“Never Church As Usual”……I have some friends who work for a church that uses this slogan as it’s marketing tag-line.  I’ve always loved this tag-line as it hints at mystery, intrigue, expectancy.  What are we going to experience when we come to church today?  How will we encounter the Living God in new and fresh ways?  What is the next incredible thing the church is going to do to draw us into the presence of God?

I am working away from the office today.  We are moving into a phase of Vision Development for the future of Great Oaks.  To that end, I have been seeking God’s face through prayer & journaling in an attempt to brainstorm potential next-steps for us as a church.  In the coming weeks, the leaders of the church will be meeting to formalize our plan and then share it with the church in early 2010.

As part of my brainstorming process, I have been curious about what other churches are doing that would exemplify the “Never Church As Usual” slogan.  Guess what I found out?  Very few churches are doing anything Unusual.  We all have the same common elements…

• Weekend Services
• Children & Student Programming
• Adult Small Groups
• Local & Global Missions

So where is the Unusual aspect of church?  I realize the worship-language during services may be different, the children & student curriculum may vary, the small groups may focus on a variety of topics, and the missions may meet a wide array of social needs…but in the grand scheme of things, every church seems to be Unusually Usual.

Is there something more that should be present to make the church Unusual?  Or do we simply strive to be more Unusual in the Usual areas?

Just some thoughts I am pondering this afternoon…

(And please understand that I am talking about Organizational Development.  I am working under the assumption that Jesus is our focus, the Holy Spirit is present, the Word is our guidebook, love & faith abound, and spiritual disciplines are actively embraced to draw us deeper into an intimate relationship with God.  Just thought I would save some of you from commenting on the Usual objections when I write posts like this!)

We launched Men’s Fraternity two weeks ago, and we have consistently had over 60 guys showing up on Wednesday mornings from 6:00-7:30am.  It has been humbling to see the guys stream through the front doors each session.  We are also preparing to launch a Saturday morning version for guys that can’t make the Wednesday sessions.

I have been a part of men’s groups for over 12 years.  Most of them have been limited to 10-12 guys meeting at a local coffeeshop on a weekly basis.  These gatherings have helped to shape me into who I am today.

I am looking forward to giving these 60+ guys an incredible experience this year as they discover what it means to be a spiritual leader in their homes, churches, communities, and workplaces.

Karen to Ethan: “Hey buddy…I’m cutting some more box tops for you.”

Me: “Are those the Box Tops for Education?”

Ethan: “No…they’re for school.”

Karen & Me: much laughter and explanation

I am really looking forward to the 2009-2010 kick-off event for our High School students!  MXTC is a two-day experience on the campus of Great Oaks.  Throughout the weekend, teams of students will compete in multiple physical & mental challenges.  And it all comes to an end in the mud pit when the teams go head-to-head in mud volleyball and tug-o-war!

Can’t wait for the fun to begin……….

Last night I was talking with Ethan about a swimming party taking place tonight for all of the boys who played baseball in Germantown Hills this summer.

Ethan: “So what time is the swimming party?”

Me: “From 8:00-10:00pm.”

Ethan: “I don’t really want to go.”

Me: “Why not?”

Ethan: “Well…my bedtime is 8:00pm and I’m usually asleep by 9:00pm.  I think I’ll just be too tired.”

Me: [shocked silence for a moment] “You are the oldest 7-year old boy I know!”

I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the feet of some incredible leaders during the recent Leadership Summit hosted by Willow Creek Community Church.  I joined several other leaders from Great Oaks for the simulcast at Northwoods Community Church in Peoria.  Here are some of the quotes that jumped out to me as I re-read my notes in my teaching journal.  As you can see, I have a lot to process from this conference!

