exposed to other leaders—people who may possess qualities you don’t, people who may have skills your staff wishes you had. “When one person grows the whole team grows….Give your people the best—even better than you are.” 
-An insecure leader is often a micromanager. “He’s a control freak.” Nothing can happen that they are not fully aware of. They fear things will fall apart without them. This kind of oppressive control can wring the life out of your team. 
-Insecure leaders are too needy of praise. “For this reason, more than perhaps any other, they can’t really be leaders. When someone needs his followers to always be telling him how wonderful he is, he works in direct opposition to the heartbeat of leadership, which is: building into other’s lives.” 

-Insecure leaders don’t provide security for those they lead. “If the mood and environment in the office is one of fear, second-guessing, and self-doubt, you can be sure an insecure leader is in charge.” 
-Insecure leaders take more than they give. Instead of validating and encouraging others, they are focused on receiving it. 
-Insecure leaders limit their best leaders. “Insecure leaders cannot genuinely celebrate the victories won by others.” 
-Insecure leaders limit their organization. “Not only does insecurity throttle down the horsepower of individual team members; it results in putting restraints on the whole church or organization.”

what do you all think? 

let me know

to small group...home church....

so at small group tonite, we had a really discussion and reality check. we are not in jail, 1. we are not oppressed to not be able to live out our faith, 2. and we are able to discern those things that truly please God, 3. 

i'm excited to be growing with a group of people next to me, not ahead or behind. big ups to our teacher tonite, i think she did a great job.

following our study time, prayer. significant requests were made which is awesome. it shows me where we are as a church family and trust. it also shows the point of maturity where we are in our walk. no prayer requests for in grown toe nails or stuff like that, it was really good. 

and to top it off, we talked about how we could be more involved in mission opportunities and serving beyond the walls of the church. it's really cool to see our faith being lived out infront of our very eyes.

if you're not connected to community, you should be. we meet tuesday nites at my place. dinner included, but let us know you are coming.

to tv series finales...

just thought about asking the blog world

who's going to be back next season on grey's anatomy?

will izzie make it?

will george make it?

i need to know a 'why' as well. help me out. i'm doing a study

to the water shield...

so for a few years, i had this theory going about a 'water shield' that disney had created to keep bad weather out of it's major theme parks and largest fund generators.

the reason that i held to this theory was that after having been in central florida for a billion times, i would always get rained out at one of the universal parks or minor disney attractions, but never at the big parks, let alone the magic kingdom. 

at first it didn't make sense as to why the greater orlando area would be drenched, but disney at best would get a few drops tops. that's it. so out side of being able to control the weather (i don't think that they can yet), they obviously had to have some kind of device to keep inclement weather out...the water shield. 

i know it's a stretch, but think about it. if it's pouring everywhere else, then disney gets just a few drops. hurricanes never damage or effect the property of the mouse. they never close down. salese, despite a bad economy, are still up. 

how do they promise the 'magic?' with a little help...the weather shield is one of those helpers. 

it held true, until today. after a bit of hanging in central fl, the weather shield gave way to a bunch of rain that has left the mouse a bit wet.

i would, however, like to add, that while everyone from daytona to orlando is experiencing 'flood' type weather, disney has rain, but no where near the kind of water found in it's neighbors. 

just saying.

to american idol season 8...

i can honestly say that i've never really been into a.i., ever. tonight i saw the last episode where the final 2 contestants sing. 

it's really not about talent, it's about popularity. i think it's easy to see who's the most talented of the 2.

i've been reading about the life of david and i find it really similar. popularity vs. talent. pretty incredible when you think about saul and dave. popularity vs talent. 

i'll be sharing a bit more about this in a few weeks at cf dt. i'll be teaching there for a couple of weeks in a row. i really feel good about the 2 messages

to this weekend...

so i'm getting ready for an exciting weekend

friday - ministry rally at CF

sat - friend's bachelor party

sun - mother's day with mom's and my wife (she's hot)

jam packed, but worth it for all the involved players

don't forget to take care of  your moms. if you don't, you're a bad kid, seriously. unless mom did something seriously wrong, make sure that you're mom is up there in priority this weekend.

to priorities...

it's funny how consistency with God thru quiet time really yields results. besides the sweetness of being with HIM, the blessings that come out of it are incredible. i don't have more stuff nor have i received a raise at work (wanted to clarify). it has to do with personal fulfillment and personal accomplishment.

i think that i've come to grips with myself on a few different things; one of them being priorities. i always  make the time to do the things that i want to do. there's no reason that God should not be in the picture.

when i refocus on my priorities, everything that i should/shouldn't be doing becomes obvious.

what are some priorities that need to be priorities?

to tests...

it's been a while since i took a test. all to say, that i was super excited when i took a test for something that i've been studying for, for about 2 months...and i passed. it wasn't a 100%, but then again, it's a pass/fail thing. 3 more and then i'm done...for now anyways.

i don't care how old one gets, test stink. 

any one else out there agree?

beach baptism at cf...incredible!

so today crandon park/el farito, CF hosted it's beach baptism for all 5 of the campuses. besides the fact that the day was beautiful, it was incredible to see the amount of friends and family that came out to support their loves in taking the life changing step of baptism

all in all, between the 5 campuses, there were approximately 250 people baptized...incredible.

each person different, different story, different culture, different language; same God and church. 

i have a hunch that heaven will look similar to this

God is doing some crazy things!

easter at Christ Fellowship

so this weekend starting on friday night, i had the opportunity of serving at Christ Fellowship Church here in miami - it was an incredible weekend. 

the thing that stuck out the most was that regardless of the campus, style, or even demographic of the group, the gospel message was clearly presented

of all the times of the year when the message needs to be easily understood and presented, i can say with confidence that in all aspect of the programmed hour, the gospel was shared

thanks to all of you who helped participate and make this weekend possible

i'm looking forward to following up with all of the visitors who came this weekend

friday was good, sunday was awesome...Jesus lives.

to serving...

so this morning, despite the hour change, i was at the caring place (downtown cf missions dept) working with an incredible group of dedicated volunteers (you all are amazing - i'm honored to serve with such incredible people

the task was beautiful...serving the under resourced and under privileged of the downtown community. 

among those present were homeless men and women, recently laid off people with gifts and talent, transexuals, hung over guys, and the 2 or 3 guys that everyone is scared of.

then tonight, at cf palmetto bay, i got to teach 401 - connect to the world. 

i was reminded in the middle of the session why we do what we do

God's priority isn't those present - it's those that aren't present (we call them the lost)

Luke 15 talks about...

