What We Can All Learn From Bill Gates

Today I saw on the news that Bill Gates is giving away another $100 million. Apparently he's donated $100 million more than once!! This time around he's planning to eradicate polio worldwide. I found this interesting because Bill Gates understands the biblical concept of stewardship, whether or not he realizes it. He has leveraged his resources to do the most good he can in the time he's been given. And that's exactly what we're supposed to do as stewards of the time, talent and treasure God has given to us. The goal is to leverage what God has given us in order to make the biggest difference we can for the kingdom of God. What am I doing with my time? How am I using it to advance God's kingdom? What am I doing with the talent God has given me? How am I using the gifts God has given me to advance his kingdom? What am I doing with the treasure God has given me? How am I using my wealth to see God's purposes be accomplished on this earth?

Believe for More

In 2006 Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook, turned down an opportunity to sell Facebook to Yahoo for one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000). Against the advice of many people, Mark said no. He was believing for more. He believed Facebook could be bigger than a billion dollars. And he was right! Estimates are that if there were an initial public stock offering today, Facebook would be valued between 35 and 50 billion dollars.

I want to dream BIG when it comes to the things of God. Specifically, when it comes to pointing irreligious people to Jesus. When others have "a billion" mentality, I want to think fifty billion. When others think we've reach the goal, I want to see so much more in the future. I pray God helps me and New Day to have more faith and dream bigger than ever before.

Sunday Reflections

Today was awesome. Here are some of my reflections on Sunday.

• Our worship team is really coming along. Our worship arts director, Lester, is doing a great job, as is our new band leader, Frank Rocca. I wish newcomers could see where we started and where we are now. We have improved sooo much. Don't get me wrong. We still have room to grow, and I anticipate where we'll be a year from now, three years from now, ten years from now, etc. But I'm also celebrating the progress we've made so far. Praise God!
• Today we had 240 people at New Day (188 adults and 52 kids). Again, it's amazing to think how far we've come. I remember being so pumped when we finally reached 50 people in total church attendance (adults and kids). Now we have over 50 with just the kids alone!
• To my knowledge we have the highest number of people signed up for a growth group that we've ever had (currently 78 with two more weeks of sign ups to go). How amazing would it be to have 100+ people involved weekly in Bible study and prayer... Sign up here.
• Our growth group leaders training went awesome. Bethany, our growth group director, did an incredible job preparing our leaders to lead their groups. I got excited all over again for another round of growth groups. It's a great feeling to know you're a part of something that will help people grow spiritually.
• I was thinking today how great it is to be a part of something that's alive and growing. We're reaching lost people, we're having a blast doing it, we're making a difference. And I'm so grateful to be a part of something like this.
• I'm looking forward with anticipating to our switch to two services (starting Sunday February 6th 2011). We'll have a 9:30am service and an 11:00am service. I feel confident that we'll quickly fill up both services. I think before we know it we'll be trying to figure out what to in order to accommodate the people God continues to send our way.
• I'm challenged to dream bigger. We serve a big God and I want to believe for big things in 2011.
• I'm grateful for all the volunteers who partner with me and the staff of New Day to make possible what we do each week.

God Centered Living

Numbers 2:1-2 says, "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting..." The tent of meeting was the portable sanctuary of the Israelites while they journeyed in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. Some tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle (Numbers 2:3), some on the south (Numbers 2:10), some on the west (Numbers 2:18), and some on the north (Numbers 2:25). The point is, God and his Tabernacle were in the center of the camp, just the way it should be.

This morning I'm asking myself: Is God at the center of camp in my life? Is He the focal point of my life, my marriage, my family, my finances? May God help me and you to set up our lives in such a way that God is at the center.