Breaking News

So I have some news. Breaking news. Hot off the press. Well, from a couple of days ago. So, not exactly hot off the press but you don’t know that. Except, I just told you.

It may not be ‘breaking news’ but it is important news!

On Thursday afternoon, I accepted the Student Ministry Director job at Beachside Community Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. A strategic partner of North Point Community Church.

Pretty exciting, right? I think so!

After a ton of prayer and a lot of learning about patience/trust, God opened some doors. Then he closed some doors. But he always kept one open. That can be attributed to my wife’s prayer for “only one door to open.” Ask and you will receive.

So, sometime late in July, my wife and I will be moving to the beach. Yup, the beach. Jealous? Me too!

I couldn’t be more excited to invest in the lives of the students down there! I know that God has a plan and I am overwhelmed that He continues to use me and my wife in it. I love that even though there is this massive God in Heaven with a HUGE imagination, He still wants to use me to reach students. I pray that I always stay faithful to Him, as He has to me!

Over the next few weeks we will be finding a house, packing our stuff, and leaving a lot of familiarity and comfort. It is definitely going to be tough but when you’re less than 6 hours away, family and friends will come visit.

I am sure of it.

I hope.

So in conclusion, I am anxious to get down there and start working. But want to make sure I spend these days leading up to that transition with purpose: loving and growing closer to my family and friends here, starting with my Dad’s birthday today.

Empty Handed Leaders

As a leader, do you have a burden (synonyms: strain, worry, problem, care, trouble, duty, obligation. Get the picture?) for the well being of your volunteers?

I hope so…

Last week, I was heading to volunteer with a local para-church ministry. While planning beforehand at Chick-Fil-A a huge storm came through Atlanta.

By huge, I mean it was crazy lightning, ridiculous wind, and insane rain.

While driving to the church where they hold their weekly meeting, I knew I was going to get soaked trying to get inside. Typical of when it rains, you have 3 or 4 things in your hands. So continuing the tradition, I grabbed my drink, I was on the phone, had my keys in my hand, found an umbrella in the passengers door and headed to encounter the storm. I understand and fully accept responsibility for laying down my ‘Man-Card’ and using an umbrella.

In my defense, I did arrived fairly dry. I may have to embark on the life of umbrellas from now on (under further review).

Anyways, after arriving and participating, it was on my way out that I felt the way I think a lot of volunteers in student ministry feel when they are done serving…

Empty….

I walked in with my hands full. But leaving was a completely different feeling. I left with no cup of Sprite, my phone was in my pocket, as were my keys, and my wife had taken the umbrella (‘Man-Card’ back!).

By now the rain was gone and I was walking slowly, enjoying the cooler weather. As I reached my car I had an immense feeling I was forgetting something. The feeling that I came with so much was now replaced by the feeling of leaving with so little. I had arrived with so much in my hands. And now, my hands were empty.

I have an overwhelming burden that I carry. I shutter at the thought of one of my volunteers leaving feeling empty….physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Emptiness leads to discouragement and discouragement ultimately leads to a burned out leader.

I think as leaders of leaders we have the responsibility (another synonym of burden) to make sure they never feel the same way I felt that night walking out to my car. Our job is to make sure they leave the same way they hopefully came in, full.

What can you do as a leader to make sure your volunteers are not only serving filled up, but leaving filled up?

Good Friday

I absolutely love this scripture. But what makes it so AMAZING is that it is not the end of the story……Please read!

Matthew 27:

³²As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. ³³They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). ³⁴There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^{[b] 36}And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁸Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

⁴¹In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴²“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ “ ⁴⁴In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁵From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,^[c] lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”^[d]

⁴⁷When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.⁴⁹The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. ⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son^[e] of God!”

⁵⁵Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. ⁵⁶Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Remember what happened this day 2,000 years ago. Remember why Jesus went to the cross. Remember that the cross was just the beginning! What happens 3 days later is even better!

Darren

“What is love worth to you?”

Hey Guys!

Hope you are doing well! I am so excited to what God has in store for us this year!!

Something that God has put on my heart these first few weeks of Twenty-Ten is the UNCONDITIONAL, UNFAILING Love of God. It amazes me more and more everyday that THE GOD of THE UNIVERSE (in even bigger letters!) would even consider loving me or you for that matter (no offense). Not sure who you are, what your life is like, or what you believe. But I do know that He died for you as well as me and that is truly amazing. Every person doesn’t deserve Christ’s love but He gave it all and gave it for all. Wow. And ‘WOW’ doesn’t even describe how amazed I truly am. And it makes me ask myself the question, “What is love worth to you?” When I get down to it, what am I willing to do to express my love? Or what in my life is worth loving? Honestly, I find that answering that is far more difficult than I thought it would be. I am not sure if I can come up with an answer of what I think love is worth to me. However, the more I think and discover this unusual concept of Unconditional love, the more I find that God is the only true display of love.

You see, unconditional love is something not of this world. Even if you think you love your wife/husband/or even children unconditionally, think again. You might love them more than you can fathom but you love because of something. Example, you never love your children or wife until they were present in your life. Taking into account that we finite creatures it is hard to love something or someone before we are in the physical presence of them. But since God is Infinite (no beginning and no end, goes on forever and ever) he can only truly love us unconditionally! We, as humans, tend to lean in the “if, then” love spectrum. If someone does something for me, then I will love them. If I have children, then I will love them. God does not say if you do not sin, then I will love you. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Point of the matter being that God shows us what unconditional love truly is. And He shows us that through the death of Jesus on the cross.