-lost sheep

-lost money

-lost son (family)

all of them valuable, all of them equally lost. 

today i was able to serve genuinely. not for show and definitely not because people were watching. i'm happy to be able to say that. in the past, my motives have been mixed. but not at 7  in the morning after a hard hour change and poor night sleep.

yet i've had more than enough energy today to do what matters most. worship God, love my family, and serve other. 

how are you serving where you are?

what are you doing to add to the kingdom in you community?

let me know

to yp summit 09...

so this morning spent some time listening to...

dave edwards...traveling communicator

darren w. from axis (willow creek)

jay strack from student leadership university

francis chan from cornerstone church - cali

david nasser from iran - grew up in the US and is now speaking everywhere

the lead singer from 3rd day

shane 1 of shane and shane and some other great musicians

good folks in good places all doing different things. it just reminded me on how organized God is. all of us doing different things at the same time and yet it's all part of the same picture/puzzle.

lots of good things raising lots of good questions among my staff and internally. good stuff today. looking forward to spending time in break out sessions tomorrow morning and finishing with francis chan again tomorrow afternoon.

keep you posted with more

i miss my wife and son. 

to cf live...

so just want to put it out there

cf live will be happening this weekend at 6.30 pm at cf palmetto bay - it will feel like a service with an extended time of worship and a powerful message by pastor rick

this saturday night only at 8.30 pm, right afterwards, the music portion will be repeated; no message or child care

hope to see you guys there!

to slum dog millionaire...

besides the fact that the movie is a good one, even great one (if you haven't seen it, it's a good one to watch -- much thanks to our friends at fox for the home preview)

something that happened while i watched...i sensed God stirring, yet again.

i was reminded of perspective. over 90 million people living on less than $1 american, per day. this weekend alone i went out to eat twice and spent about an average of $10 per plate -- for one meal.

i know that life here is different. i get that. but knowing that life here is different doesn't change the fact that life over 'there' (wherever there is) is still going on; regardless of me being there or not. 

so i wrestle with stewardship...

-my resources

-my time

i realized that while i'm busy here doing great things for God, i've forgotten about those out 'there'... He still cares deeply for them.

that's what i'm wrestling with...and it hurts.

to the unruined life..

fyi

this weekend we start the new series about dealing with the bad things in each of us -- the jekyll hyde problem

check it out

www.cffamily.org

to saying thanks...

so as i was reading this morning, i came across this passage that made me think. 

in summary, 10 marginalized men needed physical help. Jesus helps all 10 of them, but only one of them comes back to say 'thanks.' His response is 'where are the other nine?'

am i really thankful for all the blessings that i receive; both big and small?

have i really done a good job saying 'thank you' to God and those that He uses to bless me?

i found my self going thru today's events and realizing that there is a bunch of stuff to be thankful about, but unless i would have stopped to reflect on it, i probably would have gone about my regular business and not saying thanks.

have you stopped to say thank you to God or others that He has used to care for you?

has anyone ever stopped to thank you?

let us hear about it

to public educators aka teacher...

so we've been working through some things called 'reach beyonds' 

these are opportunities for people to serve others beyond their current circles of life

our emphasis in feb and march will be to serve the teachers of miami-dade county; for their work and effort in serving our children

this is a shout out to mrs brown, my first grade teacher at village green elem. 

i love her, she always gave me more cookies and taught me about verbs!

any way, we all have fav teachers or teachers that we remember for good reasons

this blog is going out to them

who's your fav teacher and why?

to a random update...

so it's been a while. for all of you out there, lots going on. ministry to continues to move forward and change. that's good. health is back to normal, that's good. 

dave started daycare and is on his way to being potty trained.

adriana started her new ft job - that's a blessing

we joined christ fellowship church - we are serving in their missions dept in the palmetto bay and downtown campuses. i got to teach this morning...it went well.

like i said, lots of good things been happening, but they've been happening pretty quickly.

just wanted to update blogland of what has become. looking forward to hearing from you all soon

to history...

so as we get ready for a historic moment in US history, just wanted to remind folks not to get too busy to miss it.

it's not just another holiday or just another inauguration. for what ever it's worth, whether one voted for obama or not, it's history. 

if you wanna see the impact first hand, you are all invited to watch the inauguration with me at Greater St. Paul AME church, in the West Grove (miami), fl. it's a predominantly african/haitian community; low income. we will be showing the live feed of the inauguration plus a moving word from general colen powell earlier. events begin at 9 - filled with words of inspiration, art, performance, food, and history. if you plan on going, please call the number below to rsvp

come and watch the impact of this event on a community near you. fyi, food will be served for free, just be sure to call ahead of time

Greater St Paul AME Church

3680 Thomas Avenue Miami Florida 33133

(305) 448-2742

to a busy week...

it's been a week full of adventures and opportunity

so here's what i'm learning...

