Running to Last

Clarity of Purpose

  One of my assignments for a seminary class was to process and develop my biblical purpose, personal core values, and vision statement.  This has been a surprisingly insightful process.  God is continuing to challenge me in personal inward refinement so that I can be more effective in my outward interactions.

 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:10

  The word used for workmanship is poiema.  I love this image.  Poiema is where we get the word for poetry.  God is beautifully fashioning a work of art in the poetry of my life.  Each line is crafted by the author.  As I have reflected on my biblical purpose, core values, and vision statement I have been able discern God’s unique promptings for my life.

  Here is what God has revealed to me so far.  Side note:  my list of core values are not what someday I hope to attain, it is actually the things that shape, inform, and motivate my thoughts and actions.

 Purpose

My purpose is to reflect the glory of God, radically amplify Jesus, and humbly submit to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

 Values

• God - all affections are captured by his Glory
• Marriage - daily express the gratefulness of God’s grace in serving and loving my wife
• Family - developing my children to cherish Jesus and live out a biblical world view
• Humility - the joy of God using me when I know he doesn’t need to
• Serving - ability to treat others better than you would treat yourself.  Truly loving your neighbor.
• Maturity - confidence that comes with learning from life.  Ability to wrestle with deep realities.
• Strength - capacity to handle what life throws your way.  Reliance on God.
• Perseverance - unwillingness to give up.  Strong conviction.  
• Greater yes - an ability to live for something much bigger than yourself.
• Observation - ability to notice people and circumstances.
• Beauty of the Bride of Christ - embracing the reality of the significance of the church. Dedicating time and energy.
• Communication - say what you mean and mean what you say. (Integrity)

Vision

I was designed to impact the next generation by capturing the heart of men for the glory of God.  Teaching them to lead their families, peers, and community with love by effectively using their giftedness.  I dedicate myself to be a catalyst for others in loving my wife, nurturing and discipling my children, and serving the body of Christ.  My commitment is to participate in city and global transformation by practically engaging culture with the relevance, grace, and sacrifice of Jesus.

  It is a joy and thrill to understand that God is continuing to write my story.  There are definitely parts of my future that I wish I knew.  The future does, at times, stir an unrest in my soul.  I am learning to not depend on the future but remain confident in the character of God and the certainty of his word.  I’ll trust the Poet with the end.  After all, it’s His poem.

Allowing Age to Usher Wisdom

My job comes with several assumptions.  Time does not allow to mention all of them, but I will mention a few.  

• Most people believe that because I talk about God for a living, I fully understand the things of God.  
• Usually there is no consideration of the current weight of information I am processing before someone else unloads what would be the equivalent of a tractor trailer full of concrete.  
• Those who observe my silence often interpret it as displeasure toward them or an unwillingness to engage in conversation.  

For the record, none of these assumptions are true.

I have been in the role as founding pastor and leading communicator of Second Mile for five years.  It has been an unbelievable journey and proof that God is full of grace!  While reflecting on the past five years I have uncovered a simple truth of wisdom.  If allowed, age will usher wisdom.  I know, it’s amazing, I have just blown your mind with incredible information.  In all sincerity, this simple truth has caused a healthy unrest in my spirit.  The reason for this unrest is because six years ago I had the same assumptions about others who were my spiritual mentors.  My reflection has caused me to see my epic failure as a friend, follower, and an encourager.  The following passages helped me to see my error.  

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,” ~ Romans 15:5

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” ~ Hebrews 13:17

I too was an observer and a critic of the pastors before me.  In fact they were my friends.  My youthfulness, inexperience, and zealousness for immediate change constantly had me asking the questions  “Don’t they know what Jesus says about this topic, why are they so slow to act, or why aren’t you opening up to me, don’t you value our relationship?”  All questions fueled by my assumptions. 

You see, the role of pastor can’t be fully understood unless someone has spent the time embracing and experiencing that role.  Romans tells us to be people of encouragement because God is the source of encouragement. Hebrews urges us to not make our leaders groan.  In our observation and interaction with others our first response should be to encourage, lighten their load, and be a giver of joy, not to critique, increase their burden, and cause doubt.  The former causes harmony, the later groaning.  I know now, I brought more groans than joy!

There is value in age if it is accompanied by the posture of humility and not the sentiment of “I’m now the expert.”  My prayer is that I have aged toward wisdom and humility.  The truth about my job…

• God is far more complex then my brain could ever fathom leading me to tenaciously study scripture.
• I deeply love people and long for them to find freedom which involves disciplining myself to listen and letting Jesus carry the burden. 
• In a world of chaos, messy people, and overwhelming pain, the silence that comes across in my face or lack of speech is my heart communing with my brain that God is good.

