Category: leadership

How to Slow Down and Be More Intentional

One of the easiest ways to ruin a good song is to play it at the wrong tempo. The same can happen in life. We have the best of intentions, we know the lyrics, but we play it too fast and miss the beauty.

“Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life in our day.” -Dallas WIllard

If we are not intentional we will naturally keep speeding up. This happens to me on the highway. If I don’t set the cruise control and be intentional my speed goes up and I don’t even notice. Hurry is dangerous. So how do we begin to be more intentional?

1. Establish dashboards

The dashboard of my car has a lot of information. There are lights that will turn on to let me know if there is a problem. The dashboard is continually monitoring levels and temperatures of various things throughout my vehicle. The dashboard let’s me know if I need gas or if it is time for an oil change.

What if we intentionally identified the priorities in our lives and created a dashboard to help monitor it. I use a free “Life Wheel” app for this. There are a ton of these types of apps to choose from. I love it because a “Life Wheel” is a visual way to see each of my priorities and make a plan for being healthy.

What are your priorities? Here are some examples:

  • Faith Life – My relationship with God
  • Marriage Life – My relationship with Kara
  • Family Life – My relationship with my kids and immediate family
  • Physical Life – Am I taking care of myself?
  • Work Life – My relationship with people at work. Am I being faithful to the assignment that God has given me?
  • Social Life – My relationship with friends
  • Attitudinal Life – An attitude check
  • Creative Life – Am I dreaming? Am I full of God’s vision?
  • Financial Life – My personal finances? Am I being a good steward?
  • Travel Life – Is my schedule healthy?

Take time to make your own list and create a dashboards that you review each week.

2. Give calendar time to your priorities

After determining your priorities, put them on your schedule first. I have found that if I don’t put these big rocks in first then the rest will not fit.

3. Don’t sacrifice the important for the urgent

There will always be things that feel urgent. Rarely do priorities in life feel urgent. The important things are not loud and flashy. The important things are quiet and are easily overlooked. However, in the end, they are all that matter.

That may mean you disappoint people by saying no to good opportunities so that you can say yes to God opportunities.

4. Receive grace

We are all going to get it wrong from time to time. Life happens. Maybe you are reading this and thinking to yourself, “What’s the use? I’ve done this before and failed.” Receive the grace of God and get up again. There is a reason you are reading this right now! God is not finished in your life!

Let’s live this life that the Lord has given us at the right tempo.

Have a great day.

3 Things to Do Every Monday

silhouette photo of mountains

What an awesome day yesterday! It really was #TheBestSundayEver! If you missed it you have to check out the message from Pastor Mark Johnston! It was an awesome day! Thank you to everyone who brought friends and family!

So here we are at the beginning of a new week! You may already be busy and excited about your Monday or you may be dreading this day. No matter how last week went, Monday is an opportunity for a fresh start! You were made for Monday! Practice these actions today to start your week off healthy!

Be Grateful

Monday is the perfect day to be grateful for the blessings that God has given you. Today is a great day to say thank you to someone in your life. It makes a difference in their week. Don’t just focus on the negatives in your life, be grateful for the blessings. Thank God for the opportunities he has give you.

Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

Pray First

Monday is a great day to focus on putting God first in this work week! Before you walk into a meeting, pray first. Before you make that phone call, pray first. Before you walk into that class or start writing that paper, pray first. Put God first in what you are doing today. Don’t just rush off into Monday in your own power! Invite the Holy Spirit to be active in your life today!

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Live on Mission

Lastly, Monday is a great day to remind ourselves that God has created us with purpose! You don’t have to go around the world to be on a mission trip. Make today a mission trip to help the people in your world. You are not an accident. God made you on purpose for a purpose.

Whatever rooms you walk into today, you are called to lift the room through the way that you live! See opportunities today to share hope with people! Pray for opportunities to invite people to church and to pray for people that are in need. If someone says they are going through something, take a moment and pray for them. Reach out to them. Encourage them. You could have the very word of encouragement that they need to keep going another day. You are called to make a difference right where you are this week! In Jesus Name!