1. opportunity in difficult times is a blessing and reaffirms what one is doing, whether the opportunity is taken or not

2. i'll have an opportunity to work with Disney from now till the end of feb as an area publicist for a some stuff that they are promoting among the faith community in miami

3. ministry organization will lead to ministry sustainability and longevity

4. working with like-minded people makes life so much easier

5. contract negotiations are always a challenge

6. people will always be people

to team...

during my reading in Luke, Jesus was chatting with people who wanted more of a sign from him

he talked to them and the mentioned something huge:

23"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

it's pretty cut and dry. you are either on my team or you are not. i began to wonder about this passage and then thought, would Jesus consider me a team member of his?

i think He would, however, i think he may mention that i've got some pretty bad tendencies. tendencies that remind Him of the other team. bad habits that need to be changed in order to be more effective on His team.

part of my desire it to gather with Him and not be scattered by myself.

to unisexual family gatherings...

so today i was at a family gathering celebrating the festive 'baby shower' event. the catch was that it was not my direct family, it was family of a family member on my wife's side.

needless to say, i observed a few things that are typical in my culture...good, bad, and ugly.

good - watching family come together is always good

bad - watching divorced family members see each other and sensing the tenseness in the air makes the whole experience just plain weird

ugly - watching grown men participate in stupid games - old men drinking bad booz out of mini kid bottles is just wrong (don't make people do those stupid games, serve the food, get the gifts, and get out)

that's a bit of my cultural experience today.

how is the culture on your side of life?

to 09!

09 is going to be an incredible year.

i know it.

what are you hoping happens this year?

to a new year...

so here a couple of the good things happening in 09

1. new year day at approximately 12.10 am during the ny's day party there was a malfunction with the fire works...they attacked the spectators. it was pretty funny. a bottle rocket punch and a dive into the pool with a dry i-phone were among the highlights of the evening. it sucked for the injured parties, but it was a funny entrance into the new year. for those injured, my condolences. 

2. partnerships at work continue to expand. it's gonna be a great ministry year

3. adriana has had a couple of job interviews line up...God seems to be up to something with her

4. ministry seems to keep expanding to new levels...we'll see where that takes us this year

5. my son can say about 25 words, hopefully he'll be speaking by the end of the year

that's not too bad considering it's the first week of the year. 

i've heard that the best is yet to come

happy new year!

to time off...

so to the next thing that i'm thankful for...time off. the holidays provide some good family quality time that can become so easily overlooked from january to november. 

in light of the tough times, being pressed financially actually helps one focus on what matters most, like what Christmas is actually about. 

it also helps get to get some needed r & r.

to the holidays and the days off that come with it!

to my kidneys...

so i've been in the hospital since monday with an infection of the kidney AND i have been fortunate enough to also have a kidney stone develop at the same time....yeah me!

so todays special blog goes out to the twins behind the scenes, tom and jerry as i like to call them. besides doing what they do everyday, my kidneys have been troopers through the last 4 days, 8 vomits, 2 doses of morphine, and the flavorless soup that they've been fed at the hospital. 

in case you didn't know it, you need your kidneys...at least one. they filter all liquids that enter your body and then they work to get the liquid out; especially the bad liquids. so to all of you that are about introducing harmful things into the body, watch out, it will get you.

hopefully i'll be leaving the hospital todays as i've been able to recover nicely thanks to the folks at south miami hospital. 

to my kidneys...the ultimate digestive warriors. 

to little dave...

so the next great gift that i get to celebrate is my kid...little dave. one thing they forget to tell you when you join the parenthood club, the cuter they are, the more they try to get away with. 

although i have my days when i feel like doing something wrong or stupid, all he has to do is climb up my lap, grab my ears, and say 'daddy.' 

i'm done. if God ever gives us a little girl, then it's really over at that point. 

little dave is mean and tough, but he's mine.

just to finish off, i can remember what life was like without dave, but i can't imagine life without him now. 

i love him.

to adriana...

this christmas season, i plan to highlight some of the best gifts that i've ever received. gift number 1...adriana, my hot wife!

it's hard for me to say anymore, except that she is an amazing compliment/completion to me. if you don't know her, you should get to know her. she makes me a better man.

merry xmas!

ps. thnx merari for you skills with the camera

to giving thanks...

so it's the saturday after thanksgiving. this is probably the most relaxing thanksgiving that i've experienced in about 5 years. it's kind of weird...takes time getting used to it. 

so this is what my holiday was like...

tues - thanksgiving celebration with home church...about 20-25 in attendance; nice

wed - handling business at work till about 5.30 pm

thurs - spent time with the fam...ate and then watched true blood episodes 8-11; nice again

fri - worked on some stuff at home; worked on a friend's wedding and then worked to make sure the ceremony went well...it was lovely

sat - watched dream girls (i wish i could sing or have soul would be cool enough) spent good time with adriana and little dave; started reading 'good to great; social sectors'

needless to say, i was very thankful for the time to stop. it's important to hit the breaks from time to time in order to rest and refocus. 

he's what i gathered on thanksgiving reflection...

-thankful to God (for everything)

-thankful to wife (for almost everything)

-thankful for son (he is developing so quickly)

-thankful for fam (their support is incredible)

-thankful for friends (many of them seem to get it; incredible)

so, i'm just plain thankful.  what about you? why are you thankful?

to compassion and action...

tonight i read about compassion...luke 7. it's always incredible to read that Jesus cares and then he shows you how. he not only sees needs, he works to meet them.

lots to learn here. we can pray, which is good. but faith is a verb. something that needs to be placed into action. 

we can offer God to people and they may even choose to follow him, but that does not change their situation, whatever it may be. 

for example, a hungry person trusts in God and we pray. they will still be hungry right afterwards.

an illiterate person begins to follow God, they still can't read.

a person suffering from illness confesses Christ, they are still ill.

help me understand...what is the role of those who call themselves Christ followers?

how far are we to go? what are we supposed to do?

i know we are to pray. but then what? what does one do next?

help me out. 

to learning...

so it's been about 7 months since i began my current role at my job...i've learned a lot.

needless to say, with that learning comes responsibility and opportunity. one of which i will be executing tomorrow. 

it has to do with addressing fellow personnel and talking with them about the hard stuff; evaluation, reflection, suggestions, and then sometimes, it means letting the wrong folks go in order to get the right folks in.

