intervention

August 31st, 2008 by Nate

As we prepare to make the jump to two services officially on September 14th, Restore has sent out a series of what if mailers. We used the same concept for our launch earlier this year. One of the remarkable things is how many people actually came because of what they recieved in the mail. So this time around we tried to reinforce or mailer which ask the questions: What if now is the time?” & “What if it’s not to late?” So, we made a music video. If that sounds ridiculous then hit play and see how rediculous it gets. Please pass it along! Here is the (low res) youtube version. But below is the HD version in all of its vimeo glory.

What if? from Restore Community Church on Vimeo.

August 25th, 2008 by Nate

Life has been a little crazy. It’s been down right hectic lately. Work has seemed to never end with new projects and continuing projects. The weight of working 2 jobs and being a stay at home parent has really been weighing on me. I have been teaching once a month at Restore. Troy has given me pick of the litter so to speak. He lets me choose which week of each series that I want to speak on. It has been a lot of fun. Going from speaking every week in transit last year to speaking once a month this year has really let me work on the craft. Maybe for the first time ever, I’m really starting to figure out what works for me as a communicator and a teacher.

This week was one of those weeks, where I was buried in work with video, but I had the opportunity to teach on the struggle of a leader. I chose this week because if anyone knows struggle, its me. We are in the middle of our series, The Leader Within, where we have been following the journey of Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s story has changed the course of my life more than once. From Andy Stanley’s book, Visioneering, to last years 5 part Intervention series in transit last year; the effect of Nehemiah’s story of rebuilding the walls on my life is immeasurable. Even the name of this blog has been influenced my Nehemiah and his band of cohorts who staged and intervention in Jerusalem.

I realized this week as I prepared to teach that Sunday would be the sixth time that I have taught out of Nehemiah in the last year and a half. What was exciting for me as I prepared, once again I discovered something that I never really noticed before in Nehemiah’s story. I discovered that with every struggle that Nehemiah encountered, he overcame each one through community. I prepared all week, but some how felt under prepared on sunday morning. I studied my notes more than I have in a long time. I even had some throat problems that made me sound like a mountain man or (speaking) eddie vedder.

But it was all forgotten when I stepped out into the auditorium. One of the things I love most about the Restore community, is that they are so much fun to speak to. I mean they actually seem to listen to what I have to say. (I’m not kidding) When I throw out a question to answer with the person next to them, they answer it. When I crack a joke that is only funny to me, they have the courtesy enough to laugh. It was the most fun that I have had speaking, in a long time. I was able to share a little from our journey in getting to KC and how the restore team walked with us through our struggles on that journey. The big idea was that community is the context that helps us overcome struggle.

Tommy closed the morning out with an incredible worship song that he wrote about community. It fit so well, but more than that it is such a great song. It seemed like everyone in the auditorium was singing along. Tommy and Jacob also did a great cover of the Coldplay song “lost”, which fit really well with the topic of struggle. I guess this is another thing that I love about restore, there arent really that many impediments in the creative process. If someone gets an idea, there is permission to take that idea and run with it. I love working with a team of people that are looking for reasons to say yes, rather than no. To find out more about the song, Together You and I, that Tommy wrote, go here. It would be amazing if you sang it at your church, with approval of your church leaders. Plus that would contribute to those sweet CCLI checks that Tommy gets twice a year.

August 19th, 2008 by Nate

Thats right, not quite finished reading Wild Goose Chase, but here are a few thoughts thus far…

- The metaphor that Mark uses for the Holy Spirit, the wild goose, is right on. It’s ironic that so many of us want to know what God’s plan is for our lives and so few of us actually get the message. Being spirit led is an illusive chase after what God is already up to in the world around us.

- I love how adventurous Mark is. Every time I hear him speak or read something from him I always walk away with renewed desire to take risks in my own life.

- When he talks about responsible irresponsibility that really resonates with me. To really accomplish the dream and vision that God places in our hearts it requires a level irresponsibility. This doesn’t mean that we throw wisdom out the window, it means that we trust God with our lives and take the risks that he is calling us into.

