EdYoungBlog

Who You Should Vote For

Based on the response to my last post and the current series at Fellowship, I'm not the only one who's politicked right now!

Good.

And one of the most asked questions I'm hearing is: But what can I do to make a difference?

That's a great quesiton. After all, the political process seems so much bigger than those of us it's designed to protect. So what can you do? The answer is: vote.

But whether you find yourself standing on the left or the right, don't make your mind up too soon. Because this weekend I'm going to put my reputation on the line and tell you exactly who should take the reins and lead this country over the next four years.

That's right. In just a few days, I'm going to tell you who you should vote for...

Politicked?

I guess you could say I'm politicked! I'm not sure about you, but lately I've been asking some tough questions about politics, religion and what role I should play in the discussion of the two. With issues like the economy, the war and future of our country dominating the landscape, don't we as the Church have a responsibility to point people to the answers they seek and the truth they need to hear?

After all, isn't that what Jesus did, even in the face of blatant partisanship?

Leading involves not only risking, but also revealing some of our own personal struggles and questions. And the current state of the country presents a lot of both. So if you're politicked like me, let's get together and rip through the typical rhetoric. And let's raise our voices to be heard.

(and by the way, if you like these shoes, check them out here!)

Name Drop vs. Name Lift

Lisa and I just got back from a seven day trip to Sydney, Austrailia where we spoke a total of 10 times in 6 days (yeah, we're fatigued, but on fire!) As we look back, we reflect on the days and nights we spent at Hillsong Church and are humbled to have been a part of their oustanding, "Love, Sex, and Relationships" conference and the weekend services at both campuses - the Hills Campus and the City Campus.

4500 people packed the Hills Campus on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (yes, 4500 people each night - on weekdays) and about 2000 people packed the City Campus on Thursday and Friday nights for the conference! And the weekend services were just as high energy. Obviously, the passion that the Hillsong team displays is caught and reflected back by those who attend the church.

And once again, the entire Hillsong staff and crew blew us away with their hospitality and enthusiasm for the work of the Lord. Having the chance to hang out with Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston (name drop) and their family was a blessing. They love the Lord with all of their heart and serve him with nothing but grace and honor. This is evident in their work ethic, their treatment of those they work with and their interaction with their children. They are the real deal (name lift).

Some people may look at Hillsong phenomena from a distance and think it is all about a musical revolution. But we have seen firsthand that it runs much deeper than that. Don't get me wrong, the music is incredible. But their heart for evangelism, missions and spiritual development rise high above the music. The energy for Christ fuels the entire environment of Hillsong.

Thank you Hillsong Church for pouring into our lives! Thanks to Brian, Bobbie, Ben, Lucille, Laura, and Joel; Krishan and Danielle; Joel and Julia; and Jason. We look forward to being together again!

Vintage Footage...Just Recovered

Recorded in the muddy waters of the Trinity River, this video captures the heart-stopping action of the greatest gar guide around, Kirk Kirkland, helping my daughter Landra land the "unofficial junior world record" for a gar. Check it out!

Guest Post - Pastor John Cross (YJC) - When God's Kingdom Doesn't Grow

There's a lot of discussion these days regarding explosively growing churches, and growing churches in general. When I hear these stories, though, I like to ask two questions. The first one is easy: "Who are these churches trying to reach?" The second question stings a little: "Who are they actually reaching?"

I don't think I've met a pastor yet who would not say they want to reach those who are without Christ. Yet, when you start looking at the hard data, you often discover that the vast majority of numerical growth is transfer growth. But really, that's not even growth. When people leave one  church to join another church, God's Kingdom does not grow.

And this kind of "sheep shuffling" takes place in new paradigm churches as much, if not more, than in traditional churches. It's frightening to see how many of the new paradigm churches are simply "cool church" for people who grew up in church!

Again, I've never met anyone who says this is their goal. Yet, when you study the names and stories behind the numbers, you discover that this is far too often true.

To find out if your church is sheep shuffling, look at the baptism numbers. If the baptism numbers aren't climbing significantly higher and faster than the numerical growth, most likely the "growth" is transfer rather than conversion growth.

In order for a church to truly grow, not just swap sheep, she must continually transition toward a missional church culture. And to be truly missional, we've got to ask these hard questions and deal with these difficult topics. Otherwise it's like we are rearranging the furniture and changing the music on the Titanic as it sinks. We've changed things around and a few are being rescued. But the vast majority is still dying lost.

What are your thoughts?

Face-to-Face with a Porn Star

It's not every day that you get the opportunity to share the gospel with an "adult film" star. But that's exactly what happened to me recently. It was an amazing encounter that I believe God used in a very powerful way. I wanted you to get a chance to hear the whole story and see last week's service at Fellowship Church. So check out this video...

ineed2change.com

We started with a question that everyone can answer, "What would you change about your life?"