For the record, I am eternally grateful for the work of Jesus and his willingness to forgive my failures.

What Would You Have Us Do?

This seems like a fairly simplistic question, yet within its few words there are limitless, and extremely complicated possibilities.  From the beginning of Second Mile we have purposefully avoided the “best of church planting practices.”  This is not to say that some of these practices aren’t excellent and worthy of implementation, it is more of a reflection of our desire to be simplistic in our approach.  Prior to moving to Tucson we were given very wise advice from a respected mentor.  These were his words, “you are going to get all kinds of advice in how to successfully plant a church, but these are the two things you need to remember above all others.  First, learn about and love the people of your city with the heart and mind of Jesus.  Second, continually ask God, what would you have us do?”  Wow, such simplicity, but the reality of putting this advice into action has been at times more than we could stomach.

When I ponder and pray about the future of Second Mile, a big area of interest is facilities.  God, what would you have us do?  He has been incredibly faithful.  We have had the privilege of other churches serving us by letting us use their facilities.  Over the past 5 months we have been in discussion with property owners of a church facility very close to the university.  We were hopeful that this could possibly be the answer, however God has recently revealed to us he has other plans.  We still don’t know those plans and so we continue to pray.

• God would you provide a free facility for Second Mile?
• What would it look like to partner with a school?
• Will you continue to build within the ethos of Second Mile faithful and sacrificial giving?

As exiles we will continue to engage the city of Tucson with the gospel.  It is the truth and hope of Jesus that will transform lives, not facilities.  Thank you Jesus for your grace, peace, comfort, and promise.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’”

~Jeremiah 29:11-12

Trust

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  ⁶In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ~Psalm 3:5-6

As a dad one of my favorite things to do with my kids, when they were babies, was to throw them up in the air and catch them.  This was not an endeavor for the faint of heart.  I’m not talking about a simple toss, I mean really allowing them to catch some air.  In fact, part of the fun was freaking out Angel with how high I could toss them.  It was so much fun to watch their faces, their expressions were definitely a mix of laughter and terror.  Why do we as dad’s have so much fun engaging in this type of activity?  To be honest I’m not really sure, but I think it has something to do with trust.  

At the core of who we are we want our kids to trust us.  We want them to know that no matter the circumstances we will always be there to catch them.  As they get older the activity of tossing them in the air changes to letting them sleep over at a friends house, going to the mall and a movie with a group of friends, spending an evening alone while mom and dad go on a date, and then progressively moves to handing them the keys to the car.  Our kids continue to have a mixture of emotions, times of joyous laughter and apprehensive terror.  It is our responsibility as parents to mature with our kids.  The tools needed to comfort a scrapped knee are very different than those needed to be a listening ear for a broken heart or a shattered dream.  The point is still trust.  Am I developing the relationship with my kids in such a way that they will never stop trusting me?

Now let’s reverse the role, what is our posture when we need to be the ones who trust?  Do we have a confidence that God will never leave or forsake us?  Are we able to suspend our own rational thinking to the thoughts and plans of God?

“which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

~Matthew 7:9-11

God is the mature parent.  He is absolutely trustworthy!  There are times that we find ourselves flying through the air.  We have deep emotions during the experience of flight.  Some move us to laughter, others move us to fear and trembling, but God will always be there to catch us.  Do we spend the time necessary to get to know our loving Heavenly Father?

Simple surrender is a beautiful thing.  If we will surrender our own understanding and trust in God, our direction will be filled with hope, purpose, and God honoring worship.  God is a dad who longs to develop trust.

Tucson ranks high on ‘crazy cities’ list

At one point or another everyone in Tucson has muttered, yelled or even just thought this city is crazy.

Now there’s proof. Well, sort of.

Online news collaboration site The Daily Beast has ranked Tucson as the No. 8 on its list of America’s 57 craziest cities.

The list uses four criteria - number of psychiatrists per capita, a city’s stress level, its eccentricity and its issues with drinking - to determine the ranking.

Tucson is considered the fourth-worst when it comes to drinking, which can’t in any way attributed to the tens of thousands of law-abiding students at the University of Arizona.

We’re the 17th-most stressful city on the list, and our head-shrinker rate is 21st.

One thing Tucson isn’t according to the list: very eccentric. The Old Pueblo is only 35th in that category.

Ranking ahead of Tucson on the overall list (from first to seventh) is Cincinnati, San Francisco, Providence, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and New York City.

By Brian J. Pedersen Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010 1:19 pm