What's Next on the Reading List

I'm reading & reviewing another book for Th. Nelson, The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. I am really excited about this one, because I've been kind of desparate for a book that challenges my faith ever since I read My Beautiful Idol by Pete Gall.

Richard Stearns is the president of World Vision. This organization is a "Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty."

Stearns holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. From 1977 to 1985, he held various roles with Parker Brothers Games, culminating in his appointment as president in 1984. In 1985, he became a vice president at The Franklin Mint, then joined Lenox in 1987 as president of Lenox Collections. In 1995, Stearns was named president and chief executive officer of Lenox Inc., overseeing $500 million in annual sales. He joined World Vision as president in 1998.

Learn more about Richard Stearns. Please read this interview from Guy Kawasaki. This will definitely give you some insight to this extraordinary person.

I will post my review when I'm finished. I have a feeling I will be posting a lot from this book...

The One Challenge Registration

Powered by Wufoo

"The One" Challenge

There are usually two places where ideas come to me — the shower and on airplanes. In the early part of February, I spoke at a conference in Dallas and probably spent more time in planes and in airports than I did at the conference. But, knowing that ideas come to me on planes, I looked forward to the idle time. So, the following came to me on a flight back from Dallas to Chicago.

In January, I became one of only two pastoral staff members left after some fairly significant changes in personnel (to say the least). At first, I felt OK about the changes, but after a few days I began to ask myself a lot of questions. One, in particular, was how do we begin discipling 600 people between two part-time pastors? The answer was obvious; you don't!

Now that you have some background, let me tell you what happened. On the way to Chicago, I begin to pray and write down the names of 25 people at church that came to my mind. These were people I knew, some well, others not so well. These 25 quickly became the people that I would strategically disciple. I would start with 25 and not get overwhelmed by the 600.

When I got back into the office on Monday, I typed a letter that simply read:

ARE YOU THE ONE?
Please meet with Pastor Jeff on Sunday, February 22 @ 5:00pm
To accept, please visit (website).

I mailed (not emailed) all 25 invitations that day, and by Thursday afternoon all 25 people accepted the invitation via the web (along with questions about what this was about). Basically, I wrapped the invitation in a mystery and that got the buzz I wanted. On Sunday morning, Feb. 22, almost all of the invitees were clamoring for an explanation. I just told them, "You have to show up." And showed up they did. 25 for 25!

This might be the first time in history all invitees have shown up to a meeting. It was amazing, there was an electricity in the air. Seventeen men and eight women.

The meeting started with a question: Will you be the one who will introduce The One to the one person with whom you have influence? I paused for a response, and then it happened. I saw the light come on as I shared the discipleship experiment we called "The One."* By the end of the meeting we decided to not only find one person to intentionally disciple, but we would also find an encouragement partner within the group, kind of a two-by-two thing. I also introduced the group to Erwin McManus's The Barbarian Way and asked everyone to read it as a group. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes and all us were extremely fired up to go and find our "one."

Over the last 30 days or so, God has done some cool stuff. Everyone found their "one" and is meeting regularly. People are posting testimonies and encouragements to The One Blog and one guy even decided to use his gifts to start a video blog called LifeWalkTV.com. People are experiencing personal revival. One of our ladies is so captivated, she has started a small Bible study for single moms.

The main purpose in this post is to encourage pastors to start their own discipleship experiment. What if you chose a small group of people to share your heart with? What would happen to your church if a small group of people decided to intentionally give their lives to another over the next 30 days? Would your group of 20 people turn into 40 people? Would that group turn into 80 people? Imagine if your group of 20 turned into over 5000 people who were intentionally discipled by the end of this year alone?

This is what is happening at LHC, where I am a pastor. If every person we discipled in March were to disciple another in April, and then those would disciple just one more person in May, and so on...by the end of the year "The One" would end up touching more than 25,000 people!

So, today I am throwing out "The One" Challenge to pastors everywhere. Will you, pastor, find 10 to 20 people and share "The One" concept with them? Please download the notes for "The One" here. If you want to know more about what I did in my church, please contact me here. I would be more than happy to talk with you about the experience and how I can help you.

Also, I would love to know if you have taken the challenge. Please click here to register your experiment so I can provide you with some encouragement. I would also like to start a list of pastor who have taken the challenge so I can post them to this blog for prayer and support.

*Download my thoughts on "The One" concept here.

Here is the online " Accept My Invitation" form example.

Take A Stand, Anonymously

It's funny to me how I can post something with spiritual content or encouragement and get 1 to 2 comments, and then post something stupid like "Marijuana Legalization Update" and get 12 comments. I like this one:

Anonymous Said:

Why comment and debate. Aren't you a pastor? Take a stand. I work in the ER, and and I can tell you that I will always have job security because of the idiots smoking a "little marijuana" and then...deciding to throw a little paint thinner in the bonfire...take a knife across one's face including the eye because of a little marijuana...raping the little kid in the bedroom because of...a little marijuana...Anything that would cloud your judgment is wrong and illegal i might add. It's time for pastors and Christians to take a stand and stop posting discussions to the matter.

Well, Anonymous, the answer to your first questions is — yes, I am a pastor. So, my question to you is — What does that have to do with anything? I think every pastor in America should be ready to answer the questions that will arise when marijuana is made legal, 'cause its coming next. The reason I bring it up is because it seems it's not being discussed in the circles I run in. What do we tell our students? What kind of stand will Christians take? Obviously, you don't even want it talked about. You ask, "Why comment and debate?" I ask, "Why not?"

This post is not an advocacy for the legalization of pot. Are you crazy? According to your reasoning, the church should not "post" discussions on alcohol, over-eating, illicit sex, driving too fast or getting over-emotional about a movie you just watched. All of these things effect your thinking and judgment.

Finally, I think you last statement is contradicting. It sound like this, "TAKE A STAND, AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT IT!" To this I say, "NO!" I think it is time for Christians to post it, discuss it and even shout it from the rooftops. I believe I am taking a stand. I want my culture to hear me as a pastor. I want my culture to deal with what I have to say on the matter. For too long, the church as either ignored cultural issues or have simply not had the guts (or brains) to take it on. I have something to add to the conversation and if that makes you uncomfortable, then I won't judge you. Just don't judge those of us who want to join the conversation.

If the "world" is the only one talking, how do you expect anything to change? BTW, thanks for the anonymous encouragement to TAKE A STAND!