• “We cannot make it rain, but we can make sure it rains on prepared soil.” - Henri Nouwen
• “Nobody comes to church for a mild dose of God.” - Bill Hybels
• “The pace at which I’m doing God’s work is destroying the work of God in me.” - Bill Hybels
• “First impressions are often wrong.” - Carly Fiorina
• “The most important gift you can give someone is candor.” - Unknown
• “The kindest form of management is the truth.” - Unknown
• “Every organization is successful until it isn’t.” - Gary Hamel
• “The future is not unknowable; it is simply unpalatable.” - Gary Hamel
• “The job of leaders is to convince people that change is more exciting than standing still.” - Gary Hamel
• “The longer you are in the trenches, the easier it is to mistake the edge of your rut for the horizon.” - Gary Hamel
• “You get to be a leader when people choose you to be a leader.” - core philosophy at Gore-Tex where there is no formal leadership structure
• “The lack of spiritual vitality [in church members] is the greatest frustration of pastors.” - Tim Keller
• “Religious people want more things.  Gospel people want more of God.” - Tim Keller
• “You can’t stay angry or bitter with someone unless you feel superior.” - Tim Keller
• “Great poets show; they do not tell.” - Unknown
• “If darkness is present in your community, you are not the light.” - Harvey Carey
• “God has called us to build a church that is contrarian.” - Dave Gibbons
• “The world will notice when we love those not like us.” - Dave Gibbons
• “The people on the fringe lead the movements.” - Dave Gibbons
• “When Jesus wipes away my tears, may he also wipe away my sweat.” - Wesley Stafford
• “When you don’t forgive, you allow people to live in you rent-free.” - Wesley Stafford
• “Someone who can look farther back can look farther forward.” - Winston Churchill
• “Maturity is coming to grips with your flaws.” - David Gergen
• “The age of the lone ranger leader is over.” - Warren Bennis
• “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.” - Unknown/Disputed
• “Successful change begins with establishing an emotional connection with your followers.” - Chip & Dan Heath
• “In a time of change, failure is necessary.” - Chip & Dan Heath
• “Sometimes the comfortable thing to do is the wrong thing to do.” - Tony Blair
• “What are the consequences if I don’t lead to my fullest extent?” - Chris Genders

We are experimenting this summer at Great Oaks.  Historically, 90% of our small groups cease meeting during the summer months.  They may occasionally get together for a cookout or game night, but the summer is definitely not an active time for our small groups.

The problem is that we continually have new people coming through the doors of the church.  Last summer I had new people inquire about small groups in June, and I had to tell them they would have to wait until September.  This left me frustrated…and motivated.

If small groups are truly our primary means of connecting people and helping them grow in their spiritual journey then we need to do something to connect people with the Word of God and with other people during the summer months.

Our solution?  Summer classes.  Four of them, specifically - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings.  Meeting at the church where each class is not limited by the size of a living room.  Each class has a “master teacher” who presents the information and then guides the multiple tables through group discussions.

It’s all an experiment at this point, but after only two weeks of promotion, we have 39 people registered for the various classes.

Thirty-nine people who may not have done anything to pursue spiritual growth during the summer months.
Thirty-nine people who may not have connected -in a meaningful way - with other people in the church.
Thirty-nine people who may encounter God in a unique way this summer.
Thirty-nine people who may take their next step towards God this summer.

We’ve got three more weeks of promotion this month.  Pray that people will continue to register for our Summer Classes.  Pray for the teachers as they make final preparations.  Pray that Great Oaks continues to find new ways to help people take their next steps.

**Update: We now have 46 people registered for summer classes. (5-17-09)

Tags: Bible, small groups, summer

I recall reading about an incident where Albert Einstein was invited to give a keynote message at a prestigious university.  The meal was planned.  The invitations were sent.  The house was packed with people eager to hear the great scientist speak.  When Einstein was introduced, he walked up to the podium and simply stated, “I find that I have nothing to say.”

It seems like I am going through a phase of limited writing.  The pages of my journal have been strangely blank, and I haven’t been in the habit of writing on the blog these past few months.  Strange considering I was wanting to begin writing a book in January…you’d think I would be in the writing mode.

But I don’t want to practice “forced writing” - where you write because you have to or because people are expecting you to write.  I want to practice “unforced writing” - where I write because I am compelled to write…because I have a message on my heart that needs to be written in the pages of my journal for my eyes only or written on the blog for all to read.

I suppose - in the words of Einstein - I find that I have nothing to say.

Tags: writing

This past weekend, I rallied together some brave friends and journeyed up to Wisconsin for a winter camping trip to explore Kettle Morraine State Forest - Southern Unit.  None of us had been there before, so this was new territory for us.  Here’s a narrative account of our weekend…

We arrive on Friday afternoon and set up camp in a sheltered spot to decrease wind exposure.  (We have our pick of campsites since no one else is there.)  After getting settled in, we drive to the Emma Carlin trailhead to hike a 2.5 mile warm-up trail.

We meet an elderly couple in the parking lot who are also hiking the trail.  The wife keeps commenting over and over about how excited she is that we are out there hiking and camping despite the cold and pending snowstorm.  I picture this couple back at their small cottage-like home.  Pictures of their wilderness travels from around the world are hanging on the walls, and the bookshelves are lined with tomes about birds, animals, trees, and a vast array of other wilderness lore.  Back to the trail…

The Emma Carlin trail reminds me of a favorite hike in the Peoria-area - hardwood forests with easy-to-moderate trail difficulty.  We arrive back to the trailhead with plenty of daylight left to return to camp and prepare dinner.  I break out the Coleman 2-burner stove and begin boiling water.  One of the keys to winter camping is “warm food quick”.  To that end, I boil some water for cocoa and then cook boil-in-a-bag rice along with Chunky soup boiled in a Ziplock freezer bag.  It actually works well and since I can eat it right out of the bag - no dishes!

