smithbydesign

starting a church 101-excerpt from lifechurch.tv pastor at the hillsong conference talking about the it factor.

Life Church started in 2 car garage with 40 people. We didn’t own anything. We didn’t own a mic, lights, or even seats. There was just a passion to meet and experience God. We had a genuine thirst to please God and the mentality that nothing couldn’t be done.

-What is “IT?” Obviously the Holy Spirit plays a role, but what about those churches who love God and just don’t have it? What about those pastors giving their lives to the same call but not experiencing “IT”.

-What we know about the “IT” factor: God makes it happen, it’s from him, by him and for him. We can’t create it, reproduce it or manufacture it. We do know that one person can bring it to a ministry and the wrong person can kill it. (Isn’t that true)

-It’s not a program or a system to copy. It can’t be taught but only caught. When your staff is full of “IT”, the upside is: marriages are healed, people are set free, and eternity’s are altered. The downside can be: it attracts critics, people don’t always understand it so judge it. Also, just because you have it doesn’t mean you will keep it and just because you don’t have it doesn’t mean you can’t get it.

What church had the “IT” factor? The New Testament church. Anything the leaders needed, people sold everything so the leaders could distribute it as they saw fit. They wanted the love, faith and courage that they had and they wanted whatever “IT” was. In Acts, the leaders had everything in common and God added to them daily. People wanted to be apart of “IT” even though they didn’t really understand it all. It was a community so loving and so generous that they wanted to be apart of that type of culture.

Four Points of those who have “IT”:

1. Churches and leaders who have “IT” have a laser focus. They know what it is they are called to do and know what God is not calling them to do. As leaders, we need to reach people that no one else is willing to reach, which means we have do things no one else is willing to do.

Question: So what are you doing that you need to STOP doing?

2. People who have the “IT” factor see opportunity’s where others see obstacles and go after them. Ministry’s that don’t have it see every reason why it can’t be done. Ministry’s who have it they don’t know what can’t be done. They will find a way. Ministry’s who don’t have it always have an excuse why they don’t have enough. Either people, resources, money, etc. People who have “IT” realize they have everything they need to do what God wants them to do. God’s already given us every resource to reach the people in your location. Sometimes what you call a limitation in reality is the greatest renovation you’ll ever see.

Great analogy. How many can come up with $100,000 in a week? Most people would say that’s not possible for most people. Well then, how many of you, if you had a child, and they needed a shot to heal them or they would die, and that shot cost $100,000, would find it? Every parent would because the love for that child. What changed? You just got passionate and focused. There are to many excuse driven people. It’s not what they don’t have on the outside but what they lack on the inside.

Question: What is God trying to show you through your greatest limitation?

3. People who have “IT” are willing to fail? Churches that don’t have “IT” are always playing it safe, trying to appease people. A man once said, “Failure isn’t an option. It is a necessity.” Failure isn’t always a sign of missing God, but sometimes the first step to really seeing God. Matt. 25-about the talents. The guy with one talent buried it because he was afraid to fail. An investment is scary.

People who are willing to risk it all usually are saying things to God like (nervously), “Oh dear God I hope this work. What was I thinking? Everyone is watching and now I’m going to have to fast more. I hope it works this time.” Of course you’re scared. It wouldn’t be risk if it wasn’t.

Question: What is God calling you to do that you can sense deep down but your to afraid to try?

4. Most important….People who have “IT” are led by people who have “IT” as well. Some leaders just don’t have it, and some do. The teams around you that you influence, if they don’t have it, maybe you don’t. It’s a harsh truth and then you’ll settle for trying to copy churches, start to try and teach like people, lead worship like people, not have anything fresh to give, and the more you imitate people, the more you really fail. You can do all the right things sometimes and still not have “IT”. When you have “IT” in your heart, resources and people come.

Closing caution: You have to be careful, because when you have “IT”, it drives everything you do. But once you get the stuff like the sound, the lights, the videos, the people, the buildings, the TV shows, the cameras, attention, etc., if you are not careful, what once drove you inside, you now trust in those things on the outside. And when that happens, that “IT” factor that made you great now is paralizing you. You can never forget that “IT” always starts and ends with your personal relationship and connection with God.

That’s My King from Dustin Bankord on Vimeo.

I had a conversation with God today… all that was said was:

“I CAN’T GET OVER YOU.”

i’ve been thinking alot lately about the idea of simplicity…negative space, being direct, and finding form… I came across this as I was studying Paul Rand… If you don’t know who he is, you know his work…ABC, IBM, UPS, Westinghouse etc. His thoughts on Art and Form are inspiring especially if you look at it from a perspective that we are Gods art and what it took to give us form..deep thoughts, but worth it!

art is an idea that has found its perfect form.

Our lives can take form and be art and be inspiring s by becoming more like the creator of creativity and taking on the fruit of the spirit which is Love, joy ,peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control.

without form there is no content and without content there is no form.

Art is an idea that has found it’s perfect form.

We are art!

Order, Variety, Contrast, Symmetry, Tension, Balance, Scale, Texture, Space, Shape, Light, and  Color…. the language of from…

Find your form and make something beautiful out of your life!

Live. Dream. Inspire.

smithbydesign

If you’re interested in clever designed tshirts…. these are FOR SALE!!!!!  15-20 dollars should cover it!… whatever you can afford! ALL THE PROCEEDS WILL BE GOING TO OUR CHURCH PLANT ENDEAVOR !!!!!

email me for more info… designbysmith@gmail.com

LOVE YOU GUYS!

JONATHAN

I just want to let the people of Denver know.

It’s okay, hope is on its way.

This has been my life the last 3 months and I’m loving it!  Here are some behind the scenes work I’ve been working on for the church plant.  Postcards and Logo variations! I like design… It’s a challenge to communicate hope and love through media.