Qualities of Leadership - Pt. 1

Submission to Authority:
We all live under authority. Think about it. I am under the authority of the US government. If I don't pay my taxes, I go to jail. I live under the authority of the local law enforcement. If I speed on the highway, I get a ticket. I live under the authority of physical laws that govern the universe. If I jump off a bridge without a bungee cord or parachute, I go splat.

But there are also spiritual authorities that govern our lives. The man on the motorcycle is one of those spiritual authorities. He's my pastor and friend - Jim Rugg. He holds me accountable as I lead my family and church. I choose to submit to him as a spiritual authority and he holds me accountable theologically, financially, morally and ethically in ministry. He's my covering.

Authority is not a bad thing. It has been established by God himself to help us, not hurt us. We all need it in our life. It's like an umbrella that keeps us dry in the rain and cool in the sun. The protection it offers is invaluable. Those that cannot submit to any authority are reckless and full of pride. The Bible says that God hates the prideful, but exalts those of humility to high places. We choose daily to submit to authority and when we fail to do so, we disqualify ourselves as leaders and open our lives up to the work of the enemy.

Pocono Raceway

Many of you know that I am fortunate enough to live in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. One of the great things about the Poconos (in addition to the breathtaking views) is that the Pocono Raceway is located only a few minutes from where our church currently meets in a high school.

A good friend of mine took me up to the track this morning to meet some of the NASCAR drivers (I'm standing with Juan Pablo Montoya in the picture to the left) and hang out in the pit as the crews tested their new tires. I got to hang out with Ryan Newman, Jr., Kurt Bush, and Jeff Gordon.

The thing that impressed me the most about this experience was the absolute attention to detail and the laser like focus of all the teams. Their fine-tuning precision on these 800 horse power engines and cars was crazy. These guys were all business getting ready for the race on Sunday.

It got me thinking about church. What if our churches cared as much about our services and ministries as these NASCAR teams. What would they look like? What kind of environments would we have? How prepared would our volunteers feel? What would the results show?

Reading List

We've all heard the statement, "Leaders are learners." One of my favorite ways to learn is to read. When I read it's like I get to sit down with the author and have his/her undivided attention. It's really amazing if you think about it. You get to hear their insights on the particular subject.

One of my reading goals this year is to read 300 books. I know that sounds like a lot, but I only read really short books. Ha! I'm a little bit behind, but at least I have a target to shoot for.

Here's what I'm reading:

1. The World is Flat by Thomas Freidman. It's a brief history of the 21st century.

2. The Multiplying Church by Bob Roberts - this guy is brilliant.

3. What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza.

4. Glocalization by Bob Roberts. Great pair with Freidman's book.

5. Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute. Our staff just finished reading this together as a team. A must read for all teams. It will rock your world.

Memorial Day

This memorial day weekend we reflect on those that paid the ultimate sacrifice of service to defend and protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

Thomas Moore wrote these words of encouragement to suffering families, "Peace to each manly soul that sleepeth;Rest to each faithful eye that weepeth."

May we reflect on the sacrifice of many and appreciate fully the freedom that came at such a high cost.

ChewBuru

I saw this car in Oklahoma City and had to take a picture of it because I knew no one would believe me when I told them about it.


The owner called it a ChewBuru. It's a Subaru that was totalled in a hail storm.

So the guy had a bright idea to glue 65 pounds of dentures, teeth, braces, retainers, tooth brushes and all other dental care related items to the car. Different strokes for different folks. Totally weird. Somewhat demented. But very creative.

Community Group BBQ

Had a great time tonight with our community group BBQ. Tons of great food, friends and fun watching the American Idol finale. I've got to admit, I was very disappointed that David Archuletta didn't win. Oh well.



Here's the good news. Two of my friends in our community group gave their heart to Christ since we began a few months ago. God is so cool. God has helped us grow closer to him and to each other. I love my community group.

Although the spring semester is over for community groups, we plan to have get togethers and stay in touch over the summer. Looking forward to kicking off another semester in the fall. Love you guys.

Round Table Learning

Here are some of the major take aways I got from my time at the church planters round table in Oklahoma City.

1. Simplify. Do a few things well. The more clear the mission the less sideways energy you will experience. Phase out ministries that don't line up with the overall vision of the church.

2. Get the right people on the bus. Staff and key volunteers will make or break you as a church planter.

3. Create functional systems. You have to be relentless about making sure each system (weekend worship service, evangelism, discipleship, etc.) is effective and efficient.

4. God's favor is not fair.

5. Big people are attracted to big vision. Little people are attracted to little vision. Little people cause problems.

6. There is a difference between Pentecostal Theology and Pentecostal Culture. Just because my Pentecostal ministry might not look and sound like my predecessors, it doesn't make it any less Pentecostal.

7. Structure your church for growth. Church governance and polity must be aligned with the vision. The structure and strategy is not sacred. It's simply a vehicle to accomplish the vision of the church.

OK City

I'm in Oklahoma City today and tomorrow for our annual church planters round table. A couple of my friends and I started the yearly gathering a few years ago with the idea to be together with other like minded church planters and discuss best practices and build community.

