I’m often asked about Project Church. What we’re about. How we roll. What’s up with the name.   Here’s a brief summary about the DNA of Project Church.

THE PROJECT

God’s project is the renewal of all things and he has called us to join him! That’s the trajectory of Project Church: To Join God in His Mission in the World. We exist to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) by living out the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40).

In other words, our calling is clear: Love God. Love People. Live Free. And our passion is to make disciples of Jesus and help start gospel-driven churches who do the same.

As we go, this is the operating system that guides every discussion we have, every decision we make, and every direction we take:

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

JESUS – All arrows point to Jesus
GOSPEL – Grace changes everything
STORY – Guided by the unfolding narrative of the scriptures
MEANING – Every life is significant in the Story of God
MOXIE – Make bold moves
HEART – People matter to God and they matter to us
MISSION – For the city, for the world, because of God
COMMUNITY – No one walks alone
AUTHENTICITY – Real with God, ourselves, and one another
IMAGINATION – Unleashing creativity, reflecting the Creator
PRAYER – Aligning our hearts and wills to God’s
SIMPLICITY – Clarity over complexity

DESIGN

Project Church is structured in a way that helps us focus on keeping the main thing the main thing.

This means we intentionally limit formal programs and instead focus on these three aspects of our church being the church. Each also serve as an entry point into our community and are equally significant.

Personal Relationships

• God, being a relational God, created us for relationships
• The Gospel travels on relational highways
• Our relational networks are our mission field
• Project Church all boils down to relationships

Missional Communities

• Beyond a small group into a genuine biblical community
• Journey together
• Care for one another
• Live out Rhythms

Weekly Gatherings

• Worship Jesus through teaching, music, prayer, & connecting.
• Celebrate God and recalibrate around his mission in the world.
• Designed with both explorers and followers of Christ in mind.

All around us, families are struggling to keep up with the American Dream. Often existing with no sense of purpose other than their own fulfillment resulting in broken hearts, broken homes, broken lives…and that’s just the pastors! It’s no wonder our families, and churches, have been blinded by complacency to the needs of this world.

In fact, one study revealed that the clergy have the second highest divorce rate among all professions. Think about that!  I personally know a number of pastors and church planters who’ve pursued their ministry at the expense of their families.  This is tragic, but there is a better way.

What if families were awakened to join God in his mission in the world? And…
What if we took our families along for the ride and loved them along the way?

How would that impact marriages?
How would that shape children?
How would that heal relationships?
How would that ignite churches?

In 2005, my then eight-year-old son, Reece, said five words that God used to spark a revolution in my soul which eventually compelled our family into the wild adventure of planting a church.

He and I went for a walk at a local park and discussed his desire to be baptized. He loved Jesus and wanted to take his next step in following him. Not being a pastor at the time, I asked him, “Who would you like to baptize you?” Thinking he would name one of the several pastors we knew, he caught me off-guard when he bluntly replied, “But Dad, you’re my pastor.”

I paused for a moment, put my arm around him, and smiled. He was right. Without realizing it, my son had stumbled upon a glorious truth from the scriptures. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lays down the musts to be a leader in the church. His big qualifier? To lead a church one must lead their family well. As he states in verse five, “If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” One implication of this is that every family is a congregation and the parents are the pastors.

I don’t know about you, but as a parent, that’s quite the responsibility. Parents have the tremendous opportunity to shape the future. Like churches, families can either be internally-focused, seeking the well-being of themselves, or be externally-focused, seeking the well-being of others.

The question is, in what direction are we leading our families?

If we want to live out God’s eternal purpose for our churches, we must return to his original intention for the family. We must love Jesus and be so compelled and saturated by the gospel we can’t help but be good news to this world.

Unfortunately, the church today has bought into two illusions have thrown our trajectory off-course and blinded us to magnificent joy of joining God in his mission in the world.

