Learning...

These last couple of weeks have been pretty incredible. It has been a learning experience for sure, sometimes really frustrating sometimes elating.
I love it and hate it all at the same time, and the reason for it both is that I am not in control. I love being in charge, love controlling my own destiny - or at least thinking that I am...
Following Jesus to Austin has been one step of faith after another, and the journey has been intense. I have always worked in established environments, other than starting my own window-washing business several years ago. Things were nicely mapped out for me, the infrastructure was in place and I could control my fate by how hard I worked, how much I studied, how well I organized, or how inspiring and persuasive I talked to people. Well, not any more (to be fair - this has never been true, and God must receive all the glory for anything we did, but I certainly like to believe it is my effort, hard work, cleverness, etc. Oh, the sin of the human heart...).
We are here in Austin to start a church, but Jesus said 'I will build MY church'. We are here to reach people with the life-changing reality of Jesus' love and grace, but we cannot reach anyone, only God can and does draw sinners to Himself in love, saving them from their moral bankruptcy and giving them new and abundant life. Sure we can and should work hard, put ourselves out there, connect with people, love them, serve them in Jesus' name and for His sake, but God has got to do the life-transforming work.
It is true that anyone can make himself a Buddhist, make himself a Hindu, or a Muslim, but nobody can make himself a Christian. Conversion is passive, one is converted (passive) by the grace and power of God.

Thanksgiving

After getting everything packed up, Andrea and the kids and I get a chance to spend some time in a vacation house in Big Bear Lake, CA. I cannot believe how good God is in providing us with this beautiful log cabin in the mountains. Theresa - thank you so much for blessing us with this time. A couple of days of family time and rest and relaxation over the Thanksgiving Holiday is just what the doctor ordered. I am really looking forward to some time playing with the kids, going on walks, playing games, doing puzzles, and just hanging out after being away from the kids since October.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

All Packed

Alright, we spent the last several days in our house in CA packing everything onto a moving truck. Washing windows, cleaning bathrooms, packing the final miscellaneous knick-knacks, getting the yard and the pool ready for our renters, etc. In the middle of packing our car broke down - hey and why not... But I got it fixed, glad it happened when I still had access to my tools and a couple of friends to give me a ride to the AutoZone.
The whole process has been exhausting and just a little frustrating, as the estimator way under-estimated our load, which cost our truck-driver and his crew some trouble and a good bit of frustration and us a bit more money. Moving is never fun!
However now everything we own is on its way to Austin. I am pretty stoked to have Andrea and the kids on their way!

Faith for the impossible

Why do we so often think we know better than God? I thought the only way we were going to get to Austin was to sell our house. I saw no other way. I was blinded by my circumstances. Unfortunately, many times we try and figure out our "perfect" future and then pray for God to act in that direction.

In the book of John, after Lazarus died, Martha came to Jesus and wanted to know why He hadn't been there when he died? She was mad because she knew that if he had been there he would have saved Lazarus. She had faith for that. We know she had told Jesus she believed he was the Savior of the world! Yet, later in the story, Jesus is moved to tears and goes to see Lazarus at the tomb. Martha follows close behind and when they arrive she warns him, "don't open that tomb, he's gonna stink!!" Are you kidding me? The messiah, whom she believes and adores, is at the tomb of her brother and this is her response? Her eyes have strayed to the physical elements surrounding her. She is stuck . Her "perfect" future didn't happen. She wanted Jesus to save Lazarus before death. She could not conceive in that moment that Jesus would do something far beyond her idea of "perfect". She was so focused on the fact that Jesus had not met her on her terms that she almost ruins the moment! In the end Jesus did something far more amazing and God-glorifying than only saving Lazarus from possible death. He rescued him from death itself...Oh for faith to see the impossible happen in Austin! People to be rescued from death itself. Andrea

24

Wow! In terms of sheer adrenaline the last 24 hours of my life have somewhat seemed like an episode of 24.
The last 24 hours were an absolute crazy ride of excitement and witnessing God's goodness and providence in amazing ways.
It all started with a phone call from dear friends of ours telling us that they decided to give us a large sum of money. The timing of this gift is unbelievable and lets just say anytime you see a comma on a check it is good news indeed! The crazy thing is that we are dreaming to start a church in the city not in the suburbs and that rent downtown is significantly higher there than in the outskirts. This gift enables us to actually pursue renting in the city. You know who you are - thank you so much, you guys are so dear to Andrea and I!
The second event was that we heard back about a house we were trying to rent (it is right in the city and they are allowing us to rent it for a short period of time/3 months for now maybe longer), which will allow me to get Andrea and the kids out here to Austin. I am so excited about having my family here!
Thirdly, Robby and Crystal arrived safely in Austin and we got all their stuff stored and them moved into an apartment (free!). It is so good to see familiar faces. Not only that, it helps so much to no longer go at it alone! Thank you Robby and Crystal for what you sacrifice, I love you guys.
Finally, we just heard back from the elders at Hill Country Bible Church and our team has been given the area in downtown Austin to start our brand new church! Our map-point will be Lamar & 45th right in Central Austin. I am absolutely thrilled!

