Uniquely you...

This coming Sunday at THE WELL I'll be preaching one of my favorite passages of scripture. Ephesians chapter 2 is probably top five for me in terms of favorite chapters in the Bible and the first ten verses of chapter two (this weeks text) are glorious.

Best part?

You are HIS workmanship.

The idea imbedded in the language is that God is a craftsman, a Master-builder, and YOU are His creation, one that He labored over in crafting, not that it was HARD for Him, but that He took immense care.

This is very encouraging stuff.

God knows we need all we can get of that these days.

Encouragement...

T

Passages...

Interesting moment last week.

We were shooting some inserts for a pilot we've been working on for a couple months and planned the day so that--all going well--we'd be able to tack on a quick shoot at the end for me to do some 'stand up' segments for a re-release of one of our old series (one that I 'host') that might be getting some traction here at home and abroad.

I had spent a couple days the week before prepping. I watched the old episode, figured out what I was 'writing from' and 'writing to' then wrote the segments to time, matching what was happening thematically in the episode.

Then we shot it.

What was cool was that I did it all in one take (which is typical for me when I'm firing on all cylinders) and that I felt right at home doing it.

'Hosting' and interviewing are really the things I'm 'best' at on the showbiz side of things. I'm an average writer, an average producer but it's hosting/interviewing where I get the strongest reaction.

These standups were no different. When I finished, our key grip, a very experienced industry veteran, grabbed me and took a minute to express how 'great' this new show seemed and asked me when he could watch it.

When your grip becomes a 'fan' of your non-existent (as yet) show based on watching you shoot the standups it's a pretty good sign you might be 'on' to something.

Anyway, I was very encouraged.

I felt like I'd reconnected to my 'destiny'.

I've been mentioning this a bit lately, the idea of trying to figure out what you're really good at, the thing that you have at least a chance of being 'great' at, the thing that you can do better than almost anyone you know.

Inspired by this BOOK.

I've been trying over the past half-year to really knuckle down and do what it takes to get back to the place where I'm really working (as much as possible) in my sweet spot. This means trying to do less of the many 'other things' that I 'can' do to allow for the space to do what I 'must' do, what I'm 'called' to.

This can be tough when your 'calling' isn't exactly cash-flow positive just yet. So, I get it, a 'day job' is crucial during the transition time and, for me, being well into my 30's with 4 kids and a wife means my 'day job' has to be of the serious kind and one that I really devote myself to, but the trick I've been trying to learn is to do that work while bending myself more and more towards what I 'should' be doing, hoping all the while (believing) that funds will follow vision.

"Funds will follow vision..."

So, to stand up there and do those 'stand ups' felt like putting a stake in the ground. Felt like preaching has felt at my church plant. Felt like me saying 'THIS is what I'm supposed to do so, by God, this is what I'm GOING to do..."

Come what may.

I'll keep you posted on how things go.

We're hoping and praying and working hard over here.

T

Red vs Blue...

So I'm not much for politics.

Red vs Blue vs Orange vs Green vs Light Blue...

I can't keep track.

For those of you stopping by from outside Canada, we just had an election. What was interesting about this one was that our Conservative party won its third election in a row but this time managed to secure a majority government which will mean no more elections for at least four years to say nothing of the fact that the Conservatives should be able to implement their platform with less interference.

What was even more interesting was that Canada's traditional first (or second) party, the Liberal party of Canada, was handed a resounding defeat, dropping to their lowest number of Parliamentary seats ever. Connected to that, Canada's traditionally third party, the New Democrats, surged to their best result ever, becoming the 'Official Opposition' for their first time in their history. This was effected primarily as a result of the Province of Quebec (Canada's 'strange cousin' among the provinces) turning their back en masse on the Bloc Quebecois, a separatist party that has held Quebec in its grip for 20 years.

Both the Liberal and Bloc leaders failed to get elected in their ridings and have since resigned.

Here's where I get interested.

The New Democrats are quite a bit more to the 'left' (more liberal) than the Liberals. Quebec is traditionally the most left-leaning of Canada's provinces followed by British Columbia. When the election night results started coming in, one of the commentators suggested that maybe what we were seeing was the result of an increasing gap between left and right in Canada. It's almost like you have 'two' Canada's now; British Columbia and Quebec on the left, and Alberta and Ontario on the right.

What's changed with this election is that Ontario has moved from the middle to the right creating a new and strange alignment between Canada's most populous province (Ontario) and its most prosperous (Alberta).

What seems (to me) to be happening is that hip, loose, highly-secularized, urbanites (a very 'blanket statement' comment to try and describe Quebec and British Columbia) and straight-laced, family-oriented, less-secularized, suburbanites (again 'blanketing' Ontario and Alberta) have decided to entrench themselves in their worldview and practice.

