Here’s an exercise your staff/team/family would really enjoy.  I tried it out in our all-staff meeting recently and it was a big hit.

Have people in the room spontaneously complete this sentence:
“I’m really proud of  ____ for _____.”

In the first blank, you should insert a name.  Preferably not your own.
In the second blank, you should insert an accomplishment.  The more recent and specific, the better.

Proverbs 27:2 says that you should let the lips of another man praise you, and not your own.  The second part of that verse is relatively intuitive-nobody likes a braggart.  But as a leader, make sure you’re creating plenty of airtime for people to praise each other, ultimately giving the glory to Jesus.

You’ll be surprised how the whole room will light up, and some of the contributions that will surface that you didn’t even know about.

A few weeks ago we held our one-time-only Leadership Event, THR3E.
It was so successful and the response was so overwhelming we’re gonna do it again.  Kinda.

This Fall, we’ve decided to host another one-day only exclusive leadership event in Charlotte based on the same concept as THR3E:
No music, no programming, no frills, no breakouts.  Just me and our staff pouring out everything we’ve learned to a select group of leaders.

We’re calling it Impart.  It happens on October 27th.  It’s pretty expensive.  Registration is very limited.  If you came to THR3E, you can’t come back to Impart.  And here’s the reason:

This event is about so much more than information.  You’ve got enough of that already.  It even goes beyond inspiration…hence the stripped down format.  This event is all about impartation.  We hold nothing back.  Everything we’ve learned on the ride from 0 to 5000 in the last 3 years-packed into one day-in an intimate environment.  One shot.  Everything we’ve got.  Only for the people who are hungry and serious.  This format allows us to accomplish that vision.

If that kind of talk gets your heart racing, go here to register.  Early bird registration ends July 31st, or when the spaces fill up…whatever comes first.  THR3E sold out early.  So don’t dilly dally.

Bonus: We Plan to hold the event at our brand new (and first ever) permanent campus. So you can see first hand what we did with a couple million dollars and a warehouse.

I have no idea how many more of these events we’ll do.  I know God wants us to do at least one more…from there, we’ll see.  Hope you can make it.
I’ve got 5 solid hours of my very best teaching waiting for you when you get here.  And it would be my honor to pour into you.

Anxiety is sin.  My anxiety infers that:

-God is incompetent.
If I’m anxious, it suggests that there’s an issue in my life that God is potentially incapable of resolving.  If His arm is not short and His ear is not deaf , why am I kicking and screaming trying to save myself?

-God is forgetful.
Do I suspect that my need has slipped God’s mind?  Does the Lord need me to send Him a reminder in the form of my panic and stress…just to make sure He doesn’t miss the appointment?

-God is indifferent.
1 Peter 5:7 teaches that I can cast all my anxiety on Him-because-and only because-He cares for me.
By refusing to cast my cares on Him, I expose my deep down belief that He really doesn’t care-about me…about my particular burden.  Anxiety puts the pressure on me to perform as my own personal Savior, thereby undermining the intentions of God on my behalf.

Anybody other than me need to repent?

Be anxious for nothing.
Anxiety is unbiblical.  It’s counterproductive.  And it’s a direct insult to the proven character of a powerful, faithful, loving God.

My sincerest apologies to all of you who have been waiting to access my One Prayer message.  We’re late to the party, but I was just informed that my message is now available on the One Prayer site.

The message is entitled God is Great, God is Good. I think this sermon will really serve you well if you’re looking to infuse your church with a good dose of faith, hope and vision.

Again, we apologize for the delay.  I pray the message blesses you and moves you forward.

Here’s the link once again.