10*5*1

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." (Prov 11:30)

A huge part of a life that is following God is to see the fruit of people around us giving their lives to Jesus. Transformation.

Jesus said it this way: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Some of us live in guilt or discouragement because we don't see the fruit. In the words of a famous Bob Newhart skit: 'Stop it!'

Pray. Ask God to make you a 'seed thrower.' And then look for where He is working and engage!

I've just re-started a discipline that I learned from a church planter a while back. It's called 10*5*1. It's about slowing down to engage people and souls.

Every week I make a new section in my notebook (like the pic) where I put 10, 5, and 1.

The idea is that EVERY WEEK I meet 10 New People. And I write down their names - expecting to see them again and expecting God Encounters.

EVERY WEEK I seek to have 5 deeper conversations with people. Finding out more about their lives. Asking questions about their family, their work . . . And I record what I've learned. Expecting God to use it.

And EVERY WEEK I seek to invite 1 person to move closer to Jesus. Maybe that's by praying for them. By sharing Scripture with them or inviting them to look at what the Bible says about something going on in their life. Maybe I invite them to Celebration, or invite them to put their faith in Jesus. And I write it down, expecting God to work in their life.

Simple 10*5*1
And it's not just about those #'s, it's about being intentional and expecting God to work (the very fact that I make a section for it in my journal at the beginning of the week says I EXPECT it to happen).
It's about looking into people's eyes for where God is working and joining Him!

Emergency Relief

This afternoon I got a call from our oldest daughter Emily that she had a blow out on I-10 between Junction and Kerrville - a desolate stretch of road. And I couldn't get there to be with my daughter and help her. That's a sick feeling. Very sick.

I was so thankful for the TXDOT service vehicle that changed her tire and got her going (I had already called the State Troopers to come to her rescue and was about to call the Marines!)

The entire episode reminded me of a friend in Dallas who had a passion to love people and share Christ with them - and mechanical skills. So he equipped a truck with all kinds of supplies for fixing tires, batteries, etc and a cooler of soft drinks . . . and he would cruise I-30 and LBJ in Dallas on the weekends searching for stranded motorists. He would fix their car, give em' a cold drink, and let them know how much God loved them!

That's awesome!

What's your 'Service Vehicle'? How are searching for the stranded?

Bringing the King to Earth

Dan shared a verse on Sunday that's been rattling around in my mind since:

"Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you." (Luke 14:14 NLT)

Jesus is talking here about those we reach out to bless. Those who we invite to the King's party.

My heart has been burdened the last couple of weeks with how much of the time I stay in my selfish world, and I miss opportunities to tell people about the King.

Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation. . . "

I'm asking God this week to put people in front of me who need Him. . . And to give me the wisdom and courage to love them. I so want His heart to be my heart.

How about you?

In the Pool!

I believe with all my heart what I talked about on Sunday that there are SO many 'Christians' who are missing out on FOLLOWING Jesus!
That there are so many that have bought into the lie that Christianity is about repeating four lines from a tract and then 'throwing God a bone' occasionally by showing up on Sunday or putting a few bucks in the basket (or some variation of a life spent just hanging around the pool).

And we MISS it! We miss the glory of living the Jesus life, we miss the power of ABUNDANT life, we miss the crux of what it means to follow Jesus, because we haven't first lived WITH Jesus!

And at the same time I want to balance that with the total importance of us helping folks cross that line of faith. Perry Noble has a great blog that links to another blog about a man named Pete. I encourage you to click here and read this blog. . . . and then read on here.

My we explode with the desire to be IN the pool with Jesus! And then pray and invite others all around us into the pool. Who around you needs an invitation?

Oso Creek PEACE Plan

Jesus said that He came to bring God's peace. It's been a while since I've talked about the Oso Creek PEACE Plan and God has had heavy on my heart the simplicity of what He has called us to as followers of Jesus.

I had a one-hour conversation yesterday morning at the coffee house with a man named Richard who is desperately searching for answers in his life. So many around us are. And God has given us the privilege of sharing with folks how they can be filled with Peace . . . for eternity.