This event is one that I look forward to all year because I get to hang out with some of the coolest and most successful church planters from around the country. I always come away from this gathering with a truckload of ideas on how to better reach my community for Christ, as well as tons of inspiration from other church planters that posses infectious faith.



While in Oklahoma City I got to go tour Life Church and visit with some of the staff. The facility is amazingly unassuming considering the fact it's one of the largest and most influential churches in America today. They minister to over 20,000 people every weekend.

You won't find any gaudy architecture or waisted space here. The strategy of the church comes through crystal clear from the design and layout of the building - they have decided to build a functional and affordable facility that reaches young families and the lost. Their staff was friendly and extremely accommodating. The entire church is a testimony to God's grace and the leadership of their pastor Craig Groeschel.

Vision Flows Down

Vision has been defined as the ability of a leader to chart the course for those that follow. JFK was a visionary president. He stood before the world with confidence and declared that the USA was going to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. That was the vision. Put a man on the moon.

I read that while on a trip to NASA, President Kennedy was
escorted through the facilities to witness first-hand the progress made on rocket propulsion, etc. JFK took a detour from the vision tour and ended up in a hallway with a janitor. Before the secret service whisked the custodian away from the president, JFK asked him, "What are you doing here?" The janitor replied, "I'm sending a man to the moon."

Either he was a quick witted janitor or he understood that the part he was playing at NASA was fulfilling the vision of the President to get a man to the moon by the end of the 60s.

I wonder what the ushers, greeters, or parking lot attendants or musicians and children's workers would say if someone asked them this Sunday morning at PCC, "what are you doing here?" I hope they would say, "We're leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

How would people in your church or business respond?

You see, as our church grows larger, my job as the leader is to manage the vision. I don't manage the execution of the vision - the staff and volunteers manage the standards, process and details. However, I must ensure that the vision is being cast and caught.

Here are a couple helpful hints in managing vision:
1. Cast it clearly (keep it simple - can you put it on a t-shirt).
2. Cast it repeatedly (repetition is the key to learning).
3. Cast is convincingly (use stories).

Exposed

I've been a little hit and miss this week with the blog but for good reason. I've been working very hard on getting ready for our brand new sermon series that we are kicking off this weekend called, "Exposed:Expelling the Myth of Evolution."

Ben Stein's new movie, "Expelled" has brought to the forefront of our culture once again the impact and implications of evolution. This new series will help us all wrestle with the issues of how the world began as well as how we can connect with our Creator. You don't want to miss this weekend. Be there and bring a friend. I have specifically put this series together with the atheist and agnostic in mind.

Mother's Day

My wife, Rebekah, spoke yesterday at PCC for Mother's Day. She did an absolutely fantastic job with her message entitled, "The Mission of Motherhood." She has shared the mother's day message the last four years in a row. I think that this is her best message yet.

To listen to the message, click here.

I know I'm biased, but I feel like the luckiest man alive to have such an intelligent, gifted, caring, and beautiful wife. I married way over my head. Thanks again, Bekah. You're the best!

On Copiers, Miracles and Delegation

We bought a new copier for the office this week. It's a BizHub Konica, complete with all the bells and whistles like a 3 hole punch, booklet maker, 65 copies per minute, color, fax machine, scanner and more. What a sweet machine.

But here's the coolest fact about the new copier: I wasn't even aware that we were purchasing it. What!?!

Let me explain. I remember when we first started the church 5 years ago. My wife and I went to Sam's Club and paid $400 for our first copier. It worked great, but it was too small to keep up with the demands of our growing church.

After two years of growth we desperately needed a new commercial copier but we didn't have the money. Those suckers aren't cheap. Instead of purchasing a new one on credit, I decided to pray and give God an opportunity to do a miracle.

Sure enough - I got a call from a member of our church some weeks later who worked at 30 Rock in NYC. He was standing over a brand new copier that was getting ready to be pushed into a dumpster. He called me on his cell and said, "Dave, do we need a copier for the church." In a matter of minutes I was on my way to NYC to pick up the miracle machine. We prayed. God provided a $15,000 miracle in the shape of that new copier.

Well, as the church continued to grow - even that miracle machine could not keep pace. So, about 1 year and a half ago I spent something like 3 months working with my assistant on picking out a new copier. We ran all kinds of expense spreadsheets and negotiated with a number of companies - we even discussed it at an Elder meeting. We finally settled in on just the right one.

But guess what? The church's crazy growth has now outpaced even our third copier. No problem though - the staff worked together to just get a new one and its actually going to save us a bunch of money.

I love to admit the fact that I didn't have any input in the decision for the new copier let alone the fact that I don't even know how to work the thing. It's a great to have talented leaders around you that operate in the gifts of leadership and administration. It allows me to work in my areas of strength and guess what - the church will continue to grow and we'll probably need another copier in a couple more years.

Prayer Meeting

Tonight is our monthly prayer meeting that we call, "The Gathering." This is a great opportunity for PCC to come together and just spend time praying for one another and the needs of this community. 

Expelled

Bekah and I went out last week to see Ben Stein's new movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. 