Perspective

I've been thinking a lot about perspective. How do I view my world and my circumstances? There is a sense in which I can be so easily stuck in the moment, stuck with fears and frustrations of the present. Part of learning how to love the city of Austin and its people has been spending time with Tim Hawks, senior pastor of Hill Country Bible Church in Austin. Tim has been here for the past 19 years and knows and loves Austin like few people I know. He has been challenging us to view life in light of eternity.
Life on earth is as good as it is ever going to get if you do not know Jesus Christ as your savior. This is as close to heaven as you are ever going to get. Likewise, if you are a Christ-follower life on earth is as bad as it is ever going to get, as near to hell as you will ever experience.
So where I am at right now I am trying to live my life like that is true, pursuing an eternal perspective that takes the claims of Jesus Christ serious. He claims that there is a future judgment and juxtaposed a future of incredible joy.
Jesus promises persecution for those who follow him, he demands sacrifice on a scale that is mind-boggling, and he requires dedication that is absolute in order to follow him (If you are wondering what I am talking about look up these verses of scripture - Luke 9:23-24, Luke 9:62, Luke 14:26). However, he also promises reward that is unprecedented, reconcilliation with God and a perfect life in heaven with ever increasing joy for all eternity (a concept I can't even fully grasp).
Coming to Austin has been quite a journey, and Andrea and I have had to consistently lay down our desires in order to follow what God called us to - Jesus is worthy of us living our lives for Him!
In my journey of learning to have an eternal perspective the concept of trusting God and of faith in God's love and goodness has been a constant. I am learning to trust God more and more, and surprisingly, despite some of our circumstances, we are calm and at peace. A passage that has been occupying my mind is this:
'Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.' [Hebrews 10:35-39]

You've gotta be kidding me!!!

To say that I'm blown away by God's grace in this moment doesn't even begin to express what Crystal and I are feeling. We're getting ready to leave for Austin in our moving truck tomorrow morning and we've already lived through so many miracles in this new adventure that God is leading us on. I've got to tell you about the newest one! As a lot of you know, Central surprised us last weekend by collecting a loose change offering for us at the end of each of the services. We're still reeling from the generosity that so many of you extended to us. Take a stab at it... how much do you think was given? We seriously could not believe it when Gerry called today to tell us that over $5,200.00 was collected. What!?!? I don't know what to say! This is such an incredible blessing to us! As we move to Austin to look for jobs, there is a lot of uncertainty for us, but there isn't a doubt in our minds that God will provide for us as we follow Him. -Robby

Spent for Jesus

"When the heart sees what God wants, the body must be willing to spend and be spent for that cause alone."

These words from Oswald Chambors have so challenged my thoughts and behavior leading up to this new phase of ministry in Austin. When my heart saw what God was planning for our next phase of life, I realized I must spend my life on Jesus' vision for Austin. Not in a false humility, or wanting to be congratualted for such a "sacrifice" of giving up all things dear to move across the country. But because He is worthy, I must give everything I have to the cause Jesus has put before me. It is easy in theory, hard in the day to day grind. I have been stretched beyond what I thought I was capable of and endured thus far by God's grace alone. May we all be willing to be spent for Jesus in the mundane everyday moments and in the major callings that shake our worlds upside down. Andrea

Leadership Community Mtg.

This Sunday we had our annual Leadership meeting at HCBC. Every year these meetings are incredible opportunities to connect with the leadership family at Hill Country Bible Church and allow the vision God has given us to sink in even deeper. The church planters are interviewed by John Herrington, the church plant director, at 14:00. Myself and the 4 other church planters are interviewed.
Listen to the audio
(Leadership Community Audio)

Or watch the meeting in Windows media player
(Leadership Community Audio)

or I-Tunes
(Leadership Community Video)

Party

Hey everybody, just a quick invitation in case you haven't heard. Tonight (Friday, Nov. 9) at my house (43950 Bobby Jones Dr. #19 Lancaster, Ca) we're having a giant goodbye party. You are invited. It is going to be super fun. You need to come. It starts at 6ish and goes all night. See you there... Robby

COUNTER - INTUITIVE (Part2)