"it's not you, it's me" doesn't work in this arena.

needless to say, i'm learning and i'm sure that i will keep learning. the best teacher, "on the job training."

what's the greatest lesson/principle that you've learned in 2008?

CCDA principle #6...

Church-Based

 

It is the writer's position that nothing other than the community of God's people is capable of affirming the dignity of the poor and enabling them to meet their own needs. It is practically impossible to do effective wholistic ministry apart from the local church. A nurturing community of faith can best provide the thrusts of evangelism, discipleship, spiritual accountability, and relationships by which disciples grow in their walk with God. One problem today has been that the church is not involved in developing its communities. Often, the church has been an unfriendly neighbor in communities across our country. Churches are guilty of being open only on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and being almost irrelevant to the needs of the people around them. Because of this, many para-church organizations have started to do the work of loving their neighbor that the church had neglected. Christian Community Development sees the church as taking action towards the development of its community.

It is the responsibility of the church to evangelize, disciple and nurture people in the Kingdom. Yet, from the command of Jesus, it is also the responsibility of the church to love their neighbor and their neighborhood. Churches should be seen as lovers of their community and neighborhoods. It is out of the church body that ideas and programs should emerge.

This concept is certainly not new in the black community. The black church has spawned most of the substantial community efforts in housing and economic development. There have been shopping centers built, senior housing units developed and communities transformed by the church. As natural as these transformations have been for the black church, they continue to be foreign to the traditional white church. Often, opposition to the church's involvement in community development still occurs among many white denominations and church groups. Recently, many new efforts are also emerging in the Latino and Asian communities as well that are making the church even more relevant to those they serve.

Lastly, probably the greatest sustaining power of community development is the community building of a local church. Because Christian community is based on relocation and people living in the community, having a local church to worship together is essential. It is the church where people gather to be rejuvenated and have their personal needs met. This is true of staff members and non-staff members. How exciting it is to see doctors at a local health center worshipping and sitting next to their patients on a Sunday morning. This is community building at its best. The church helps people to understand that each person has gifts and talents and all must utilize those for the greater good of the community. A worshipping church breaks down many of the barriers including racial, educational and cultural barriers that often separate people in communities.

CCDA principle #5...

Listening to Community

 

Often communities are developed by people outside of the community that bring in resources without taking into account the community itself. Christian Community Development is committed to listening to the community residents, and hearing their dreams, ideas and thoughts. This is often referred to as the felt need concept. Listening is most important, as the people of the community are the vested treasures of the future.

It is important not to focus on the weaknesses or needs of a community. Again, the felt need concept, as referred to earlier, helps us as community developers to focus on the desires of the community residents. The priority is the thoughts and dreams of the community itself. What the people themselves believe should be the focus. Asset-based community development focuses on the assets of a community and building upon them. When fused together through Christian Community Development, they can have extremely positive results.

Every community has assets, but often these are neglected. When a ministry utilizes Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), it names all of the assets in the community that helps the community see its many positive characteristics. It is through these assets that people develop their community.

Christian Community Development realistically points out, through community meetings and efforts, some of the areas that people in the community would like to see improved. The areas to be focused upon are not looked at from some outside group or some demographic study that is laid upon the community. Instead, it is the community members themselves that decide what area they would like to improve.

After a community has decided where they want to focus some of their attention, it is then directed to the means with which they themselves can bring this about. What qualities, talents, and abilities does the community have that can help solve these problems? The focus is on the community members seeing themselves as the solution to the problem, not some government program or outside group that is going to be their salvation.

It is essential for community leaders to help the community focus on maximizing their strengths and abilities to make a difference for their community. The philosophy of Christian Community Development believes that the people with the problem have the best solutions and opportunities to solve those problems. Christian Community Development affirms the dignity of individuals and encourages the engagement of the community to use their own resources and assets to bring about sustainable change. 

CCDA principle #4...

Leadership Development

 The primary goal of leadership development is to restore the stabilizing glue and fill the vacuum of moral, spiritual, and economic leadership that is so prevalent in poor communities by developing leaders. This is most effectively done by raising up Christian leaders from the community of need who will remain in the community to live and lead. Most Christian Community Development ministries put a major focus on youth development, winning youth to Christ as early as kindergarten and then following them all the way through college with spiritual and educational nurturing. Upon returning from college a ministry creates opportunities for exercising leadership upon their return to the community.

At the core of the leadership vacuum in inner city communities is an attitude of flight. For many, success is defined as being able to move out of inner-city communities, not remaining there. The erroneous goal is to help a few people leave the neighborhood so that they can escape the problems of inner city communities. This core value of escapism has caused a major drain on the community. Success in the world’s eyes is leaving the neighborhood and owning a home in a more affluent community.

Leadership development is possible only when there is longevity of ministry. All too often people are guilty of trying to have quick fixes in poor neighborhoods. Leadership development is of the highest priority in Christian Community Development. Each ministry must have a dynamic youth ministry that is reaching young people with the good news of Jesus Christ and then equipping them to become faithful followers of Christ, and effective community leaders. This will take at least fifteen years to accomplish, so a worker must plan to stay in the neighborhood for at least that long.

In situations where hispanics and other ethnic groups are negatively affected by their current legal status in our country, this progressive, developmental process is nearly impossible to accomplish, as young people are not able to attend college or prepare for a stable career. In this case, ministries are often moved to engage in social action to challenge and change current immigration laws that debilitate the lives of promising youths and their families.

For CCD ministries, developing leaders from the community is a huge priority that requires absolute commitment; the payoff is that our communities will be filled with strong Christian leaders who love their neighbors, and have the skills and abilities to lead our churches, organizations, and other institutions that bring sustainable health to our communities.

