BLeach

What Uganda Taught Me About Small Groups

It might seem a bit bold to claim that an entire region could be changed in two weeks.  But I believe that Karamoja will never be the same.  3,000 people responded to the gospel on the first day of the first church and an unstoppable fire ignited.  Last week, in the most remote region in all of Uganda, 6,000 people responded to the story of Jesus. 

That has to leave a mark:)

This week I can't stop thinking about the follow up.  Today we have 42 full time follow up workers walking the roads of Karamoja.  They've been working for one full week already.  They'll keep working for 25 more.  We've bought them each a bicycle, a megaphone, a Bible and the follow up materials they'll use to begin discipling the new believers.  In 6 months we should plant 10 - 15 brand new churches in the region.

The whole experience has reminded me about the cornerstone of our church's discipleship strategy.  After something gets big it has to get small.  After that first day for the first church things got smaller.  Think home Bible studies. 

Our role in Uganda was to touch large crowds.  Hundreds were healed.  Thousands were saved.  But now things are getting smaller.  Small groups meeting in small villages.  Instead of gathering thousands our workers are gathering dozens.

Life Groups aren't just one more thing we do in our church.  They are the heart of our strategy to make disciples who live like Jesus.  Discipleship can't happen in large crowds.  It requires small environments where we ask questions, hold each other accountable to the answers, and actually practice the way of love. 

My Uganda experience boosted my faith for the big things God wants to do through our church.  But it also strengthened my resolve to work for the small things that have to happen first.  The smaller we get, the bigger we can become. 

I've got my small group shovel in my hands. 

And I'm digging for depth:)

Weekend Reflections

I really enjoyed myself yesterday.  In the morning we kicked off passion week with a fresh glimpse at the cross.  I love celebrating communion with my spiritual family.  We also highlighted the new I Am Jonah Lifegroups and took a ten minute intermission during the services for people to meet the leaders and sign up for groups.  Cool to feel the momentum as we head into the new series.

Later in the day I spent some time dreaming about the future with my Movements church planting team.  Can't wait to see what comes out of this group. 

The highlight of the day happened right after our second service.  The Oaks (our first church plant) came over from the theater and baptized 6 people.  Sending isn't easy, but watching these 6 teenagers and adults share the stories of their unique journeys to Jesus was unbelievably rewarding.  Afterward I got to hug so many of our former members who have spent the past year planting the church.  So cool to see them enjoying some of the fruit of their hard work and ministry.  They've really made The Oaks their home and Royal Oak their mission field.

Today I feel so grateful to the mission-driven members of Church of the King.  Thanks for taking risks to connect our city to Christ.  You're making a difference.

Stirred

Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai without food or water.  I don't think he had much time to eat.  His heart was attached to God's heart by way of a divine USB cable.  God was downloading a breathtaking amount of vision (Exodus 19-35).

By the end of his fast, Moses had a detailed plan which included the construction of the Tabernacle.  What he lacked was the resources for constructing the dream.  For those he asked the Israelites to help.

Take from among you a contribution to the Lord (Exodus 35.5).

I love their response.

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting (Exodus 35.21).

Contributions for the tabernacle weren't forced.  There was no heavy handed appeal from anyone in leadership.  But people were moved to give; moved on the inside by the generous activity of the Holy Spirit.

I've been stirred again this week.  As a church we've been meeting missionaries and praying for the nations.  Last Sunday Greg Mundis opened our eyes to an unsettling discovery.  Out of 500 million people in Europe, no more than one percent claim any allegiance to Jesus.  I haven't been able to shake that one.

I feel stirred.

I feel moved.

I'm anxious to give.

Tomorrow we'll have the opportunity to respond to the Holy Spirit. 

• We'll be taking a one-time sending offering to strengthen our first daughter church, The Oaks.
• We'll be making our annual Faith Promise commitments for mission giving this year. 

I promise not to pressure you.  No one in leadership is going to tell you how much to give.  But perhaps you hear an inner voice, stretching you, moving you, stirring you.

What if we all just listened to Him?

Calling All Fathers

Our student ministry is currently in the midst of a leadership transition.  During the process I've felt really proud to see the way our adult leadership team has taken ownership of our vision to disciple students. 

One of my long-standing prayers has been for Jesus to call fathers in our church to speak into the lives of our young men who don't have a real dad fighting for them.  A few weeks ago Shaun told me he had some thoughts he wanted to share with our teenagers.  So Sunday night he taught them.  Actually, he fathered them.