You may (or may not) remember that PEACE is an acronym for:

Pray
Every person is a Divine Appointment
Ask questions
Communicate the hope of Jesus
Expect changed lives

I want to begin in this blog by talking about Pray. Then I will follow it up in the coming days.

Pray. Do we really believe Jesus when He said that we have not because we ask not? I wonder.

It's much easier to try to accomplish things on our own, then to kneel before the Savior and ask Him. But remember this: Everything eternal that happens on earth begins in heaven.

I've encouraged Creekers to always be praying for their 'Top3' - three people around them who need to know the hope of Jesus.

And to pray the 3-Open Prayer from Colossians 4:3-4 :

1) Pray that God will open the door of opportunity (2 Peter 3:9)
2) Pray that God will open the door of their hearts as only HE can do (John 16:7-8)
3) Pray that God will open our mouths (Romans 10:17)


Pray. Pray right now. Pray desperately for God to use us to change our City.

Letter to a Gay Guy

Below you'll find a link to a post by Tim Stevens called 'Letter to a Gay Guy.' I encourage to read his letter and then answer the questions below.

'Letter to a Gay Guy' link

What do you think about his response? Does this reflect Jesus' heart? Is this the heart of Oso Creek? Isn't this how we should express our mission to anyone - regardless of their issues - who is far from God? Why or why not?

Who Needs to Know Him?

How are you loving those who are without Christ?

In my own life - as with you - I deal with what Mark Mittleberg calls 'evangelistic entropy' - that creeping forgetfulness, in mind-heart-and hands, about giving our lives away for the sake of eternity.

Why God, why? THE most important activity we're called to on the planet besides dwelling with God, is sharing our lives by serving and loving those who need hope. Why do we slide . . . God help us. Burden us.

I've been inspired by various others recently. I encourage you to first read this blog by Mark Batterson . . . click here

Then read the below which is an excerpt from the Man in the Mirror email:

Many people are convinced they are going to heaven, but are content to let the world go to hell. Jesus said we are “in” but not “of” the world, but He didn’t stop there. He also said, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

If Christianity is lived inside cultures, then what is our responsibility to our culture? Jesus wants to send us to improve our culture. We are ambassadors who bring the civilization of the gospel. Christians stabilize culture. Consider Daniel, Joseph, and Mordecai—three Jews (true believers) who rose to high positions in non-Christian cultures. They were ambassadors for God—and stabilizing influences—inside their cultures.

It is not our assignment to create a Christian culture. Our assignment is to represent God within the culture. To do that, we have to go “into” the culture. On matters not specifically commanded or prohibited by Scripture, we adapt to the culture. We don’t require the culture to adapt to us. That’s how Paul did it.

Paul was such a chameleon. He knew that by becoming all things to all men, he might save some. That’s why you and I should be chameleons too.

“Christianity is lived inside cultures.” What implications and opportunities does this concept present to you in your church, ministry, home, language forms, work, and as a family?

Pointing to God

As we read through the gospels we see that Jesus' primary occupation was pointing others to the Kingdom of God. He simply called us to follow Him.

Colossians 4 tells us: "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity."

And yet when we're honest, why is that so difficult? Why do we struggle with caring about others enough to point them to God? . . . . . .

Obviously it begins with a heart full of the Spirit's hope. And asking God to give us a desire to give that hope away. And we must begin to live wisely . . . .

Click Here to read a great (and short!) article on paying attention to others and pointing them to the Kingdom of God.

What are ways that God has used you lately? Please encourage us by sharing with us.

Confessions of a Soiled Christian

I'm excited about this Sunday and this new series we are beginning! Who have you been putting off inviting to Oso Creek? Whose ready to hear about the hope that we can have in Jesus? THIS IS the Sunday to invite them!

Someone has said that: "Evangelism is nothing more than one beggar telling another beggar where to find food." And that's exactly what I'm going to do on Sunday.

Thanks to those of you who have migrated to the 9 o'clock service! This Sunday let's fill up both Celebrations!