I've felt like that separation has been happening for a long time.

See, Canadians have traditionally prided themselves on their 'moderation', we (supposedly) don't like to swing too far in either direction (to left or right) and the Liberal party has been the 'home' of centrist-thinking Canadians.

What struck me about this election was that the Liberal party didn't seem to be taking a 'stand' for anything. In all their communication I felt hard pressed to really zone in on what they were 'about' what they 'stood for'.

I think if you were to do a real 'laypersons' analysis of the five main parties in Canada, like, just asked a dude on the street...

What do the Conservatives stand for?

"Lower taxes, big business, law and order, family values..."

What do the NDP stand for?

"Social justice, fighting poverty, unions..."

What does the Bloc stand for?

"They want to separate..."

What do the Greens stand for?

"Legalizing marijuana and protecting the environment..."

What do the Liberals stand for?

And I've got to tell you, this time around, I don't think you'd have gotten a straight answer.

Now, mind you, I realize that all of the above statements are 'blanket statements' and that I might be missing the mark. I'm just speaking as a layperson here.

But here's what I 'got' out of all this.

1) You need to know what you stand for.

Because...

2) Canadian culture is polarizing (much like the rest of the West) and I don't think it's ever going to swing back to 'middling'.

More than ever before this election has reminded me that I have to be able to think, say, and act like "THIS is what we're about..."

I have to know the mission, know the bias, know the reason and execute.

So do you, no?

Yeah, thought so.

T

In motion...

Good moment, that.

We uncovered the boat Saturday after a long winter hibernation.

This means spring is coming which means summer is coming which means we're going to be out on the water soaking in some sunshine and jumping into the water and sipping a drink and eating a sandwich while the water swishes past on our way to the Island where we'll sit in the cockpit under the stars with dearest friends, red wine at our elbow, before curling up on ridiculously small but surprisingly comfortable berths to sleep the sleep of the just.

I can picture it all.

How 'bout the rest of my life and mission? Can I picture it just as clearly? Does one image equate a thousand others in the realm of what I've been put on the Earth to 'do'?

Sobering, and inspiring all at the same time.

Tough, rough, scary week this one for me kids.

I've been thinking all day, "The GREAT thing about being in a position where no one but Jesus can help is that only JESUS can help, which means that--if I get through this--on the other side I'm going to be possessed of a faith that's been immeasurably built in this harrowing time."

Yes yes.

I believe it. I have this strange sense of calm in the midst of the storm.

Yes, it's possible I'm crazy. It's possible I'm deluded.

It's possible I'm inspired.

T

To the brothers (and sisters)...

You know, either God LOVES us or He doesn't.

So relax.

No, this doesn't mean that 'bad' things aren't going to happen to us--we know this all too well--but it DOES mean that, whatever happens, we will be FOUND in His embrace.

If you can wrestle with, grasp, and receive (deep on the inside in a REAL way) this simple truth, your entire life will be revolutionized.

What's needed around these parts is a 'love revolution'.

Discovering, experiencing, walking in, the LOVE of God for us in Christ by the Spirit.

I'm so TIRED of people fighting me over doctrinal differences or excluding us because we happen to believe the Bible (for real) and think that emphasizing Jesus is the most important thing of all.

I'm so weary of faithlessness in myself and others, so tired of trying to give myself (and others) pep talks upon pep talks when, what's needed, is a simple love encounter with Jesus.

Man, either it's true or it isn't.

If it isn't, stop wasting your time flirting with this thing called 'faith' and go out an enjoy your misery, do whatever it takes to try and stem the tide as darkness rolls you over.

If it IS then STOP WASTING YOUR TIME flirting with this thing called 'faith' and go out and enjoy Jesus, learning to ignore then not even 'feel' the misery that is common to those who exist (horrifically) outside the embrace of God's free gift of grace.

Walk IN the light as HE is in the light.

Remember that this place is NOT your home, that the city you're actually from is one where a river flows from before the throne with trees blooming with fruits for the healing of the nations along its side. Remember that there is no need of sun or moon there (doesn't mean there won't be, just that they won't be needed...) because the LAMB is its light.

Glory.

So stop it.

Stop moaning, stop fearing, stop compromising, stop living a half-a$$ed miserable excuse for a Christian life.

Sell out or get out.

It's your life you're wasting.

Giddyee-up kids. It's time to RIDE.

None of us got ANY time to waste.

T

On the lookout...

Took this last night while setting up a mock battle with my boys.

T'was pretty cool to watch them playing the exact same way my brother and I were playing 25 years ago.

Can't believe it's been that long.

I have vivid memories of setting up our own epic mock battles.

Crazy.

I took a bunch of shots of the soldiers but this one, in particular, grabbed me. Couple reasons why.