I really resonate with the idea that faith sometimes needs to just be faith. It is not about what will come out of it in the end. It's not about how it might turn out in my favor in the end. It is about trusting God and loving him enough to say - He is worthy! I will go and obey, and I will do everything possible to bring honor and renown to Jesus Christ. Whatever brings God the greatest amount of glory may not be the most comfortable for me. And it is hard to remind myself regularly that it is not about me, but about God.
As we look throughout history, we see men and women who loved God and were concerned about his glory, not just by giving lipservice to him but enough to suffer being eaten by lions and lit up as live torches for Caesar's garden parties to confess their love and allegiance to him.
Faith is about trusting in God's sovereignty. I trust him. I believe that my purpose is to bring glory to God. It is to leverage evey fiber of my being for the purposes and the glory of God - that's it, nothing more, nothing in it for me...

COUNTER - INTUITIVE (Part1)

I just received an e-mail that greatly encouraged me. A dear friend and mentor, Rowland Forman, is the author of The Leadership Baton, and a founding partner of the Center for Church Based Training. He is one of those guys that just oozes wisdom and grace. For several years now Rowland and his wife Elaine have been coming to California to serve as a consultant at Central Christian Church where he has been spending significant time investing into my life and serving as a sounding board and mentor. "My guys" (the 4 pastors I have had the privilege to mentor over the past couple of years) and I have lovingly nicknamed him 'The Oracle' because of his wise and seemingly never-failing wisdom and advice.
Anyways, Rowland send me an email about faith. Let me quote him directly:

"I’ve been living in Hebrews 11 in the last three weeks and have been blessed by all the examples of authentic faith. It’s as if God has been branding my brain with the words, by faith. Yesterday I was meditating on verse 13: all these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
Everything in me wants by faith to result in great outcomes. What I am learning is that God is just looking for faith—period! It’s not even faith that things will turn out the amazing way I want them to be (though humanly that’s what I want for the launch of Living Stones Church-Based School of Leadership). It’s faith that according to verse 11 is locked into the promises of the faithful One. I don’t know if I’m making sense, but to me this is profound and countercultural. Let’s keep placing our faith in the Faithful One! Our eyes need to be on our ever faithful God. The outcomes are his. The thing he most desires is quiet confidence in him, no matter what."
Also check out a blog Rowland recommended: Counter Intuitive Faith.

Plans Formed of Old

How often in our zealous approach to serving God do we remember that all of the "plans" we make will be molded, and sometimes altered, by the very hands of God to fit His plans? I have been studying the book of Isiah and came across a passage that gave me such comfort, "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, FOR YOU HAVE DONE WONDERFUL THINGS, PLANS FORMED OF OLD, FAITHFUL AND SURE" (Isiah 25:1). We can rest in this move to Austin knowing that God has "formed plans of old" in Austin, for Austin, with Matthias and I playing a part in it. He is calling people in the city to himself. (They are just not aware of it yet!) We can be sure that if we remain faithful to His call on our lives, we get to be a part of these "plans formed of old". I am not "faithful and sure" but God is. How awesome to rest in His faith, not my own. We covet all your prayers! Andrea

Of houses and homes

So, it looks as though we finally have come to a solution in regards to our house in California. Our good friends Joe and Krista Kelly are going to rent it for some time. They have had their house on the market for a little while and they have just gone into escrow.
This is a huge answer to my prayers because I am growing pretty tired of being without my family.
We are looking at Rentals in Austin now. If everything goes smoothly I will have Andrea and the kids with me in Austin right after Thanksgiving.

Humility & Compassion

I just had an interesting conversation with a guy named Trivett who is the drummer of a band called The Sword. They are a heavy metal touring band and their website is swordofdoom.com
I was doing some informal surveys downtown Austin to get an idea about what some of the primary issues in the city are. The day as a whole was an interesting experience - I think as Christians in general we often don't listen enough and are stuck answering questions nobody is asking.
Trivett made a crucial point - it's about Humility and Compassion. Wow! That is pretty much what Jesus was all about! He - God - stepped into human history and humbly served and loved and sacrificially laid down His life to save us from our sins and make us alive again. His life was characterized by compassion. Loving those who were despised by society, tax-collectors, prostitutes, etc.
How can we become more like Jesus Christ? Following His example and very practically and authentically live out humility and compassion is going to be a must to be a relevant representation of Christ!

John Piper is BAD...

A recent YouTube video is mixing Piper's preaching with Michael Jackson's BAD. You can check it out on this blog page. I like it because it brings home a deep theological truth. We aren't just in the habit of doing bad stuff we actually are bad to our very core.
We aren't just bad and need to become better; we are dead in our sin and need to be made alive with Christ!
Enjoy the video...