We spend the evening sitting around the campfire exchanging stories and staring into the flames.  After a couple of hours, we call it a night and turn in.  I share a 2-man tent with another “big man” so we have little space but vast amounts of body heat - neither one of us needs to fully-zip our mummy-bags the entire night.  We wake in the morning to the sound of snow falling on the tent.  We unzip the door & vestibule to discover six inches of fresh powder had fallen over night!

We make a quick breakfast - cocoa/coffee and oatmeal with raisins & brown sugar - and hop in the Jeep to drive to the John Muir trailhead.  We spend a few minutes gearing up in the parking lot before hitting the trail.  We are spending all day out here, so we double-check to make sure we have enough food, water, and dry clothing.  There is a light snow falling that will remain steady throughout most of the day.  The falling snow - combined with the incredible scenery - make this one of my all-time favorite hikes.

One of my favorite moments on this trail comes when we are resting below a small stand of pine trees.  We hear a heavy wind coming in, so we turn our backs to shield ourselves from the sudden blast of cold.  Unfortunately, we didn’t think about all of the snow in the trees that suddenly fell on our heads!  We couldn’t do anything but laugh…

Near the end of the trail, we journey through a large stand of planted pine trees (a local timber company works this part of the forest).  With the lower limbs cut clean and the treetops soaring hundreds of feet above us, I feel like an ant walking among giants.

We spend 5-6 hours on the trail and see only five other people the entire time.  It is an incredibly peaceful yet strenuous journey - one that has left me physically weak but spiritually fulfilled.

We return to camp tired but refreshed by our walk in the woods.  We spend about 30 minutes walking the campground looking for left-over wood in other campsites; this is to supplement our meager amount of wood that remained after the fire the night before.  We soon have a large pile that will allow us to have a fire for several hours.  Dinner for me is freeze-dried spaghetti & meatballs - it is actually quite good!

After spending a few hours around the campfire, we call it a night.  It doesn’t take long for our weary bodies to fall asleep.  I wake in the morning to find ice covering the entire interior of the tent!  The temperature had dropped into the low-teens overnight and the condensation from our breath while we slept provided more than enough water to coat everything in a thin layer of ice.

We emerge from our tents to a very cold morning.  I quickly fire up the stove and get some warm cocoa into my stomach.  As we begin packing up and preparing to leave, we soon discover that the cold has killed the battery on the Jeep.  We wait for a while to see if the sun would warm it up - which it does but not enough to turn it over.  We end up flagging down a car passing by the campground to provide us with a jumpstart.  They are gracious enough to do so, and the Jeep is soon coming back to life.

After letting it idle for about 15 minutes, we finally break camp and drive to a nearby trailhead for one last hike.  The Ice Age Trail has a 32-mile section that runs through Kettle Morraine - Southern Unit, and we want to see one of the backpacking shelters (future trip!).  We hike three-quarters of a mile through pine and hardwood forests to discover the 3-sided shelter nestled on top of a ridge with a beautiful view of the valley.  I immediately make plans to bring Karen & the kids to this shelter for a mini-backpacking trip - kid-friendly mileage with great views.  We return to the trailhead and journey back to the State Forest Headquarters to change out of our camp clothes and prepare for the ride home.

Before we return home, though, we stop at Main Street Cafe in Palmyra, WI for a big meal to make up for all of those calories lost on the trail.  (If you ever get a chance, stop in and have their biscuits & gravy!)  One of my favorite things to do on trips like these is to eat local-flavor whenever possible.  It is rare that I have been let down.

All in all, this was a great weekend with some great friends.  We all agreed that we would never let another winter go by without spending a few nights in a tent!

We all need rhythm in our lives.  Periods of work and periods of rest.  Periods of community and periods of solitude.

These first seven weeks of 2009 have been an intense rhythm of work.  Sunday was essentially the capstone to these seven weeks with the completion of our First Step class, a small group leader’s training forum, and the baptism of six people.  It was a great seven weeks, but I can feel my body letting down.  I am sensing a lack of physical, spiritual, and emotional vibrancy these last few days.

The good news is that I was prepared for this very thing to happen.  When I am coming out of an intense period of work like this, I intentionally schedule time in the wilderness.  To that end, I am taking a few days off soon to go camping and snowshoeing up in Wisconsin.

It will be a great time of reconnecting with God and His Creation.  Time that God will use to refill and refuel me…to prepare me for the next intense period of work.  I can’t wait!

Unfortunately, I’ve got a few projects to complete before I leave…