Let's face it; whether it's big or small, we all have something we would change. But when we began ineed2change.com, we had no idea the kind of response we would receive, or the amount.

Looking back, it's easy to see that not only was it one of the most popular series we've ever done; it was also one of the most powerful in the lives of the people it reached.

We've heard stories from Brazil to Boston; from Texas to Tacoma. We heard a story from a woman who was looking for a way to save her marriage. We heard from a man who wanted to change his dependence on drugs. A student wrote in who wanted to change the way she views herself; and we heard from a father who wanted to change the way he led his family.

And now we'll have the chance to hear stories from as far away as Belgium, Austrailia and South Africa. Because starting this Sunday, ineed2change.com is launching on EYM and iTunes! You can catch in on the USA network at 8 am EST. Or check out the video podcast anytime right here.

This series has such great momentum, and these new opportunities can only carry that momentum even further. Check it out, log on and let us know what you think. Share your story with us and with others, and discover the way to experience the change you really want and need.

 

Guest Post - Lisa Young - Beside Every Great Man...

Many years ago I read First Lady Serita Jakes' book, Beside Every Great Man. It was a wonderful look inside her life and journey as the wife of Bishop T.D. Jakes. Perhaps it is just semantics, but I love that title because it replaces well the old saying "behind every great man there is a great woman."

I have just wrapped up two days with 12 of the most amazing women you would ever want to know. We have many things in common. But the one that caused us to gather for these two days was the fact that each of us stands beside a lead pastor of a growing church.

It was a wonderful time of sharing and encouragement. We talked about topics like the responsiblity we feel to be all things to all people. We shared the pressures we face like guarding our hearts against hurt, balancing the responsibilities of being a wife and a mother in ministry, dealing with criticism and ministering to the needs of our husbands.

The mantle these girls have taken on is overwhelming to say the least. I can't begin to capture it with words, but many of you know what I'm talking about.

I was so inspired by these women and their strength. I suppose I was the "old lady" of the bunch, but it didn't matter because these girls were so wise beyond their years. And I saw firsthand how deep their love for God and husband runs. It made me proud to sit among them and honored to call them friends.

Since I don't have my own blog (yet), I am piggy-backing on Ed's to give a shout out to these terrific ladies. I want to say a giant "THANK YOU" for sharing some great stories, giving fresh ideas, challenging us to all think deeply about what we do, and for applauding our differences and celebrating those precious things we share.

There is so much more to say, but I think I'll save it for a future gathering ... call it an excuse to reunite. But most of all, I want to say "thank you" to each of you for standing beside God's great man! 

A New Breed of Piranha?

   

A decade ago there were 18 in the tank. In the end, it was just him. Some died; he ate the others. He was the lone survivor. He's gone now. But for the last 10 years, Bill the Piranha (pictured on top) witnessed almost every major decision made at Fellowship. From the vantage point of his tank in my office, Bill saw the highs and the lows of the church.

I named Bill in honor of my friend Bill Hybels. Bill (Hybels, not the piranha) typifies what it takes to survive in church leadership over the long haul. He's tough; he's tenacious; he's persistent. And it takes all of that to lead out in ministry.

To be a pastor, you've got to have the instincts of pygocentrus mattereri, commonly known as a piranha. You have to be willing and able to make cutting decisions and have a razor-sharp edge. You have to swim strong in the face of danger and go deep into waters that others want to avoid.

No one does that as well as Bill Hybels. He's a breed of leader who is tough, instinctive and persistent. Maybe it's the new breed of piranha we should all emulate: hybeletrus pastoreri.

The Dog Days of Summer

It's hot. I'm talking triple-digit, boiling lava hot. And I love this time of year!

Over the past several weeks, Lisa and I have gotten to spend some time in Miami and the Fellowship campus there, writing, relaxing and getting ready for the coming fall. (Of course, I've done a little fishing too. You didn't think I'd go to south Florida and not try to catch a fish or two, did you?)

One project that we've been working on is our new book about marriage, The Marriage Mirror. We're in the final editing stage now and are ready to send this thing off to print.

But we aren't the only ones making the most of this summer. The Fellowship worship team has used their "down time" to write, rehearse and record a brand new CD, Closer to the Start. They've already introduced several songs to the home crowd at our church, so if you're in the area, stop by for a sneak peak!

Lisa and I also had the chance to visit our camp in East Texas. It's amazing to see all that God is doing there in the lives of so many children and students. I'm still blown away by that place!

We've been busy. But we've had some great time off, too. I hope you can say the same. Let me know what you've been up to this summer...