It's a documentary style film where Stein argues that the scientific academy is intentionally persecuting professors and others that want to discuss the possibility of Intelligent Design in the classroom. The  film has made the issue of creation, atheism, evolution and Darwinism the topic of many water-cooler conversations today.

So I've decided to address the issue here at PCC and have shelved a previous preaching series that I had been working on. So, the new series, Exposed, will kick off on May 18. Yeah, this is a hot topic in our culture. But I believe the Bible contains all the answers and we don't have to be afraid to tackle tough issues. 

I'll Fly Away

This week I'm at District Council. You say, what's that? Well, I'm part of the Assemblies of God denomination. You actually have to dig pretty deep in PCC's website to discover our denominational affiliation.

I guess that's because I'm not really into labels. I think Jesus came to break us free from all that stuff.
More importantly, I don't think the lost really care about labels either. People that are part of PCC don't come because we are part of the Assemblies of God denomination.

They come for a variety of other more important factors such as: they experience the presence of God in the services, friendly people, the environment of love and acceptance, relevant teaching, the great kids programs, etc.

Nevertheless, I think it's good to have accountability in life and especially in ministry. So, I'm here to be part of the larger church family. Since we have some important meetings back in Pocono tonight, my good friend actually flew me and the staff down to Dover, Delaware for our meetings. It was a smooth flight and in my opinion, the only way to travel. Plus, it was tons of fun. Thanks Dave for the flight.

Graduation Remarks

Here are some picture of me and the family at the AGTS graduation last week. I thought I'd include a few words from my graduation remarks to encourage my blog readers who are also preparing to graduate and launch out into ministry themselves.

"Friends, these are the most exciting days to do ministry because I believe we are working in the end times. Jesus is coming back soon and I want him to find me with my hand to the plow and my face set like a flint towards the mission field to which He has called me.

As the writer of Hebrews encouraged that great cloud of witnesses to do ministry with faith that pleases God - let me encourage you today. When I look at you I know that you all represent future teachers, missionaries, counselors, evangelist, pastors, church planters and many more avenues and arenas of ministry.

And it's my strongly held belief that the brightest teachers have yet to stand before their first class, the bravest missionaries have yet to set foot on foreign soil, the greatest evangelist have yet to hold their first crusade, the greatest preachers have yet to preach their first sermon and the greatest churches have yet to be built. As you commence from here, always remember that the one who calls you is faithful."

Influencers

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend some time with Dr. Doug Oss, my doctoral advisor and friend. We participated in the the AGTS Golf Tournament which raised tons of money for student scholarships.

Doug is one of the many top influencers and leaders at AGTS who had a profound impact on my life. Doug is one of the most brilliant thinkers and writers I've ever met. His wit and imagination is second to none, too.

AGTS is the premier seminary on the planet today. Why? You see, an organization, institution or administration is only as good as the people who lead it. People, not programs are the number one resource of any organization. AGTS has not only the sharpest minds, but the finest leaders of any seminary. I am forever grateful to all of those who have imparted a portion of their time and lives into me. Thanks AGTS!

aGts

I'm headed out to my alma mater, the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary located in our denominational mecca of sorts, Springfield, MO.

I've been elected as the 2008 Alumni of the year by the Board of Administration. It's really quite a humbling honor to even be considered let alone recognized by the seminary in this fashion. I'm know for a fact that there are many graduates doing great things for God out there.

Please say a prayer for me as I speak at the Graduation and other commencement exercises. It will fun to see some old friends and former professors. I thank God for my time at the seminary and the life long relationships that I've formed as a result of my studies. To all my PCC friends, it will be a great honor to represent you there and I can't wait to see you when I return.

Ray to Rachel

Last week I had the privilege of performing a wedding ceremony for our good friends and former interns, Ray Hudson and Rachel Crocker. They were married in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri.

Ray and Rachel graduated this summer from school and are beginning a new life together as husband and wife. I'm so excited for you and know that God has some wonderful things in store. Congrats to you guys! We love you! Dave and Bekah

On keeping on

Have you ever wanted to quit?

There's a tendency in everyone to want to quit on something in life. Couples give up on marriages. Parents quit on their children. Students give up on the academic dreams. CEOs quit on their company's. And unfortunately, pastors often give up on their churches, especially on Monday morning.

James 1:4 says, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Let me encourage you today to not throw in the towel. Don't give up. I'm reminded of the great spiritual song, "This too shall pass." Sure, it may be tough going for a while, but God can use it to help you become spiritually mature. Going through helps me grow up.

5 Reasons not to quit:

1. Adversity makes me stronger.

2. Simply outlasting my critics is a secret to success.

3. Staying power builds leadership credibility.

4. Quitters live with too many regrets.

5. The greatest breakthroughs come after the greatest test of our character.

Gone Fishin'

On my day off yesterday I went fishing with a friend. We had an awesome day - except for the bugs and ticks. I must have pulled about 20 ticks off me. Yikes!

We caught 10 fish, only 5 keepers. Fishing for me is like therapy. It helps me relax (even more when I leave my Blackberry in the car). I'm learning that you have to take a break from your schedule on a periodic basis to unwind and let God refresh your battery. In fact, taking a sabbath is so important that it made God's top ten list (See Exodus 20).