Illusion #1 – The “safe for the whole family” approach

When Disney released the motion picture, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” it was heralded by Christians everywhere as being safe for the whole family. Based on the classic book by C.S. Lewis, the film portrays the adventures of four children in the magical kingdom of Narnia. Jesus is represented by the mighty lion, Aslan, and in the story, the children meet Mr and Mrs Beaver who describe the regal lion to them.

“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.

“Aslan a man!” said Mr Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is King of the wood and the son of the great emperor-beyond- the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great lion.”

“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake” said Mrs Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Ironically, if you type the words, “safe for the whole family” into Google, the top results are primarily Christian-related. Talk about misleading marketing! We’re encouraged to protect, shelter, and defend our families against this sin of this world forgetting the sin that resides in our own hearts, homes, and (gasp) churches.  We cover their eyes to messy stories, people, and news forgetting the messy stories, people, and news contained in the holy scriptures.

What’s particularly misguided is the notion that following Jesus is harmless. Nothing could be further from the truth! Loving God and our neighbor as ourselves is daring, messy, and wonderful— all at the same time. The one thing it is not, is safe.

As Dorothy Sayers so eloquently put it, “We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him ‘meek and mild,’ and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies. To those who knew him, however, he in no way suggests a milk-and-water person; they objected to him as a dangerous firebrand.”

I want my children to know the real Jesus and follow in his footsteps.  Following Jesus often leads us into places that are uncomfortable or even dangerous, but God promises to be with us and see us through.

Illusion #2 – The “focus on your family” mindset

If the church is like family and the family is like a church, then the focus of our families is not to focus on our family. We have a better reason for existing: God and his mission in the world.

What churches are discovering, or better said, rediscovering, is that we grow as we go. The same is true for families.

As a parent, I take seriously Proverbs 22:6 where we’re instructed to “Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old they won’t be lost.” Together, my wife and I agree that the way we will train our children is to point them to Jesus and his mission in the world.

According to the United Way, families who serve together experience the following benefits:

• Awareness of social issues and a new perspective on the world
• A way to pass on family values to children
• Discovery and development of knowledge, skills, and talents
• Quality time for the family to spend together
• Increase in interpersonal communication and ability to solve problems.
• A habit of service that’s passed on to the next generation

The byproduct of a family on mission is a united family with a sense of purpose. If you feel distant from your spouse, if you want to have a better relationship with your children, be on mission together! A common cause builds a unique bond that can’t be manufactured, only experienced.

I learned this from my parents. They were missional before missional was cool. One tradition they began was to wake up early every Christmas morning to cook and serve breakfast at our local rescue mission. When I had my own family and returned to my hometown, we joined them. Now, when most children wake up on Christmas morning and leap from their beds to open presents, my children think it’s normal to get up really early, sweat it out in a kitchen, and serve others with a cheerful heart before we go home and exchange gifts. I’m thankful for the example my parents gave and it’s being passed on to the next generation.

My family is far from perfect, but we’re learning that our family is more harmonious when we take our focus off of our family and onto something bigger than us—the glory of God and the good of this world. (Here’s a recent example of what this looks like for our family)

In his book, “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years“, Donald Miller tells a powerful story titled “How Jason Saved His Family” which illustrates the power of this concept.

Donald meets up with his friend, Jason, who was having major problems with his thirteen-year-old daughter. Pot was discovered hidden in her closet and she was dating a real loser of a guy.

Jason and his wife try grounding her, but things spiral. Donald suggests something that gets Jason’s attention. He tells him that his daughter is living a terrible story. He explains that the elements of a story involve a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. He tells Jason, “She’s just not living a very good story.  She’s caught up in a bad one.”

Months later, Donald runs into Jason and asks about his daughter. “’She’s better,’ he says to me, smiling. And when I ask why, he tells me his family is living a better story.”

After Jason and Donald first talk, Jason goes home and thinks about the story his family is living and the role his daughter is playing in that story. He realizes he hasn’t mapped out a story for his family or provided a better role for his daughter. So his daughter chose her own story. A story of rebellion and independence.