He shared a story about one of his sons.  We've been praying for his boy for several months.  He suffers alot of pain and the doctors have been unsuccessful in diagnosing the problem.  A few weeks back he had a particularly painful night.  He had just been released from the hospital because the doctors didn't have anything more to do.  What Shaun described to our students was the pain a father feels when his son is hurting.  As his boy's pain increased throughout the night, Shaun just held him tighter and tighter. 

His hatred of the pain paled only in comparison to his love for his son.

After the story Shaun quoted Romans 5.20.  When sin increases so does grace.

So cool to see our students get it:)  Sin is the pain in the pit of our stomachs.  And God's passion to see us freed increases in propotion to the rising intensity of the sin.  As the pain from sin increases in us, so does God's hatred for it.  And as the pain from sin increases in us, so does God's desire to cover us with grace.

I hate that so many of our students live without the daily presence of a real father.

I love that men in our church are willing to step up and make sure they see the heart of Father God.

Paul was right.  We've got alot of teachers.

How about some more fathers?

Questions for Community Leaders

One of my ministry goals this year is to spend more time getting to know a variety of community leaders.  My purpose in spending time with them is to hear their story and learn about my mission field.  I've been developing a list of questions that I've been asking them. 

• How did you come to serve in this position?
• How has our community changed since you've been here?
• Do you know of some other communities that are similar to ours?
• What have churches done in the past to benefit our city?
• Do you have any negative impressions of what churches have done?
• What are your dreams for your business/school/etc.
• How could our church serve those?
• Do you have any personal needs I can pray for?

I've found that asking people about their dreams is a great way to find common ground.  After all, I happen to be a dreamer myself:)  It also sets people at ease.  Nothing does more to energize and relax someone than talking about the values that mean the most to them.

I'd love to add to the list.  Let me know if you have some suggestions.

Game Day

Today thousands of pastors will stand between heaven and earth and call Jesus' church to surrender to His mission.  Many to the east have already begun.  Hundreds to the west will follow.  May Jesus help us all to represent Him accurately.

Today dozens of church plants in our country will launch.  Visionary pioneers have spent months preparing for the next few hours.  May Jesus cause details to come together and dreams to be fulfilled.

Today millions of disciples will gather to worship.  Heaven will be hearing some sweet sounds.  Swahili.  Russian.  Spanish.  English.  May Jesus receive the fame He deserves.

Where will you serve today?  Where will you worship today?  Do you see the bigger picture? 

You belong to a movement. 

Super Sunday?

You better believe it:)

Nursery Prayer

On Monday afternoons we start our staff meetings with some team prayer.  This week Tal's youngest daughter Allison was hanging in the building.  She followed me into the sanctuary so I invited her to pray with us.  Since I tend to walk and pray Allison decided to do the same.  She was about 5 steps behind me:)  I finally switched it up so I could take this picture.

The experience prompted some childhood flashbacks.  My dad had a study in our basement that he used for his personal prayer time.  I remember cracking the door at the top of the stairs and just sitting there listening to him pray.  He'd pray for pastors.  He'd pray for his unchurched friends.  He'd pray for my mom and my sister.  And he'd always pray for me.  I don't think he knew I was there, but I learned alot about prayer just by listening to him. 

A few weeks ago Dan Webb asked me to help him with the craft in our nursery.  Actually, I was the craft.  Dan was teaching our kids how to pray for their pastor and thought it would be good for them to practice on me.  So I slipped away from the adults for a few minutes.  Unfortunately, my entrance into the nursery didn't call the kids to prayer.  For some reason the energy level of the kids in our church immediately increases when they see me; maybe because I'm usually chasing them, swinging them or flipping them.

After five minutes of helping Dan to try to convince the kids to pray for me I felt fresh appreciation for the job our nursery workers do every month!  Finally Khalil stepped up and volunteered to pray as long as I would lead.  It was my first experience leading someone in prayer for myself:)

Today my heroes are all of our kamikaze nursery volunteers!  Our kids are being shaped and you make a lasting impact every time you give them a little glimpse of Jesus.

Dream Away

I'll be staying in Traverse City for a few more days to pray and plan with Chris Bradshaw.  We sent Chris and Nicki last April to plant our first daughter church.  I'm really proud of their first 9 months at The Oaks.

I'm hoping to accomplish three things while we're here.

I want to lay out the details for our spring Life Group campaign.  The theme is missional living.  If all goes well I'll even start writing some of the material.