You can't run at breakneck speeds in life and expect to make it across the finish line. In fact, if you don't take a break from your schedule, your schedule will eventually break you. I heard someone say once, "If you burn the candle at both ends, you're not as bright as you think you are." So, take a break and go fishing or do something that puts some fuel back in your energy tank.

No Place Like Home

I'm standing here on the 50 acres of land we purchased for our new campus. The lot is cleared, the roads are in, and the the parking lot and pad are on grade and stoned. It's really exciting to see it all coming together.

Click here to see pictures of what the first phase of the new church home will look like. It's going to be a 30,000 square feet facility that will include an auditorium, children's area and theatre, and administrative office space.

After over 5 years of meeting in rented facilities, it's going to be so nice to have a place we can call home. However, a building is only a tool to reach people for Christ. Buildings don't love people into God's Kingdom - people do. Buildings don't reach people - people do. Buildings don't serve the poor - people do. It's all about people reaching people and using buildings to help in that effort. After all, when we needed forgiveness and salvation, God didn't give us a building to worship in - he gave us a person - Jesus. I'm all for buildings, but not at the risk of losing the most important thing in ministry - life giving relationships.

Serving on Empty...Sitting on Full

As a pastor, this is a sticky subject area for me to venture into.

What area?

The area of talking about balance in serving. The reason it’s sticky is that there are generally two types of people in our churches, and both tend to run to the extremes. You have those who serve on fumes, you know, the folks who don’t miss teaching every class, cooking for every potluck, picking up trash at every work day. They are so committed that they may even miss actual church services for several weeks in a row because they are rocking babies in the nursery or directing traffic in the parking lot. The problem here can be that spiritually they run out of steam because they aren’t making sure they are fueling up by being a part of worship or hearing the preaching of the Word. Worse still, they may allow the “good works” they are involved in to take the place of personal time they should be setting aside to spend with the Lord.

What about the other type of people I referenced? Oh, those are the people who when asked to serve always have the overused answers: “I’m burned out! Passing out the cookies at that VBS last summer really took it out of me!”, or “I did my time! I ushered for 19 years! It’s my turn to sit in the pew!”, or my personal favorite, “Oh, I really need to pray about it!” Don’t get me wrong – we need to pray! But, if we are spending time alone with God and in His Word on a regular basis, those in the first category will always be fueled up and those in the second will be ready to answer in and out of season.

Do we need breaks? You bet! If Jesus needed them, you know we do! Do we need to be good stewards of our time and energy? Of course! I have to confess I would definitely fall into the category of fume-serving at times and that is nothing to be proud of. God doesn’t want us coasting on empty spiritual tanks, but He doesn’t want us sitting on full ones either.

So, if you're running on empty...don't get frustrated with other people who are not pulling their weight. Just spend some time with Jesus and get filled up again.

Oh, and if you are full...don't you think it's time to become a "participator" instead of a "pew potato?"

"And the Glory Goes to..."

Today I would like to tell you a little story about my wife! Now, before you get too nervous for me, please understand that this story is expressed with her complete permission. (Telling stories about your spouse can sometimes be dicey, but not in this case, I assure you)

KyAnne had an epiphany of sorts about 8 years ago. While in prayer one night she told me she realized that most of her life she had used God for her glory, and not the other way around. You see, she’s a pretty bright woman and had long understood that God’s ways are smart ways and it just made sense to her to do the right things. When she did, for many years, right things happened right back. I've often wondered if that's why we even see many non-Christian celebrities and world leaders using principles found in Scripture in launching their own brands of religion or philosophies.

The bottom line...Jesus works. You can bank on Him every time - all good Christians know that. But, I guess what we all need to remember, is what my wife came to grips with that night at an altar of prayer: we are here to be used for God’s glory, and how He chooses to use us for that purpose is His prerogative. Joseph (the Old Testament one) understood this from a pit. Paul understood this from a prison. Jesus understood this from a cross. A pit, a prison, a crucifixion - not exactly what most of us have in mind when we sign up for the glorious life in Christ we imagine.

But, when we’re weak, He is strong…when we’re willing, He empowers us…when we decrease, He increases…when these things happen, people find salvation…and God gets the glory. I have to tell you, that experience is better than any other!

I'm sure that if we were honest with ourselves, we would all agree that this is a lesson we need to hear often. I know I do, and I'm very glad that God gave me such a wonderful woman to remind me.

Servant Boot Camp

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”. Proverbs 22:6

With three teenage boys in the house, KyAnne and I find ourselves leading discussions on serving with a great attitude on a pretty regular basis. Whether it is just having a happy heart while loading the dishwasher or joyfully stopping to help a neighbor move branches from his yard, we want our kids to serve with gladness.

Unfortunately, too many parents have a lackadaisical “either my kids have it or they don’t” philosophy when it comes to getting their young to think of others. This is where Proverbs 22:6 comes in. The key word is “train”…not “bribe”, “beg” or “bother”. And the earlier in life children witness adults joyfully serving, the earlier they will find the joy in it themselves! Do you see the key here...for us it has been being the best expample as possible. Even at times when we have failed it has been a teachable moment for our kids.