Jason decides to stop yelling at his daughter and create a better story to invite her into. After doing some online research he decides his family is going to focus on orphans. He calls a family meeting and springs on his wife and daughter that their family is going to give the $25,000 to build an orphanage in Mexico. And he tells them that he has already committed to building it.

It didn’t go over so well initially.

They had no money and just took out a second mortgage on their home. That evening, Jason and his wife were lying in bed and he begins to explain the story concept. He talks about how they aren’t taking risks, aren’t helping anybody, and how their daughter is wrapped up in the wrong story. The next day Jason’s wife puts her arms around him and says she is proud of him.

Jason’s daughter was also initially upset, but later decides she wants to go to Mexico to meet the kids. She also breaks up with her loser boyfriend.  She gets wrapped up in a better story.

When Don asked what made the differences, Jason replies, “No girl who plays the role of a hero dates a guy who uses her. She knows who she is. She just forgot for a little while.”

If we’re going to shift from a safe for the whole family mindset to a families on mission movement, we need to invite our families into a better story. As a whole, this generation is more passionate about social injustices than any other in recent history. What a prime opportunity! Let’s follow Jesus, take our children along for the ride, and love them along the way.

Imagine the impact. On marriages, children, churches, cities, and the world.

God is renewing all things, and that includes the family. When the family is renewed, so is the Church. When the Church is renewed, so is the world.

And it all begins at home in your mini-church called family.

Lead well.

Last Wednesday evening, we discovered one of our own from our church had gone missing.  Police were notified, friends were called, prayers were prayed, and concern was setting in.

By Thursday, there was still no sign of her, and a number of us began a search party with a mission to find her.

Immediately, my family and I hopped into our mini-van to search or at the very least, get leads.  We went to known hangouts, but our search turned up empty and left us frustrated. We later discovered there was a shooting in one spot we were at just hours before. Searching for someone who’s missing can lead you into dangerous places.

To top it off, my eight-year-old daughter was heartbroken as she was coming to grips with the reality that someone she cares about was missing. We talked and tried to comfort her, but she struggled to understand.  As a dad, sometimes I wonder if I expose my children to too much. Maybe. There’s much they don’t know about, and I want them to enjoy being kids, but for better or worse, moments like this leave a mark. I just pray that they become powerful learning experiences and not indelible scars.

Later, I partnered with someone else and approached a large group of people which turned out to be a hornets nest. They were a gang and they weren’t too thrilled that we were stepping into their zone.  Threats were made, names were called, but in the middle of it all, a handful of tender-hearted members acknowledged that if someone they loved were missing, they would search relentlessly too.  They took the flyer and said they’d keep an eye out.

We drove around some more and found another crew of teens in a random parking lot. They were mostly a party crowd who hid their drinks when they saw my mini-van approach.  As I stepped out of the van and into their conglomerate, the stench of weed was obvious and the group of thirty kids or so were instantly defensive. I reassured them I was not their to bust them but rather, I needed their help finding a missing girl. A few dudes put their hands in their pocket leading me to believe they were ready to pounce if need be, but others seemed concerned when they recognized our missing girl from the photo.

They asked if I was her dad. I replied, “No. I’m her pastor and friend and just want to return her home safely.”  Bewildered, someone piped up, “A pastor? What kind of church goes out looking for someone who’s missing?”Apparently, the notion of a church stepping into the middle of a mess was unusual.  Perhaps they’re right. They were cordial as we departed, and promised to call if they ran into her throughout the evening. They never did. But I can’t help but wonder if some perceptions were changed in the process.

We stepped into other hairy situations that made me feel uncomfortable yet made me think of Jesus. About how he stepped into a mess to rescue me. About how he is a God who pursues- as evidenced in his incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus said he came “to seek and save that which was lost.”  In Luke 15, we see a God who leaves the found to search for the lost. We see his passion to pursue his people.  This is the beauty of amazing grace.