CCDA principle #3...

Redistribution (Just Distribution of Resources)

 

When men and women in the body of Christ are visibly present and living among the poor (relocation), and when people are intentionally loving their neighbor and their neighbor's family the way a person loves him or herself and family (reconciliation), the result is redistribution, or a just distribution of resources. When God's people with resources (regardless of their race or culture) commit to living in underserved communities seeking to be good neighbors, being examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ, working for justice for the entire community, and utilizing their skills and resources to address the problems of that community alongside their neighbors, then redistribution is being practiced.

Redistribution brings the principles of Justice back to the underserved communities. Justice has left communities of color and lower economic status, leaving an unjust criminal court and prison system, unjust hiring practices, unjust housing development and injustice in the educational institutions. Justice has been available only to people with the economic means to acquire just treatment.

Redistribution brings new skills, new relationships, and new resources and puts them to work to empower the residents of a given community of need to bring about healthy transformation. This is redistribution. Christian Community Development ministries harness the commitment and energy of men, women, and young people living in the community, and others who care about their community, and find creative avenues to develop jobs, schools, health centers, home ownership opportunities, and other enterprises of long-term development.

Seeking a just distribution of resources and working for justice in underserved communities contributes greatly to helping people help themselves, which is at the heart of Christian Community Development.

CCDA principle #2...

Reconciliation

 
People To God

Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel. Jesus said that the essence of Christianity could be summed up in two inseparable commandments: Love God, and love thy neighbor. (Mt 22:37-39) First, Christian Community Development is concerned with reconciling people to God and bringing them into a church fellowship where they can be discipled in their faith.

Evangelism is very much a part of Christian Community Development. It is recognized that the answer is not just a job or a decent place to live but having a true relationship with Jesus Christ. It is essential that the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and that individuals place their faith in Christ for salvation. Christian discipleship is very much a part of this philosophy also.

The gospel, rightly understood, is wholistic. It responds to people as whole people; it does not single out just spiritual or just physical needs and speak to those. Christian Community Development begins with people transformed by the love of God, who then respond to God's call to share the gospel with others through evangelism, social action, economic development, and justice.

 

People To People

The most segregated time of the week in our nation is Sunday morning during church services. American churches rarely are integrated and weaken the gospel because of this practice. Christians pray in the model prayer that the Lord taught: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Mt 6:9 Churches should reflect heaven on earth, and heaven will be the most integrated place in the world. People of every nation and every tongue will worship Christ together. This is the picture of the church Christ presents to his people.

The question is: Can a gospel that reconciles people to God without reconciling people to people be the true gospel of Jesus Christ? A person's love for Christ should break down every racial, ethnic and economic barrier. As Christians come together to solve the problems of their community, the great challenge is to partner and witness together across these barriers in order to demonstrate our oneness in Christ. Christian Community Development recognizes that the task of loving the poor is shared by the entire body of Christ, black, white, brown, and yellow; rich and poor; urban and suburban; educated and uneducated. While the Bible transcends culture and race, the church is still having a hard time with living out the reality of our unity in Christ. Christian Community Development is intentional about reconciliation and works hard to bring people of all races and cultures into the one worshipping body of Christ.

This comes not so much through a program but through a commitment to living together in the same neighborhood. This is why relocation is so important and how each of the other principals builds upon it.

This is where what Dr. John Perkins calls the felt-need concept can be so helpful for individuals seeking to establish authentic cross-cultural relationships in under resourced neighborhoods. In order to build trust with people who may be suspicious about our motives for being in the ‘hood’ because of negative past experiences, stereotypes, or ignorance, we must begin by getting to know people right where they are at. As we listen to their stories and get to know their hopes and concerns for the present and future, we also begin to identify one another’s deepest felt-needs; those hurts and longings that allows us opportunities to connect with people on a deeper level, which is always necessary for true reconciliation to take place.

The power of authentic reconciliation between us and God, and between people of every culture and race is an essential component of effective ministry in our hurting world.

core value #1 of christian community development...

so here's the first one....

Relocation: Living Among the People

Living out the gospel means desiring for one's neighbor and neighbor's family that which one desires for one's self and family. Living out the gospel means bettering the quality of other people's lives spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally as one betters one's own. Living out the gospel means sharing in the suffering and pain of others.

How did Jesus love? "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14) Jesus relocated. He became one of us. He didn't commute back and forth to heaven. Similarly, the most effective messenger of the gospel to the poor will also live among the poor that God has called the person to. A key phrase to understand relocation is incarnational ministry.

By relocating, a person will understand most clearly the real problems facing the poor; and then he or she may begin to look for real solutions. For example, if a person ministering in a poor community has children, one can be sure that person will do whatever possible to ensure that the children of the community get a good education. Relocation transforms "you, them, and theirs" to "we, us, and ours." Effective ministries plant and build communities of believers that have a personal stake in the development of their neighborhoods.

Relocation is community based in the very essence of the word. There are three kinds of people who live in the community. First "relocators" are people who, like the project director, were not born in the inner city but moved into the neighborhood. Second, are the "returners." These are the people born and raised in their community and then left for a better life. Usually they return from college or the military. They are no longer trapped by the surrounding poverty of their neighborhood. Yet, they choose to return and live in the community they once tried to escape. Lastly are the "remainers." These are the ones that could have fled the problems of the inner city but chose to stay and be part of the solution to the problems surrounding them.

to CCDA...

just finished serving at the CCDA national conference. it was a learning event. if you're looking to join a community of folks that are working to make a change in their communities on behalf of those that either can't or don't know how, these are some good folks doing some good stuff. i was glad just to be a part of it. 

what i appreciated about the conference was that there were no 'rock stars.' all the headline speakers were walking around with everyone. it was pretty cool in that i got to say hi with folks anywhere at anytime. everyone was pretty accessible. they ate with everyone, spoke to everyone, and even shared the bathroom with everyone. pretty unique from a conference standpoint. 

some folks that i got to share with were (i suggest you google them to see what they are up to)...

john perkins (civil rights leader)

wayne gordon (aka coach)

noel castellanos (immigration reformist)

larry acosta (urban youth workers institute) 

good stuff. 

to enough...

i'm just gonna throw the word out there. you tell me what comes to mind and how to approach it.