In a blink, our kids will be the leaders of our churches: the elders, the ushers, the children’s volunteers, the worship team. Today, KyAnne and I have purposed to train them as well as we know how…to train them to serve…and not to merely be served. Wow. Imagine an entire generation coming up in church…trained to be like Jesus.

"Lessons on Serving"

“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Churst. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” Philippians 2:19-22.

I’ve just been spending a lot of time in Philippi lately. Well, in reality, the book of Philippians. Most of us are familiar with the incredible picture of Christ’s servant-nature found in verses 6-11 of chapter 2. But, today I am struck with verses 19-22 and the picture of the relationship between Paul & Timothy. This is always such an encourgement when serving in a role in support of others.

You see, serving wasn’t about getting attention or kudos for Timothy. He was a pretty awesome church leader in his own right, but come on! He was mentored by Paul, the Billy Graham of the New Testament! Fortunately, Timothy cared first and foremost about Jesus getting all the attention…and the church advancing the Gospel.

We may not all leave an amazing legacy as great as Timothy’s…but, we can all look after the interests of our Lord. He was interested in people coming to know the Father by using humble, willing people to serve.

While Pastor Dave is away during a time of rest, I'd like to take the next few days to talk about some of the lessons I've learned about how we can truly serve Christ by serving others. More to come....

Guest Blogger - Kevin Weaver

I'm headed out on vacation today to spend some time with my family. We are going to Springfield, MO to be with my wife's family and also to perform a wedding for a good friend. I'll be checking in during the week - but in the meantime, Kevin Weaver will be our guest blogger.

Kevin is the Executive Pastor of Pocono Community Church. He's not only a great leader, but one of my best friends. It's an honor to partner with him in ministry. He'll be sharing some perspective on life and ministry from an Executive Pastor perspective. I know you'll enjoy what his take on life and leadership. This picture of us was taken at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC when we recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Rick Warren.

Alex's Lemonade Stand

I'm standing here with Robert, a student of Pocono Mt. High School who organized Alex's Lemonade Stand. I was honored to give a gift to give a gift on behalf of PCC to help with the fundraising effort.

In 2000, a 4 year old cancer patient named Alexandra "Alex" Scott announced a seemingly simple idea -she was holding a lemonade stand to raise money to help "her doctors" find a cure for kids with cancer. The idea was put into action by Alex and her older brother, Patrick, when they set up the first "Alex's Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer" on their front lawn in July of 2000.

For the next four years, despite her deteriorating health, Alex held an annual lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Following her inspirational example, thousands of lemonade stands and other fundraising events have been held across the country by children, schools, businesses, and organizations, all to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer. On August 1st, 2004, Alex died peacefully at the age of 8 -- she had raised over $1 million for childhood cancer research in her short lifetime.

Alex's spirited determination to raise awareness and money for all childhood cancer while she bravely fought her own deadly battle with cancer has inspired thousands of people, from all walks of life to raise money and give to her cause. Alex's family and supporters are committed to continuing her inspiring legacy through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501c3 charity. As of June 2007, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised over $18 million for childhood cancer research. The result -- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation has given millions of dollars for childhood cancer research across the country!

Fatigue

I'm tired today. It's no wonder - after all the preaching, teaching, leading, vision casting and managing change efforts - it all takes a toll on you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's comforting to know that even Jesus grew tired and weary from ministry. The kingdom of God is built with tired hands. Nothing of consequence can be built for God without a great investment of blood, sweat and tear equity.

Fatigue is the result of emptying oneself out for the cause of Christ. An empty calendar and well rested body is God's reward for mediocrity. Or put another way by J. Oswald Sanders says, "Mediocrity is the result of never getting tired."

Doing something great for God is going to cost you something. Listen, I'm not advocating that we all have to run at breakneck speed to accomplish something with our lives. Sure, we need to organize our schedules for times of refreshing and renewal as well as allowing for opportunities for late nights and early mornings.

However, everything in life boils down to a lot of prayer and a lot of hard work. Yes, fatigue is a sign that I need some rest but it's also a sign that I'm giving my all for Christ. So, I'm going to work as if it all depends on me and pray as if it all depends on God.

Teamwork

Church is a team sport. Gone are the days of the solo leader that stands up to the plate and with one solitary swing of the bat hits a home run for the organization. That's a tired metaphor that no longer resonates with current culture that values teamwork. Instead, today's leading churches are team led and work the ball down the field - passing and setting picks for each other - prior to kicking a goal. Here are some reasons benefits of working with a team:

1. Teams have more fun.
2. Teams accomplish more.
3. Teams generate higher quality - they bring internal accountability.
4. Teams are more creative. Gotta love the synergy.
5. Teams make life easier - it's better to work together and cover each other's back.
6. Teams allow each person to operate in their giftedness.
7. Teams create conflict. Conflict, when handled correctly, yields greater opportunities for growth and success.

I thank God for the our team at PCC. It's such a blessing to work with such committed and creative people that give their all everyday for the vision. You're awesome PCCers.

It's a vision thing

The church planters boot camp in Virgina is off to a great start. I've been spending a lot of time making new friends with a group of church planters/pastors from Germany. They are some of the most brilliant people I've been around. Their intellect is only surpassed by their passion to witness the heart of their nation turn back to God. They truly possess a God-sized vision. It's quite humbling to be around people with such big dreams.