Late Saturday afternoon, our missing girl was found by the police walking on the side of the road. It turns out she had runaway, but was making her way home.

When we got the news, relief set in, followed by joy.  She was okay.

On Sunday night, my friends threw a BBQ to celebrate her return. They wanted to model God’s grace that’s found in the parable of the Prodigal Son. We’ve always said we wanted to be a church with grace on tap and my friends understood this was a moment to display it.

There’s a long road of healing ahead, but my prayer is that God will use this situation for good.

In fact, he already is.

When you dispense advice on life, but yours lacks joy…

you are all show.

When you say you want friends, but you fail to be one…

you are all show.

When you twitter about causes, but you don’t give in any capacity…

you are all show.

When you complain about the government, but you don’t participate…

you are all show.

When you point out the faults of others, but are blinded to your own…

you are all show.

When your marriage is in a rut, but you’ve stopped pursuing your spouse…

you are all show.

When you preach against consumerism, but you spend what you don’t have…

you are all show.

When you’re passionately pro-life, but not passionately pro-living…

you are all show.

When you study theology, but you’re a self-righteous jerk,

you are all show.

When you talk about community, but you’re not actively a part of one…

you are all show.

When you say you have faith, but you worry about everything…

you are all show.

However…

When your life is full of joy, people will ask you for advice…

because of how you roll.

When you are a friend, you will have friends…

because of how you roll.

When you’re giving to a cause, your twitter updates will be more credible…

because of how you roll.

When you participate in government, your concerns will have more merit…

because of how you roll.

When you take the sawdust out of your eye, you can better see how to help another…

because of how you roll.

When you keep pursuing your spouse, you will prevent marital laziness…

because of how you roll.

When you stop spending what you don’t have, you can help others do the same…

because of how you roll.

When you live like your life matters, people will see all life matters…

because of how you roll.

When you study with humility, you’ll love from your theology…

because of how you roll.

When you’re active in community, what you say will mean something…

because of how you roll.

When you truly have faith in God, you truly lose faith in worry…

because of how you roll.

Don’t let how your roll be a big show. Let your light show by how you roll.

I should know.

Yours Truly,

The Recovering Hypocrite

Revolutions are sparked in churches with Christ as their Cornerstone, with jacked-up people whose stories are being changed by Jesus, who are in awe of him and can’t help but love Him and others with reckless abandon, who pray to God like it matters, whose lives are guided and grounded by scripture, who are connected to one another in love, sacrifice, and service, and who are joining God in His mission in this world!

In June, I have to privilege of sharing at “Denver 2010: Where the Next BIG Idea Meets UNconference.”

According to JR Woodward, one of the organizer’s of the event,

“The next big idea is about people sharing about innovative ways to partner with God in the renewal of all things. Unconference is about freely sharing creative ideas with one another without putting anyone on a pedestal. It is more participant oriented than personality driven. There is also no cost, because people share their gifts and knowledge freely.”

I’m looking forward to being a part of this.  If you’re anywhere near the area, it would be great to meet you.   Here’s a link to the flyer with the details.

My presentation is one of 14 presentations with each lasting 14 minutes. My hope is to squeeze everything into 14 minutes which should be a healthy exercise for me. I’m told there will be a visible clock to hold me accountable as well as rotten tomatoes to throw if needed.

Here’s a sneak peek into my topic:

Theme: Family and Mission

Title: “But Dad, You’re My Pastor”

Big Idea: What if the Church shifted from a “Safe For the Whole Family” mindset to a “Families on Mission” movement?

Summary paragraph: Many families are tearing apart at the seams. Broken hearts, broken homes, broken lives…and that’s just the pastors. Other families are struggling just to keep up with the American Dream with no sense of purpose other than their own fulfillment. It’s no wonder our families, and churches, have been blinded by complacency to the needs of this world.

What if families were awakened to join God in his mission in the world? How would that impact marriages? How would that shape children? How would that heal relationships?