Matthew 10:6-8 Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. 7 Tell them that the kingdom is here. 8Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. 

Change Your Words, Change Your World

Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

Ephesians 4:29–32

Your words affect you.

Your words affect others.

Your words affect God.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin]. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Ephesians 4:29–32

Challenge

  • Ask for God’s help with your words
  • Ask for people to help you with your words
  • Be slow to speak and quick to listen
  • Use your words to encourage the people in your world today
21 Days of Prayer: Make plans to be part of "21 Days of Prayer" beginning Sunday, August 1st. Daily Prayer services Monday-Friday 6:00-7:00am & Saturdays 9:00-10:00am (There will be a special prayer experience for kids as well on Saturday mornings.). For more information visit www.cityhills.com/21days

Watch It

1. Watch Your Mouth

“Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬
Speak Life

2. Watch Your Anger

Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬
Forgive

Watch Your Work

The thief [who has become a believer] must no longer steal, but instead he must work hard [making an honest living], producing that which is good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with those in need.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬
Be Honest & Generous

Challenge: What harmful behavior do I need the Holy Spirit to help me with today?

Finding Your FIT

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Live By Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

Be Intentional

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27


Be Teachable

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

Proverbs 12:15

To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

Proverbs 12:1

You Were Made For This

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7-13

Your Manner

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:5-6

Your Moment

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Ephesians 5:16-17

Your Message

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

1 Peter 3:15

5 Ways to Live Worthy of the Call

“So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],

Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬

Be Intentional

with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness],

Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬

Be Humble

and gentleness [maintaining self-control],

Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬

Be Gentle

with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love.

Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬

Be Patient

Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].

Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬

Be a Unifier

There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:1-6AMP‬‬
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Some Of The Best Leadership Advice I Ever Received

aerial photo of empty meandering road in between forest

During our first year of planting City Hills I was at a conference for church leaders. After one of the sessions, a group of us were eating together. I was at a table full of people who had planted churches and I was eager to learn. 

I asked one of them, “What is something that you wished you would have done differently in the early days of your church?” I was fully expecting to get some type of a tip or tool about how to grow the church, but his answer surprised me.

He said, “I would have lived every day realizing that I’m a beloved Son of God and that the success of this church has nothing to do with my identity.” Then he went on to share about his struggle allowing success to define his identity instead of allowing God to define him.

He told me, “God is not interested in you being a human doing, He wants you to be a human being. He wants you to know who you are.You are a beloved child of God and nothing can add or take away from that.”

It was some of the best advice I’ve ever received. It is easy for me to attach my worth and value to external realities. The Lord was doing deep work in me, challenging me to see my identity in Christ apart from the ministry. The two greatest commandments are to, first of all, Love God, and then secondly, to love people. It is important to get the order right. It is easy to allow our work for God replace our walk with God, and I needed to hear that.  

Do you know who you are? God’s Word says:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…

Jeremiah 1:5

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:14-16

Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.

Isaiah 49:1

You are more than what you do. You are more than the seeming success or lack thereof that you are experiencing in this season. You are a child of the most high God! Live in that truth today about your identity as a child of God! You don’t have anything to prove. You don’t have anyone to impress. You are a unique adopted son or daughter of God. Don’t try to be someone else today. Rest in who God created you to be! Whether you are in a difficult season or an enjoyable season, know that none of that changes your identity! You are who God says you are!

So keep on walking. Keep on trusting! Keep believing that God has a purpose for all that you are walking through right now. Refuse to allow others to be the voice that defines you. Allow God’s voice to define your life and embrace His grace for your life today! God is not through with you. The best is yet to come!

Thank you Lord for calling us out!  Thank you for putting purpose in our bones and giving us an identity.  Today we choose to walk with you and give our whole hearts to you.  In Jesus name!  Amen

I can’t wait to see you at City Hills tomorrow at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am! Join us in person and live online at cityhills.com

4 Ways To Make A Difference

God put you on this planet to make a difference for His kingdom! You are a difference maker. You are a leader who has influence. Satan works so hard to cause us to doubt that we can ever make a difference because he knows that if believers know who they are anything is possible!