When it comes to God, the question,”What is love worth to you?” is a simple question with a simple answer. JESUS is worth it. God loves us so much that Jesus was worth it. The death of God’s own son was worth it. That is amazing and truly unconditional!! So ask yourself this question, “What is love worth to you?”

Darren

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Hope 2009 was full of God’s incredible riches and that 2010 finds you closer to God than ever!

Darren

Merry Christmas!

Hey y’all! Merry Christmas, yesterday! Hope everyone has an amazing day!

It still amazes me that God, the creator of the universe, would send His Son for me. For you. We are such tiny, finite creatures. We had a beginning and will have an end (Scientific fact: We were born and we will die). But, God is Infinite; He has no beginning and has no end. He is the beginning and the end. Yet, He wanted me and you to be with Him in Heaven. That is why Jesus came. That is why Christmas is celebrated. Jesus came not just to be a child, but to rescue us. If the story of Christmas was just that a child named Jesus was born (as predicted nearly 700 years before it happened) and that was the end of the story, then it would just be a good story that has been passed down from generation to generation; basically, becoming a tradition. However, it is about what Jesus did for us that makes this story one of kind. The absolute greatest true story ever told and worthy of celebrating. He came to die and rise again. As the ultimate sacrifice for the world. Please this Christmas season read, study, and remember why we call it Christmas. Why we find ourselves in awesome wonder of the season itself. Because it is the season in which Jesus’ life began. The life that was going to be given for you.

Merry Christmas!

Darren

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Hope everyone has an awesome day! Eat a lot and enjoy family. Give thanks to God for everything He has given you! I know I have a lot to be thankful for!

 

Darren

Once again…Love.

Hey you crazy people in the web world. I hope you are all doing amazing! Well, here it goes….

My last post was about the movie documenting Michael Jackson’s last concert run called “This is it.” Even though I am and have always been an MJ fan, it was not about his music that I was writing. I was writing about how some people, who are not Christians, makes it a point to show love towards others and how much it convicted me. And really it should convict you, also. However, this time I am venturing far from Michael Jackson. Venturing to another celebrity. Someone who I am embarrassed to say I have watched on occasion. Sometimes when I am at home during the day I find myself tuning into her show. When you are poor newly weds and you have free TV through the beautiful digital airwaves you don’t have a lot to choose from (that may just be an excuse). Anywho, I have been amazed with the things I have seen on her show. This is not something that is only done every once in a while. This is an everyday thing. She completely changes people’s lives. I saw an episode last week where she helped a family from my own state of Georgia. She sent a camera crew to this woman’s house to surprise her. And boy was she surprised. Ellen Degeneres proceeded to give this mother and wife something incredible. She was out of work, couldn’t make payments on her bills, and couldn’t afford to send her child to the school she wanted to. Ellen paid her rent, utilities, tuition, and insurance for an entire year. Basically, everything this woman was struggling with Ellen paid and more. Now, when I saw this I was blown away. This is not a believer in Christ and she is changing people’s lives. Where are we? What are we doing? I caught an episode a few days later and she gave a family $25,000 to pay off their debt and another episode she paid the bills for a family and replaced their broken down car with a brand new one. Am I saying we should all go out and pay everyone’s bills? Or give people brand new cars? No! Well, maybe. If you can afford to that, then why not?

All I am saying is that this is another example of someone pouring out love. Giving to people who are in need more than we are. I think that these people are doing it for their own glory. But they are still doing it. I am challenging myself as well as those Christians out there to change a life. Give to someone who needs it. Sacrifice a latte from Starbucks because sometimes that is all it takes. And guess what? Do it for His glory. There is something that would make it different from Ellen and Michael. Giving to others, loving others, sacrificing for others in the name of Jesus. Not ourselves. Wow. Imagine the world if we did that.

Darren

PS. I love you guys who read this stuff!

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

¹“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

²“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

“Out of Love”

Hey Guys! Hope everyone is doing awesome out there!

Last week I went to see Michael Jackson’s “This is it” and I must say, it was AWESOME! Now I have been a MJ fan since I was little. And I mean LITTLE. I remember watching the “Thriller” video my living room and having my head buried in a pillow because I was completely terrified. I am not one of those who only liked him after he died. I was a fan through thick and thin. I was a fan of the music, the dancing, and the genius that paved the way for so many people. He revolutionized the music industry. However, this is not a post on how great MJ was. It is about what we as Christians are doing wrong. This is something that has been on my heart since I saw the movie and really been on my heart for a long time.

During the movie Michael would show the people working for him incredible amounts of love. You could tell he loved the people he was in contact with. If he did not like the way someone was dancing or playing he would correct it and say this is “out of love”. He demanded perfection from his musicians, dancers, and producers yet still loved them. But the thing that really baffled me and really convicted me, was that statement: “It’s out of love.” He wanted to make sure that the people he was working with knew that was he was doing was out of love. It amazed me that he wanted to love the people around him so much that would finish a lot of sentences with “it’s out of love.” He wrote songs of loving people and changing people lives. It is said that he gave $500 million to charities during his lifetime. That’s a pretty chunk-a-change right there.

What is so convicting about this? Shouldn’t I just be happy he did that? No! It is so convicting to me that this man wasn’t a follower of Christ. He was loving the world and changing people lives more than most Christians do. That is ridiculous! The Bible says in Ephesians 5:1 and 2, “¹Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” I think we as Christians should be doing a little more to be living the life of love we are called to. Think about how many opportunities we have each day to show people love. I know in my own life that I could pour out love to so many people but because it might not be convenient I chose not to. Love is why we are here. We are called to love. We could change the world if we just lived and loved people non-stop. Really we should do everything “Out of Love.”

Darren

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I miss the old days of going out to get free candy.  Who says we can’t go anymore?

Darren