With stories, ideas, and scripture, you will be encouraged to become the family God wants you to be and together, do what God has called you to do. God is renewing all things, and that includes the family. When the family is renewed, so is the Church. When the Church is renewed, so is the world. And it all begins at home.

To my Project Church family, you will get an extended version of this message this weekend!

What’s God calling me to do that I’m not doing?

Where can I find more pockets of time without eliminating my margin (and sanity)?

How can I be a more proactive husband?

Should I sign with a literary agent and publish traditionally or go a different route?

If I write it, will they read it?

How can Project Church best join God in his mission in the world?

What direction should I take thismustchange.org?

What memories can I create with my kids this summer?

Who can I trust and count on?

What if every Christian embraced the reality they are ministers and missionaries of the gospel?

Should we coordinate a killer relationship & marriage event for our community?

Where does Rapid City hurt?

What am I running to for comfort, security, and identity other than God?

Am I overthinking everything?

What do I need to stop doing, keep doing, and start doing?

DATE
Friday, June 11 -  7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 12 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PLACE
New Denver Church, 700 Bonnie Brae Blvd., Denver CO

HOST
The Ecclesia Network

COST
Free

RSVP
Please RSVP for this event on facebook, so we have a sense of who is coming.  Invite your friends through facebook and other means, especially those living in the Denver area.

NATURE OF EVENT
We will be thinking imaginatively about the future of the church with others in an open-source gift economy way. The next BIG idea is about giving time to interact about innovative ways to partner with God in the renewal of all things. UNconference is about freely sharing creative ideas with one another without putting anyone on a pedestal. It is more participant oriented than personality driven.  You will hear from practitioners who are on the front lines. There is also no cost, because people are sharing their gifts and knowledge freely.

TOPIC
During our short time together, there will be 14 innovative speakers from 14 different churches each sharing for 14-minutes on innovative ways to think and live missionally. More details on the speakers and topics to come!

I’m excited to be among those sharing and to learn from others.  It should be a super event. Join us!

It’s often said that the family is the basic unit of society.

Did you know it’s also the basic unit of the church?

It’s true.

Every family is a congregation and parents are the pastors.

In fact, to lead a church, one must be able lead their family well.

I don’t know about you, but as a parent, that’s quite the responsibility.

The question is, how well are we shepherding (pastoring) our family?

We parents have the tremendous opportunity to shape our families.

We can be an internally-focused family that seeks the well-being of us…

Or we can be an externally-focused family that seeks the well-being of others.

Which best describes your family?

If we’re honest, most of us tend to be the first.

Every family has issues from time to time.

Okay, some more than others.

But if you want to improve the story of your family, consider improving the stories of others…together.

You’ll be amazed at what it does for your family.

Your problems won’t disappear, but your family will grow.

According to the United Way, families who serve together experience the following benefits:

• Awareness of social issues and a new perspective on the world
• A way to pass on family values to the children
• Discovery and development of knowledge, skills, and talents
• Quality time for the family to spend together
• Increase in interpersonal communication and the problem-solving abilities of family members
• A habit of service that will be passed on to the next generation

Communities are best formed around a common cause.

So are missional families.

Missional families are also driven by the gospel.

When the gospel has so entrenched the heart of your family, you can’t help but be good news to this world.

For my family, our mission was to begin a church who joined God in his mission in the world.

But we won’t be a missional church unless the the families are missional families made up of missional people.

Likewise, the church known as your family won’t be missional unless you are.

You, the parent, need to lead the way.

Show your family a better story.

Invite your family into a better story.

As a whole, this generation of children care more about social injustices than any other in recent history.

What a prime opportunity!

Discover where their passions are and roll with it.

Do something.

Why?

Because God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…

If God loved the world that much, so should we.

All while loving one another.

All because of Jesus.

Imagine if this was what your family was like.

Hugh Halter, author of The Tangible Kingdom (along with Matt Smay) posted this video for their upcoming book, AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church.

If it’s anything like The Tangible Kingdom, it’s a must read. Check out this clip.