I taught for almost 4 hours today on vision. Here are a few things we discussed in our session:

1. Vision is what God wants to do in and through me.

2. Vision is non-negotiable. It's not debatable. It's not up for discussion or vote. God speaks the vision to the heart of the leader.

3. Vision is sacred. It comes from God. How the vision is accomplished - which is strategy - is always adaptable and changeable.

4. Vision brings unity and focus.

5. Vision creates excitement. Excitement yields anticipation. Anticipation births momentum. Momentum is the best friend of any leader.

6. Vision leaks. That is, it must be constantly shared by the leader to his/her followers much like a third grade teacher reinforces classroom lessons. Even the greatest leaders must constantly communicate their vision.

7. Vision bring life. It's a picture of a preferred future that inspires people to believe and have faith.

8. Vision brings accountability. It's the basis for how you evaluate whether or not you are accomplishing organizational goals.

9. Vision determines not only what I do, but what I don't do. It helps me choose between what is good and what is best.

10. Vision must be written down and clarified in the heart of the leader in order to be effectively shared with others.

Weekend Update

This past weekend was off the charts again. Our attendance was over 1100 with many people returning after Easter and lots of new first time guests. I've got to give it up to Urbane Gospel Choir who sang in both services. They were awesome. You've got to check these young people out. They brought the heat. If you are a pastor, I highly recommend having them for a service.

After second service, the family and I headed out to Harrisburg to be with my family. Bekah and the kids will be there all week while I travel to Virginia. I will be coaching church planters for the week as they prepare to launch their new churches.

Some ask me, "Dave, why do you spend time investing in other church planters? Aren't you busy enough with your own church?" The short answer is "yes." I've got plenty of work to do. It's not like I'm waking up in the morning and looking for stuff to keep me busy. However, I believe in the principal of spiritual reciprocity. That is, whatever I give out I get back. Sure, time is the most valuable commodity we have - whenever you spend it you can't get it back. But as I invest in others I know that God will bring others into my life that will invest in me. Either way - God's Kingdom wins!

Community Groups

My wife and I host a community group in our home every Wednesday night. For the past 10 weeks we've been meeting with the same 8 to 10 couples many of which are brand new to PCC. We especially love getting to know new people in the church and hanging out with those that are either new to the faith or still checking Jesus out.

Last night we were discussing the Easter message and digging into the scriptures pertaining to Jesus' death and resurrection. What was so cool about the meeting was that one of the couples explained how they understood for the very first time what Easter was all about. It was so cool to hear them explain that after months of coming to PCC that they really grasped what Jesus really did and what he was all about. In fact, they prayed together with the group to affirm their faith in Jesus as the risen Savior.

Friends, that's what church is all about. Sure, I love Sundays and the big day with the crowd and the programs and the band and everything. But church is really about helping people come to faith in Christ and trusting in Him for everything. In fact, we hung out with another couple who stayed for a hour after everyone had left for the night and shared with them how Jesus has changed our life. They are still investigating the claims of Christ and checking the whole church thing out. It's so awesome to have a church like PCC that welcome both saint and sinner alike. That no matter where we are on the journey of faith, that we accept one another and do our best to help them get a little closer to Jesus.

InsideOUT

This Sunday we kick off a brand new series that we are calling InsideOUT. The Bible says in Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, (we like that part don't we), according to his power that is at work within us." That tells me that God changes me from the inside out.

If you were a first time guest at PCC on Easter or a regular attender, you don't want to miss this new series. This weekend we are going to look at how God can help us overcome WORRY. Jesus taught some thought-provoking things regarding what we do with our thoughts and He especially challenges us to change from "worry-ers" to "worshipers."

Just for kicks and in the spirit of honesty, below are a few worries that I struggle with:

1. My kids and the future they will inherit.
2. The personal safety of my family and myself. I'm somewhat of a hypochondriac.
3. The lost and the fact that they will spend eternity outside of God's presence.
4. Going bald.
5. Getting fat.
6. What others think of me.
7. The future success and growth of the church.

Confession is good for the soul. As you can see, I'm just a fellow "struggler" and I need this weekends message more than anyone!!!

Easter Update

Easter at Pocono was simply amazing. Of all the great memories from yesterday, the one I will cherish the most is hanging out with the tear down team after the third service and just celebrating what God did in our midst. Some of these guys have been with with me from day one of this church plant and it was awesome to laugh and reminisce together.

Here are some Easter highlights:

1. Over 130 people committed their life to Christ in all of our three services.

2. We set a record holiday attendance with 1839 people. Of course, this is just a number. But every number represents a soul that matters to God. Every soul has a story.

3. Hundreds of PCC volunteers served in all the services. So many volunteered in our children's ministry area that we had to turn volunteers away. That's amazing.

4. The music team did a phenomenal job. The worship was awesome.

5. Our special guest Alvin Slaughter was incredible. He loved being with us and was just taken back by the diversity and size of a church meeting in a high school.

