chazzdaddy

Archive for September, 2009

Serious Inquiries Only: This is LIFE OR DEATH.

In Devotional, being the church, prayer, urgent prayer needed on September 29, 2009 at 4:01 am

If there is 1 thing that our group needs as we seek to expand the Kingdom in a very tough place… it is this:

PRAYER.

Some of you just checked out. That’s old, it’s not fresh, it’s routine. For those of you who perked up…keep reading.

This will be right to the point. We need people, we need equipment, we need staff, we need money, we need __________…

But more than anything, we need HIS POWER. And I mean it. That is not a preacher’s phrase…we SEEK IT big time. Will you help us draw God’s ear and attention to this mission?

As a matter of fact, this is the first big act that I have done…our official fund raising hasn’t started yet, because it won’t start until this team starts. It’s a waste of time.

Here’s what we will expect of you:
1. That you will PRAY DAILY for us. Daily. Every day.
2. That you will KEEP REQUESTS CONFIDENTIAL. Please…this is a serious team.
3. That you will INTERCEDE like never before for our mission and battle for this mission we are on. We will need your contact info…so don’t forget to send that to me!

Here’s what you can expect from us:
1. Regular correspondence [at least 2 times a month] with REAL REQUESTS and PRAISES.
2. In-depth prayer concerns and praises, not just the superficial stuff [which is still important].
3. PRAYER for YOU from OUR TEAM. LOVE for your from OUR TEAM. We know you will be CLEARING THE WAY in BATTLE.

I take this stuff seriously. Jesus spent a ton of time PRAYING, when as the SON OF GOD, He could move HEAVEN and EARTH with 1 word. Just 1 word, but He modeled where the POWER can be FOUND.

We need this battle from YOU more than ANYTHING.

If you are SERIOUS about prayer and praying for MISSION WEST in Utah and beyond…please drop me your stats [name, address, phone, e-mail] to: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com

We really believe this passage is really real. Really. Real. Heaven and hell real. Life and death real. Eternity changers.

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” [ephesians 6.12 / asv]

[photo credit: http://bit.ly/14ayjm]

The GIFT of BETRAYAL.

In Devotional on September 28, 2009 at 10:02 pm

Huge shout out to a friend Dan Nold for putting the icing on the cake to this post about “The Worst Thing That Happened to Jesus.”

He reminded me that not only can we identify with JESUS in HIS BETRAYAL, but we should also offer the same gift that HE gave the betrayers:

FORGIVENESS.

That’s the GIFT we received for HIS DEATH, and the GIFT we can give others when we suffer with HIM.

There’s your cake and you can eat it to.

The Worst Thing That Happened to Jesus.

In Uncategorized on September 26, 2009 at 5:26 pm

The worst thing that happened to Jesus was not that He had to leave heaven, or that He was tempted, or even that He was brutally crucified.

He was betrayed.

Not just by Judas, not just by the disciples, not just by the people he came for, not by the Roman Soldiers doing their job…but it was betrayal by those He loved deeply.

You will never be a follower of Christ at the deepest level until you have experienced betrayal at this level.

That’s why relationships are hard, and why they get so messy. Betrayal hurts worse than anything that this planet has to offer outside of death.

Leaders…its not IF it happens, but WHEN it happens, and it will hurt.

The redeeming value is that you will experience something at the deepest level that our Father experienced, and that’s kindred spirit with our God and Father. We’re now in the same club.

So when you want to throw up your hands, puke, scream, give up, write a scathing blog post, or get out a gun and point it at that special someone[s]…remember this affinity you have with your Father, and His attitude toward them.

“He was despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows, yet acquainted with grief…He was despised and we esteemed Him not. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, by His wounds we are HEALED!” Isaiah 53

the first 7 checks we will write as a "church".

In church planting journey on September 21, 2009 at 4:47 pm

When we “incorporate” as a “church” in the next month or so, I am excited about the first 7 checks we will write as an official “church”.

I am breaking covenants and law and rules by doing this, but someone will have to stomp on us before we give this up:

If we are serious about the GREAT COMMISSION, then we will understand that the first 7 checks we write will be this:

1. To an organization that is impacting our local community right here in our Jerusalem.
2. The next 6 will be to the above in: Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, Europe and Antarctica.

We will repeat this every month, no excuses.

We will SERVE outside of ourselves before we begin serving OURSELVES. And yes, it is hard to find things to support in Antarctica in case you were wondering.

chaos herder.

In church planting journey on September 14, 2009 at 11:20 pm

That’s what I feel like as a leader most of the time. So, it was time to re-name the blogg-o-la, for at least a day.

