Impact Your Workplace for Jesus

Yesterday I had lunch with four Garden City men who work at Apple (pictured above). These four men work in different departments of the company, but they share a sense of calling to their workplace and a burden to impact their workplace for Jesus. At the end of our lunch the men began talking about scheduling a regular lunch together to build their friendships and spur one another on in their mission at Apple. I get so excited about stuff like this.

This is the mission of our church: Making disciples to impact the city for Jesus. Some of our church members are living out their Christian lives and making an impact at the most popular company in the world (Apple). Others are doing so as teachers, baristas, lawyers, stay at-home-moms, painters, small business owners, college students, musicians, financial consultants, entrepreneurs, etc… in Silicon Valley.

Whatever your workplace, don’t just work there. Make an impact there. Make an impact for Jesus.

Pastors, read my post from 2010: Go to Where Your Men Work.

Invest in College Students

The way to get more college students in your church is to get older adults to invest in the college students in your church. Earlier today I sent this email to our church:

_______________________

Garden City,

Immediately after our service ends this Sunday I’m taking all our college students out to Rosie’s to buy them pizza and hang out with them. It’s my way of telling our college students how important they are to us. We have a ton of college students in our 4-month-old church, but this is just the beginning: many more college students will call Garden City home as the weeks, months, and years go by.

The best way to have a church full of college students is to have a church full of older adults who invest in and disciple college students. If you’re 21 or older, I encourage you to find ways to invest in the college students in our church. Did you know that some of the most faithful and generous givers in our church are our under-employed college students? Our college students are great and they have a lot to teach us. I love the passion for Jesus, the zest for life, the heart to serve, and the heart for community that I see coming from our college students.

Spread the word about this Sunday. Especially invite college students this Sunday. You’re all free to join me at Rosie’s, to come and get to know our college students better. You just have to buy your own pizza. :)

See you all on Sunday,
Justin

Wine & Dine Your Team

Last night I wined and dined the Garden City staff and deacons to thank them for what they do for our church. We had such a fun night. I gave gifts to every member of the team and spoke words of encouragement to each of them. We’re making this January appreciation dinner an annual event. We’re excited to watch this table grow as Jesus keeps building our church and as we keep training and adding leaders to the team.

Leaders, make sure you plan events to appreciate your team.

466 – 127 = 339 (Let’s Fill the Sanctuary)

Yesterday I sent the following email to my church, Garden City Church. We are now 3 & 1/2 months old as a church. Please join us in praying big for Garden City Church/Silicon Valley.

Garden City,

I moved down here to start Garden City Church with just 3 people committed to the church plant. We are now a church of about 150 adults (plus a lot of kids), so we’ve grown by 4,900%. That’s a really good growth rate.

But, I’m not satisfied. And you shouldn’t be either.

This Sunday we had 127 adults at our service. The sanctuary holds 466 adults. Do the math:

466 – 127 = 339

This Sunday we had 339 open seats, seats that could’ve been filled by people who need to hear the gospel, be discipled, and join our mission. To me, that’s unacceptable. We all know so many more people in Silicon Valley who should’ve been with us this past Sunday.

We need to solve this problem together. We need to fill the sanctuary.

I’d like you to join me in taking action to solve this problem. Let’s do 2 things together:

1. Let’s pray a 3-word prayer together: “Fill the sanctuary.” I’m praying this prayer. I’m saying, “God, fill the sanctuary. Bring more and more people into our church family, fill these 339 empty seats with people who need to hear the gospel, be discipled, and join our mission.”

2. Let’s invite people (co-workers, neighbors, etc) to join us at Garden City on Sundays at 4pm.

Our mission drives this. You’ve not just joined a church, you’ve joined a mission: Making disciples to impact the city for Jesus.

We are all on this mission together.

Let’s pray. Let’s invite. Let’s fill the sanctuary.

I love our church,
Justin

Leaders are Innovators

When a man once had a good thought, he should not be afraid of it because nobody else had thought of it. He should do it and dare it, defying custom if it thwarted him, tearing it to pieces if it stood in the way of right. All God’s true servants were innovators. Those that turned the world upside down were the very descendants of the Lord Jesus Christ. -Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon on Leadership, p. 143

Best Books of 2011

Here is my Best Books of 2011 list. This isn’t a list of books published in 2011. This is a list of the books I read in 2011 that gave me the most profit/pleasure. See last year’s list: Best Books of 2010.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

This is story telling at its best. Over a three-week period I re-told this story to my boys while tucking them in at night. They were riveted.