Thanks so much for making this Easter a special day. Because you prayed and invited your friends, God showed up and did a miracle. I'm so proud of you PCC! You are an awesome church family. Of course, the great success of Easter is what happens the Sunday after Easter. Please continue to reach out to your friends and invite them to come back next week. The best is yet to come!

Easter 08

Easter is only a few days away. This year we have three Easter services with special musical guest, Alvin Slaughter. I will be sharing a message entitled, “Life Wide Open.” It’s a message where I will give those in attendance an opportunity to open their heart, mind and life to God’s amazing love.

Here are a few tips for an Excellent Easter:

1. Invite a friend to church.
Last week we had 65 people give their life to Jesus Christ. They were at church because you invited them. Bring a different friend to Jesus in each of the weekend services.

2. Pray that many will commit their lives to Christ.
Ask God to send his Holy Spirit and anoint our services and the hearts of the listeners.

3. Attend one Easter Service and Serve in one.
We are asking all of the regular attenders to make space for guests in the 10:45am service by attending either the 9am or 12:30pm service. Also, volunteer to serve in another service, especially in our children’s areas. There will be hundreds of kids there that need to experience God’s love. Call our Children’s Director KyAnne at 570-839-3459 TODAY to volunteer.

4. Please greet everyone you meet.
There will hundreds of guests this year and we want them all to feel welcome. Extend God’s love by shaking a hand and greeting one another with a smile.

Weekend Update

Yesterday was an amazing day at Pocono Community Church. Every once and awhile I like to brag on what God is doing here at PCC. I also like to give kudos to the many volunteers that make it happen every week.

Here are some cool highlights from yesterday.

1. We had 65 people give their hearts to Christ! What an amazing time of commitment at the altar.

2. There were 19 first-time guest kids in our kids ministry alone. I have to give it up to our Children's Ministry Director, KyAnne, for teaching our kids to have a heart for their friends and leading them to Jesus.

3. The worship team brought the heat yesterday. The band and singers were just off the hook. I love the diversity and unity that God is giving us in our worship team. Thanks so much for putting the time in to rehearse and do ministry in excellence. It shows!

4. The Setup/Teardown and all First Impressions teams did an awesome job yesterday. I know it was a crazy set up since we couldn't get in the school on time and it was even more crazy trying to break down fast because we had to be out early for the school play practice. But we did it. Thanks everyone!

5. I want to thank everyone for bringing their friends yesterday. It's all about bringing people to Jesus. That's why we are here. Please remember to call your friends and encourage them to be with us again this Sunday for Easter.

Remember

I'm headed to Nashville today for some meetings. On my way out the door, my little girl Kate came running up to me with a little pink princess keepsake box (pictured to the left). It's a special toy to Kate and she NEVER lets anyone, especially her little brother, David, touch it or play with it.

She asked me to take the keepsake box on the trip and every time I look at it I was to remember her. I gotta tell you, my little girls request made me melt in my tracks. What she was saying to me was that she loved me so much that she wanted me to think of her while we were apart. That will make any father's day.

It got me thinking about the importance of remembering. All throughout the Old Testament we see God working many miracles for his people. After the miraculous event, God instructs his people to build altars or dig wells or some other physical act of remembrance. Why? So they wouldn't forget the moment in time when God came near and performed a miracle. Of course, the greatest icon of remembrance in faith is the cross. Everytime I see the cross I remember that Jesus died for me and I'm filled with such gratitude and thanks.

As we prepare Palm Sunday in the liturgical church calendar this weekend, let's not forget to remember Christ and his sacrafice of love.

American Idol

Ok. So I'm a big fan of American Idol. David Archuleta is my pick for this season. If you've been following the show at all, you'll recall that a couple weeks ago David sang Imagine by John Lennon. It was awesome. I think it was the best performance ever in American Idol history. However, David's past two performances have been subpar. And that got me thinking.

So many times in life we fear success, not failure. And here's why: because it raises the bar of expectations. In life, you will always be measured by your best performance, not your worst. Often times people intentionally sabotage themselves for fear that they might actually do well and then be forced to live up to a higher set of standards. It's really unfortunate if you think about it.

The thing I love about God and ministry is that God's power is perfected in my greatest weakness. That takes the pressure to perform off the table. I can swing for the fence and know full well that even if I fail, God can still use me if my motivation is to bring him glory. So go for the high note and take a risk in life. Don't be afraid to fail. Failure to try your best is actually the biggest failure of all.

That's My King!

Check out this message by one of the best preachers ever, S.M. Lockridge. He rocks! Watch this video and let God prepare your heart during this week as we get ready to celebrate what Jesus did on the cross!

Friend Day

This weekend is Friend Day at PCC! Let me encourage all you to invite your friends to church this weekend as we celebrate the ultimate friend - Jesus. We've got some awesome videos for church this weekend, as well as some really cool music planned. It's going to be a great opportunity to introduce your friends to church and Christ. Also, both you and your friend will receive a $10 gift card to one of the best restaurants in town. So, take your friend out to lunch after church on us!

Here are a few reasons to invite a friend to church:

1) Because there is nothing good on tv this weekend anyway.

2) Most people will say they are looking to meet new people.

3) Um, because Jesus commanded us to reach out in love.

4) Did I mention the free gift?