I've got two leadership decisions to pray through.  I've exhausted the rational route of decision making on both of them.  I really just need to share the mind of Jesus now:)

I want to dream with Chris.  We'll pray for each other.  We'll ask some strategic questions.  And we'll imagine Metro Detroit being invaded with the love and grace of Jesus.

Thanks for your prayers:)

No Laughing Matter

I was reading through Luke 8 this morning and verse 53 caught my eye.  The daughter of a synagogue ruler named Jairus was sick.  So Jairus came to Jesus for help.  But on their way to the house the little girl died. 

So Jesus made a prediction.  If Jairus believed the little girl would get well. 

People were already mourning when Jesus and Jairus arrived at the house.  Jesus told them to stop crying and alluded to the girl's recovery a second time.  That's verse 52.  Here's verse 53:

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.

Did you catch that?  Jairus came to Jesus for help, and then when Jesus told him his girl would get better, he laughed.  He didn't jump.  He didn't start writing a thank you note.  He laughed at Jesus.  I don't think it was an "I can't wait to see Jesus do this" kind of laugh.  He didn't laugh out of anticipation.  He laughed out of disbelief.

When God told Abraham that he was going to have a son, Abraham laughed.  He was 100 years old; past his prime:)  Sarah overheard the conversation, and she laughed too.  Sarah was 90 years old; past her prime.  Genesis 18.11 puts it tactfully.  The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 

How do you think God felt when they laughed?  He came to this ancient couple with some news he couldn't wait to share.  What did he get in return?  "Hah, that's a good one God!"

What about Jesus and Jairus?  Jairus' laughter was even more pronounced because it was heard against the backdrop of previous weeping.  Everyone in the house had been crying because of loss, and then in one moment they were laughing in disbelief.  I know God made a promise in the Old Testament to turn our weeping into laughing but something tells me this isn't what he had in mind.

Don't forget, the promise of these miracles was not funny because it was irrelevant.  Abraham needed a son.  Jairus needed his girl to be raised.  But faith typically takes a backseat to experience.  100 year old men don't have sons.  Dead girls don't sit up in bed.  And the suggestion that they will is just kind of...well...funny:)

I've tried to picture Jesus' facial expression when Jairus started laughing.  I don't think he scowled.  I don't even think he frowned.  My gut tells me he smiled.  Maybe he even laughed with them, thinking... 

If you thought that was funny, wait until you see this:)

My Manna Addiction

Hi, my name's Brad Leach and I'm a manna addict.

A little backstory...

Genesis 1 and 2 tell the story of creation.  For five days God got creative with oceans, stars and animals.  When he was done he called it all good.  On the sixth day he created Adam and called him very good.  On the seventh day he rested from his work.  That day, his rest day, he called holy.

Good.

Very good.

Holy.

Was God tired?  Did creation wear him out?  I don't think He rested because He needed to.  He rested because we need to.  And God has always led by example.

So after breaking the Hebrews out of Egypt he told them to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  God made it holy.  He set it apart.  It was up to them to keep it that way. 

Exodus 16 tells us about the Israelites introduction to manna; a mysterious bread that fell from heaven.  There was just one catch.  Whatever you didn't gather during the day was lost to the sun.  So they went out everyday to work to put food on the table.  And they would have gone out on the seventh day as well.  God knew it.  So he gave them a manna mandate.  On the sixth day they were to gather twice as much so that on the seventh day they could rest.

Well, I can't really point a finger at what they did because I probably would have been out there with them.  When day seven rolled around, they went back out looking for more manna.  Here's the funny thing.  There wasn't any.  God didn't send it that day.  He was serious about their rest.  So they went out to work but didn't get anything done. 

That sounds familiar.

Are you sitting down?  This may come as a shock.  Some days God isn't in our work.  Some days he wants us to rest.  Some days he wants us to take a break from putting food on the table to remember that He is the One who puts food on the table.

I think most church planters are manna addicts.  I never took a day off in the early days of our church.  I convinced myself that the church would die without my constant attention.  It's really quite funny now that I think about it.  I took myself way too seriously.

Friday is my day off; my Sabbath.  So Friday is the day I typically feel my manna addiction the most.  I wake up and start twitching:)  I feel compelled to turn on Outlook.  I feel compelled to call into my voicemail.  I feel compelled to work on a message.  And I realize every Friday that I am one sick dude:)

To learn to trust is to learn to rest.