3 Steps To Take Before You Can Serve Effectively

Christian faith is… basically about love and being loved and reconciliation. These things are so important, they’re foundational and they can transform individuals, families.
Philip Yancey

In order to serve effectively, we must first seek out reconciliation.

A mission mindset cannot be fully realized without our initial conviction and action toward reconciliation.

Our service for God and for others is misaligned if we have unresolved conviction in our path.

Before stepping into the mission field, we must look inside ourselves.  We must have a desire for a clean heart.

“Create in me a clean heart, oh God.”  This is the prayer of my heart.  (Psalm 51)  I want to serve effectively.

In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus teaches us to pursue reconciliation.  He provides three basic steps we must take before we can serve effectively.

3 Steps To Take Before You Can Serve Effectively

1. Stop.  Leave your gift at the altar.  Before we can serve effectively.  We must stop in our tracks.
2. Go.  Pursue the relationship that requires reconciliation.  It takes action on your part before you can serve effectively.
3. Reconcile.  This most likely requires humility on your part, but this is an important aspect of preparing you to serve effectively.

When you take these three steps, you will be ready to move ahead in developing a mission mindset.

In what area of your life do you need reconciliation?  What step do you need to take next in order to be reconciled?

Redefine Rich

What does it mean to be rich?

Matt Ham is on a quest to redefine rich.  He writes about it on his blog.  He talks about it on his podcast.  And he’s getting ready to release a book designed to help you think differently about what it means to be rich.

I’m excited to share some special news from Matt Ham’s world.  He recently released a podcast interview with me.

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to speak with Matt.  I think our conversation will challenge listeners.  And I think you’ll like it.

I’d really appreciate it if you would give the interview a listen.  (It’s available on iTunes on directly on his website.)

Once you’ve listened, let me know what you think.  Then tell your friends about the interview, so they can listen as well.

Thanks!

What does it mean to be rich?

Experience The Supernatural

When I was a child, I watched cartoons.  One of my favorite cartoons was Super Friends.  I liked watching the superheroes from the Hall of Justice work together with their different superpowers to fight evil.  My favorite character was Superman.  He was the leader of the Justice League, and his supernatural powers were pretty cool to a young kid.

Of all Superman’s superpowers, I always wanted to fly.  I can remember running down the hallway of my parents house from my bedroom into the living room.  Several feet from the couch, I would leap into the air towards the couch.  While I’m sure this wasn’t the greatest things for the springs on the couch, it was a fantastic experience for me.  For a very brief second, it felt like I was flying.

Today, the television and movie screens are filled with stories of the supernatural.  People are attracted to the supernatural.  They find ways to experience the supernatural through these movies and television shows.

What if I told you there was another way to experience the supernatural?

There is a supernatural aspect to truly having a mission mindset.

Serving others in our mission field is not natural without the grace of God.  And God’s grace is supernatural.  It’s what allows us to do things and to pursue relationship that would typically be beyond us.

If you truly want to experience the supernatural, follow Christ!

If you could have a supernatural superpower, what would it be?

Ice Breaker – Contest

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question. The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community. I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments. While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

This week’s Ice Breaker is inspired by a Toastmasters activity I participated in last night.  The activity stretched me, and I’m hoping this week’s Ice Breaker question will stretch you a little as well.

Question:  When was the last time you were in a contest and how did you do?

My Answer:  Last night, I was in a speech contest for Toastmasters.  I participated in a Table Topics speech competition with other competitors from my local area.  I was asked a question and I had one to two minutes to answer the question.  Here was the question:  What event from the past, present, or future would you most like to be at and why?  The winner talked about the inauguration of President Barack Obama.  I didn’t get to hear him speak, but I hear he did a great job.  I talked about the future weddings of my children.  My speech was well received and I finished in second place.  It was a fantastic experience, and it encouraged me to keep competing in these types of contests.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (As always, feel free to share links.) And keep Stretching!

Developing A Mission Mindset Through Daily Transformation

My worldview, my philosophy, my attitudes, my relationships, my parenting, my marriage – everything has been transformed by my relationship with Christ.

Lee Strobel

Following Christ with all we have requires us to deal with our junk.  We want to jump in and serve, and this is good.  But we must daily confess and repent.  We must seek reconciliation with others whenever possible.