5) The incredible Kid's Ministry at PCC.

6) It's a great place to meet your future spouse. Hey, it worked for me.

7) It's not as smoky as a bar.

8) You don't sweat as much as going to the gym. Unless you're on the set up / tear down crew.

9) The rockin' worship.

10) Three words - Free Starbucks Coffee!

40 Days of Love Report

For the past 40 Days, PCC has focused on demonstrating God's love in a very practical way here in the Pocono Mountains. We've not only discussed love in our community group settings, defined it on Sunday morning, displayed it towards one another ... but most of all we've wanted to help others discover God's love first-hand.

So, here are some practical ways we have helped others discover God's love:

1. Blood Drive - PCC volunteered to give blood to the local Red Cross. Our recruiting efforts were so successful that we had many who wanted to give but we didn't have enough capacity to meet all the needs. That's a good problem to have. But we'll be more prepared next time around.

2. Gas Buy Down - As gas prices continue to soar and with over 25,000 commuters in our community we decided to give away free gas by buying it down by 71 cents a gallon. We were able to give away 4000 gallons of gas and touch 400 families through this unique outreach. Way to go PCC. And a huge thanks to the many volunteers who stood in the rain and helped make this such a huge success.

3. Food Drive - We partnered with the local food pantry and because of the generosity of PCCers we were able to donate enough food to feed 200 families for 3 and half months. That's just so awesome. God smiles down on a church that serves the poor. Way to go PCC!

4. Commitment Sunday - Yesterday many PCCers made faith commitments to our It's About Time ... building fund. I'd love to tell you what the amount is ... but you're going to have to wait until Sunday. Sorry.

5. Community Groups - Hundreds of PCCers met in community groups and also read through the entire gospel of John together. We focus on spiritual growth seriously here at PCC and try to create an environment where people with will take personal responsibility to become all that God wants them to be.

There's nothing like being part of an outward focused church that seeks to be God's hands, feet, arms and love to a community. This is what it's all about. Is this fun or what!

Commitment Week - Part 3

Today I want to just give you an update on some of the commitments that have already been made during our 40 Days of Love Spiritual Initiative.

1. Commitment to Christ - this year we have already seen 100 salivations at PCC. That's a great sign of an outward focused church that makes reaching people far from God a priority.

2. Commitment to Growing Spiritually - presently we have 33% of our church in community groups where we study God's Word, pray together and care for one another. I know there is a lot of room for improvement in our discipleship ministries but we are headed in the right direction.

3. Commitment to Give Blood - we had such a great turnout for our blood drive last weekend that we had to turn away over 150 people. Thanks to all of you who volunteered to give blood and your time to make this such a great success.

4. Commitment to It's About Time Building Fund - already, PCC has committed 1.5 million dollars in over and above giving to our building fund of which over $400,000 has already been given. This weekend we will invite all the new people at PCC to join this journey of faith and giving as well as giving those already part of PCC to reaffirm or increase their previous commitments.

5. Commitment to Pray - last night we met together at The Gathering, our monthly night of prayer and worship. What a great time we had together in God's presence and crying out to him. A church that prays and waits on God is a church where God can do amazing works.

Commitment Week - Part 2

When it comes to commitment, I often hear people say things like, "Some day I will become committed to going to the gym" or "Some day I will become committed to this relationship" or "Someday I will be committed to reading my Bible and praying everyday." Often times we look at commitment as something we grow towards.

Commitment, much like discipline, is not something you become one day in the future. On the contrary, commitment is something you do everyday. We don't grow towards commitment, we grow through them.

People who accomplish their dreams in life have committed to daily investments necessary to accomplish that dream. The marathon runner makes a commitment to run 1 mile a day years before ever entering and winning a 26K marathon. A New York Times best-selling author writes everyday and then re-writes for weeks before ever getting their first article published. The engineer designs thousands of failed products until one day she comes up with a brilliant idea. I think you get the point.

Commitment is a process of mini-milestones that must be met in order to achieve success. What are the milestones you have set in place to help you accomplish your dreams?

Commitment Week

This week I want to share some thoughts about commitment. At PCC, we are praying and asking God to speak to our hearts concerning a financial commitment to our new building campaign, It's About Time.

Here's what I know about commitments: we become in life what we are committed to. I recall a leader telling me many years ago, "Dave, I can tell you exactly where you will be 5 years from now and what you will be like by simply looking at your commitments today." I was like, "yeah, right?" But I soon learned the reality in life that overtime we become the sum total of our commitments.

Here are some of my commitments:

1) I am committed to spending daily quite time with God.
Result: growing follower of Christ.
2) I am committed to my wife and kids and spending time with them every day.
Result: building a strong healthy family.
3) I am committed to becoming the best pastor I can possibly be.
Result: a growing and healthy church.
4) I am committed to reading, listening to best practices seminars, etc.
Result: i will become a growing leader.
5) I am committed to tithing and over and above giving.
Result: financial stability and blessing.
6) I am committed to eating healthy and exercising: NOT!
Result: I am out of shape, get winded walking up a flight of stairs, overweight and loathe my
sedentary lifestyle. You see, it works both ways.

We become what we are committed to. What are you committed to?