Last Saturday, Catalyst took a huge step forward.  After a morning of prayer and seeking God’s guidance and wisdom, our core leadership team and I planned out the the sermon series and message themes for the upcoming year.  Yes…that’s right, the entire year.  

Thanks to many of you who came and participated in our first sermon brainstorming session, we have come up with the direction and vision for Sunday mornings for the next year of ministry.  We all walked away with such a sense of awe and humility as we watched God orchestrate the ideas and concepts into amazing and creative sermon series’.  

While you are reading this, you may be asking:  Why did we do this?  Why did we plan out an entire year ahead of time?  Doesn’t this stifle the Holy Spirit’s work and what He wants to teach Catalyst?   Great questions.  Here are the benefits of planning this far ahead.

First, it allows us to pray and see God’s direction for the next year of ministry.  Instead of making last minute plans and figuring out what to do week by week, this allows us to see God’s plan from a greater distance.  Therefore, we can pray and plan accordingly.  Second, this allows our media, music, and creative teams to work further in advance increasing excellence, creativity, and impact.  Third, it brings in more creative minds into the planning process.  By myself, I can really screw things up.  So by inviting others into the planning process, we are able to put more minds to work…and therefore create better messages.   Lastly, it allows me to think further in advance, plan accordingly, and spend time on the things that matter most instead of letting the “tyranny of the urgent” control my schedule.

I am really looking forward to the upcoming year and the Biblical themes God is going to teach Catalyst in the next year.

This week, my family and I are heading down to San Diego for a week long and well needed vacation.  Since starting Catalyst, we have yet to take such a long and resting vacation.  I am so excited to have time with the kids, watching them play, run, and watch silly animals at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

My new friend and fellow church planter, Billy Calderwood, will be preaching this coming Sunday so I can truly have a vacation this week.  Billy pastors http://www.aqueouschurch.com/#mce_temp_url# in Isla Vista.  Go Gouchos!

One of my favorite authors and speakers of the missional movement is Reggie McNeal.  His ability to see global movements, train leaders, and speak prophetically into the movement of God in and out of the church is incredible.  I read his book, The Present Future several years ago and it revolutionized my ideas of what the church should be.  So much so, that Catalyst Ventura was birthed.  

Reggie has written an article on the Catalyst Space (no relation) web site that is a great read.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Read it here.

I was reminded of  a quote I heard from Bill Gates that has given me good perspective on the vision of Catalyst and our progress as a church.  He said, “We tend to over estimate what we can accomplish in the first 2 years and under estimate what we can accomplish in the first 10.”  

This reminder has given me great hope for the future of Catalyst…if I can learn to get out of the way and let God build at His rate…not mine.  Church planting takes vision, but it also takes patience.  It takes surrender, but diligence.  It takes prayer, but hard work.  The combination of these things will give us the balance we need to see God at work and to see the fruit of our labor.  

See…even Bill Gates has something to offer the church.

Thoughts?

After a long hiatus on blogging, I am making a new commitment to communicate more on my blog.  It has been way too long and I hope my heart and mind can be a benefit for those of you with enough free time to read my rants and thoughts.

This Sunday I shared about the idolatry of the Corinthian church and how idolatry is the root of so many of our problems and separation from God.  In helping us identify if we have idols, I listed some great questions that I once heard from Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll.  So here you go.

Questions to help us identify potential idols in our lives.

1. • What am I most afraid of?

2. • What do you long for most passionately?

3. • Where do you run for comfort?

4. • What do you complain about the most?

5. • What angers you the most?

6. • What makes you happiest?

7. • How do you explain yourself to others?

8. • What causes you to be angry with God?\

9. • What do you brag about?

10. • What do you wan to have more than anything else?

11. • What do you sacrifice most for?

12. • Who’s approval are you seeking?

13. • What do you want to control most?

14. • What comfort do you treasure the most?

“Do you get angry with the real God because he does not serve your false god?”