California: A History by Kevin Starr

Californians, it’s important to understand the rich, exciting, sinful, and fascinating history behind our incredible state. I think this is the best one-volume history you could read on California. Kevin Starr is smart. He’s actually too smart. This book would be stronger if it said less, if it was about fifty pages shorter.

The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller

The best book I’ve ever read on marriage.

Onward: How Starbucks Fought For Its Life Without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz

This is a great read on leadership.

Investing for Dummies by Eric Tyson

I hope you’re investing money, not merely saving money. To get a jumpstart or refresher course on investing, read this book.

King’s Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus by Tim Keller

One of the few books I know I will re-read, a book to be mastered.

On Being A Theologian of the Cross by Gerhard O. Forde

This is the message of grace! A brilliant book.

Church in the Making: What Makes or Breaks a New Church Before it Starts by Ben Arment

Great common sense that is often forgotten in the church planting/ministry/leadership world.

Muscular Faith: How to Strengthen Your Heart, Soul, and Mind for the Only Challenge That Matters by Ben Patterson

I read this book last month. It motivates me to enjoy God, not waste my life, and go hard after what matters most. Ben Patterson is a great guy. He’s the real deal.

RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel by Matt Fitzgerald

Get out there and run!

The Great Reset: How New Ways of Living and Working Drive Post-Crash Prosperity by Richard Florida

It was fun to think about and interact with all the ideas in this book.

The Last of the Prune Pickers: A Pre-Silicon Valley Story by Tim Stanley

I loved this self-published account of life in Silicon Valley before it became Silicon Valley.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian

Amen! This equation changes everything. Tullian is a good friend, he’s the real deal, and this is the good news of Jesus Christ stated in bold and beautiful fashion.

Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson

Now I have better words to explain what started happening to me in my early 20s. Read Wilson’s book and Tullian’s book together. A gospel double-decker.

Strengths-Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow by Tom Rath

Quit thinking only about your strengths. Identify the strengths of those you lead and help them play to their strengths.

San Jose: California’s First City by Edwin Beilharz and Donald Demers

Good history and photos of California’s first city.

How Not to Lead Your Church

Watch this one-minute video. A pastor preaches on love while losing his temper with his church. I find this hilarious. Don’t try this at home.

HT: Mi amigo, Jerome Gay

Fellowship Associates: One of the Best Things That’s Ever Happened to Me

Recently a friend of mine asked me to explain what my time has been like with the Fellowship Associates Church Planting Residency Program. This is what I said in reply: It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.

I wish every church planter could experience the training, mentoring, friendship, and help that I’ve been receiving through Fellowship Associates.

Read this overview of the residency program.

Check out the five other guys I’m in the residency with.

Learn about the type of men Fellowship Associates is looking for and consider whether this might be for you.

2 Books For Training Men

At Garden City Church we are big on training men as leaders. As a pastor much of my time is spent investing in men who will invest their lives in other men. This is how Jesus structured his ministry and this is what Paul instructed a young church planter named Timothy to do:

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” -2 Timothy 2:2

Part of our training of men involves books. Before we begin the assessment process for man to become a Neighborhood Group leader/deacon* at Garden City, we have men work through the content of two books with their Neighborhood Group leader:

1. Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission by Darrin Patrick. This book lays out the kind of men we want to build at Garden City.

2. Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. This book lays out what we want our men to believe, live for, and die for at Garden City.

Men/pastors/leaders, if you’re looking for some content by which to train your men, consider making use of these two great books.

*NOTE: We also have women serve and lead in the role of deacon at Garden City. Our female deacons at Garden City are doing a fantastic job at leading people to Christ, discipling others, leading from the stage on Sundays, and helping make the ministry of the church happen.

The Great Tech War of 2012

Last month’s issue of Fast Company ran a fascinating article, The Great Tech War of 2012, exploring how Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are battling for the future of the innovation economy. Even if you’re not interested in tech or business, this is a fascinating read on innovation and leadership.