Having a mission mindset is not just about going into the mission field.  A mission mindset is also about being personally transformed into the likeness of Christ.  This doesn’t happen by accident.  We must spend time with Christ.  We must be hungry for God’s Word.  We must take up the practice of dying to ourselves.

This is what it looks like to have a mission mindset.

How has your relationship with Christ transformed you?  How are you being transformed today?

Are you on a mission to be personally transformed?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

You are a missionary!

You are a missionary!

Did you know this?  Is this what you signed up for?

When you decide to follow Christ, you are choosing to become a missionary.

Maybe you are called to be a missionary in a strange land far from your home.  The more I go to Guatemala, the more I want to go back and serve the people there.  More than likely though, you are called to be a missionary right where you live.

Accepting this fact, it becomes critical for you to develop a mission mindset.

Looking at Christ’s life, we see He clearly had a mission mindset.  His goal – His mindset – was to do the will of His Father.  This too should be your aim.  He loved people.  He taught people.  And He sacrificed Himself for people.  This is the heart and the actions of a missionary.

You are a missionary!

This will require sacrifice.  It will require a shift in your thinking – a shift from your selfish ideas and pursuits to an ever-building longing to do God’s will.

Are you ready?

How do you feel about being a missionary?  What scares you about being a missionary?  What excites you about being a missionary?

What Is A Mission Mindset?

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 

John 13:14

Following Christ fully implies a life of service toward others.  We are called to set aside our best interests and to take action by serving others.

When we serve, it’s not to raise our own name.  We are called to a lowly position, so Christ can be glorified in and through us.

A mission mindset is focused on glorifying God and bring others into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you want to see this fleshed out, read John 13:1-17.

How do you define or describe a mission mindset?

Faith – The Key Ingredient For Developing A Mission Mindset

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.
Augustine

Even a step of faith can seem like a leap of faith.

What is faith anyway?

Faith is trusting in things we can’t see, in things we can’t control, and in power beyond us. Faith is about dreaming big.  Faith is believing that everything will be okay in the end even when we can’t see the way right in front of us.  Faith is being able to put aside our fears – or maybe to face our fears – and trust that God will take care of things.  Faith can help us break the paralysis of analysis inflicted by life’s anxieties.  Faith is more than just words – it’s followed by actions.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

Developing a mission mindset requires faith.  Without question, it can be scary to consider traveling to a foreign country to help others.  Taking a trip of this nature requires faith.  Having said this, it can be just as scary (maybe even more scary) to consider walking across the street to help out a neighbor.  Taking a trip across the street or down the hall to a co-worker’s office requires faith.

If we are serious about getting outside our comfort zone, we will need faith.

What step of faith do you need to take?

Why do you think faith is such an important ingredient in developing a mission mindset?

The Power Of A Post

We live in a world of quick posts and status updates.

Social media is filled with short blurbs documenting our experiences, our thoughts, our observations, and our reactions to life.  For the most part, I love it.  There is something incredible about connecting with people from your community, your country, and your world.  I truly believe social media can be used for good.

However…

Social media also provides a “danger zone” for all of us who fail to think before we hit post.

In 140 characters or less, you and I have the power to build up or destroy.

In 140 characters or less, you and I have the power to build up or destroy.

Tweet This

If James were speaking to us today, I think he would say this:

Be quick to think, be slow to tweet (or hit post), and be slow to react.

This is a lesson we all need to remember.

Have you ever posted something on social media or on a blog that you regret?

Ice Breaker – High School Football Game

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question. The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community. I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments. While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

This week’s Ice Breaker is inspired by this season of high school sports.  My daughter runs cross-country, and my son marches in the marching band.  This means we are at most of the football games.  Tonight, we’ll be heading across town to see our school match up against another school.  Our son will be playing the pregame show, and then we’ll sit back and watch the game.  It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with other parents.

Question:  When you were in high school where were you likely to be during the football game?

My Answer:  I marched in the marching band, so I was likely to be in the stands watching the game and playing the fight songs.  I was (and still am) a big sports fan, so I loved being at the games.  My sophomore year, our football team won the state championship which meant I played in a few extra games.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (As always, feel free to share links.) And keep Stretching!