¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem^[f] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.¹³ As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.                                                                                                     II Cor. 9:11-13

Tuesday we took our Youth Group to Cedar Point.  As usual, it was an awesome time! As I’ve mentioned several times every time I go somewhere with large throngs of people, I love to people watch and dream.  I saw thousands of people enjoying Cedar Point and I got to thinking… They all came to have an “experience of a lifetime” riding all the thrilling rides Cedar Point offers. They had no problem paying hundreds of dollars for their families to come to the park to enjoy the  rides that last less than 1 minute. I started looking into the cost of these Minute and a half joy rides:

The Cost of Building the Millennium Force – $25 Million

The Cost of Building the Top Thrill Dragster – $25 Million

The Cost of Building The Maverick – $21 Million

It’s estimated that Cedar Point has spend for $120 million building rides since 2000. Yet, I’ve never heard anyone complain about Cedar Point spending too much money to build rides. I never hear anyony tell Cedar Point that all that money could be given to the poor.

But, as soon as the church starts spending millions to build a new building, start a new program, and do stuff for people, people go crazy. “The church just wants my money” “The pastor just wants my money” “They could be giving all that money to the poor”. Here is just a few thoughts I have about money, giving, and the church: -

• The Result of Us Giving and the Church having Money is Changed Lives – I’ve never heard of anyone whose life was changed forever cause they went to an amusement park. Can you put a price on someones life turning around forever? A restored marriage? Getting purpose? Developing a relationship with God? Without money Cedar Point could not provide the experience they do, without money, the church can not provide the change that they need to.
  

• You Choose Where You go to Church – The reason most people complain about giving and how churches use their money is because they have been in a church that has not managed their money well. You choose where you go to church, I wouldn’t settle for anything less than going to a church that uses their money wisely to reach people. How do you know if they do or not? Look to see if lives are being changed on a continual basis.

• Receiving is Overestimated, Giving is Underestimated - I promise you’ll get no greater joy in your life than when you give of your time, talent, and money. I’ve never met anyone who tithes and gives offerings consistently that has ever complained about it.
  

• There is so Much Money in the World – I think it’s easy to think that there is a shortage of money in the world, but that is not true at all. In fact, there is a ton of money in the world. Watch Cribs, go to Beveryly Hills, go to Qatar… you’ll see there is no lack of wealth in the world.

• A “Whatever it Cost” Mentality - Cedar Point never thinks about what its going to cost to build a top-quality ride. Why? Because people will love it and it will get paid for because of that. We need to adopt the same mentality… We should never think about what it costs to reach people. As people get their lives changed, they’ll start to give in order for others to have their lives changed. We need to reach people no matter what it costs.

• Everybody Wants Your Money - Cedar Point wants your money, Nike, Giant Eagle, Banana Republic, etc. above the church wanting your money, God wants your money. It’s all over scripture and the church is the God’s tool to use to reach the world. The purpose of God and the church having your money is to change peoples lives. So, if peoples lives are getting changed, I’ll never scoff at the price.

The Bible says where your money is, your heart is.If you were to look at your checkbook and see where you’ve been spending your money, my question to you is, are peoples lives getting changed as a result of where you give your money? If not, you’re missing out on one of the greatest joys you can experience. Being involved in changing a life…

Long post… have a lot of this on my heart and so much more… but I’ll save it for later..Thoughts?

¹⁵He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:15, 16

Are We Reaching the World?

Notice the question wasn’t – are we reaching more Christians? I’m not even talking about the church at this point – that’s a whole other story. I’m talking about you and me…are we reaching people for God?  I got challenged like crazy at Catalyst in this area. Questions like this were asked of me:

• When people have a need, do they think of you as a means to helping them?
• Are you allowing people to belong (be a friend) before they have to believe?
• Do you like people who are only like you?
• Does everybody feel welcome around you?

After interning, serving, and working for a church for 6+ years, it is easy to get detached from the world. Since getting a job outside the church recently, I’ve realized there are a ton of people who don’t know God and are searching desperately for Him, and I’ve done a pretty good job at reaching Christians, but a pretty bad job at reaching the world.This has to change…

Here are some thoughts from Catalyst to make you think more about this subject…

• The church doesn’t exist for us, the church (we) exist for the world. -Erwin McManus

• Are we befriending people that are different than us? When is the last time you had a non-christian over your house for dinner? Hung out with them outside of church?

• You’ll never reach people until you draw people to you and earn the right to show them God in their life.

• Jesus first words: Come Follow me – Jesus Last Words: Go Make Disciples – we need to stop being so focused on ourselves and our spiritual growth and more focused on making disciples.
  

• We’re called to be traffic directors in Hell!- pointing everyone to Heaven
  

• You’re a miracle to somebody when you give them Jesus – Do you remember who led you to God?
  

• Small acts may not change the world, but they can tilt it to go in the right direction – There are millions of people everywhere that need encouraged, need to hear I see you, I believe in you, you matter!

How have you been doing with what Jesus told us to do? Going into the world (not the church) and making disciples…

What an incredible day… I’m literally blown away and I stand in awe of what God is doing in the world through the body of Christ. I literally can’t put into words what God is stirring up in my heart…

Here are my highlights from the talks:

Session 1: Andy Stanley

• Uncertain times are the arena where great leaders are born
• You don’t learn anything in good times or in times of certainty
• It’s ok to be uncertain, it’s not ok to be unclear
• To be clear in uncertain times, go back to the vision that God put in your heart
• The clearer you are on what God’s called you to do, the less uncertainty will matter
• Would you do what God is calling you to do even if nobody came with you?
• We need to be more concerned about the people we haven’t met, then the ones we have
• Leadership isn’t about making decisions alone, it’s about owning the decisions once they’re made

Session 2: Guy Kawasaki

• You’ll never appeal to everyone, when you try to, you create mediocrity
• Making people happy or unhappy is a lot better than making them indifferent
• If people won’t get your message in 15 minutes, they probably never will
• Ignore the bozos…

Session 3: Catherine Rohr

***Catherine runs an amazing ministry…. you need to check it out!

• Are you known for the worst thing you’ve ever done? Neither should other people… (Grace)
• A lot of times we need to look at people as human beings instead of animals
• We need to do life with people and help them achieve their “proudest moments” in life

Session 4: Jud Wilhite

• Until you settle the identity issue – you’ll never be or have enough
• There is no “There” so learn to enjoy the journey
• Surrender your view of you for God’s view of you
• We should talk to ourselves more than listen to ourselves
• When you believe something other than what God says about you, you’re calling God a liar

Session 5: Ravi Zacharias

*I need to listen to this talk again… Ravi is amazing and he said so many amazing things…

• What you applaud you encourage, be careful what you celebrate
• People can’t argue love

Session 6: Brian Houston

• Be a church planter and builder, not a church critique
• WE are the Church… the Church is so much bigger than one person
• If we don’t believe in what the church is supposed to be, how will the world?
• When you’re a part of the house of God -> you ALWAYS Flourish!

Session 7: Nick Vuljicic

• “It’d be dishonoring to God to live my life and not believe that I could change the world
• God uses people based on availability, not ability
• FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real
• 2 Questions Jesus will ask us: 1.) Do you know me? 2.) Who did you bring?
• FAITH = Full Assurance In The Heart
• You’re a miracle to someone when you give them Jesus
• Satan wants to take your joy from you… period
• Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there
• Trust is a daily choice

Overall a great day… really looking forward to tomorrow…