I have been called a control freak, and yes, that would be the case sometimes. Other times I have been called an absent leader and yes, that would be the case sometimes as well. [remember you can't win for losing in leadership, so stop trying. it KILLED me and still does when I try to people please...]

This is my heart’s desire, contrary to popular opinion sometimes from critics, staff, friends, strangers, family, yada, yada, yada:

TO LET THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK THROUGH ME TO SEE AS MANY PEOPLE DETOURED FROM HELL AS POSSIBLE. And while alive on earth, to help BELIEVERS CONTINUALLY GROW IN CHRIST until we meet our SAVIOR face to face.

That’s why I do what I do [period]. Why the Hades else would you put yourself or your family through this? [if that makes no sense to you, you are not a pastor or church planter, so skip on...]

Have I tried to “control” the work of the spirit? Of course I have. I’m human and I think I know best.

But, one of the most freeing lessons I have ever learned [am learning] was/is this:

THAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL A MOVE OF GOD, so do your best to MANAGE [herd] the CHAOS and get out of the way.

Here’s where I think I am today, and how I might be a better chaos herder than I was yesterday:

MOVE OF GOD + GODLY LEADERSHIP + ABUNDANT LOVE = ORGANIZED? CHAOS [Acts 2 and beyond]. [of course, there are a hundred other dynamics to put into the equation so don't comment the crap out of this ie: prayer, scripture, obedience, etc., but these are the biggies when I read what the apostles did].

A radical MOVE of God, shaped by GODLY leadership, that lives a life of ABUNDANT love [not superficial love, and after all, summed up: God is LOVE, so maybe we should too], and see it freaking explode in JESUS NAME.

This is what happened throughout Scripture. And I desire that: let’s herd some SPIRITUAL CHAOS TOGETHER.

crap.

In church planting journey on September 10, 2009 at 3:59 pm

That’s what the last 8 months have been. [this is not a cry fest, whine fest, or attempt to get self-promotion or show you how tough we are...anyway.]

When you receive a call from GOD, it’s supposed to be AMAZING right? The heavens open, trumpets sounds, angels sing, the path is slippery smooth and downhill!

Of course people will be extremely supportive, majorly encouraging, and fired up for your “obedience to the call of God”?

Well, maybe not always.

Our team has pushed through. Some are here, some are still there. Some are still pushing. Some are still being called.

Our family has endured 2 moves and a bunch of uncertainty. We miss our church, our friends and our family, and yes…it has been tough.

But we are here. And today it becomes real for me. Why?

Today is our first “staff meeting.” I have a blank sheet of paper and today we begin to jot out with our team what our mission and vision will begin to be.

We plan to start to form some God picture for how we are going to kick satan’s butt and start to put some life into 22+ cities out here in Utah that have no “churches” in them. [again if you are new, that's not a typo...there are ZERO.]

So roll out the toilet paper…we are about ready to wipe and flush. And man, it feels good!

["Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the COUNSEL OF THE LORD is what will stand!" prov. 19.21]

jobs open in one of the coolest places on earth.

In church planting journey on September 4, 2009 at 4:59 pm

I would have never said that a few months ago…but SLC and the surrounding areas are one of the “best kept secrets anywhere.” I’m letting the cat out of the bag. meooooooooooooooow.

We thought we were being called to Utah and would “endure for the cause of Christ.” There must be NOTHING there but a dead lake and the Utah Jazz.

Instead we found one of the coolest places to live in the country. WHY?

*Great people.
*Amazing views like no other.
*Best snow for skiing anywhere.
*Hundreds of hiking, biking, camping opportunities.
*Cheap and amazing golf.
*A downtown that is being completely renovated.
*Tons of great restaurants, theaters, and culture.
*Fine arts and other concert events all the time.
*The climate is great [if you enjoy 4 seasons and over 300+ days of sunshine a year].
*The traffic is pretty smooth.
*Low crime.
*Lowest unemployment rate in the country.
*People who want to talk all the time about Jesus and the Church.
*And about a 472 other cool things.

The downside?

*22 cities without 1 “protestant” church in them. 22…no joke. For those of us who are non-LDS, this is the most un-churched population in the COUNTRY. [oh, and Utah is the FASTEST-GROWING state in the country...]

So…there are JOBS out here in the wild west for those who want to join the mission and be a part of our team as a non-staff member [we need more families who are called!]

And we have STAFF JOB OPENINGS for those who are feeling called to an amazing adventure with our amazing team. Here’s what we are looking for:

*Spiritual Development
*Youth/Kids
*Executive Pastor Type

Hit me: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com

We badly miss our family and friends at New Hope and in Ohio and would do anything to be with them…but honestly, WE LOVE THIS PLACE and WE LOVE THIS CALLING…[ask my wife...she said it.]