1) Shot up close, this generic soldier turns into something personal. This reminds me that in storytelling and preaching the goal needs to be to 'make it personal' which means getting right up close to the issue and how it applies to the end-user's life. On a leadership or pastoral level this reminds me to get up close to someone as often as possible when dealing with them because they won't move beyond a 'generic' problem or opportunity until I do.

2) I love that he's on the lookout. He's looking for things. Waiting AND watching. I think it's one thing to WAIT for something to happen, it's another to--while waiting--get out onto the field, where things HAPPEN, and be on the lookout there. Watching seems more active to me, suggests some things to 'do' while waiting and I like that.

God knows I need all the 'hope generating' insights I can get these days, because...

Life is hard right now for us.

We're still deeply grieving our brother-in-law. Easter was his favorite time of year. My family kinda' skipped it this year (at the 'family' level--we still did church, and did it as best we could...) as the prospect of gathering together without him was simply too painful.

We're officially week-to-week now income-wise. I realize that might be a little too personal for you (and my wife) and I don't want to get into it in-depth but I do want to just try to share openly and honestly with you. It's going to be one thing two or three years from now, when THE WELL is a smokin' hot large-ish church and my production business has stabilized into some kind of regular remunerative pattern, to look back on these days and go "Well, that was bad, but I ALWAYS *knew* we'd make it..." I want and need to say right now that we're right in the MIDDLE of that part of the story where we're not sure we're going to.

(make it)

My wife is struggling with this more than me but that's mostly a function of how she's wired differently from me.

We are VERY tense, somewhat afraid, a little depressed, VERY uncertain and doing our best to walk through it, but I want to report that it's not easy. We find ourselves battling against despair and having to work very hard (every SINGLE day) not to lash out at each other simply because the 'other' happens to be the closest target.

Like it or not, in some small way (between this blog, my TV and Church work) my life is 'public' so I need to keep it as real as possible and not project an "Everything's peachy, we're just FINE 'bless God'..." type attitude when really it feels like everything is on the verge of falling apart.

There are signs (we're SEEING) of life.

Easter attendance at THE WELL was DOUBLE in 2011 what it was in 2010. That's something very remarkable, to be celebrated, and to bless God for.

In addition to the stark numbers, there's a real SENSE of the Holy Spirit beginning to 'move' in a special way. This bodes well for the future. What's happening practically (for those of you who pastor or are planting churches) is that people are worshipping better (like singing, raising their hands, weeping) I'm preaching with passion and conviction and people are responding, whether with angry emails or weeping and repentance or inspiration and activism. The second you stop getting any kind of tangible feedback (good or bad) from your preaching is when you really need to get worried. Also, people are being saved. We had five on Easter Sunday. That's very significant. We'll baptize seven people two Sundays from now. In the midst of that, three families left the church abruptly last week. Don't need to go into the details but it's important for you to know so you can get the 'whole story' re: how we're feeling and coping. When people leave your church you need to 1) let 'em go 2) reflect on it to see how you can learn and repent 3) re-focus on your vision and calling and 4) keep going.

This Sunday we start a new sermon series, "How to TAKE a city..."

On the showbiz side our Worldwide reps are starting to close in on some possible 'actual' sales. It looks like our flagship show will be popping up all over the World starting this fall. It remains to be seen what the actual 'numbers' (# of stations, # of episodes ordered, actual $'s per episode) will be but it's a very good sign to see real companies out there repping our 'real' show. Once we get 'real' results I'm going to heave one HUGE sigh of relief.

Then move on to shooting more episodes...

The PILOT we worked on last month was very well received by the client. We're working on some tweaks for them in the next couple weeks then--it looks like--I'll be hopping up on my 'hire a team' horse to help us turn the pilot into an honest-to-goodness TV series that you'll be able to start watching, coast to coast, come September.

In addition, another series we've been working on for almost TWO years, looks like IT might be getting shot end of July.

Crazy times.

I've been working very hard to remind myself to keep 'zoning in' on the things I'm particularly supposed to be doing.

It's not easy lemme' tell you.

Lots of tension in my life these days, relationally, financially, personally but I'm working very hard to slog through it.

Just wanted to say it's not easy, I'm making a lot of mistakes and falling short quite a bit but doing my best, all the while, to stay out 'in the field' and...

On the lookout.

T

FRIDAY...

That was FRIDAY at THE WELL last year.

This year will look much the same.

We'll do our best to simply, and beautifully, highlight the DEVASTATING story of Jesus Christ, GodtheSon made flesh, hung on a CROSS to die in our place for our sins.

I preached on it this past week, causing quite the stir. Hear why for yourself...

HERE.

We hope to see you FRIDAY from 11am-12pm as we REMEMBER, and SUNDAY 10:30am-12:00noon as we CELEBRATE.

You can find us...

HERE.

Peace and Power upon you this Holy Week...

T