EEEE   NN       NN  OOOOOO    UU   UU   GGG      HH   HH

EE        NNNNNN   OO      OO    UU   UU   GG   G   HHHHH

EEEE   NN    NNN  OOOOOO    UUUUU   GGGG   HH    HH

i know, i've got time.

so what do you think?  

to sweeney todd...

we took my son to get a haircut tonight. he's much stronger than i realized. for those of you that don't know; he hates the barber. it's like he sees sweeney todd.

either way, he's much more handsome now. he hates me, but at least he looks good doing it. hope to have a pic up soon. 

he's afraid of the machine. i know it sounds silly, but i hate clowns.

any other fears out there? 

let me know.

to instability...

October 17, 2008

it's weird because i don't things in the world have been so unsettled like they are today. as i read this morning, watched last night, and heard on the radio on the way to the office today, everything seems to be going haywire. whether economy, jobs, health, climate change, or life, it doesn't seem to really matter. 

if it exists, it's going bonkers. 

in my time of reading, it's moments like these that God will use to create stability in His people. when all else fails, He won't. when all else seems to crumble, He doesn't. when it's too hot, He's just right. when injustice gets worse, He gets better. when....He....

i've been learning that during the instability, i will be the stability that God will use to navigate people through these hard times. it's not that i'm better than most. on the contrary, i find myself among the general public in the u.s. just trying to get by. and still, i'm not freaking out. i really think that this is part of the 'mystery of the gospel' that paul refers to. 

how can you stay calm when all else is going off?

how can you not lose sleep when people keep getting laid off?

how you can you...finish the sentence. 

i can because He is, was, and will be. in control, on top of things, planning out time for His best interests. 

thank goodness that i'm not in control He is. 

to observations...8 of them

so as i considered number 100, i thought about writing 100 reasons for this, that, or the other. not happening.

so here it is. as i've recently started journaling again (healthy exercise), i come to grips with a couple of things. among them. so here's to 8 observations that i've made this last year...

1- the need for more prayer, especially when all is well

2- the need for more prayer, especially when all is not well

3- obedience =  where my faith intersects with God's faithfulness

4- when you are doing something new, it's always hard

5- reverting to what you know is always easiest

6- God is more concerned with His glory than mine (rightfully so...He's God)

7- If we're not planning on changing lives, then we're thinking too small

8- i want to be on the amazing race

maybe i'm missing a couple of thoughts on here. let me know

to #99...

this is my 99th post. any suggestions on how to celebrate #100? i've got some ideas, but i'm open to thoughts. 

the heart

so i've been doing some thinking on the heart and what the WORD has to say about it. the heart is truly messed up - implication, all of us with hearts are messed up. out of the heart, the mouth speaks. it's crazy some of the things i'm capable of saying, let alone thinking. 

there's gotta be a way of not only filtering the heart, but actually working with God to change the heart and the messed up that it is. 

as of recently, i've been exposed to how wicked and great the heart can be at the same time. i've seen it in the life of others and experienced it personally. 

what i've discovered is, what you project unto others is a reflection of what is found inside. it's the exterior reflection of the inward.

just where i'm at. 

...to syndication

so i watched 30 rock for the first time tonight. funny. as i was changing channels to see what's on these days. aside from the news that ike is going to bust up  the eastern coast of tx, seems like there's tons of stuff about burning off fat, panties-medias, cartoons, the office, and really old re-runs in syndication (different strokes).

not sure what the best show on tv is today, but i've got some ideas. i would love to hear about what you guys are watching out there in the blog world. 

so give it up...what are you guys watching on tv?

what's the best thing on tv today? 

to the hitachi...

so tonight we had some awesome cuban food at our gathering. madd props to yannick's mom and her glorious hitachi. it may not solve all of the worlds problems, but it sure does make some really good rice.

besides really good food, we had an amazing time of prayer and intimacy with each other. amazing how the hitachi can bring people together :-)

to the hitachi! thanks yan. (you complete me - you had me at hitachi)

i should host the VMA's next year...

i've never been so disappointed with the selection committee on who elects the host of the VMA's. 

here's the question:

was no one else available to host? - next year, mtv, i'll be around!

besides the stupid appearance, foolish comments, and ridiculously tight pants, the poor fellow looked like a woman with a beard. 

for a 25th anniversary, i'm thoroughly disappointed. 

the only positive things about the VMA's, they encouraged people to vote. please vote according to what you think is the best for the country. don't let people from other countries tell you how to vote, especially at the VMA's. 

also, my 2 year old kid was totally upset on the knocking of the jonas brothers and their choice on waiting till marriage for sex. 

to an interesting opinion...

so as i was reading this morning in luke 4, they gave Jesus beef about the coming of a new day. a shift was occurring around all who were there and they didn't even know it. when He tried to warn them, they didn't want to hear about it.

came across an interesting opinion this afternoon as i was doing my daily reading (check out the column to the right for more info on what i'm reading). here's the opinion:

"doing church differently is like rearranging the chairs on the titanic. we must realize that slight tweaks, new music, creative lighting, wearing hula shirts, shorts, and flip flops won't make doing church more attractive.  church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we are about. church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the very way of Christ."

pretty hard. 

what do you think? right? wrong? some right or some wrong?

let me know.

to facebook...

so i have a facebook now. less than 48 hours later, i'm getting pics of me back in the 60's when i was just a glimmer in my father's eye.

thanks alex. u made my decade. 

sweep the leg...awesome

this has got to be one of the best things to have come out of the 80's. what's awesome is that whenever mr. miagi comes out, the asian flute begins to play.