- I have to say that my favorite part of the whole book is when he talks about the significance of the burning bush. Moses has essentially given up on his dream for life and God invades his monotonous existence in the last place he expects to see Him. Mark references how rabbinic literature refers to one name of God as “the Place”. I am so grateful for the moments where God has met me wherever I was and changed the course of my journey.

- What I love about reading Mark’s books is that they really flesh out a lot of the ideas that he presents on his blog, one of those ideas is creating margins. I think in our culture we all run on pretty thin margins. I appreciate how open and honest Mark is about potential damage a frantic pace of ministry can do on his life and family. This conversation has inspired me to constantly be rethinking the margins in my own life.

As I said earlier, I am still chasing the goose. But if you want more info on Wild Goose chase, then here you go:

Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect.

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” –from the introduction.

For more info go to www.chasethegoose.com
You can buy it here: www.amazon.com

August 12th, 2008 by Nate

I signed up to review Mark Batterson’s new book, Wild Goose Chase. The free copies arrived over the weekend. It is timely for me.

Jill and I are at a point in our lives where we are counting on the leading of the Holy Spirit for so many things. The past year for us has been nothing short of an adventure, and it has left us complete dependant upon God. But what I have found is that my tendancy still is to drift towards playing it safe. What has countered that tendancy is unquenchable thirst to be a part of something bigger than me, to lead something that I could never pull off on my own, and to see the kind of life change in others that only God could deliver on. I want more, not in the consumeristic, never satisfied sense of that statement. I want all that God has to give. I want to rebuild the wall, I want to follow Jesus out onto the water(without a floatation device), I want to experience the logistical nightmare of having to baptize 3000 people in one day. Does anyone know what I’m trying to say here?

Wow, that was a huge tangent. All that to say, I can’t wait to read through Wild Goose Chase. It’s what I needed to read even before I knew I needed it.

August 11th, 2008 by Nate

So this is my second post from the wordpress app on my iPhone. The new 2.0 iPhone software is amazing. How amazing? So amazing that my iPhone has replaced my MacBook pro for just about everything except for video editing and graphic design. While I am talking about this, let’s get specific about my iphone. (not that anyone cares)

My iPhone is a refurbished first generation iPhone running on tmobile. Yeah I know, there is new fancy iPhone 3g out now. I’m not interested. The new one requires you to sign a contract with AT&T and pony up for a $30 data plan every month. My iphone data plan is $5.99 and it includes email and web. The great thing is that I was still able to upgrade to iphone 2.0 firmware and get access to some amazing apps. The you version app has revolutionized how I read the bible every day. AIM and Twinkle helps me connect with friends on the go. The MLB app pushes the latest Royals and Cubs highlights (or the lack there of) right to my phone. And google reader pretty much covers the rest and helps me keep up with some great blogs. Oh yeah and the thing plays music too. The remote app will even control music on other computers and pandora lets me discover new music. So here it is, my new desktop. (after reading thru this post, one thing is clear…I really am a nerd)

August 10th, 2008 by Nate

So it has been a long while since posting here. Jill and I just got back from a little vacation in Chicago. While we were there we celebrated out tenth anniversary with some time away from the kids in downtown Chicago off of Michigan. It was complete coincidence that our hotel was right across the street from the Apple store on Michigan.

We love the city and there is so much to do. We got to catch a matinée of wicked: the musical. Jill is a huge fan of musicals. I, however am harder to convince. With that said, I loved it. It was right up my alley because it was a retelling of a familiar story from a different point of view. (this is sort of what I do with my life).

We also got to reconnect with some old friends while we were in town. We ate a lot of good food, reminisced about old times, and made some new memories. When Sunday rolled around we got a chance to visit park community church. Got to connect with my fellow twitterer and blogger, Tim Schrader, who is director of communications at park. Park is great church with an incredible opportunity to reach people in need where their brand new building just opened. Its right down the street from where Cabrini Greens used to be. Their vision to reach the people of the city is inspiring. Here are a few pics that i snapped on my phone, one of which is of a dyson air blade in their restroom. (it is straight out of star trek) More on the rest of our adventure tomorrow.