So how can we make a difference? I want to share with you 4 ways that a man named Philip in the Bible made a difference in the life of his friend Nathaniel:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

John 1:45-46

#1 Allow Jesus to Change You First

We can’t give people what we don’t have. Philip met Jesus for himself first before he told his friend about Jesus. Many times we are so focused on Jesus changing others that we don’t let him change us first! Stop looking at the issues in the world and allow God to heal the issues in your world. Sometimes we are such “Fixers” of other people’s problems that we don’t slow down enough to get real with Jesus about our own problems.

#2 Share Your Story

After Jesus changed Philip’s life he couldn’t keep it to himself. He had to share the story. Have you shared your story of what God has done in your life? Sharing your story is one way that you can make a huge difference in the lives of others. People can argue with theology but they can’t argue with your personal story of what God has done in your life! Share you story today. Share it online, share it with a friend, family member, neighbor, or coworker! A great way to share your story is by sharing “Before, how, and now.” Begin by telling where you were before God changed your life. Then share how God changed your life. Then conclude by sharing the hope that you have in your life now on the other side of Jesus touching your life.

#3 Don’t Try To Win Arguments

You can’t win souls and arguments at the same time. You can have all the right facts, but if people are closed off and trying to fight you they will never listen. I love that when Philip’s friend Nathaniel gave him an objection about who Jesus was and where he was from he didn’t try to give a big theological rebuttal. He just loves him and continues to invite him. Don’t be surprised by people’s doubts. Don’t be surprised if people have questions. God can handle their questions. You just be real and love them! Share the Truth from the scripture with grace and then trust God to do the work.

#4 Make An Invitation

I love that Philip just invites his friend to “Come and see.” He wanted his friend to just experience Jesus for himself. After Nathaniel met Jesus everything was different. It is the same in your life. If we can just get people in an environment where they can experience the presence and power of Jesus their lives will be changed. You can make a difference through simply taking the step of making an invitation. A lot of times we don’t invite people out of fear. This had to be a scary thing for Philip to do, but I am so thankful he did because without his invitation Nathaniel wouldn’t have met Jesus and his story has encouraged me for nearly 20 years now. You never know what God will do if you take the step of making an invitation!

Lord, I pray that you would change my life today!  I want to meet you in a powerful way and never be the same.  Before I focus on you changing the world, I pray that you would change my world.  I give you everything and I trust you God.  Have your way in my life.  Also, use me today to reach out and share my story with people in my world that need you.  Help me to be like Philip in the Bible who gave an invitation to his friend Nathaniel.  Use me today.  In Jesus Name.  Amen!

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday for SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER! This is the perfect opportunity to bring someone with you to church! Faith and film will collide for an unforgettable experience! Join us this Sunday at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am in person and live online – www.cityhills.com

4 Habits of a Humble Leader

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

James 4:6

Recognize the Grace of God

I have been made a messenger of this wonderful news by the gift of grace that works through me.

Ephesians 3:7-8 TPT

Separate Your Position from Your Identity

I lead as an expression of who I am, yet I must always be more than the leadership role I play. People may see me in terms of the visible leadership role which God has entrusted to me, but God knows who I really am. My integrity as a person—and as a leader—depends on seeing myself and what I do as God sees them.

Richard Kriegbaum, Leadership Prayers

Don’t Make Everything About You

Even though I am the least significant of all his holy believers, this grace-gift was imparted when the manifestation of his power came upon me.

Ephesians 3:7-8 TPT

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

Grace alone empowers me so that I can boldly preach this wonderful message to non-Jewish people, sharing with them the unfading, inexhaustible riches of Christ, which are beyond comprehension.

Ephesians 3:7-8 TPT
Lord, help us to be leaders will humble hearts.  Forgive us of all pride and help us to live today in step with you Lord!  We choose today to trust you with everything we are walking through.  Make us into the leaders that you are calling us to be.  Let those that we lead see you today!  In Jesus Name! Amen.

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday for SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER! This is the perfect opportunity to bring someone with you to church! Faith and film will collide for an unforgettable experience! Join us this Sunday at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am in person and live online – www.cityhills.com