"sweep the leg" were the words uttered by the mean karate guy/teacher (sensai or something like that). it's awesome cause the music goes up and daniel goes down. hope goes down with him. but just like all good movies in the 80's, he gets up and wins. 

i love the 80's. i love karate kid I, II, III, but not the girl version with hilary swank. the 90's were desperate times - so was pat morita (mr. miagi)

sweep the leg...awesome

...to being human

i had the opportunity to share with a friend of mine today about her frustrations with life in general. there are lots of things going on, but part of the problem was found in her problems with church and how her specific church operates.

she seemed disillusioned, stressed, frustrated, and disappointed. what's weird is that she thought that there was something wrong with her. i assured her that wherever people are involved, anyone of those characteristics mentioned above will be present...we are all human; that's our pattern and tendency.

but why? why is it that more and more believers are feeling this way about church today? guestimations are that there are between 20 - 25 million xians in the US that don't go anywhere for whatever reason. 

as i continued to share with her, i honestly sensed her passion and concern for her church; it was awesome. i believe that she'll be just fine as she re-engages slowly but surely. 

just wondering, in your opinion what seems to be the problem with the church today and what do you think is the best way to fix things?

let me know. 

...to sleeping giants

so today i was listening to a guy out of texas share about this idea of waking up. that many folks kind of live like zombies. they move, they eat, they breathe, but it's almost as if they are in this sleep walking stage - like zombies.

then he got real passionate and began to expound on his idea that much of the church in the west is in this chronic state. we move, we eat, we breathe, but we are walking in our sleep.

then i thought to myself...what if the sleeping giant of a church were to awaken to do what it was created to do? what then?

-how would things change?

-how would things be different?

-what would that mean for the current state of where the church is?

if only the giant would awaken.

how would it be different? why isn't it different?

let me know.

waiting for the light to change...

when you are waiting for 'next' to happen...this can be an interesting time. for some it's school, for others it's work, for some it's a life mate, for others it's that very next thing. learning to wait for what's next is good, it's just the process that's not too much fun. 

it's like sitting at that street light that's red -- it's been red for about 15 minutes. you don't want to turn and then turn around 'cause you know it's wrong or someone might catch you doing wrong. so you sit there, waiting for the light to change. finally, when it does change, you move forward in confidence -- you have the clear and obvious permission to do so. it's just the waiting for the green light...it takes time. 

what's cool is, when i've waited for His green light, the wait proved to be worth it. the destination was better than i had expected, and had i arrived there sooner...

1. i would not have been ready for it

2. my destination would not have been ready for me

3. it would not have all fitted together, just right

so for all of you waiting for whatever is next...find a good book to read while you're on the wait. the 'next' doesn't go away,  you just learn to adjust to His schedule and timing. while you are at the light waiting, what can you do there to serve Him and others? chances are that's why the light is still red.

what can you do at your red light for God, for others? 

to the everyday...

i was listening to perry nobles today and he had some good insights on hearing from up above. 

"when you wrestle with the word and begin to walk in what the word says, the result is God's will."

it's that simple. knowing what His will is, is the easy part. living it out is when it can get tough. especially when you realize that your next step is leading you to an uncharted, unexpected, unprecedented territory. but isn't that like Him to do that?

as we are making big decisions again, i'm reminded that everyday is big, because God is in it. that alone should be enough to have my fullest attention -- i should go after the everyday in the same way i go after answers to life's hardest questions.

how do you approach the everyday?

to one of many medals...

regarding IT...i think this kid has IT. he's not trying to win, he's trying to walk out with 8 gold medals. it's performance to a whole new level.

question:

who else do you think has IT? (church, business, sports, etc)

why do you think they have IT?

to IT...

so this morning i heard from craig groeshel at the leadership summit hosted at a flamingo road cooper. some of his thoughts on ministry regarding church were pretty good. some stuff was refreshing, some stuff was different. he basically broke the idea of the "IT" factor down. the IT factor is the special something that people/churches/organizations may have that separates them from the rest. it's not the Holy Spirit because all believers have the HS. there's something different. not sure what that different is, but craig calls the difference, IT.

so here you go...these seem to be some consistent qualities in people/organization when IT is present:

1. focus - less ministries = better ministries

not trying to do a lot of stuff at a mediocre level, rather focusing on what one does well and kicking butt at it

2. opportunities, not obstacles 

you find a way when others fail to do so

you realize that you have exactly what you need to accomplish what God wants you to do

3. you have to be willing to fail 

failure is often the first step to seeing God and who He is

if you can do it, it doesn't require faith. if it doesn't require faith, you can't see God

4. lead by people who have IT

the leaders of these organizations need to have IT

IT finds it's way out to others and can become contagious - when you have IT inside, it tends to spread outside

and to close...

when it becomes about your church or your organization and not His kingdom, you will lose IT

is he crazy? does he have a point? chime in and let me know. 

to the 'pause'...

and so we find ourselves waiting for God to do what He does best...acting in His time. that's right boys and girls, the lopez clan are at another crossroads that will be determined by God's timing more than anything else. so we'll see what happens and when God moves, we'll let you guys know. we need God to provide for us - adriana is looking for a job; we know He will, it's just...when?

in the mean time, help me understand what you do when you are in the 'pause.' i know that we're supposed to wait and we are, and we're good. we really are. different people handle it differently when they are waiting for God to respond to a situation. i'm just curious, how do you handle it?

help a brotha' out!

...to spider sense!

at our gathering tonight, we touched on acts 8 - philip and his adventures to places that normally are not welcoming. my hats off to those brave enough to trust Christ and His leading to places others may call hostile or unwelcoming. i raise my cup to the person willing to risk all that he/she may have for obedience towards a calling. because of philips' obedience, the word says that many 'samaritan' nations came to faith and rejoiced. then he's off talking to a foreigner about things that pertain to history and heritage...a eunuch from ethiopia of all people. why? because the Spirit led him to do so. crazy. 

what kind of 'spider sense' or what 'frequency' was he in tuned to? 

i want that. 

i just fear how i would respond if the Spirit told me to do something as difficult like go to a 'hostile' place or speak to a random person, because the Spirit told me to. 

what would you do? have you ever had one of those moments when you knew that God was leading you to do something, something that seemed so foreign or weird to you that you simply had to stop and question everything about the situation? i have. 

great questioned was posed tonight: who is the "eunuch" in your life that you need to be sharing with? 

what do you think? does this kind of stuff still happen? let me know of your experiences with it...i'm still trying to figure things out myself. 

mama mia...why?!

i don't normally do this, but because of the epic proportions of 2 hours of life, i will. i went see a movie with adriana today called mama mia. i know, what was i thinking. i wanting to be a better husband. one who supports and encourages. that's what it got me today. let me just say that if weren't for the spectacular scenery of the greek isles, the movie would have sucked. instead, it was just bad. it takes a lot for me to hate on movies. so, if you are a lady looking for a romantic movie, don't use this one unless you're trying to make him pay for it. if you're looking for movie to score you some points with the beautiful babies, they are not worth it with this movie. 

music = cool

story = ok

acting = ok

mix them altogether and you get good actors doing bad film. i'm just saying. i'm not even trying to compare it with the dark knight or other summer films, it's not fair to mama mia. if i had to watch mama mia or sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen any day and twice on sunday (at least it changes).

needless to say, i wouldn't even recommend it as a rental; even if you've never seen it and love abba. 

sorry. 

for those poor unfortunate souls that have seen the film, what do you think? am i hating too strongly or am i right on?

like a ton of bricks...

last night at church we were having a discussion on God. no biggy, i know. yet somewhere in the midst of a discussion that i could have swore that i have had before, it hit me like a tone of bricks...

"God is always changing and moving towards change, yet He still remains the same."

i've been thinking about this all day.

any takers on this idea or thoughts on the matter? i dare you to try to explain. 

to an honest reflection...

as i listened to this announcement, again, about the ending of 7.22, i was moved and challenged. in case you didn't know, 7.22 is a ministry that's been around for about 12/13 years and has helped shaped what some churches look like/feel like today - for the good or bad. either way, some of the thoughts that were shared were difficult ones to face. i often wonder what an honest look in the mirror will do to me as a person, minister, husband, or father. i think, no matter which hat we wear, looking in the mirror and seeing the truth is a must.

more over, we must act on what we know to be true and i think that's what the folks at 7.22 are doing. besides the fact that they are huge in numbers and by all measures a successful ministry, they are stopping for a moment and changing. why? because from what i guess, they need to be doing other things to reach those people that aren't being reached.

gutsy, honorable, courageous, and cooky. these are they types of people i want to go into battle with. 

check this out and let me know what you think. click here.

 

friends need help...

it would be most kind of you all to help alex and kristel by purchasing some of their stuff as they get ready to leave to n.c. i'm sure they would greatly appreciate your money and willingness to give it to them. help a brother and sister out!.

much thnx!

to the funk...

recently a friend of mine shared about being in a 'funk' with God and life. i can totally relate. those moments when nothing makes sense. or even if they do, you really don't care. it's almost as if you become stagnant and you cease from living, you merely exist. 

those moments are tough. it's always easy to comment when you're not in the 'funk' about what to do or how to get out or a spiritual prescription on the matter. do this and you're out. fact is, it's been different for me every time. and every time i get out of the 'funk' i too am different. usually better for having gone through it. 

i hate going through the mud and yet mud treatments are great for your skin. maybe perspective is what changes funk from treatments. 

how do you handle the 'funk' when it hits you?

let me know. 

from moments to movements...

how does one separate moments from movements? been thinking about those pivotal moments in history that lead to movements. great depression was a moment that lead to a movement. mass genocide were moments in history that caused movements of response. the stoning of stephen was a moment that sparked a movement of faith. moments of sickness caused movements of cure and healing. moments of poor economy caused movements of innovation and change. 

have you seen moments today that are waiting to happen that will lead to the birthing of movements? good or bad, i bet you they are there. whether we like it or not, once the movement begins, we normally can't do much to stop it. rather we are faced with how we will deal with it; positive or negative. 

there are moments in my life that are clear. moments that marked me and defined part of who or what i am today. just a thought, perhaps my life is a constant movement that is being forged and directed by moments. 

burning bush = moment

parting of the seas = moment

fire from heaven = moment

walking on water = moment

feeding of 5000 = moment

laying of hands for healing = moment

yet, any single one of these moments was and is critical to the lives of those that experienced them. for moses, his moments lead to a nation wide movement. for Christ, his moments lead to a social/spiritual/history changing movement. for paul/peter and the rest, those moments of faith and/or suffering, lead to movements that still seep with spirit and truth. those are the ideas and hopes of something better that run in our veins. it is in the quiet still moments when God speaks movements into place. 

i want to be part of that. 

to hearing from others...

this week i've learned and relearned some pretty profound things from members of our church. so here they are in no particular order

-if there is no risk, can there really be faith?

-if i am are comfortable in my faith, then i'm probably not moving towards Christ and his desire for me

-my discomfort comes from the change that Christ is wanting to create in me

-to trust the Spirit, means to trust the fact that He works through others, not only through me

-God is actively bringing lost people to me, i just need to look up and acknowledge them

-Lost people can validate good things - they know good when they see good

-God is actively working towards change - in people, places, things, and creation (me especially)

i think that's a lot. 

what's God been teaching you?

growing and changing...

to the ever growing and changing church. it looks different every time. i love how God is working anywhere, everywhere, and through anyone that He chooses to use. 

how have you seen God at work lately?